Middle age: leisurely life in the entertainment industry

Every spring is a lively time for the mainland music scene.

In February, the annual music event, the Top Ten Chinese Golden Songs Awards Ceremony, was held first, and then singers began to release their new song albums.

This year is no exception. Many singers have announced the specific release time of their new albums on their official websites and Weibo, making fans look forward to it.

But by the end of March, several famous singers, especially male singers, suddenly announced that they would postpone the release of new albums, or that they would release digital versions of their albums online instead of simultaneously releasing them offline and online.

The reasons are all mixed up, some are due to delays in construction, some are about striving for excellence for the album, and some simply don’t say any reasons at all and just apologize to the fans on their official Weibo website.

But there is a rumor circulating in the industry: They are all trying to avoid the release of the Qingmanglu Band's new album.

Of course, no one will admit this.

But nothing is absolute, because on this day, a singer from another well-known studio also released a new album at the same time.

Zhou Wei, a well-known folk singer signed by Liu Weici Studio, will release his fourth album "So Cool", which will be released simultaneously online and offline. Limited edition CDs and vinyl will also be released at the same time.

Today is the afternoon of March 30th.

Zhou Wei is a veteran domestic singer who once released an album that achieved platinum sales, but today he is a little worried in his high-end apartment.

"Old Feng, what do you think the situation will be like tomorrow?"

Old Feng's name is Feng Gang, and he is Zhou Wei's manager. He never leaves his hand without a cigarette. He looked at Zhou Wei and comforted him: "Why are you nervous? Several of the songs in your album were written by the boss himself."

Their boss is Liu Weici.

"Old Feng, tell me something from my heart." Zhou Wei said with a wry smile: "In the past, the songs written by the boss were the guarantee of sales, but now..." Zhou Wei shook his head after speaking.

Neither of them mentioned a person's name - Yu Dongqing.

"Are you worried that Yu Dongqing and his band's album release on the same day will affect us?" Feng Gang asked.

"Don't you think so?" Zhou Wei asked.

Feng Gang was silent for a moment: "I once suggested to my boss that your album be postponed, but my boss refused."

"That's right. The number one singer in the boss's studio, who once achieved platinum sales, why would he shy away from a semi-professional band's album? Where does the boss put his face?" Zhou Wei said with a self-deprecating look on his face.

"The boss and Yu Dongqing seem to have a conflict." Feng Gang suddenly said.

"Oh? Who did you listen to?"

"There are such rumors. The original reason was that in last year's "Happy Girls" audition, the boss was interested in the girl named Li Xuexin, but Yu Dongqing was optimistic about Han Chun. He actually wrote the song "Qinghai-Tibet Plateau" in private and was defeated in one fell swoop. Li Xuexin successfully advanced."

"Yu Dongqing is quite shady." Zhou Wei said with a smile: "But the song was really well written. It was tailor-made for that fat girl."

"Yes. The boss can't do this."

"Don't talk about bosses, if you look at the mainland, even in Xiangjiang, who can do it with great songwriters like Xia Wenxi and Liu Guoliang?" Zhou Weichang sighed.

"This only shows that this Yu Dongqing is a monster. No one asked him about it for ten years, but he became famous all over the world in one fell swoop." At the end, Zhou Wei actually came up with a poem.

"Zhou Wei, don't worry too much. After all, your strength is there. You once achieved platinum sales of records." Feng Gang comforted him again.

"That was in the past, but it is different now. The record industry is declining. Who dares to say that your physical record sales can exceed one million? Even the popular singer only dares to release digital albums. That singer named Cai Qing, he It seems that the new album will also be released tomorrow, right?”

"Yes, but the album will only be released digitally."

Cai Qing is a popular traffic star in this time and space, especially famous for rap.

"Look, even he doesn't dare to release a physical album." Zhou Wei smiled: "It's difficult to make a physical CD."

Lao Dao is a store owner in Chengdu who sells physical CDs and vinyl records. His record store is called

"Kule Records" is located in an old building in the famous Kuanzhai Alley in Chengdu.

A low-key signboard, high-profile playback equipment, a store of about 20 square meters, a CD area on the left, a vinyl area on the right, and about 12 boxes full of vinyl on the ground. There are tens of thousands of vinyl and CDs. If there are 8 people standing in the store, it will seem a bit crowded and the music atmosphere will be overwhelming.

Nowadays, making CD records and playing vinyl records is not only to survive and do business, but also to protect this niche sentiment, so that vinyl records will not be lost in the ups and downs of the market, and also to protect the love of vinyl. Record enthusiasts provide a poetic habitat of music.

Therefore, there are usually not many people in the store and business is light.

When Lao Dao has nothing to do, he stands alone at the counter, puts on a vinyl record, and listens to those familiar sounds, as if he is strolling through the old days.

But I'm a little busy today.

Many customers came to buy the physical album that will be released tomorrow: "Wild Lily Also Has Spring" published by Qingmanglu Band.

Of course, Lao Dao had heard of this album and had ordered a hundred limited edition sets and three or four vinyl copies. Unexpectedly, the pre-orders were sold out very quickly.

When he asked the seller for an additional 100 sets, he was told that they were temporarily out of stock!

Out of stock in store.

Online platforms such as Taobao and JD.com are all out of stock!

So he had to hang a small sign at the door saying that the pre-sale album of Qingmanglu Band was out of stock.

This is the first time I have encountered it in these years.

At this moment, a petite girl who looked like a student hurriedly walked in and asked: "Boss, are you still pre-selling the album that Qingmang Lu Band will release tomorrow? I want both the limited edition and the vinyl."

"Sorry, it's already sold out." Lao Dao pointed to the sign hanging at the door and apologized.

The girl felt disappointed and seemed a little unwilling to give up: "Boss, are there any scalpers who want to buy it? I will buy it at a high price!"

High price? !

Lao Dao was surprised. He looked at the dress of the girl in front of him. She was a college student and she didn't look like a kid from a rich family.

"Girl, do you know how much the vinyl of this album is being sold for now? It was originally 1,888 yuan, but now it has been sold for 4,000 yuan!"

"4,000 yuan? That's so expensive." The girl exclaimed.

"It's a bit expensive." Lao Dao said with a wry smile.

Generally speaking, the older the vinyl is, the more valuable it becomes, especially those of big singers. I have never seen records that have not yet been released become so expensive from the beginning.

"So, girl, I suggest you don't buy it in a hurry. After a while, the price will definitely come down." Lao Dao suggested kindly.

"What if I want to hear it tomorrow?"

"You can buy digital albums online, it's cheaper."

"Alas" the girl sighed softly.

Seeing the girl's disappointed look, Lao Dao thought for a while and said:

"Girl, if you really like it, you can leave your contact information and I will notify you as soon as possible if it is available."

"OK."

The girl left her phone number and name in the notebook.

Lao Dao looked at it and saw that the name was very nice, Chen Guoguo.