Garth Brooks promised during a press conference—which also confirmed his current don't-call-it-a-comeback tour and new album—that he would finally be releasing his song catalog digitally, after years of holding out from iTunes and other providers. He promised that fans would be able to get the whole shebang for a "stupid" price. We had no idea just how stupid it would be.
Fans can now purchase his entire discography—eight studio albums plus a live double album—for $29.99 according to Rolling Stone. The only technicality is that the package doesn't include his notorious rock album under the name "Chris Gaines," but most country fans won't care. They will care about preordering Brooks forthcoming new record, yet untitled but scheduled for release on November 28. Those who buy into the whole set will get a download of the new single "People Loving People" however.
The formal release of the digital set still packs some surprises: For one, although Brooks made it clear the package would only be available through his own website he never established that he had joined a partnership with digital music platform GhostMusic. Fans will need to visit GhostMusic exclusively for his own products but other performers have made their music available for download as well, including Ariana Grande, Coldplay, Maroon 5, plus country pals including Miranda Lambert and Brad Paisley.
It's safe to say that at $29.99, it's not about the money for Brooks. More likely it's for pursuing the title of best-selling performer ever. The country star passed Elvis Presley earlier this year and has The Beatles in his sights. The digital front should push him past the biggest band of all time in terms actual music sales.
As for the money, that's what touring is for. Brooks has already sold out 11 dates in Chicago, seven in Atlanta and we expect he'll add more dates to the three in Jacksonville.
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