Music - Why Are Albums Getting Louder?

For years, producers have been using compression techniques to make music sound louder and harder. Some people may notice that television adverts are louder than the programme you are watching, and sometimes older records are quieter than the newer ones. This is all due to compression. The producers use this technique to help grab the audience’s attention as they want to be noticed.


What is compression?

Compression is the inbuilt volume in a track. It controls how loud the music sounds, whatever volume you have it at, levelling out the peaks and troughs of a track to a higher overall average.

More and more of us are listening to music on the move because nowadays, we have the ability to do so due to new and modern technologies such as iPods, mobile phones, car stereos and much more. Record labels want their music to be heard above all the background noise of the outside world, and so very slowly – over a period of decades – our favourite tracks have become much louder.

Many sound engineers feel under pressure to make records sound unnaturally loud, however, Ian Shepherd of http://www.productionadvice.co.uk/ believes that this is not a new phenomenon. He quotes that:

“…modern digital technology allows people to take excess compression to new extremes…Mastering always used to do the job of the mastering engine. But there is always temptations to make things louder – the ear naturally hears things that are slightly louder as sounding slightly better. So, over the years, levels have crept up.”

One of the main reasons we are making records louder is because the way we consume our music has changed. We no longer listen to music passively at home, through big speakers – we listen to them on our MP3 players while out and about, or sat in front of the computer whilst doing homework. Speakers we use are not as powerful as that of a stereo therefore more and more record labels and artists want their records to reflect this change in listening habits.

Many artists and labels have taken this approach and reaped the rewards. Albums by the Arctic Monkeys and Lily Allen have used dense compression technology to give their sound more bite, and have sold a lot of records as a result of this. However, many fans have made complaints as their favourite band’s records are being mixed. Metallica is an example of this with their new album ‘Death Magnetic’. Fans were not satisfied with this and were unhappy with the final mix of the album.

But why isn't louder better?

For starters, prolonged exposure to loud music can bring about a condition known as tinnitus. This is an inner-ear condition which affects the tiny strands of hair (known as stereocilia) which pick up sound vibrations and essentially transform them into tiny sounds you hear. These can be easily broken which can cause the brain to produce a ringing-sound. In serious cases the listener may find it extremely hard to hear above the ringing. In addition to this, listening to over-compressed music can tire you out.

Also, it is known that CD's have an absolute maximum level which cannot be exceeded, and pushing the level up too high can ruin the sound.

What can be done to combat this?

An organisation has been set up by Charles Dye called 'Turn Me Up', which promotes responsible audio practices and is anti-compression.

Canadian dance artist Deadmau5 released the first fully-remixable album for the iPhone. This application which was created by Irish software developers Future Audio Workshop, allows the listener to mix the record to their own specifications, making certain sections louder or quieter, and add new effects to the track.

Five Loudest Records of All Time

1) The Stooges - Raw Power (1997 Remaster)

2)Oasis - What's The Story, Morning Glory (1995)

3) Red Hot Chilli Peppers - Californication (1991)

4) Metallica - Death Magnetic (2008)

5) Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (2005)