Behind The Song

The Art of Liner Notes

One of the pleasures I have discovered in the past few years is the art of crafting a liner note.

Just as you wouldn’t argue when a writer puts pen to paper for a story, a song, a novel, an article – so is the same for liner notes.

I had recently met a person who is shilling a company trying to monetize liner notes. Thinking that it was just throwaway content, remnant unimportant work from an artists album.

Just another way people are trying to abuse and make money off the backs of hard working artists who might not always understand business.

They thought I was dumb enough to buy their spiel.

It’s like asking a novelist to hand over their blog posts because it’s just something they did anyway. “It’s not the novel.”

Makes no sense.

As a writer, it is even more difficult to make such a small place meaningful. It’s the meeting place of someone who is so invested in your album that they purchased a physical copy to see the artwork you have laid forth. To discern more information about the artisans and craftsmanship it took to create the sounds they just heard. It is a touch base and a hello for those who are truly invested.

Liner notes lend clues of the curation of the collection of songs and people.

Liner notes are part of the art.