The Wonder Years Release Statement On The Greatest Generation

Albums leak. This is a brutal truth of the music industry. Fans download those albums, most of whom are unaware of the repercussions this causes for the artist they are stealing from.

The Wonder Years began streaming their monumental new record, The Greatest Generation, last night and released a moving statement to follow. The post evaluates the value of $10 and how so little money can go so far to help an artist. Follow the jump to read the piece, and if you are really inspired, The Greatest Generation drops online and in stores May 14.

The Wonder Years’ statement:

It’s 2013 and no one that wasn’t supposed to have our record got it until we mailed them out. It’s shocking and really a nice feeling that a bond of mutual respect with everyone who had the press stream kept the album where it belonged. 

Now, the record is streaming so you can listen guilt free. Like I said, its 2013. I know how shit works. Music is free if you want it to be, so why pay for it? To that, I say, touché. I get it. I understand but I’d like to counter with this: it’s $10. 

Crime in Stereo said this to me once and it really struck me. Just stop and think about what you’d spend $10 on; one trip to Chipotle? Going to a movie if it’s a cheap one? Maybe a t-shirt from like Urban Outfitters if its on sale? Two beers at a bar?

We put in months of our lives into this record. We sweat and we froze in a shitty practice space. We argued and fought tooth and nail over every song. We spent weeks of 15 hour days at the studio working until we physically couldn’t anymore literally getting frustrated to the point of punching walls because we didn’t get it perfect. And that doesn’t even begin to account for financial shit. But forget all that. What’s most important is that we feel all the way down to our bones that this is our best record to date and the critics seem to agree. 

It’s not intended as a guilt trip or like I’m pleading with you. It’s just a suggestion: next time you’re about to go to Chipotle, maybe eat what your mom made or use your college meal card or make something yourself. The next time you’re gonna go to the bar, split a 30 rack with some buddies and drink at home. I’m suggesting you take that $10 and buy The Greatest Generation because we think it’s worth it and it matters to us as a band that you do. That’s all. Hope your lives are great. See you this summer.

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One Response to “The Wonder Years Release Statement On The Greatest Generation”

  1. K. Bennett says:

    Psych a good album. Can’t wait to get my vinyl in the mail.