I am very pleased to see the return of CD Booklets with CD Box Set releases such as Vinegar Joe, Vandenberg, Bullet Boys from Cherry Red, Esoteric Recordings etc.
This was after a short period where Ratt, White Lion, The Babys, New England for example had fold-out posters with track credits but no real background on the albums or artist.
>I recently bought the UFO 2CD Deluxe version of Force It which came with a fold-out poster rather than a booklet.
What are your thoughts on this?
Is it an enhancement, does it make the package feel more like a deluxe edition or feel cost-saving exercise?
For me the poster thing is a cop-out. The other issue is that they are often so tightly creased to fit in the jewel case that they might split in time. The worst example I can think of is the original issue of Steve Vai’s Passion and Warfare. The poster is great but simply too big for the jewel case. I rarely unfold it, but when I do it’s a tight fit when it goes back in the case, to put it mildly. Foldout CD booklets rule, although I’d welcome a digipak redesign that supported corners from damage better Chris Wright
Booklet definitely as any poster/fold-out I look at briefly when first purchased and probably never again Graham Harvey
I have some fine CD reissues from the 90s that have a poster insert and it often makes the history/sleevenotes/info hard to follow. Not a fan. We like a decent booklet. Or, like the Sabbath and ELP recent reissues, an actual book Joe Geesin
Booklet for me! Posters are OK in larger box sets but not folded down so you can never get them back the way they were! Lol Chris Harris
A poster with material printed on one side is good to put on the wall, but if there is stuff/text on the opposite side, then it is an inconvenience to have to take it down to read/see the content. So I would prefer to have both, but I would go with a booklet if I had one choice Stan Ferro
Booklets all day long!. The customers for these deluxe reissues are, I would say, ‘mostly’ 40+ who grew out of posters years ago!. The recent Floyd reissue had stickers for goodness sake. The Gentle Giant and Caravan big boxes had great books and reprints of programmes which is what we want but the posters just get unfolded then folded up again never to see the light of day again (probably!). So booklets all the way. Ian G
A proper booklet that includes original single sleeves, then contemporary reviews, original album ads, then contemporary news clips and a short essay by a band member looking at those days. Oh and of course the lyrics and the original album notes and thanks list Lucha
Definitely a booklet for me, Phil. Lots of great reasons are already stated below and for me, I definitely prefer to read, lyrics, band info, essays, etc., in a book format Cheers. Jim
I’m disappointed when it’s a fold-out poster thing. I might glance over it once but the chances are I won’t look at it again. It just feels wrong and a bit of a cop-out. For sleevenotes, lyrics, info, etc, it’s got to be a booklet. Clive Snowden
Has to be a booklet for all the reasons given here. I like the insight of an essay plus the musician and production credits. It is an essential part of a box set for me. Peter Walshe
CD booklet. I find foldout posters are a bit more of a phaff really especially when used in jewel cases where they tend to fray at the folds eventually. Strat Pack
Booklet every time. Or, reduce the price of the boxset and include a code to download a printable pdf. Mike Bruce
I prefer CD booklets way more than foldout poster. I want all the credits, info, pictures, reviews, articles as much as possible. I would be disappointed if there was only a foldout poster and no booklet. S West
Hi Phil great segment I prefer the booklet preferably a poster with no lyrics especially with the eyesight beginning to wane preferably a big book I like when record companies listen to what their fans want and need interested to see what the concensus will be Tino
The CD boxsets back in the 90s came in a nice oblong or big square box and had a quality booklet. I would look at the booklet every time I played one of the CDs, in the same way that you would peruse an album sleeve … I hate when you get a poster in a jewel case CD, as it can easily get damaged. Plus of course they are difficult to read … I feel that boxset packaging has got worse in recent years. All I want is a sturdy box, a quality well-researched book or booklet and CDs with at least some previously unreleased material that can stand up to repeated listens. Carl Tweed
I prefer a booklet a million times over. If I wanted a poster I would buy one separately that has not been folded. Charlie Jimenez
I definitely prefer a booklet. The BEST alternative is the booklet and a big foldout poster with the band on it. Nick
Being 66 now, I prefer the booklets for all the additional details around my old heroes. Posters would remain folded in the box. Hajo
I prefer booklets. Btw, I just watched your Bulletboys video. I like the liner notes. Don’t like the design of the box. I prefer the cds in their own individual cases Jiff
Phil, I’m 53! What am I gonna do with a poster? I’ll take a booklet every time! Shaun<
I prefer booklets. I would never put up a poster. Robert Aitkin
Hi Phil, Give me an informative booklet anytime, posters are a cop out. Raymond Mitchell
No contest, booklet every time. Stuart Raybould
I’m not a teenager don’t give me a poster. Booklet every time Lobby McCawker</div
Booklet for sure Alan Walters
Prefer booklets over posters as long as the print is large enough to read! Steve
Best of all are the sets incorporated into a hard backed book, such as the Tull and Marillion ones Bill Wallace
Booklet no contest – Derek Thompson
Booklet – Jeff Cliarborn
CD booklet for me Rene
Booklet Timothy Hughes
Booklet no contest – John Wheatcroft
Please add your comments below
Hi Phil:
Simple really…a poster, folded into a booklet size (or even 12″ vinyl) would never ‘un-crease’ sufficiently to hang properly on a wall or even pressed into a frame. Most importantly, I want as much detail as possible to hand when I’m listening, and I want/need to know who wrote it, who played what (if it isn’t a static band line up) and even (as Bonamassa used to but seems to not bother now) list each different guitar(s) and amps on each track. The lyrics always help add to the enjoyment too. So, unless you can add a book with each one (a la Listen Learn Read On) stick with very, very detailed booklets, dear music decision makers.
One exception – I still adore my fold out poster from my original vinyl copy of Pathfinder by the underrated Beggars Opera…it is a actually the sleeve itself and reveals the ‘horse riding astronaut’ in full glory and unfolds to 3’x2′ and is magnificent!
Hi Tom, Thank you for your comment. I have just received the Steppenwolf and Electric Prunes Box Sets and both of them have booklets.