Garth Brooks Being Unfair to Fans with “Time Traveler” Release

Garth Brooks has just announced his 14th studio album called Time Traveler to be released on November 7th. Consisting of 10 songs, the album was produced by Garth Brooks himself. But to purchase and listen to the new album, you’ll have to purchase six other albums that you either might already have or may not particularly want. It’s the latest scheme from the country superstar to drive up his sales numbers.
Time Traveler will only be available—at least initially—by purchasing it in a bigger box set exclusively available at Bass Pro Shops. As Garth explains, the Bass Pro release is part of his “Limited Series,” which has released two other box set collections in the past. Overall, Garth has now released eight box sets total. This third limited series also comes with the albums Man Against Machine (2014), Gunslinger (2016), and Fun (2020), along with Triple Live (2018).
Garth says about the new album, “There are a lot of different eras on this album, thus the name. Country music’s core is sincerity, after that, you can dress it up a thousand different ways. I am so lucky to live under the flag of Country Music.”
Will Time Traveler be available by itself at some point? Maybe, but Garth is not mentioning anything about this at the moment and wants you to purchase the box set first. Will Time Traveler eventually be available via streaming services? If it is, it would be exclusive to Amazon, since Garth has an exclusive streaming deal with them. But at the moment, there is no guarantees if or when this will happen either.
All of this is to funnel fans toward purchasing the $29.95 box set. Perhaps if you don’t have physical copies of any of the box set albums, that is not a bad deal. But if you do, you’re being forced to purchase albums you don’t want or need to get the one that you do. Garth has been doing this for years.

Garth Brooks first announced the new Bass Pro Shops box set back in August. But at that time, he didn’t even reveal the name of the new album, nor the track list. We still don’t have the detailed track list at this point.
On Garth’s first “Limited Series” release in 1998, it included his first six albums, with each album including an additional song. On the second “Limited Series” released in 2005, it included four previously-released albums, as well as The Lost Sessions that included 11 unheard tracks, including the Chris LeDoux tribute single “Good Ride Cowboy.” In that case The Lost Sessions was also issued separately later, but with an expanded 17-song track list. So even if you got The Lost Sessions in the box set, you still needed to buy the album separately to complete the catalog.
It is likely Garth Brooks will release Time Traveler separately at some point as well, but who knows when. As some fans are also pointing out, even though the Limited Series box set will be available at Bass Pro on November 7th, if you purchase it online from the retailer, it won’t ship until November 27th to December 4th. Perhaps this is to push people toward going to the physical stores. But with only 200 Bass Pro locations, this is not a possibility for many Garth Brooks fans, especially ones that live in rural areas.
Others have been quick to point out that they don’t even have a CD player anymore. Most newer cars do not come with one. At this point, CD would be the only way to listen to Time Traveler. People may have to travel back in time to find a CD player to hear it.
According to the RIAA, Garth Brooks is the top selling solo artist of all time in the world, even beating out Elvis. He’s sold 157 million albums in the United States alone. Though Garth’s popularity is unquestionable and his country bonafides are hard to dispute, his marketing and packaging schemes sometimes precede the positive sentiments about his music. This is certainly the case for Time Traveler.
October 25, 2023 @ 11:04 am
“Country music’s core is sincerity” There is nothing sincere about Garth Brooks. Where are the bodies Garth!
October 25, 2023 @ 1:40 pm
Had a feeling Segura would make it in here somewhere
October 25, 2023 @ 5:44 pm
His Opry Induction speech for Jon Pardi was very insincere. He sounded like a salesman up there. Also im pretty sure Pardi doesn’t really know him that well.
October 25, 2023 @ 11:18 am
Garth can’t force anybody to buy anything.
If this new album is not available at a price that’s fair, people won’t buy it.
Especially now, when Garth is more a nostalgia or oldies act than a hot current star, I find the idea that he can force people to repurchase his old albums rather dubious.
I have no idea what the current market will be like for Garth, but we’ll find out, I guess.
October 25, 2023 @ 11:32 am
I think you’re underestimating him. Anybody that can come back after more than a decade and become the highest grossing artist without any airplay should not be underestimated.
October 25, 2023 @ 8:55 pm
Sounds like the government needs to step in to protect people from being forced to buy Garth’s music
I just chained myself to my chair because my legs started to lift me up to take me to a Bass Pro Shop to buy Gatth’s latest box set. Funny thing is, I wouldn’t even know if there’s a Bass Pro Shop within a thousand miles of me.
October 30, 2023 @ 11:46 am
Not available at Bass Pro in Canada
October 25, 2023 @ 11:26 am
As of February 2023, Ollie’s Bargain Outlet has 468 locations in 29 states. If one is patient the box set will show up heavily discounted at an Ollie’s near you. Our local Ollie’s still has a stack of the last box set at $5 each.
October 27, 2023 @ 1:44 pm
I like Garth ok, but don’t like his new stuff well enough to buy it at that price. I’ll get mine when it comes to Ollies and if not it’s cool lol His stuff is not that essential to me. I’ve always thought of him as not as good as most of his 90s peers.
October 28, 2023 @ 2:26 pm
I recently saw “FUN” for sale at Dollar General. I didn’t notice the price, but his fans definitely just need to be patient!
October 25, 2023 @ 11:27 am
I bought his vinyl box set a few years ago because I wanted his early stuff in a physical format and, as you mentioned, CDs are dead. I have little interest in new music from him. Perhaps if he thought it was worth releasing to legitimate record stores where music lovers hang out instead of to Bass Pro Shops, I’d have more confidence in it… Maybe his next one will be called “Master Baiter.”
October 26, 2023 @ 6:20 am
You talking about the Legacy set with 7 LPS and cds for $40-50? I have that set too. It was so cheap I don’t know how they didn’t lose money, but it’s a great set.
October 26, 2023 @ 5:50 pm
I would rather have a new vinyl box set with the older albums that weren’t released than a new album from him. Supposedly, he is working on a duets album wirh Trisha Yearwood. With a traditional release (CD & vinyl) by itself, that would be worth getting. These endless box sets…no.
March 19, 2024 @ 9:17 am
I used to like him.
He treats others like dirt.
He sometimes says about his own fans videos:
They are trouble.
He is lucky he has any fans anymore.
He even told a weatherman with a new song that they offered to him to keep their day job.
He should form his own band, work on his songwriting craft, learn to play his songs well, sign up to numerous music artist song release sites and put his songs on their and promote them well, be his own sales person and maybe he’ll make it.
The music business is not just about major labels though.
Independent labels can do well.
Garth is ok.
Clint Black is a better artist than Garth Brooks in my opinion.
He always plays his songs himself and never just sings them.
Garth Brooks at times just sang his songs without playing a thing.
Alan Jackson did the same,
Beyonce is not even a traditional or contemporary Country artist.
Beyonce is overrated and mostly a hiphop and r&b artist.
Not into Alan Jackson or Randy Travis though.
October 25, 2023 @ 11:37 am
Garth is the male version of the Shania Twain has-been. No insult to Shania.
October 26, 2023 @ 5:06 am
Nah.
Garth has some classic country songs that would be beloved here if the site’s favorites sang them.
Shania was nothing but bubblegum pop.
March 19, 2024 @ 9:23 am
Both are overrated.
Shania is too into her body.
Garth is funny.
He actually calls himself a songwriter
and on Studio G one time he said I cannot do a Master Class on Songwriting,
but if you want a Master Class on Entertaining,I can do that.
Not that good.
He is overrated and he claims he songwrites.
One time he said the studio musicians were changing his song,
yet he let his Music Engineer tell him to not do a thing and let them change his songs,
I wouldn’t do that and I would never live in Nashville.
It should be called Collaboration City,not Music City.
Too much reliance on the studio musicians is stupid and ridiculous.
Faith Hill is a better artist than she is.
She is not after the male fans as much.
He mocks Bob Dylan,yet he actually songwrites.
So pitiful of him.
He is no James Taylor either.
No Gordon Lightfoot or Loretta Lynn period.
October 25, 2023 @ 11:58 am
$29.95 isn’t bad considering a lot of us bought a lot of CDs for $18. I know a guy that got one of Garth’s classic vinyl sets. That’d be cool. I’m not interested in any of Garth’s recent era work. Like you have written in previous posts, Trigger, Garth’s legacy in the young generation will be significantly less without streaming.
October 26, 2023 @ 6:31 am
I am 22 and yes I do know some Garth songs but if he’s not on Spotify I’m simply not going to pay extra money for a cd when I have access to every other artist in existence. I know he’s on Amazon but I’m not about to subscribe to something else that is essentially the same thing as Amazon. I do have a few CD’s bc my truck in high school only had an Am/ Fm Cd radio. Don’t have much desire to purchase a cd now
October 25, 2023 @ 11:59 am
Oh, this is crap. I’d be happy to check out Time Traveler, but I didn’t like Man Against Machine and didn’t hear the later ones….no need for a box set, as a fan. I also laughed at “eras” – channeling Taylor Swift now, Garth?
October 25, 2023 @ 12:46 pm
Gunslinger and FUN are awesome albums! I bet Time Traveler is great. He’s played a few of the songs on his facebook live. They sound like vintage GB.
March 19, 2024 @ 9:26 am
Never liked his albums after 2014.
Man Against Machine is fair.
However his song “Whisky to Wine” is his best new song.
It is like true Country.
His other stuff is more Rock than Country ever.
October 25, 2023 @ 12:00 pm
He has proven over and over again through the years that he is a business man first and artist second. That being said, given the small margins on music today (especially streaming) he knows it’s more lucrative for him to be in the business of memorabilia sales. Which is basically what selling cd box sets is as opposed to selling digital music available to stream or download. He knows he will make more money selling far fewer box sets than he would by putting his music on Amazon to stream. The financial bottom line is clearly his only concern.
October 25, 2023 @ 12:05 pm
I like Garth. I am a fan. I would have preferred him not to release this way but the album will be released at some stage on its own. Just need to be patient.
October 25, 2023 @ 12:08 pm
We want Allen Reynolds and Mark Miller back at the helm.
October 25, 2024 @ 6:29 am
Your wish is coming true! Garth is in recording sessions at the moment and Allen Reynolds is back as producer.
October 25, 2023 @ 12:22 pm
I don’t have so much an issue with the CD player aspect of this. My laptop I bought in 2020 still has one. You can buy an external USB CD player for your laptop. There are some vinyl players that have CD players together. They have some with cassette and 8 track players in them too. I think this Limited Series is a decent price, but it leaves a lot to be desired and left to imagination. I wish there was more new music, and I want to know if the Triple Live here is the same as the one in the Live Anthology book. Why isn’t it the Deluxe version? That Triple Live Deluxe Version had more tracks. If the Triple Live in this was actual audio from those Bass Pro Shops shows, it would make those live tracks – new tracks. I figure it’s the same as album I already have with different pictures in the book for those Bass Pro Shops shows. That annoys me. I have all the latest albums. I don’t want those again unless you add tracks to the albums like he did for the 1st Limited Series in 1998. I expect this new album to be released in February separate like The Lost Sessions was, and it was expanded to 17 tracks from the original 11 in that 2nd Limited Series Box Set from 2005. That 2nd box set did have a cool DVD added to it. If I’m getting this right, I’m paying $30 to buy a new album that will likely be re-released with new tracks in February. There’s barely any new material just new packaging that says “Limited”. I think I’m gonna sit out on this one. I want newer stuff or give me different versions of older stuff that hasn’t been heard in that format. I’m sure there’s a blu-ray or DVD of one of these shows from Yankee Stadium or Notre Dame. You could stick that in this Limited Series. $30 for $10-$15 of “new” material is not enough for me. I had a reason for buying the 1st Limited Series back in 2001. I hadn’t had those albums in CD format. The 2nd Limited Series in 2005, there was more to it. You could justify buying it. This 3rd Limited Series is almost as bad as that Target Box Set. I wisely didn’t buy that Target one; it was light on new material too. His latest Live Live Box Set – I’m not getting that one. Do better, Garth. You’re better than this. There’s that silly segment on ESPN where they say, “Come ON, Man!” – This release deserves a “Come ON, Man!”
October 25, 2023 @ 12:25 pm
Maybe the bodies are (very, very allegedly) buried in the latest box set, or in one of the many Bass Pro Shops.
October 25, 2023 @ 12:39 pm
They are under the Memphis pyramid.
March 19, 2024 @ 9:43 am
What is the Memphis Pyramid?
I am not saying they do not exist.
I just never heard of it.
October 25, 2023 @ 12:29 pm
Brooks’ business sense is definitely interesting.
On one hand, I absolutely understand his strict approach with streaming and why he prefers doubling down on physical product, box set gimmicks aside.
On the other hand, Brooks has long struck me as someone who cares a LOT about remaining relevant, and him bundling his three most recent studio albums with “Time Traveler” magnifies this. And while he certainly remains most relevant as a live ticket, he’s become quite irrelevant as a recording artist. His most recent release, “Gunslinger”, didn’t even crack the Top 40 of the Billboard 200, and that was released BEFORE Billboard changed their chart methodology to disallow bundle sales. Coupled with doubling down on CDs which are basically fossilized at this point…………..it fascinates me to see someone like Brooks who pays a lot of mind to remaining relevant take a business approach that hinders that as a recording artist.
March 19, 2024 @ 9:45 am
CDs still exist.
Billboard is stupid for going that route.
Them pushing everything digital is stupid.
October 25, 2023 @ 12:32 pm
I used to be a huge Garth fan until he started pulling this garbage 15-20 years ago. I’m amazed at how the diehards will still buy multiple copies of something they already have. A sucker born every minute, right?
I thought Man Against Machine was a pretty good album but Fun was pure trash.
March 19, 2024 @ 9:36 am
Neither one was good.
Whisky to Wine on his Triple Live Vinyl Record is his best song lately.
Everything else now he does is garbage.
His last best album was Fresh Horses.
In Pieces was ok.
The Chase not bad,although We Shall Be Free was never a song of his I liked.
The Thunder Rolls is not good.
“Standing Outside the Fire” is ok,yet his songs
“The Night I Called The Old Man Out” and “Ain’t Going Down ‘Til The Sun Comes Up” promotes evil in families in my opinion.
Fights between parents and children can be avoided, celebrities are usually overrated and stupid.
Rodeo is ok and yet negative.
“The Red Strokes” is terrible and I liked his songs “New Way to Fly,” “Victim of The Game,” “Wild Horses” and “Wolves way more than it ever.
“The Cowboy Song” honestly is better than all the other songs on his In Pieces album.
“More Than a Memory” is terrible.
I kinda related to it when it was released, yet now I find it ok.
The music video of it is negative.
“It’s Your Song” and “Wild As The Wild are not bad songs,yet “Tearin’ It Up (And Burning It Down” is trash.
“The Dance” is ok and “Friends In Low Places” is stupid.
October 25, 2023 @ 12:37 pm
I’m sure there are some rubes who’ll do it. There wouldn’t be bro country without this cretin.
October 25, 2023 @ 12:45 pm
bass pro shops is my favorite record store.
October 25, 2023 @ 1:09 pm
It is not clear if this is vinyl or CD. If CDs, c’mon — CDs are a joke. Vinyl in niche and vinyl outsells CDs. No one has CD players anymore (cue the 5 people who actually do) — I own thousands of CDs and even I don’t have a player. But you either put the record out to streaming services, or you did not actually release a record. Just a bizarre and misguided cash grab. If I recorded a record and put it on a shelf in a closet, I have not actually released it. Releasing something on CD is the equivalent of just putting the record in a closet. Another well-played Garthism.
October 25, 2023 @ 1:30 pm
There is no mention about vinyl with this. This is CD only at the moment.
October 25, 2023 @ 4:38 pm
I wonder if they will offer a download code with the purchaxse?
October 25, 2023 @ 7:09 pm
Highly doubt it. This is all about controlling his intellectual property.
October 25, 2023 @ 6:29 pm
I want to know if Brooks Jefferson on Spotify is Garth with unmastered vocals. Every Garth song I’ve had to learn was by listening to Brooks Jefferson on Spotify
October 27, 2023 @ 1:48 am
Same goes for “Dylan Miller” on Spotify.
October 26, 2023 @ 2:05 am
Hey I still listen to cds and buy new ones to listen to in my truck. You want to unload some of your cd collection let me know maybe we can work out a deal I’m sure out of as many as you’ve got you’ll have something I’d like to have
March 19, 2024 @ 9:39 am
I have many CD players.
Still he is overrated.
He treats his fans wrong.
Clint Black will even acknowledge his true fans.
He takes time out of his day when he does a chat on Twitter.
However Garth Brooks will never do that because he would be humble if he did.
He is overrated and egotistical at best.
And condescending and a mistreater at worst.
October 25, 2023 @ 1:19 pm
I can’t help but think that Garth’s decision to effectively sit on the sidelines for the streaming revolution we’ve been experiencing will really diminish how he’ll be viewed historically.
For the entire “90s Country” nostalgia cycle his music’s been missing from everywhere but Amazon.. So, for more than an entire generation now, he basically doesn’t exist.
When someone too young to remember Garth all over Country radio in the 90s clicks on a “90s Country” playlist on Spotify, they’ll see Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Patty Loveless, etc.. And maybe I’m overthinking it, but for someone not inclined to dig a little deeper on their own, that playlist basically serves as an historical record of a musical era…and Garth won’t be part of it.
October 25, 2023 @ 1:22 pm
Tough to tell what’s worse, forcing fans to purchase this box set or the album artwork itself..
October 25, 2023 @ 1:33 pm
The promo pics he has been using for several years have certainly time traveled from 20 years ago to present day……just stop Garth.
October 25, 2023 @ 1:40 pm
it’s a shame Itś only for the money and is fans in europe ? not for sale we already missed his antholigy 2 and now this
October 25, 2023 @ 2:01 pm
I haven’t liked Garth Brooks for many years. He turned me off when doing and interview after being on the scene for a couple of years saying “Country music wouldn’t be what it is today without me”. Total bullshit!!!!! Many other big names molded country music: Hank Williams, the Carter Family, George Jones, Ernest Tubb, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette, Bob Wills…I could go on and on. And to gouge his fans and make them buy albums they already have and most likely don’t want to get his new album is totally RIDICULOUS!!!!! We’ve been through Garths retirements then the following year he’d be back again….another ridiculous event. When he did that I thought if you’re going to retire…..just GO AWAY!!!!!!! I hope and pray people don’t fall for this money-making scheme and don’t buy into his new album. In my opinion, Garth Brooks killed quite a few entertainer’s careers back when he came on the scene cause as record execs were saying….your not selling like Garth…and that was a sad time in country music. Performers with much more experience were left by the wayside. One example was Tanya Tucker. She made loads of money for Capitol Records. She had an album coming out and so did Garth. Garths album got all the promotion while Tanya’s got none. She questioned Capitol big wigs and they said to her she wasn’t getting the promotion cause she wasn’t selling as much as Garth. So Tanya in turn said well if you don’t promote my album I will be leaving the Capitol label. And that’s what happened…they said bye bye Tanya. A singer who started when she was 13 and had many hits was overlooked and dropped by her label. Shame on the labels that follow the almighty dollar…cause there have been quite a few albums that have been produced and didn’t chart but they were amazing works of art in the country music world. This process has to change…cause you don’t know where said artists career is going. They may just sell as much as Garth did.
October 25, 2023 @ 7:09 pm
I don’t doubt almost everything you said about “Garth Vader” is true. Almost.
Before Garth, country music wasn’t exclusively, or even mostly, about business and branding (save for Dolly, of course, who did turn her thing into a Brand long before anyone knew who Garth was, while at the same time having the artistry to back it up on a universal level). But ever since Garth’s 1989 emergence, nearly every big-time country act that has followed in his wake has followed his particular business model, which includes arena/stadium spectacles, and yes, Branding.
So I have to say this with a lot of irony that Garth is in fact right: Country music wouldn’t be what it is today without him. And that’s not necessarily such a great thing…to put it quite mildly (IMHO).
November 1, 2023 @ 2:53 am
You sound ignorant. His retirement lasted for over a decade. He didn’t retire and come back “the next year.”
November 1, 2023 @ 1:21 pm
Hi Teddy. You are right I am wrong about what I said about numerous retirements…and I am sorry I made the mistake I did. I did look up and found Garth retired from music on 10/26/2000. He played a 4 year residency at the Wynn casino hotel in Las Vegas in 2009. But can I ask this??? When you retire…you retire you don’t come back. Did he do it cause he was broke? I don’t know. Did he do it cause of his ego and he thought people missed him. I don’t know about that either. In my opinion I like more humble artists like Vince Gill, Alan Jackson, Dolly Parton or George Strait. To me they are humble and true country artists. Again I’m sorry if this post upsets you it’s just my opinion. Thanks for setting me straight.
Sincerely,
Troy
“The Traditionalist”
November 15, 2023 @ 9:21 pm
He retired to go focus on raising his kids after he and Sandy split, decided to focus on being dad for a while, and had the right to do so with his career where it was at that point. He made it clear he would come back once the kids were out on their own, and he held to that. Yes, he did a handful of one off and charity concerts, brought the kids along cause they’d never really seen him perform live (keep in mind how young they were during his prime tour days), and then once they were old enough he went and signed the deal with the Wynn, that allowed him to both perform and finish his commitment to his girls, but 98% he stayed true to being dad. Only once they were up and out, he came back out full force, touring, albums etc.
March 19, 2024 @ 9:41 am
That is not good.
She was done wrong.
He is overrated.
October 25, 2023 @ 2:13 pm
What on earth does he have against streaming sites?
November 15, 2023 @ 9:24 pm
He shopped around and didn’t find one that wanted to agree to his terms. His one big ask was they would require people to buy the full album, no choice to purchase individual tracks. Why? So then all the people who worked on the album get paid. When people are allowed to pick the songs, and normally pick only the popular ones, then it’s only those few people who wrote/played on those specific songs who get royalties. He’s never liked that. Amazon gave him the reigns to control his own music and release it his way. He also liked that Amazon is a marketplace so it would guarantee streaming, downloading, and physical media all in one place.
October 25, 2023 @ 2:34 pm
My favorite college hangout was Willie’s on Washington, back in the days Steve Rice would have the Greek girls dancing on tabletop every Tuesday night/early Wednesday morning. They said Garth was a regular performer there 15 years or 20 years before that. I think would have bood him at that point. Amazing he spent his college years in Stillwater and left with no musical soul.
October 25, 2023 @ 2:51 pm
Big fan of his music but not Garth. After attending his most recent concert in Dallas I came to the conclusion that I would never spend another $ on Garth. Between him strutting around the stage pausing, what seemed like between every song waiting for applause and then carving out 30 minutes of his show for Trisha, I vowed never again. I should say I think Trisha is great, but if I wanted to see her showcased I would buy a ticket to one of her concerts.
October 25, 2023 @ 3:09 pm
You can always buy it, rip it to mp3 on a laptop and flip it a couple dollars cheaper on eBay or marketplace.
October 25, 2023 @ 3:43 pm
No one is putting a gun to anyone’s head to purchase this
October 25, 2023 @ 4:02 pm
Man Against Machine and Gunslinger were brutal compared to Brooks’ best stuff. I never even bothered listening to Fun. This is just another way, like Trigger said, to pad Brooks’ inflated sales numbers. It’s all about Garth’s ego. Take away the multiple sets that sell for next to nothing, and Brooks’ numbers would be much lower. This is pathetic.
October 25, 2023 @ 6:26 pm
“Self-produced” coming from someone with Garth’s post-90’s legacy just screams that it will be mediocre. Seems like Garth didn’t want to deal with the creative input of A-list producers. Garth is more of a product than he is a solo artistic juggernaut.
October 25, 2023 @ 4:07 pm
Or, alternately, you could download the new album for free, and Garth would get nothing. Not that I’m endorsing such a thing.
October 25, 2023 @ 4:36 pm
Are we supposed to believe that’s Garth on the cover?
October 25, 2023 @ 5:09 pm
I’m a huge Garth fan from New Zealand. The boxset will be available in Bass Pro stores (but not all of them) from November 7th, if you order it online from basspro, you get it November 24th.
Garth has confirmed that the new album itself will be available from Amazon at a later date.
Bass pro initially stated there will be 14 songs on the album in the boxset, (there is only ten)
Im hoping that the album itself from Amazon will include 14 songs.
Im not a collector, so I will just wait for the new album, but I kinda agree with some of Trigger’s points.
October 25, 2023 @ 5:24 pm
Can’t wait for the duet with Dylan mulaney
October 25, 2023 @ 5:26 pm
Well, I looked at the contents of the boxed set, and realize while I do have “Triple Live” downloaded, I don’t have physical copies of any of those, or downloads of the others. This box set might be worth it for me – That many CDs for under 30 bucks is a good deal.
But I can’t imagine there are a whole lot of people like me. Most Garth fans I know have EVERYTHING – including multiple copies of every album that came with every boxed set, book, or whatever other special deal GB had to force people to buy the same albums over and over (one reason I don’t have the others – I figured if I waited long enough, he’d have them in a boxed set; the last GB boxed set I bought was the Wal-Mart one that was several CDs of covers of Classic Rock, Country, R&B and the like).
October 25, 2023 @ 5:56 pm
Minor quibble here but the box set version of The Lost Sessions was 11 tracks, the individual release was 17 tracks
October 25, 2023 @ 7:03 pm
Yes this was revised. The issue is that it’s almost impossible to verify details on some of these Garth releases because the info hasn’t migrated to the internet because the music hasn’t either.
October 25, 2023 @ 6:05 pm
It was probably inevitable that a Garth Brooks would emerge about the time he did, and sell millions of records. America was changing, and there were less isolated country people, and with technology changing, it was likely that country would show James Taylor folk and southern rock influences. That said, I am deeply unimpressed that he seems obsessed with his numbers, and not his art. I don´t know if it´s fair to accuse Garth Brooks of ruining country music, but to say he is a greater artist than, say, the Beatles or Elvis, just doesn´t make musical sense, even if he has sold more than both.
October 25, 2023 @ 6:06 pm
Is there a way to install a CD player into a fancy new car?
October 26, 2023 @ 12:40 am
Haha, this makes me want to walk into a Tesla shop and say I need one with a cd player and AM radio
October 25, 2023 @ 6:21 pm
At least Garth has matured and shifted to making his fans feel like assholes rather than just saying it outright.
October 25, 2023 @ 7:10 pm
How does RIAA certification work for box sets? If he sells a million of these box sets, does each album in the box set get certified platinum? I feel like these box sets are a ploy to get more gold/platinum album certifications.
October 25, 2023 @ 7:26 pm
That’s exactly how it works.
1 million sales of a 6 cd box set = 1 million in sales for each album.
October 25, 2023 @ 7:39 pm
That’s correct .
October 25, 2023 @ 7:56 pm
This has more old man get of my lawn vibes. CD box set? Ain’t 1997 Garth. Let me go print some directions to Bass Pro off Mapquest.
October 25, 2023 @ 8:36 pm
Garth Brooks is one of the most commercially successful and popular acts of all time, with an estimated 170 million records sold. 170 MILLION. The guy has enough money that you’d think he wouldn’t feel the need to pull shenanigans like requiring fans to buy every album (multiple times, in many instances) to make himself commercially viable. Clearly, Garth ain’t about the music and never has been.
October 25, 2023 @ 8:48 pm
I heard him say 20+ years ago on a talk show, when explaining why he wasn’t working so hard just to make more money, that he already had more money than his grandchildren could ever spend. If so, why does he continue to wring every nickel he can from his fans?
October 26, 2023 @ 6:01 am
He doesn’t need to win, he just likes to play the game.
You can’t have that much drive and then just stop driving one day.
October 25, 2023 @ 10:46 pm
I’d listen to Allison Krauss any day to Garth Brooks. She’s won 27 Grammy’s…..how many has Garth won? Only 2. And how could you go wrong with Dolly Parton saying Allison Krauss is what angels sound like when they sing. Invest your money in a performer like her. Real…..genuine and not out to rape you for extra money. This I just my opinion.
October 26, 2023 @ 5:09 am
Garth never sang the kind of pandering music the Grammys like.
October 26, 2023 @ 11:51 am
@CK–
Huh? I’d say that pandering to p.c. orthodoxy and box-checking has been a significant sub-specialty of Garth’s over the years. And if it’s not in the actual lyrics to a song, he’d do it in the video or in interviews when talking about the songs.
October 26, 2023 @ 1:37 pm
Garth’s style was too “commercial” for the Grammys.
November 2, 2023 @ 11:52 am
Hey Country Knight….I just checked cause I wasn’t sure. Garth Brook won 2 grammys so I guess he was considered / nominated other times too. I think winning a Grammy is a great accolade cause it comes from the fans and them buying the actual albums. I’ve always loved Alison Krauss even before the 27 grammy awards. She’s an amazing vocalist and an awesome fiddler. Like Dolly Parton always said if you want to know what angels sound like singing….listen to Alison Krauss.
October 26, 2023 @ 12:28 am
Great music outlet. When I go there, I hope I can pick up a couple of Slim Whitman discs, too.
October 26, 2023 @ 5:07 am
Zzzzzzzzz.
October 26, 2023 @ 5:13 am
Wouldn’t be SCM without a “Garth making money” article.
No one is forced to buy this set. I won’t be buying it. Garth wants the record for most albums sold. Simple as that.
Guess what, every site darling here wishes he or she could sell and market like Garth. Music is a business and the man kept control of his musical rights.
He is only hurting his legacy by refusing to join streaming sites. That is the gist of an interesting article.
October 26, 2023 @ 7:20 am
Oh, another “this site” comment for CountryKnight, as if you’re not part of “this site” too.
For the record, I have directly criticized Tyler Childers for this very same practice of taking advantage of fans too, and in multiple dedicated articles, despite him being a “site darling” (in your words).
Wrong is wrong. Of course nobody is being forced to do anything. But people are fans of these artists, and they want to listen to their music. You’re taking advantage of them by packaging it in this manner.
October 26, 2023 @ 1:40 pm
It is too easy sometimes.
Part of the community? Not as long as my comments remain in moderation. My status is now of a part-time contributor and that is OK. But let’s not pretend otherwise.
Garth fans know how Garth rolls. Like I said, I think it is more interesting how Garth is losing any chance of a legacy by refusing to embrace streaming. At least, for his earliest material.
October 26, 2023 @ 6:16 am
…being in a position that you don’t have to care anymore, whether the things you do actually matter financially to yourself is a great situation to be in. who wouldn’t love to look down on maslow’s pyramid from way above with a big smile? however, using it to milk others shamelessly is plain and simple utter decadence. putting it politely. can’t wait for the guide explaining and recommending, which of his box sets are the real deals by trisha yearwood, coming with a choice of box sets of her cook books or own albums. then again, perhaps still more enjoyable stuf than the mcgraw’s guide how to become really really extra thin or something from the aldeans on identity or small town living.
October 26, 2023 @ 7:57 am
i really fail to understand why it matters to anyone what an artist chooses to do. if you don’t like it, don’t buy the box set, don’t buy tickets to see him, don’t speak his name. if you want to hear his music that bad, then shut up and buy it. why is an entire SCM post devoted to belly aching about what he does or doesn’t do? more and more on this site, it’s just on and on complaining about an artist’s choice…in what they do, what they say, where they go. you don’t like his marketing schemes but you are only feeding the beast by giving him publicity. stick to album reviews of lesser known artists if you want to be taken seriously.
October 26, 2023 @ 8:55 am
It is the job of the press to advocate for consumers and to be adversarial toward the industry and artists if we feel it is in the public interest. Many Garth Brooks fans feel like this is a smarmy thing to do. Rolling Stone, Whiskey Riff, and other outlets reported this same story, and in a similar manner. Of course nobody is being forced to buy this box set, but it is not fair to Garth’s fans to expect them to buy albums they already have to get the one they want. I have criticized other artist for similar marketing and packaging schemes, namely Tyler Childers.
I understand that some Garth Brooks fans may not care about this issue. When it comes to his music, I have always been more of a Garth apologist than anything. But when he held people’s pre-order money for two years with “Fun,” and now this, someone needs to speak up for the consumer. That’s the job of the press.
October 26, 2023 @ 10:32 am
“someone needs to speak up for the consumer.” i get what you’re saying, and that phrase is fine if you’re talking about getting screwed by AT&T or buying a lemon car or a rotten watermelon and not getting a refund. but we’re talking about creativity in the entertainment industry. entertainment is a luxury, not a staple. if any “consumer” is so dumb that they don’t realize what is going on, and need the press to clear it up for them, and end up with “oh my lord, Garth has been doing WHAT to me?” then they truly deserve to listen to his music and be suckered into whatever marketing scheme Garth comes up with. like any capitalist, garth is doing what he needs to do for garth. pick ANY other music artist and i guarantee they wish they could have the exposure and COMPLETE control over their brand the way he does. he’s had so many boxed sets, who doesn’t know what he’s doing!?! i just thing that articles like this on SCM are a waste of time and the space would be better used.
October 26, 2023 @ 11:52 am
Look, I want to review the new Garth Brooks album upon release. It’s likely to be country with some good songs, but I’m not going to drive 40 miles to the nearest Bass Pro Shop and pony up 30 bucks since I’ve already had to buy two of the CDs in this box set to review them in the past because I couldn’t listen to them anywhere else. I also think Garth Brooks needs to understand how this is going to hurt his ability to reach new fans and have his music find the audience he wants. I think it’s important that we give our feedback as listeners.
No matter how many articles I write in a week, there is only going to be a finite amount of reviews for independent artists because this depends on lots of listening time and the availability of quality albums to review. Writing an article like this doesn’t impinge on this whatsoever.
October 26, 2023 @ 8:09 am
Test comment
October 26, 2023 @ 8:13 am
I recently heard a podcast where the hosts explained this might be Garth’s way of holding that #1 Selling Solo Artist (in the USA) over Elvis. They said Elvis and Garth have swapped that position multiple times in the past 20 years and Garth releasing these huge box sets of old albums keeps him ahead. Maybe that’s oversimplifying it (it was podcast on Elvis’s influence on Country Music), but I found it interesting.
October 26, 2023 @ 9:41 am
Kinda what was said above, but isnt Garth releasing these as a box set to continue to have the top spot for all time sales? If he sells a million albums, he gets credit for 6 million on total sales? Isnt that why he has continued to sell the box set format to drive all time sales? Let’s not forget what he went to college for: advertising/marketing. Just another ploy to get more sales for all time rank.
October 26, 2023 @ 9:55 am
You might say what Garth Brooks is doing, is downright Shameless. (•_•) ( •_•)>⌐■-■ (⌐■_■) Yeaaaah!
October 26, 2023 @ 1:21 pm
I get your point here, but I have to disagree. Garth is one of the few holdouts refusing to put his music on streaming services – which is 100% his right. Not to mention that these services pay almost nothing to artists. So yeah, he still sells CD’s. Good for him. He knows what his music is worth and doesn’t want to hand it over to Spotify.
Now, it’s been a while since I’ve bought a CD, but I buy vinyl on occasion and $29.95 is a typical price for a *single album.* Garth is charging that for… what is it, six albums? In other words, you’re getting the new release at a new release price and everything else is basically gravy. It’s actually kind of a bargain.
It’s interesting marketing. Given that his heyday was also the heyday of the CD, it’s likely that most of his fans have a CD player around somewhere. Will it pay off? Who knows, but it’s interesting. He’s trying to get people to buy physical albums again. I think a lot of artists wish their fans would do that.
October 26, 2023 @ 2:46 pm
Everyone’s so upset that he does this..forcing fans to buy things they don’t need to get what they want. Big deal. Ever consider that every “fan” that signs up for Spotify is forcing artists to give you what you want without giving the artists what they need? Nice to see some balance. Also, think about the songwriters. I’m sure they enjoy the repeated sales. This isn’t greed or arrogance. This is someone taking care of those who helped him along the way, while also making some money. There are worse things to worry about than Garth selling another box set.
October 26, 2023 @ 3:19 pm
Gutted to learn today, that the new album wont be released as a standalone album, or for streaming on amazon in the future, according to Billboard music magazine.
This is why people use certain sites to download their music from and not pay.
Garth is the only artist in the world, where you have to jump thru hoops to buy his music.
Huge fan, but this just sucks.
October 26, 2023 @ 7:36 pm
Garth Brooks fans are so lucky to be treated unfairly. I once went on a literal bible belt road trip to see Lee Ann Womack at a Mississippi casino. Heck, I once saw Lee Ann hours after a 72 hour hold let up.
October 26, 2023 @ 8:45 pm
Is he still exclusive to Amazon Music for his streaming? I’m sure he did it “for the fans” and not some huge lump sum from Amazon. What a jackass.
October 26, 2023 @ 8:47 pm
That’s Garth Brooks unironically modeling Zoolander’s “Blue Steel” on the cover of his new record.
What a living, breathing, walking douchebag.
October 27, 2023 @ 1:40 am
Garth, needs to take a lesson from the people who run, Prince’s estate, they have just re released Prince’s Diamond and Pearls with 33 previously unreleased tracks, two hours of never before seen, concert footage and its available on all formats! This is the type of thing he should be doing.
October 27, 2023 @ 6:46 am
This seems more like a marketing deal with Bass Pro than a real album release. Probably took some leftover tracks from the vault and polished them up. Even the Amazon exclusive deal seems like a marketing ploy for them. Because you have to think that even Garth knows by now that purchasing CDs, or even paying for music downloads has gone the way of the Album, Cassette, and 8-Track. Sure there are some holdovers. I was a late adopter to streaming myself. But that’s the where the vast majority of music customers are now.
I’m guessing Garth has already been paid for this “album” by Bass Pro. Apple made a similar marketing move with U2 a few years back. Won’t be surprised to see this box set on shelfs near the checkout lane soon. It seems kinda like cheapening of his own catalog to me though. But hey, make that easy money Garth.
October 27, 2023 @ 6:53 pm
What in Sam Hill does Garth Brooks have to do with country music, much less saving it?
October 28, 2023 @ 6:45 am
I’ll wait for this album to be available as a stand alone. Unfortunately, I have his last 3 albums. The first 2 digitally and the last one both digitally and cd (don’t know why I bothered to get it on cd). I can see why he probably didn’t release it through Amazon considering they had issues with his last album being on preorder for more than 2 years and random single releases in between. Me thinks he is doing this in order the give the new album a chance to at least move some copies considering FUN. Had disappointing sales numbers.
October 28, 2023 @ 11:34 am
Young people will never hear Garth Brooks. So dumb. I understand that Spotify isn’t good for artists and I wish there was a better system, but you can’t even play any of his songs in a car or at a party. Dumb.
November 11, 2023 @ 3:14 pm
I am a huge Garth fan. I’ve seen him a few times in concert and own every all boxsets but this one isn’t available to me because I live in Canada. Not liking this slap to his fanbase. I understand streaming pays, basically, nothing but there are many fans of his that would buy this new album if it was available to them. I would. But he hasn’t given me the option to purchase it. So I guess I sit this one out.
November 15, 2023 @ 10:35 am
At the end of the day, the album is pretty awesome. There are ten songs, and I think this is the most country I have heard Garth since No Fences. (not that he didn’t have traditional stuff along the way). Only the song Neon Neighborhood rubs me the wrong way in terms of its sound. His take on the awesome song “The Ride” is also questionable – of all the songs to make less traditional, making this one less traditional just seems wrong. But it’s still a powerful take on the song.
Overall, I could easily see this album becoming my third favorite Garth album, right behind Garth Brooks and No Fences. I am very pleasantly surprised.
June 30, 2024 @ 2:14 am
Yet another “shameless” (pun intended) attempt to cram the same old largely irrelevant recordings down the loyal fans throats. He’s still obsessed with breaking the Beatles record for albums sold. Unfortunately for him he isn’t selling many lately. So he’s resorted to repackages of repackages to inflate his numbers with the same old largely irrelevant music. He reminds me of Pete rose. In order to break Ty Cobbs all time hit record he got a job as player manager for the Cincinnati reds. Then he was in a position to write his own name in the lineup card, long past his prime, until he played long enough to get those hits. Then he stood there with a corked bat on his shoulder while younger guys with more current ability collected splinters on the bench. He’d be batting in a wheelchair if he thought he’d break any more records. Garth will probably be singing into his urinal from some nursing home too