S T R E I S A N D . . . R E M A S T E R E D

By Matt Howe

Introduction | 60s Part 1| 60s Part 2 | 70s Part 1 | 70s Part 2 | 1980s | Summary

Sony/BMG is, apparently, releasing a crop of Streisand CDs at a lower price through its "Special Markets" division. CDs like "The First Album", "ButterFly", "Lazy Afternoon", "Wet", and "My Name is Barbra" are among the titles. Most likely, this is due to the current state of the music business (example: WalMart has requested under-$10 CDs).

Sony/BMG has said that the "new" Streisand CDs—which have been given new catalog numbers which begin with "7"—have not been remastered or changed in any way. They will simply be marketed to music buyers who may not purchase a Streisand album at $14.99, but who would buy one at $7.98.

Update (April 2, 2008):

It looks like Columbia/Sony/BMG has handled the discounted CDs by affixing a new UPC code to the back of the "old" CDs.

"UPC" stands for Universal Product Codes. UPC bar codes appear as lines (bars) of varying widths representing the series of numbers commonly shown below the bars. Barcode scanners read the bars and convert them back to the 12-digit UPC number that they represent. This number is then looked up within the retailer's inventory system to find the corresponding product name and price that Sony/BMG provided them.

The new UPC stickers correspond to the new price. You can see the OLD UPC number underneath the sealed CD.

Therefore, it appears that Sony/BMG are simply selling the old CDs with new UPC bar codes at a less-expensive price. Thus, no changes have been made to the discs.

Barbra's Legacy

Barbra Streisand has recorded over 60 albums in her career, which stretches from the 1960s to today. According to The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), Streisand is one of the top selling artists ever. In 2008, she was behind Pink Floyd at number eight on the RIAA list. Streisand is the only woman in the RIAA's top ten best selling artists list. (Madonna, by the way, was number 15 in 2008).

Streisand is truly a recording legend and a cherished artist. As she grows older, it is no doubt she will ascend into "music icon" status on the level with Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, and Ella Fitzgerald.

Barbra's album catalog at Columbia Records, therefore, deserves first class attention befitting the status she holds in the recording industry ... and entertainment history.

Preserving Barbra For the Digital Generation

Barbra's records have been through as many reincarnations as Daisy Gamble. In the 1960s, when she first began recording, albums were sold as 12-inch vinyl discs.

For many years, the vinyl Long Play album was the medium of choice for recordings. The compact disc took off in the mid-1980s when CD players became more affordable. The challenge faced by Columbia Records was converting Barbra's records from analog (recorded on tape, edited on tape, mixed for vinyl LP) to digital. And even though LPs and CDs share common traits (both, for instance, are round discs that come packaged in square containers), sometimes the original packaging concept has been lost when the artwork was reimagined for the CD's smaller, more compact size.

As for the quality of the audio: Streisand fans want to hear their favorite artist in the best possible quality available—not 20-year-old technology.

The Barbra Archives, therefore, has collected information on Barbra Streisand's compact discs on the next few pages. Mark Iskowitz's amazingly annotated Barbra Streisand Music Guide is the best place to look, by the way, if you are interested in more audiophile types of information about Streisand's records like chart placement, track listing, and recording trivia.

About The Remastered Pages

Barbra Archives has compiled information on the CD releases of Streisand's albums: which have been (or haven't been) remastered; how some releases differ; how the CDs differ from the original vinyl releases; how to tell which version you are purchasing; and any issues surrounding a specific album.

The following pages are for Streisand collectors or completists who want to own the best possible version of her albums on CD. Please note: vinyl LPs are not covered here—except to compare the current CD release with the original vinyl release.

Also, I've attempted to point out some of the Columbia Records' Streisand catalog that could use some work. Let these pages here serve as a cyber "wish list" of sorts ... from a Streisand fan's mouths to Sony/BMG's ears!

It must be said that other artists—who don't even rival Streisand's global sales or breadth of work— have had their catalogs remastered and re-released with much more care and attention than Streisand's has. Amazingly, these other artist's reissued albums most always contain bonus tracks and complete, restored artwork. Specific examples are: Barry Manilow, Dionne Warwick, Anne Murray, Captain & Tennille, and Olivia Newton-John.

The pages are divided into decades, and list the albums in the order of their original release date. Also, please note that only U.S. releases are covered here (with only a few exceptions).

Finally, comments, scans, or information that other fans may have to contribute here are welcome.

(matt [at] barbra-archives [dot] com)

Remastered Pages: 60s Part 1| 60s Part 2 | 70s Part 1 | 70s Part 2 | 1980s | Summary

Other online sources:
www.allmusic.com
www.castablums.org
Sony BMG Central

Thanks to the following people who've contributed to these pages:

Alec Straitden, Paul Katz, BJS Music Guide, Gustavo

copyright © 2003-2008 Matt Howe