The Issue of Reissues

I just got my copies of Smashing Pumpkins' reissued versions of Gish & Siamese Dream and it got me thinking about reissues in general.

In years past, I've blasted some bands for reissuing albums. Although I'm a big fan, 30 Seconds to Mars is a great example. They released 3 or 4 versions of the album A Beautiful Lie. Each one had new tracks or a DVD added in but why didn't they just release it all at once? Turns out they were trying to fill contract obligations, but that's neither here nor there.

Recently, bands like Slipknot, Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, and Ozzy have released remastered versions of their classic albums. This, in my opinion, is how to reissue an album. Each of those mentioned waited a decade or more (Slipknot did 10th Anniversary editions) to reissue. To me this makes sense. Technology has progressed to allow for better recording/mastering quality. Plus it brings the album to the attention of younger generations who may not have heard their older material.

I'm not against reissuing an album, but don't just crank them out to keep selling albums.