Karaoke Forums

Which is the best in overall quality and price......Pop Hit Monthly or Top Hits Monthly? We just need some guidance, as it is time to quickly get some updates to our core music. We are suddenly doing 3 nights a week.

We are thinking of starting with the newest monthly updates, and working backwards. Is this the way to go? We need updates back to about 2000, to augment the Sound Choice Foundations 1 and 2 and all five bricks. We also have the DK Millenium set.

Thanks. Your opinions are highly valued!

My choice is for Pop Hits Monthly. Music sounds fuller & more accurate. THM seems to be more muddied & leaves out little musical parts (although most probably wouldn't notice). As far as price, they seem to be pretty comparable for the same amount of tracks. PHM usually go on sale after a few months as well so you should be able to supplement pretty cheaply as well.
Going backwards may be wrong for the reason, the songs are still too new. If someone is looking for the songs that were released in the last couple years that are still on the radio, then they might be dissapointed.
I would go with requests for now from your regular singers & try to get them before the next week or if you have a local karaoke shop maybe by the next night. You don't want to buy a bunch of music that everyone grew tired of last year either in the hopes of having something current. Be selective at first.

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

Thanks Lonman,

I think what we are going to do is go back about 6-9 months, and then move forward, only picking up requested songs as we go. We don't have a local shop, so we have to get everything shipped to us, which makes it tough sometimes to be able to satisfy people quickly (what ever happened to delayed gratification, anyway, huh?).

I frequent enough karaoke places that I get to hear what people are singing, so that can give us some other ideas as well.

We are going to order th Pop Hits Monthly Updates as follows...

Rock - Aug. 03 to current
Pop - Sept 03 to current
Country - Oct. 03 to current
Urban - Mar 04 to Apr 04

After that, we'll probably have our hands full just getting requests covered for our regulars.

We still have not tried Priddis at all, but I'd like to.

I have to disagree with Lonman. We prefer THM. To us their sound is fuller. Fuller orchestration. I've sung from both and prefer THM over PHM Both are superior products and ultimately it will be a personal preference.

Either one you choose..I would suggest working the other way ..I've found most people will sing OLDER releases first ...Some of the karaoke releases are being produced and released the same time the CD hits the shelf.. People need time to listen and like these songs ...Get some of the OLDER monthly hits first
#1 BETTER PRICING: They seem to go on sale quickly
#2 By the time you work up to TODAYS releases They will be on sale

For those who don't know.....Top hits monthly and pop hits monthly used to be the SAME company. Back in about october of '96 THM branched off and was selling PHM cd's with THM name on them. PHM sued them and THM became their own independent company in '99. As far as a diference in quality, I find personally that there is very little if any noticable difference between the two. You personally may notice a difference sitting in you living room while SOBER, but if you are playing out anywhere, there is bar/club noise and people have been drinking so the likely hood of anyone coming up to you and saying something like.."whasn't there supposed to be an extra beat on the snare drum at the first chorus intro" would be very unlikely. Most people are just happy to see that you have the newest releases before your competition does. I personally have both THM and PHM cd's in my library but for the past year I have been a distributor for THM and haven't bought any PHM cd's. If anyone is interested, I do sell the Top Hits Monthly 6 packs (6 cd's) each month for $57 with free shipping US Priority Mail to the lower 48 states. I receive the newest releases on or about the 6th of each month. (IE: I'll have May, 2004 releases on or about the 6th of April). If anyone is interested, leave me a message. Jay - Outlaw Entertainment

or just leave a new post

If my biz depended on who got the newest songs first I would be dead. I have never had someone split from my shows because I didnt have THE new big hit. If its THAT big of a hit they usually bring there own. I'm not a slave to the flavor of the month mentality. Just pick carefully and stay away from the filler........... pop and top hits monthly both cut it in my opinion.

Me neither. More & more people are buying their own discs that they want to sing anyway. If it is heavily requested, I will pick it up, otherwise it's not a priority.

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

I'm going by what my singers use..
Comparing PHM & THM ONLY...

I'm preferring THM, based on what the singers of our shows sing more and prefer, on a 6 to 1 ratio average weekly.

PHM just doesn't quite hit it for some reason.

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Brian D.
(BHB)

I have a number of singers that bring their own discs. Somethime they want to use them even though I have the exact same disc. They just feel more comfortable because it's what they've practiced at home (even though I have the exact same version). I still don't mind it as it makes them happy and saves the wear and tear on my discs. As for the upgrades, I pick up the PHM, but not every month. I usually wait for about 6 months then pick up 4-6 discs at a time. It makes updating books easier, and you can tell if people are really going to sing the songs or if they die out real quick. It's all a matter of preference, but ya do want to update on some kink of fairly regular basis just to keep improving your show. There's nothing worse than going to a karaoke that's been around for 4 years and has nothing newer than 5 years ago.

This is where personal preference will come in. Possibly an area thing as well. PHM is considered way better here to most. Could be kind of like the DK/Pioneer debate in the early 90's.
Perfect example between quality is Audioslave - Like A Stone. PHM is dead on while the THM is just kind of there, the solo is lame & they leave out important drum parts during the solo. This is just one example.

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

I figured there would be a host of different opinions on this subject. I have sung with both PHM and THM and find the differences to be very slight, and for the most part acceptable. There are probably a few lame songs on each brand. The price per track is almost equal.

Why do you suppose they have the vocal tracks on there? I would rather have 18 useable tracks for karaoke. Those vocal tracks are kinda worthless.

Hey, thanks everyone for your input. We will probably get some of both brands, because they both sound like decent quality stuff that you don't have to apologize to your singers for using.

For the sake of discussion, What about Star Disc and Top Tunes? Star Disc prices look pretty good....but a waste of $ if the quality isn't there.

They add the vocal tracks like that to give you a sample of how it goes if ya don't know the song. If you're trying to learn a new one. But you're right, I'd rather have 18 useable karaoke songs than 9 and 9. Every once in a while you'll get someone that wants to sing, but only if you have a disc with the vocals as they're afraid to sing it alone. They want to sing it along with whoever did the vocals. I don't particularly like that, but will abide by what the customer wants as it's their support I'm looking for.

I personally like having the vocal versions on them to play, before the gig starts and during down times when no one is singing. Many times people come up to me and want to know if I have that song in the "karaoke version." I of course say, "I'm not sure, I'll look. But if I find it would you do it?" Most times they say yes. Just my two cents worth.

I think they are both pretty comparable for the most part. I do not like how some of the duets are displayed by PHM though ("Picture", for example).

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Sounds Great! Entertainment
Bartlett, Illinois

Yeah, I know what you mean about the lyrics being displayed in a confusing way. I really like the way the lyrics are displayed on the Soundchoice CDG's. Just a little easier to read than the rest.

I guess that's a good point about using the vocal versions of the songs as filler music, maybe enticing timid singers to come forth. I haven't had anyone ask to sing with a vocal version yet. I did see one KJ who listed all the vocal versions in his songbook, as well as the karaoke versions. Made his rather small song selection seem bigger. I guess size DOES matter (LOL)!

I agree I like the MULTIPLEX versions of the NEW Monthly Releases wheteher PHM or THM I do buy both . I use the VOCAL versions as filler or just to play and have people sing along as they read the words .
Many times people will request regular DJ music and I'll throw a multiplex song in ... They don't know the difference ....

Marty, you must be a salesman!!

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Let's Kick the Tires and Light the Fires!

Nope, a teacher. Thanks though. JAM, I do the same thing. Works great for me.