Yesterday,  I turned to iTunes in search of Harper Valley P.T.A. and Ode to Billie Joe for a road trip, and $30 later, I was struck by the same thing that always strikes me when I'm using iTunes - the way many artists have one or two songs that represent 90-something percent of their download sales and how the rest of their catalog sits virtually untouched.

Now, I'm not exactly splitting the atom here by pointing out that downloading lends itself to embracing singles rather than albums, but, as a music fan, it just gets me thinking.  I consider of all of the music that I love that I never would have heard if I didn't delve into albums. If I only listened to Dalliance from Seamonsters, I never would have discovered that my fav song from that album is Heather (ahem, well, maybe I would have found that one) or if I only downloaded The Harder They Come from The Harder They Come soundtrack, how would I have discovered my love for Rivers of Babylon, and...well...you get my drift.

With the caveat that I despise over-simplification, blanket statements and that I urge you to get to know your audience to REALLY know the answer to this question for yourself, I ask you - do albums still matter - and if they don't, should we care? Certainly the notion of a completely singles driven music industry is something we've seen and survived before, but does that make it better? Do albums help fans become more invested in and connected to a musician's output, thus helping with fan development? Does going from single to single make things easier or harder from a creative point of view? Or does working on singles rather than albums keep the costs down and make it easier to release music more frequently? Share your thoughts on albums versus singles - the realities, your predictions, and whether it really matters at all.

Don't you sometimes wish music was a bit more like baking? A cup of this, a tablespoon of that, bake and viola - baked goods. In music, unfortunately there is no simple formula. Even if adding two months of pre-release PR plus five tweets a day worked for Musician X, that doesn't mean you can simply repeat the process and get the same results.

What that really means is your music career is going to involve a bit of trial and error before you hit on your own winning formula. So, what about the "error" part of the equation? What do you do when your best laid plans don't turn out quite as you had imagined?

First, understand that "error" might be a bit strong. An effort that doesn't pan out wasn't necessarily a "mistake" - you have to be in it win it, so you HAVE to try. Be ok with finding out your idea was a bust so you can move on to plan B. When you're ready to put said plan B into action, these articles will help:

• Music Careers: Problems and Solutions
• What to Do after a Bad Show
• What to Do after a Bad Review

Back to school time is right around the corner. Depending on your perspective, that news is either good or bad, exciting or terrifying, a relief or a reason for dread - or maybe all of the above. I know my own younger (oh, much younger) sister is starting to sweat a little bit at the prospect of packing her bags for her first year of college (where she is majoring in Spanish but hopes to become either a psychologist or a concert promoter, naturally).

If you share my sister's nerves, or even if you're just trying to figure out if school is right for you or what you should study when you get there, you can't miss the Back to School Survival Guide. This info bonanza, featuring great advice from my About.com Careers colleagues, has got you covered from start to finish. You'll find general advice about deciding if you need a degree, choosing schools, finding work while in school and paying for your education, plus industry specific advice about finding the right courses and internships to break into the fields of health, advertising, law, finance - and yes, music. Parents, you're not left out either. Check out tips for adjusting to the new school schedule while keeping your sanity and making the big decision about returning to work when your kids start school.

Before the first bell rings this school year, visit the Back to School Survival Guide. Thanks so much to my fellow About.com Guides for contributing all of this valuable info.

More Music Business Education Info:

• Before You Apply to a Music Business Program
• Five Ways to Get Music Industry Experience in College
• Do I Need a Degree to Work in the Music Industry?

1. Great post by Musician Coaching's Rick Goetz over on KnowTheMusicBiz - More Music, Less Marketing. Amen to that.
2. Cameron Mizell and Musician Wages strikes again with an incredibly useful guide to creating a budget for your album. Bookmark this page - you're gonna want to keep going back to it.
3. CNN discusses the fate of the CD - very practical information and another reminder why it is ever-important to know your audience.
4. Speaking of formats, this list of vinyl pressing plants in the US from PressVinyl.com is very helpful. Thanks to @buzzsonic for sharing it on Twitter.
5. Last but certainly not least, my thoughts are with everyone affected by the tragedy at the Love Parade.