Although I consider all such formulae nonsense—especially the 3rd track strongest—I agree that no one is going to sit and listen to a CD waiting for the good stuff. Hit them hard from the start and don’t let up.

Thinking of my favorite 50 or so albums over the last 60 years, not one followed the ‘3rd track’ rule that has never existed in real life. On many, the first cut, others, the first cut of side 2. The last cut on each side was often where you found the gold but most then, it was the 2nd track that was the hit.


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