Here Today... Gone To Hell!

I was just at a BBQ with a friend of mine who works in advertising for radio.  He handles mostly hip-hop stations but does have a couple of rock stations under his jurisdiction.  He basically knows all the playlists of all his radio stations about 6 weeks to 2 months in advance.  so he gets the inside word on all the new "single releases" and "album releases" before anyone else.  he needs to be able to tell his advertisers what hot songs will be on their stations to get them to buy ad space. Of course, I asked about Chinese Democracy, which he hasn't heard anything definitive about.  But again...he works more with hip-hop.

But that's not what I'm writing about.  I asked him hypothetically, "If the album is finished why wouldn't they release it?"  He actually said something I wasn't expecting.  He said that rock releases, in the past few years, have been selling very poorly during the holiday season.  Hip-Hop and Rap are flying off the shelves, so if you notice, most of the major releases during Nov and Dec are all hip-hop related.  From their research, they've found that most rock fans do not buy new albums as gifts...if they buy anything music-related, it's a greatest hits box set or itunes gift certificate.  Rock albums don't start selling well until mid-march/April.

So I thought I'd pass on this perspective from someone in the marketing sector of music.  If the album's done, there's a good chance the label is waiting until spring when they can get the most bang for their 13 million bucks.

this last touring stint brought in 13 million bucs, remember axl sold his publishing to sancuary for 20,ooo oooo .




I could be wrong but , I like what you are stating as far as picking a time frame of year to sale the album

Thanks for passing on the info, that's interesting to know.

Although, I had to laugh when I read:

"I was just at a BBQ with a friend of mine who works in advertising for radio."

I was expecting another story about how someone's friend in the music business knows Axl and told them the release date of CD. I've lost count of how many times someone has posted that on these boards over the years.  ::)

I dont understand why Axl doesn't do a movie soundtrack or something, just to put a new song out somewhere.

I think they have worked so long and tried to put this album out many times, and now they just want to do it right rather than focus on anything else.

The success of Chinese Democracy cant be judged on how many copies it sells in the first few weeks or months, this is not some pop/rap crap album with a few catchy songs which will hopefully fool the public into rushing out, buying it and enabling the maker to get another fleet of cars and build an extension onto his already huge mansion. Then the album is forgotten about in 6 months as some other new hero comes along with a catchier song and releases their album and laps up the money and fame for a few months then disapears considerably wealthier.

This is Guns N' Roses, this album has been in the making for 10 years, this album should be continually exciting fans and selling to new fans for years and years and years. The way that GN'R, Led Zepplin, Pink Floyd etc have been doing for the last 40 years.
Dark Side Of The Moon is one of the greatest album ever released, does anyone care how many copies it sold in the first few months?

If Chinese Democracy is just some flash in the pan, pop rock record, thats success is dependent on its release being timed to when people are more likely to spend money... I swear I will pick up this monitor that sits before me and smash it over my skull.

I'm with you olorin, altho I hear Led zeppelins first few albums debuted at the top of the charts.

I think the hype/mystique and the legions of Gunners fans like us will make it sell very well regardless of when it is released, so although this is a possible scenario, I don't see it being THE reason, but who knows I'm not in the biz thats just my opinion.

I predict a high debut followed by a fairly graceless fall down through the charts. 

The die hards will all run out an buy it on release date, but with "all the airplay and promotion" that rock music gets these days I think it's a really crappy time to release a rock CD.

As much as I agree with you olorin, I hafta disagree... I think CD must sell well in the beginning to give the naysayers less fuel to shoot down the album

Yes I agree with that as well, but I do also think it will be the strength of the album that determines those important sales and not whatever season it is released.

Interesting story, I suppose it may be part of it. But it still doesn't explain the silence. Why not just announce a release date in March, 2008? Although I suppose they may be wary about the album leaking if it's announced too early. 

What is the THE reason to believe that CD will be released?

interesting point of view...I've got another one

I think CD was ready to be released in March 06 as axl said but record company said something like that " you've been working on CD for more than 10 years, so why not wait one more year and release it the same year as the olympic games in china !" axl was ok and said himself "great, we could work a little more on it and record again some parts ..."
now, probably the record company has it and are working very hard on the advertising ...

if I am not wrong, that is not a bad idea, this could be huge ... guns n'roses at the olympic games in china !

Ive always kinda wondered this  from a marketing perspective,
but then again, Mabye axl is just to scared to release something he is going to be so hugely critiqued on and judged on,
So then in his mind, he has to make the best record possible, and it cant just be awsome, it has to be as dam near perfect as perfection can be

I think we should just hold our breaths for a few months longer, and see what happens :beer:

Didn't someone once state that Axl is a perfectionist and that he is also almost afraid of his own success?  Some are just too hard on themselves.  I'm sure he has a plan though, because like me, millions wait for his next successful C.D's.

I think the school of thought regarding what time of year to release the album is correct. If this album is gonna be a huge hit, I think they need a big first single all over radio in the spring followed by the album in late spring / early summer.

ever since march 3, 07 passed and no cd i got this speculative perspective:
I read the letter many times and axl never said 2007. i thought wouldnt a surprise release on march 3, 2008 be great and then he could say that was the plan all along. again, thatd only be great for ppl like us and not for the public or the band, but it would be pretty damn sweet.

Thats a Monday. I would think that he would have meant a US release on the Tuesday if he said a date.