Contraband's GOES GOLD!!!

[matt88]

I don't think contraband is the type of caliber to be a MASSIVE seller.

For an album thats released in an indusrty thats dominated by Hip Hop n, Rap and the quality of the album. I don't think it should be selling like the Illusions or Appetite.

[Ignatius]

Here's a sign VR's hardly slumping...

See #'s 1 and 18...

http://www.kroq.com/music/mostplayedhome.html

Yeah, VR has two songs on the top 20 on one of the most influential modern rock radio stations in the US but Contraband sales are dropping big time. What's the problem then?

VR needs to release a new single ( video included) - despite Slither's first position at KROQ ( apperantly that is not enought to keep the momentum/sales) - and a couple of perfomances here and there ( Leno and TRL) to get the momentum back.

[Ignatius]

For an album thats released in an indusrty thats dominated by Hip Hop n, Rap and the quality of the album. I don't think it should be selling like the Illusions or Appetite.

That's no excuse. Great albums do well regardless what the music industry dictaminates. Look at GNR back in 87. Music was dominated then by the likes Michael Jackson, Madonna, George Michael, Rick Astley, Bobby Macferrin (sp?), Whitney Houston....but GNR has sold 16 million albums. Look at Nirvana back in 91 when music was dominated by Guns N' Roses and Mariah Carey sold 10 Million with a totally different music concept.

I don't think industry patterns really matter. If an album breaks through it becomes unstopable regardless.

[matt88]

For an album thats released in an indusrty thats dominated by Hip Hop n, Rap and the quality of the album. I don't think it should be selling like the Illusions or Appetite.

That's no excuse. Great albums do well regardless what the music industry dictaminates. Look at GNR back in 87. Music was dominated then by the likes Michael Jackson, Madonna, George Michael, Rick Astley, Bobby Macferrin (sp?), Whitney Houston....but GNR has sold 16 million albums. Look at Nirvana back in 91 when music was dominated by Guns N' Roses and Mariah Carey sold 10 Million with a totally different music concept.

I don't think industry patterns really matter. If an album breaks through it becomes unstopable regardless.

Point taken.

But Contraband isn't going to change the music scene the way GN'R did with Appetite or the way Nirvana did with Nevermind.

Great albums of course, but Contraband is no way in the same league as the above 2 albums.

People here expected to much of this record sales wise.

[Ignatius]

Of course not. Contraband is not revolutionary. Even the biggest VR die-hard fans around here ( Jizzo, Falc, Booker..) seem to really like the album but don't label it as a master piece. A good, decent hard-rock album, that's all.

If you wanna be big, be pretentious. Have something to say.
This album has a lot of "pretending" instead.

[Izzy]

Sales aren't great for this thing - which is somewhat bizarre - the promotion seems to have been there (unless you live in the UK where i am still yet to hear anything about the band apart from various editorials damning Scott Weiland )

500,000 just isn't that good - its going to really struggle to hit platinum

Not sure what went wrong

You understand thats 500,000 in 4 weeks, right?  What are you expecting?

Well sales are always best in the first month but always fall away quickly (as everyone who is going to buy the album most likely already has)

Therefore its really going to strugle to get to platinum status

But straight to the point - 500,000 sales would be great if we teamed up and put out an album but that is not an impresive figure for a major new act backed by strong promotion and already possesing millions of people intrested in the various members work.....

[Thorned Rose]

Guys!! Come on man.... Contraband hasn't sold Usher's numbers, I mean I hate rap and hip hop but this is the first true rock band since 3 Doors Down.

Rock bands just don't sell AWESOME anymore. Audioslave is only at 2 or 3 million in the states and that is over 2 years after the release. It will sell fine, but not AFD type of numbers. If this record came out 8 years ago, it would have almost 2 million already by now, it's a awesome album, just the times don't reflect the band's talent, just the sales.

ROCK ON VR!

[Falcon]

For an album thats released in an indusrty thats dominated by Hip Hop n, Rap and the quality of the album. I don't think it should be selling like the Illusions or Appetite.

That's no excuse. Great albums do well regardless what the music industry dictaminates. Look at GNR back in 87. Music was dominated then by the likes Michael Jackson, Madonna, George Michael, Rick Astley, Bobby Macferrin (sp?), Whitney Houston....but GNR has sold 16 million albums. Look at Nirvana back in 91 when music was dominated by Guns N' Roses and Mariah Carey sold 10 Million with a totally different music concept.

I don't think industry patterns really matter. If an album breaks through it becomes unstopable regardless.

I think the over analyzation of sales is getting a bit out of hand, the comparison to these long gone by eras is hardly a good barometer, the industry has changed way too much since then to cite the instances above as any qualified points of reference.

A good bet is that RCA is extremely happy with the progress of VR, they'd be less than smart if they weren't.  Can anyone think of a recent "rock" record of new material by a new band that has hit gold status in only 4 weeks of release?

The only fair comparison is the obvious, Audioslave, which by all accounts has been deemed highly successful.  VR's early success has been at least equal to that of "Slave so lets not get too freaky just yet and leave the industry stategy (single releases and whatnot) to the fellas who to this point in time have made absolutely every correct decision is the presentation of Velvet Revolver.

[jabba2]

In the age of the internet i doubt Contraband will see 2X Platinum within a couple years. I would be shocked if it reaches 2X in 1 year. Check out edonkey or any bit torrent. There is 100's of copys Contraband available. Im guessing it hurts record sales 30% It could be even higher.

[younggunner]

I think the over analyzation of sales is getting a bit out of hand

Wait till CD comes out. Im sure there will be hourly and daily sales reports.

[BucketHeadRulez]

Gold is a good start for them I seen on VH1 where Slither was making a slow climb on their charts,and it was 17 or 16 I am not for sure but it was making a climb to the top! Hell it is hard for anything but rap to sell nowadays,but I think VR is making a strong case! I like to listen to rap from time to time but I also want some Rock and Roll and VR is the closest thing we have to rock next 3 Doors Down!


    Plus we live in the age were the internet has made getting music very easy,and I would have to say it also has damage their sells too but still it is at Gold! Slowly it is climbing to  platinum as for as the releasing another single out I would wait on that one!