When would promotion start + Is November Really a Good Idea?

[Hammy]

Dwarfed by Eminem? You expect Guns N' Roses to hide away from him.  I can't see him being much of a problem.  If you're gonna buy both albums you will and anyone who'd choose Eminem over GN'R doesn't deserve the album anyway.  You really think the board members here want the album delaying even more every month some artist is releasing an album,  GN'R will release when good and ready and should not plan their release depending on others.

[Naupis]

In 2004....Eminem's popularity does dwarf GNR. That is just the reality of the situation. Every major music outlet will be going gaga over it and GNR would not get the coverage they otherwise would. You are naive if you don't realize this.

[Hammy]

You are naive if you don't realize this.

I realise it both i also think that GN'R has great anticipation and put simply i am sick of waiting, if it gets overshadowed so be it the album will be just as good and singles will help boost sales later on no matter how well it does intially long-term is more important, and if it's good and the singles are it'll be around for a while e.g. look how long the Greatest Hits has been in the charts

[madagas]

Actually, the more people in stores buying albums, the better for all. I think that is how the theory goes. Booker, Interscope also has U2!! Personally, I don't see the album coming out this year. Again, I see no evidence to suggest that we are any closer to a release than in August of 2002 or early 2003 or any other date for that matter. What other band members say has proven to be absolutely meaningless.

[Booker Floyd]

Dwarfed by Eminem? You expect Guns N' Roses to hide away from him.? I can't see him being much of a problem.? If you're gonna buy both albums you will and anyone who'd choose Eminem over GN'R doesn't deserve the album anyway.? You really think the board members here want the album delaying even more every month some artist is releasing an album,? GN'R will release when good and ready and should not plan their release depending on others.

Face reality...Even the combined million-plus first-week sales of the UYI records sold during the height of GNR doesnt match the nearly two million MMLPs sold in its first week.  The Eminem Show two years later sold something like 1.2 million its first week.  This next one will be about as big.  Eminem now is GNR in 1991.  GNR now isnt.  2004 has proved that GNR is still a force, but its still not as big as it used to be.

And the issue, like I already stated, isnt about Eminem detracting sales from GNR.  Its about Eminem stealing their shine.  Chinese Democracy would be a lock for #1 51 weeks out of the year...The week of Eminems new album is that one week they wouldnt.  Now, they could go ahead anyway, but wouldnt it be a little anticlimatic for the mythical new GNR album to be outshined?  They could release it a week or two before - itll be upstaged.  Or they could release it a week or two after - theres still no guarantee itll beat out Eminem, since Eminems albums have a history of holding on ridiculously strong.

And then theres the same record company factor...In fact, I believe Jimmy Iovine A&Rs both projects.  That would have to create some conflict, considering theyre both huge projects for Interscope and I strongly doubtful, like I said, they want those projects interfering with each other.

Now Im doubtful that CD would have been released in November anyway, but if it were, I would suggest simply shifting it to the middle/end of December.  But speaking as if this thing is actually going to be released within the next year is a large hypthetical.

[Johnnyblood]

If CD is any good -- according to Mysteron, management has total confidence in it -- it will compete very well with Eminem. Considering how fashionable it was to draw comparisons between the two, if they both put out albums at the same time it might help both of them. Plus you have the whole rap vs. rock thing. There's never been a really good head-to-head between a rock behemoth and a rap behemoth. This would qualify, I think.

[Naupis]

Depending upon how long they wait for the Eminem hoopla to die down, they need to get this thing out by Mid December at the absolute latest or risk having to wait until next April or May at the earliest as First Quarter post Christmas record sales are notoriously very sluggish and the record company will not waste a big release like that in a quarter when sales don't move well. We could be in for a much longer wait than we had all hoped.

[Hammy]

Fact is Axl ain't stupid and he'll release it when he wants to and when he is happy it'll do well, if he chooses November fine the sooner the better it's his choice obviously he's wanting it to be a huge success so he'll bring it out when he see's the time to be good.? After all that's been put into it i think everyone obviously wants it to be a huge success this discussion is suggesting November is actually the release date when it's just another rumour backed up by VH1.  As for being outshined as long as the record company gets their money, the band tours, the record it is good who gives a fuck it seems you all want everything handed on a plate, set out perfectly....fact is you're getting nothing right now...just be happy with what you get

[Eric]

November would be great, cause for me it would bring back memories of 2 years ago driving to Detroit to see GNR on a Thursday, then coming back and seeing them again on Sun. Honestly, the sooner the better for the release. The silence from Axl, to me, is absurd-at least post a message a month or something.

[dave-gnfnr2k]

2nd week in december will do just fine. or release it a week before mnm.

[younggunner]

Face reality...Even the combined million-plus first-week sales of the UYI records sold during the height of GNR doesnt match the nearly two million MMLPs sold in its first week.  The Eminem Show two years later sold something like 1.2 million its first week.  This next one will be about as big.  Eminem now is GNR in 1991.  GNR now isnt.  2004 has proved that GNR is still a force, but its still not as big as it used to be.

And the issue, like I already stated, isnt about Eminem detracting sales from GNR.  Its about Eminem stealing their shine.  Chinese Democracy would be a lock for #1 51 weeks out of the year...The week of Eminems new album is that one week they wouldnt.  Now, they could go ahead anyway, but wouldnt it be a little anticlimatic for the mythical new GNR album to be outshined?  They could release it a week or two before - itll be upstaged.  Or they could release it a week or two after - theres still no guarantee itll beat out Eminem, since Eminems albums have a history of holding on ridiculously strong.

And then theres the same record company factor...In fact, I believe Jimmy Iovine A&Rs both projects.  That would have to create some conflict, considering theyre both huge projects for Interscope and I strongly doubtful, like I said, they want those projects interfering with each other.

Now Im doubtful that CD would have been released in November anyway, but if it were, I would suggest simply shifting it to the middle/end of December.  But speaking as if this thing is actually going to be released within the next year is a large hypthetical.

For once, I actually agree....

WHat is an A&R guy. IS it a guy basically oversees a project? What kind of input does he have, etc?

I think the elections will also take away some shine from a release. Not that it matters becuase they are 2 diffent types of things but still might have an effect.

Gnr have held on for this long, they might as well wait till they have the spotlight to release it. No sense in competing with musics biggest giant. But it would be cool if CD was a masterpiece and it wnet head to head with Em for a few weeks. That would genrate so much positive press, it would be incredible.But the GNR camp would be taking a big chance on that. Also they both share teh same company so business wise, why release 2 of your major albums on the same day....

I thought Eminems album was coming out in the Spring

[Lesty]

If the album is ready, there's no better time to release it in November if you're concerned about sales. Despite several popular releases, that's when the world is spending their $$$.
Eminem is hugely popular and will sell well, but his fanbase is not the same fanbase
as GnR. I don't care if GnR hits #1 on the album chart, just as long as the album is great
and it gets released. The rest (attention , accolades, etc) will come in due time if the
album is as good as well all hope it is.
And for those still wondering about needing time for promotion, they did announce the Eminem release date for november, but did not disclose a single or any track listing, so the album may very well still be in the final stages of being produced, as is Chinese Democracy perhaps.

[Johnnyblood]

Guess I'll post here what I posted in the "When Would Promotion Start" thread:

If CD is any good -- and, according to Mysteron, management has total confidence in it -- it will compete very well with Eminem. Considering how fashionable it was to draw comparisons between the two, if they both put out albums at the same time it might help both of them. Plus you have the whole rap vs. rock thing. There's never been a really good head-to-head between a rock behemoth and a rap behemoth. GNR vs. Eminem would qualify, I think. The press loves a story. This is a story.

Now, first of all, I'm skeptical that CD will be released this year, let alone on November. But for shits and giggles, I think GNR is going to be a bigger story than it may seem right now. I don't know if they could steal number 1 from Eminem should they square off on the same release date. But neither would they be humilated. And it might be one of those things where they win out over time. Any album with lots of singles beats an album with only one or two singles. Axl has had like 15 years to write singles... hopefully that'll show up.

[badintentions]

For a November release promotion would need to begin at the latest October. They can release a single in OCt and have it out for 2-4 weeks before the album drops. Probably 4 weeks. So thats sometime in October. As for the other promotion, same thing. Sometime in late Sept/oct.

For a Dec. release bump everything up a month. We still have time but the light is dimming out as each day passes. If we don not hear anything by mid October, then I personally will not be expecting the album until next Spring.

there is no way in hell that this album would start promotion in early or mid october if it is going to be released in november. if you think that you are living in fantasy world. we will have at least 2 and half to 3 monthes between when they announce the release date and when that release date actually arrives.

[Saul]

I think November is a great idea .. I think september or october is an even BETTER idea however! 

[Ignatius]

November was a good idea 3 months ago. I said this once, but I'll say it again, there is no way we'll see the album in November. Period. Promotion should've started at least a month ago already. To this date, there's no movement ( as far as we know) at the GNR camp.

Do I want to see the album out by november? Sure, but if that's the case, there won't be hardly any promotion then.

[grog mug]

March 2005 is looking very likely right now.  No November release too much competition for ole Axl.  Then again he doesn't want the spotlight on him anymore.

[ppbebe]

I think mid-Dec is excellent, CD for the Christmas, December.

 The reality is that Eminem is merely a local n ephemeral star compare to GNR.
I mean does he sell outside US, esp in non English speaking countries?

The possible opponent could be U2, the behemoth.
GNR doesn?t necessarily need to sell huge in the first week or top the chart of the month.
In the long run it will sell mammoth.?

And the label must have known all this. Hence...

We live in the world of "cause and effect"
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?:the more you endeavour, the more you achieve. Cruel but true.

[Timothy]

I think mid-Dec is excellent, CD for the Christmas, December.

 The reality is that Eminem is merely a local n ephemeral star compare to GNR.
I mean does he sell outside US, esp in non English speaking countries?

The possible opponent could be U2, the behemoth.
GNR doesn?t necessarily need to sell huge in the first week or top the chart of the month.
In the long run it will sell mammoth. 

And the label must have known all this. Hence...

We live in the world of "cause and effect"
                                     :the more you endeavour, the more you achieve. Cruel but true.

You can't leave out Judas Priestas competition.

[Booker Floyd]

The reality is that Eminem is merely a local n ephemeral star compare to GNR.
I mean does he sell outside US, esp in non English speaking countries?

Im sure Eminem sells plenty outside the U.S., but its the U.S. that really counts.  And here, hes one of, if not the the biggest-selling artist around.