Libertad debuts well below Contraband

[MrBrownstone527]

damn thats pretty low,  i woulda thought they would sell more than that,  at this rate do u think the album will even go gold?

[GNRslave]

damn thats pretty low,  i woulda thought they would sell more than that,  at this rate do u think the album will even go gold?

of course the album will go gold, when they release "the last fight" it will pick up steam, plus the summer tour starts in a day or 2 so sales from their great live show will boost from that as well. i believe it will be platinum before the end of the year despite the disappointing 1st week sales

[mrlee]

well if the industry didnt charge so much, and didnt rip fans and bands off so much, it would be in a better state.

[freedom78]

Let's be perfectly honest.  Most buyers of music are ridiculously stupid.  They'll buy whatever is played on MTV and seems popular.  A LOT of good albums don't sell, because the label doesn't push it or because their label is too small to push it against the big label releases.  But if the label wants it to go platinum, all they have to do is support it and people will buy it.

[novrain91]

I like all the guys (well maybe not Scott or Dave that much) in Velvet Revolver, but this is a fucking weak album man!!! It's funny how Duff and Slash are always tallking about being rock n roll, etc and they come out with a lame turd like this.  I wonder if Scott is somehow bringing them down?? The album isn't horrible, but it's not very good either.  Just a bunch of lame/bland songs.  Except for Messages, good song.  What's up with leaving your only really good song off the album? Are they that dumb? Or am I missing something?

[Rocker_GNR]

I'd like to know how have been the Libertad advertising in America, have been stronger than Contraband?
For example, Advertising of Libertad here in Chile have been = 0, in Argentina and Brazil is stronger I think so...

[ShotgunBlues1978]

Let's be perfectly honest.  Most buyers of music are ridiculously stupid.  They'll buy whatever is played on MTV and seems popular.  A LOT of good albums don't sell, because the label doesn't push it or because their label is too small to push it against the big label releases.  But if the label wants it to go platinum, all they have to do is support it and people will buy it.

I think it's a little more complicated than that otherwise every album that gets promotion would go platinum.  There are a lot of heavily promoted albums that flop (and a lot of other products in other industries that are heavily advertised and fail).  It takes a lot of combined factors to get a hit album, even though the "true" quality of the album or the music isn't high on that list, it is still important that the targeted demographic/fanbase thinks the album is good if you want repeat business

Ironically even though they sued to prevent its release, Greatest Hits did a great job of promoting Velvet Revolver.  It was selling very well and GnR especially the classic lineup was getting more publicity than they had in years.  So of course the band with Slash and Duff, about to release their debut, benefitted from that

Promotion only works if people buy into the promotion.  The demographic that they have to sell Libertad to is the same one they sold Contraband to.  But RCA put all their eggs in one basket with the way they marketed Velvet Revolver.  So thanks in no small part to the way Contraband was marketed, a lot of paying customers were disappointed in the product.  They went in expecting something it to combine the music of GnR with the vocals and hooks of STP and got something else. 

A lot of paying customers were disappointed in the results of Contraband.  Now you combine all that with a lead single that a lot of people think is corny and lame, and you see the results.  Despite how amazing a lot of hardcore Slash fans who love everything he does think this album is, most people just don't care and they're not going to be fooled twice into believing that this band is awesome just because of the bands these guys used to be in. 

And making an album of full of poppy, unaggressive music sure isn't going to win back people who bought the first album because they're Guns N' Roses fans.    No matter how hard they marketed this album it never would've sold even close to as well as Contraband

[GeraldFord]

Then why does someone like Creed and Nickelback sell 6 million copies of an album?

Even if Libertad sucks, which it doesn't, it would sell better if it got more promotion.

[freedom78]

Let's be perfectly honest.  Most buyers of music are ridiculously stupid.  They'll buy whatever is played on MTV and seems popular.  A LOT of good albums don't sell, because the label doesn't push it or because their label is too small to push it against the big label releases.  But if the label wants it to go platinum, all they have to do is support it and people will buy it.

I think it's a little more complicated than that otherwise every album that gets promotion would go platinum.  There are a lot of heavily promoted albums that flop (and a lot of other products in other industries that are heavily advertised and fail).  It takes a lot of combined factors to get a hit album, even though the "true" quality of the album or the music isn't high on that list, it is still important that the targeted demographic/fanbase thinks the album is good if you want repeat business.

Yes, my explanation was an oversimplification, but I do think that simply promoting it to the musically retarded (MTV fanatics) will get results.  Of course, it was a bit easier back when MTV still played music.   

[novrain91]

Then why does someone like Creed and Nickelback sell 6 million copies of an album?

Even if Libertad sucks, which it doesn't, it would sell better if it got more promotion.

Well actually Creed selling 6 million was their lowest sales total.  They sold over 30 million albums on only 3 albums.  Regardless of their talent, that's pretty impressive.  And to answer your question, apparently mainstream people like their music.  They put out accessible rock songs that people/radio ate up time and time again. 

[ShotgunBlues1978]

Then why does someone like Creed and Nickelback sell 6 million copies of an album?

Because they have easily digestable, catchy, inoffensive hit single after hit single

Their music is shit in my opinion and yours and many others.  But the people who buy their albums like them, and there are a lot of those people.  If not Nickelback would've faded into obscurity a long time ago.  They've been big since 2001, with multi-platinum albums released in 2001, 2003, and 2005. 

I think Nickelback is lame.  But the people they are marketed to like them, and they don't shit on their fanbase, and because of that their albums continue to sell and sell and sell. 

Contraband didn't live up to the hype and expectations of a large portion of its target audience.  So the second time around they aren't selling nearly as well.  And make a softer, less aggressive album sure as hell isn't going to win back GnR fans that were disappointed with Contraband.  SBQM is a "hit" because RCA has used its power to get it into heavy rotation on the radio.  It's a "hit" but nobody actually likes it

Look, Slash and Duff and Scott Weiland's fame and popularity has already peaked.  They're not going to get anymore popular at this point.  Most people who actually care know that Velvet Revolver has a new album out.  A large portion of the 3 million people worldwide who bought Contraband just aren't going to buy this album, no matter how hard they market it

[GeraldFord]

But if songs like "American Man" and "Mary Mary" got a big push, more people would buy the album.

[Ali]

Then why does someone like Creed and Nickelback sell 6 million copies of an album?

Because they have easily digestable, catchy, inoffensive hit single after hit single

Their music is shit in my opinion and yours and many others.? But the people who buy their albums like them, and there are a lot of those people.? If not Nickelback would've faded into obscurity a long time ago.? They've been big since 2001, with multi-platinum albums released in 2001, 2003, and 2005.?

I think Nickelback is lame.? But the people they are marketed to like them, and they don't shit on their fanbase, and because of that their albums continue to sell and sell and sell.?

Contraband didn't live up to the hype and expectations of a large portion of its target audience.? So the second time around they aren't selling nearly as well.? And make a softer, less aggressive album sure as hell isn't going to win back GnR fans that were disappointed with Contraband.? SBQM is a "hit" because RCA has used its power to get it into heavy rotation on the radio.? It's a "hit" but nobody actually likes it

Look, Slash and Duff and Scott Weiland's fame and popularity has already peaked.? They're not going to get anymore popular at this point.? Most people who actually care know that Velvet Revolver has a new album out.? A large portion of the 3 million people worldwide who bought Contraband just aren't going to buy this album, no matter how hard they market it

It hasn't sold as well initially, but perhaps we should give it a while before giving final judgement on the performance of this record.  It may be a matter of proper promotion, at least in part.  I haven't really seen any promotion for this record, to be honest.

Ali

[snakepipero]

Let's be perfectly honest.? Most buyers of music are ridiculously stupid.? They'll buy whatever is played on MTV and seems popular.? A LOT of good albums don't sell, because the label doesn't push it or because their label is too small to push it against the big label releases.? But if the label wants it to go platinum, all they have to do is support it and people will buy it.

the most intelligent and objective words here in my opinion ?

[jak0lantern01]

Meanbone1980 (I assume it's the year of your birth, junior), the reason why we (my band) wouldn't touch anything from Libertad is due to the fact that it's lame pop-rock. I'm not going to sit here and gush over an album that sounds sub-par like some others here do just to say I like it. But, judging by what FM radio is offering the masses today, I guess it is a wee bit better than Nickelback. So to say it's too hard to play, I don't think so, not by a long shot. My preferred speed these days is more along the lines of Avenged Sevenfold, I enjoy the challenge of playing their stuff. Don't get me wrong, I love Slash and all and have finally broken away from his style after years of emulation, but go learn your pentatonics and blues scales, and you've got 90% or better of his solos. I'll also throw Slash a bit more credit, just so I'm not sitting here sounding like I'm slagging him or something, but Axl needs three lead guitars on stage to cover the ground that Slash did originally. That, and I still am looking forward to seeing VR in August when they're in N.Y. Libertad is a nice attempt at something 'different', but these guys should really stick to what they do best, hard rock, not easy listening.

[ShotgunBlues1978]

But if songs like "American Man" and "Mary Mary" got a big push, more people would buy the album.

Okay, but SBQM got a big push, they got it onto CSI, it's high on the album charts.  Sure, a few more high charting singles will make some more people go out and buy the album.  But a band that already has a fairly clear, well established fanbase/demographic like VR, it's all about getting repeat business from that demographic.  I don't see Mary, Mary or American Man making a bunch of GnR fans that were letdown by Contraband go "I gotta go buy that album!".  As I said, their target audience for this album is exactly the same target audience for Contraband.  And for several different reasons, a lot of those people just aren't going to buy this album

[freedom78]

SBQM is a "hit" because RCA has used its power to get it into heavy rotation on the radio.  It's a "hit" but nobody actually likes it.

I've never thought of "hits" that way. 

[jak0lantern01]

They force this material down everyone's throat with no other options, how can it not be a hit? It's called corporate radio for the masses. There's a reason why cheeseball bands like Nickelback can continue on.........

[ShotgunBlues1978]

SBQM is a "hit" because RCA has used its power to get it into heavy rotation on the radio.  It's a "hit" but nobody actually likes it.

I've never thought of "hits" that way. 

It's sad but true man

It happens all the time.  These radio stations play what the record labels want them to play.  Once in a while you see a hit song come out of nowhere with no label promotion because the listeners demand it, like Buckcherry did with Crazy Bitch last year, but mostly what gets played on the radio is the result of record label pressures.  Oh sure, "payola" is illegal but it still happens rampantly 

[Jizzo]

The 2 week old Lost highway by Bon jovi sold more copies this week than Libertad's debut