{"id":573,"date":"2006-10-24T12:58:58","date_gmt":"2006-10-24T20:58:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/archives\/2006\/10\/24\/last-weeks-sales-2\/"},"modified":"2006-10-24T12:58:58","modified_gmt":"2006-10-24T20:58:58","slug":"last-weeks-sales-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/2006\/10\/24\/last-weeks-sales-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Last Week’s Sales"},"content":{"rendered":"

1. Rod Stewart "Still the Same…Great Rock Classics Of Our Time"
<\/strong>184,304
Debut<\/p>\n

Okay, which way do you want to have it?\u00c2\u00a0 Old credible rocker means nothing anymore and you no longer care or Clive Davis resurrects the career of a fading star?<\/p>\n

Let’s start with the latter.<\/p>\n

Rod Stewart’s credibility problems started with his huge hit disco single "Da Ya Think I’m Sexy".\u00c2\u00a0 Personally, I liked it, it was a good record, and a deserved hit.\u00c2\u00a0 But those not diehard Stewart fans felt he’d crossed the line, with not only the song but the outfits and the album title "Blondes Have More Fun".\u00c2\u00a0 Rod seemed to be going girl whereas there’d always been a strong dose of testosterone in his music.<\/p>\n

Stunningly, the Stones survived their disco romp, "Miss You", but it was a bit earlier, before disco had such a bad name.\u00c2\u00a0 And the album that contained the track was better.\u00c2\u00a0 And they went back to their rock roots.<\/p>\n

Whereas Stewart just seemed to go off in a direction none of us could understand, featuring little boys in MTV videos, we wanted nothing to do with him.\u00c2\u00a0 And soon no one else did either.\u00c2\u00a0 Now the main audience for Rod was CASUAL fans, and casual fans move on after you no longer have hits.<\/p>\n

Without the despicable "American Songbook" CDs this album would have sold maybe 20,000 copies in its initial week and then gone straight to the dumper.\u00c2\u00a0 But Clive Davis worked his magic.\u00c2\u00a0 He brought Rod back from the dead.\u00c2\u00a0 Making a deal with the devil, Rod sacrificed all credibility, and got hits in return.\u00c2\u00a0 Rod got to make money.\u00c2\u00a0 I’m not sure you can call those records music.<\/p>\n

Turns out that Clive Davis knows more about the music business than most of his younger cronies.\u00c2\u00a0 He knows it’s about selling records.\u00c2\u00a0 Clive imposed a formula on Rod the same way he imposed formulas on Whitney and Barry Manilow.\u00c2\u00a0 An audience was targeted, money was made.\u00c2\u00a0 Meaningful?\u00c2\u00a0 MEANINGLESS!<\/p>\n

And there we have the conundrum.\u00c2\u00a0 The hipster baby boomers remember when music MEANT something.\u00c2\u00a0 They’re appalled by not only the "Songbook" CDs, but what Rod Stewart has become.\u00c2\u00a0 But their less hip brethren are soaking this stuff up.\u00c2\u00a0 Because they’re clueless.\u00c2\u00a0 They’ve lost touch.\u00c2\u00a0 There’s no center.\u00c2\u00a0 They want new music and ALL they know are brand names.<\/p>\n

Expect this to sell just about as many copies as a "Songbook" album.\u00c2\u00a0 In the neighborhood of gold.<\/p>\n

Released in the fourth quarter, this is all about gift-giving\/merriment.\u00c2\u00a0 It’s NOT about music.\u00c2\u00a0 Clive Davis saw an audience and delivered for it.<\/p>\n

In the old days, a move like this would have eviscerated Rod’s credibility.\u00c2\u00a0 But now he’s got no credibility, he’s got a career.\u00c2\u00a0 They’re no longer one and the same.<\/p>\n

4. Jimmy Buffett "Take The Weather With You"
<\/strong>121,361
Debut<\/p>\n

Jimmy Buffett hasn’t written a decent song in more than a quarter of a century.\u00c2\u00a0 He used to be the troubadour of the south, now he’s just Captain Trips for a generation that likes to get high on the weekend.<\/p>\n

Yes, the Dead’s peak was in the sixties and early seventies, and Jimmy’s peak was in the seventies and early eighties.<\/p>\n

Jimmy’s written some GREAT songs.\u00c2\u00a0 Like "A Pirate Looks At Forty".\u00c2\u00a0 And even some good stupid ones like "Margaritaville" and "Cheeseburger In Paradise".\u00c2\u00a0 And some uncharacteristically beautiful ones like "Come Monday".\u00c2\u00a0 But those were all when he was still hungry, when he still needed to MAKE IT!<\/p>\n

And having made it, Jimmy’s been coasting ever since.<\/p>\n

Oh, believe me, his sellout audiences know his hits\/great tunes.\u00c2\u00a0 They’re the highlight of the show.\u00c2\u00a0 And, he puts on SUCH a good show, that some people rush out and buy each new album, Jimmy being their patron saint, but they don’t purchase these discs planning to listen to them again and again.\u00c2\u00a0 You’ll be stunned how uncatchy and second-rate they are.\u00c2\u00a0 How private plane Jimmy just can’t release his inner pain any longer.<\/p>\n

7. Justin Timberlake "Future Sex\/LoveSounds"
<\/strong>Sales this week: 91,969
Cume: 1,269,031<\/p>\n

It’s a HIT!<\/p>\n

And the transformation of Justin into an African-American is almost complete.\u00c2\u00a0 Expect him to dye his skin or use makeup like C. Thomas Howell in "Soul Man" soon.<\/p>\n

I guess it’s a triumph, that blacks rule contemporary music.\u00c2\u00a0 But I don’t believe blacks should try to be white or vice versa.\u00c2\u00a0 I mean now Justin even has a CLOTHING LINE, just like Diddy and the rappers.\u00c2\u00a0 Then again, Diddy is SMARTER than Justin, at least he uses his OWN NAME!<\/p>\n

Music is a springboard to enterprise.\u00c2\u00a0 Everybody’s a conglomerate.\u00c2\u00a0 Everybody is building their empire.\u00c2\u00a0 The tunes are just a tiny part of the whole picture.<\/p>\n

Nobody truly believes Justin is musically talented.<\/p>\n

Strike that.\u00c2\u00a0 TOO MANY people believe Justin is talented.<\/p>\n

And those who purchased Rod Stewart albums this week don’t get it, and therefore tune Justin and his minions out.\u00c2\u00a0 While Justin’s fans want nothing to do with oldster crap like Rod Stewart.<\/p>\n

And true fans of music look at the hit parade, scratch their heads and ask WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED HERE?<\/p>\n

17. Fergie "Dutchess"
<\/strong>Sales this week: 44,207
Cume: 332,585<\/p>\n

I’m calling this a disappointment.\u00c2\u00a0 Really, with all the hype, the stature of the Peas, this should be doing better.<\/p>\n

Maybe if they put the album on sale WHEN "London Bridge" was a hit they would have done better.\u00c2\u00a0 They wouldn’t have had a boffo first week, but the CUME would have been greater.<\/p>\n

Suddenly albums are not music with a shelf life, but products to be sold in brief windows.\u00c2\u00a0 Does anybody remember first week sales for "Dark Side Of The Moon"?\u00c2\u00a0 Or "Appetite For Destruction"?\u00c2\u00a0 Or even "Jagged Little Pill", from the SoundScan era?\u00c2\u00a0 No.\u00c2\u00a0 It’s about putting out something great, that people will want forever.\u00c2\u00a0 Not about creating hubbub and selling something for a minute, like hula-hoops.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, as traction was gained, youngsters AND oldsters purchased "Jagged Little Pill".\u00c2\u00a0 Believe me, no musos are gonna end up buying "Dutchess" OR "Future Sex\/Love Sounds".<\/p>\n

21. Bob Seger "Face The Promise"
<\/strong>Sales this week: 37,681
Cume: 353,221<\/p>\n

Paul Simon, Tom Petty and Neil Young get all the ink, but it’s Seger who still gets the thunder.<\/p>\n

Turns out people still believe that Seger will deliver that old time rock and roll.\u00c2\u00a0 Whereas they don’t believe they’ll be interested in what the foregoing release, they’ve been burned too many times.<\/p>\n

These are good sales under the circumstances.\u00c2\u00a0 But if anybody was calling out for a Wal-Mart connection\/promotion it’s Seger.\u00c2\u00a0 His audience IS Wal-Mart.\u00c2\u00a0 But Capitol has a distribution division, and retail partners, and feels it must play by the old rules.<\/p>\n

This should have been a Wal-Mart exclusive.\u00c2\u00a0 Capitol should have made a deal with the devil.\u00c2\u00a0 There would have been more publicity driving more people to the store.<\/p>\n

Does a Starbucks deal mean anything anymore?<\/p>\n

Not much.\u00c2\u00a0 That paradigm is history.\u00c2\u00a0 Sure, you can sell some product along with lattes at the register, but the average customer no longer believes what’s purveyed at the coffee emporium is cool.\u00c2\u00a0 Starbucks lost its audience’s trust, by endorsing too much product.<\/p>\n

But Wal-Mart???\u00c2\u00a0 It’s just beginning.\u00c2\u00a0 With Garth and now the Eagles.\u00c2\u00a0 But soon, an exclusive Wal-Mart deal won’t mean much.\u00c2\u00a0 The press will cover it about as much as a space mission, which AIN’T MUCH!<\/p>\n

22. Rascal Flatts "Me And My Gang"
<\/strong>Sales this week: 35,346
Cume: 2,601,324<\/p>\n

Mmm…Justin?\u00c2\u00a0 Can you see that melody outsells beats?<\/p>\n

27. Snow Patrol "Eyes Open"
<\/strong>Sales this week: 27,482
Cume: 440,544<\/p>\n

Does the average person know who Snow Patrol is?<\/p>\n

This is positively old wave.\u00c2\u00a0 This is selling based on the music.\u00c2\u00a0 And it’s expanding from the core.\u00c2\u00a0 Whereas most acts HAVE no core.\u00c2\u00a0 It’s about penetration from the outside in, and there’s a very brief sales history.<\/p>\n

This record has been on the chart for 23 weeks.\u00c2\u00a0 The only longer livers above it on the chart are:<\/p>\n

Hinder.\u00c2\u00a0 A debut, which inherently builds.\u00c2\u00a0 (36 weeks.)<\/p>\n

Nickelback.\u00c2\u00a0 (54 weeks.)<\/p>\n

Fray.\u00c2\u00a0 Also a debut.\u00c2\u00a0 (40 weeks.)<\/p>\n

The aforementioned Rascal Flatts (28 weeks.)<\/p>\n

"American Idol" star Carrie Underwood (48 weeks.)<\/p>\n

Going DOWN the chart, the only other act that has exceeded Snow Patrol’s longevity on the chart is Josh Turner, whose "Your Man" has sold 1,143,338 copies in 38 weeks.\u00c2\u00a0 Isn’t it funny that he too isn’t a household name!<\/p>\n

29. Bob Dylan "Modern Times"
<\/strong>Sales this week: 27,034
Cume: 585,265<\/p>\n

The juggernaut continues!<\/p>\n

Don’t you get it?\u00c2\u00a0 With Bob and Rod entering the chart at number one?\u00c2\u00a0 It’s NOT about the airplay!\u00c2\u00a0 It’s the OPPOSITE of conventional wisdom.<\/p>\n

Baby boomers are inured to buying music.\u00c2\u00a0 But they barely hear new music.\u00c2\u00a0 But they read.\u00c2\u00a0 And watch TV.\u00c2\u00a0 Dylan’s iTunes commercial and print drove sales, and the reviews of his tour, in venues larger than he’s played in a long time, are driving FURTHER sales.<\/p>\n

32. Clay Aiken "Thousand Different Ways"
<\/strong>Sales this week: 25,033
Cume: 350,016<\/p>\n

It’s not the sexual preference issue.\u00c2\u00a0 It’s the absence from the marketplace.\u00c2\u00a0 An "American Idol" act should have a minimum of two albums a year, hell, THREE would be preferable.\u00c2\u00a0 It’s not about the music, but the HYSTERIA!\u00c2\u00a0 Capitalize on this.\u00c2\u00a0 There IS no career, not when it comes to record sales.\u00c2\u00a0 Sure, live somebody somewhere wants to see a once upon a time star, but they don’t want to buy a record, otherwise all the baby boomer acts like Styx still touring would top the chart!<\/p>\n

37. Sting "Songs From The Labyrinth"
<\/strong>Sales this week: 23,518
Debut<\/p>\n

Why does he get to make this album?\u00c2\u00a0 Why should we care?<\/p>\n

Oh right, he’s STING!<\/p>\n

Sure, he’s pompous.\u00c2\u00a0 But he’s also talented.<\/p>\n

But not so talented that we’re interested in something like this.<\/p>\n

Sting is the ultimate Starbucks artist.\u00c2\u00a0 Sting should look for a credible upper demo haunt to sell his CDs.\u00c2\u00a0 Then again, it would help if he made a good, mainstream one.<\/p>\n

44. Blue October "Foiled"
<\/strong>Sales this week: 18,817
Cume: 586,428<\/p>\n

Come on, admit it.\u00c2\u00a0 You know the name, but you’re not quite sure what the music sounds like…<\/p>\n

Well, they debuted in ’98.\u00c2\u00a0 And this record has been on the chart for 28 weeks.<\/p>\n

You might not be able to afford a NetJet share on the proceeds, but this is positively old wave, this is the way the business used to be.\u00c2\u00a0 And then one of THESE relatively unknown acts would break through on their fourth or fifth record.\u00c2\u00a0 Can you say FRAMPTON COMES ALIVE!<\/p>\n

Hell, if he hadn’t had four solo albums previously, Frampton would have had NO MATERIAL TO COME ALIVE!<\/p>\n

47. Decemberists "Crane Wife"
<\/strong>Sales this week: 17,859
Cume: 44,192<\/p>\n

Did they really have to go to a major label?<\/p>\n

Decemberists had a core.\u00c2\u00a0 Which was growing.\u00c2\u00a0 I hope they got a really big check from Capitol, because it doesn’t seem like they’re going to sell a hell of a lot more records.<\/p>\n

Looks like they should have kept their indie cred.\u00c2\u00a0 And proceeds.<\/p>\n

56. Jet "Shine On"
<\/strong>Sales this week: 15,546
Cume: 66,709<\/p>\n

Insiders will say the pitchforkmedia.com review killed this album.\u00c2\u00a0 Hell, ALL the reviews were bad.<\/p>\n

But it doesn’t matter.\u00c2\u00a0 Because it turns out Jet has no fans.\u00c2\u00a0 None in any quantity.\u00c2\u00a0 Today’s kids, who purchased the debut, don’t BELIEVE in the band, only the music.\u00c2\u00a0 Certainly when the act has a hit.\u00c2\u00a0 You think you’ve established an act, but you’ve got NOTHING!\u00c2\u00a0 You’re starting all over again with each and every record.<\/p>\n

59. Jerry Lee Lewis "Last Man Standing"
<\/strong>Sales this week: 14,691
Cume: 70,615<\/p>\n

Calling Jann Wenner.<\/p>\n

Hey Jann.\u00c2\u00a0 Don’t you remember when "Rolling Stone" published that expose, how the Killer really killed?\u00c2\u00a0 Why no mention of that in the hype about this album in a recent issue?<\/p>\n

That old article made me swear off the Killer forever.\u00c2\u00a0 And based on these sales, it appears many others have too.<\/p>\n

Maybe Steve Bing needs less money.\u00c2\u00a0 So he’ll care more about the success of his projects.\u00c2\u00a0 Picking them more wisely, and caring more about credibility\/his legacy.<\/p>\n

Irrelevant of the aforementioned expose, this record is irrelevant.\u00c2\u00a0 I played it.\u00c2\u00a0 Jerry Lee covers one of my favorite songs, the Band’s "Twilight".\u00c2\u00a0 He kills it all right.\u00c2\u00a0 BLECCH!<\/p>\n

75. Robert Randolph & the Family Band
<\/strong>Sales this week: 12,195
Debut<\/p>\n

And this guy is on a major label WHY?<\/p>\n

83. Red Jumpsuit Apparatus "Don’t You Fake It"
<\/strong>Sales this week: 11,269
Cume: 180,580<\/p>\n

Over thirteen weeks.\u00c2\u00a0 Mmm…\u00c2\u00a0 Pretty impressive.\u00c2\u00a0 Do you have ANY idea what they sound like?<\/p>\n

Positively old school sales story.\u00c2\u00a0 That’s A LOT of records for a debut.<\/p>\n

<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

1. Rod Stewart "Still the Same…Great Rock Classics Of Our Time"184,304Debut Okay, which way do you want to have it?\u00c2\u00a0 Old credible rocker means nothing anymore and you no longer care or Clive Davis resurrects the career of a fading star? Let’s start with the latter. Rod Stewart’s credibility problems started with his huge hit […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-573","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-music-business"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p96vPs-9f","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/573","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=573"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/573\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=573"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=573"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=573"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}