The Trouble With Nickelback
Posted April 2, 2007 — in KOAR Rants, Music News
Nickelback (formed in Alberta, Canada, 1995) didn’t actually have chart topping success until 2001 with Silver Side Up and the track “How You Remind Me.” They then struck gold again with the same song, this time called “Someday.” They have sold about 14 million albums to date, just in the US. They currently have about 12 songs in heavy to medium rotation on US Rock, Alternative and Active Rock stations, and a number of crossover hits. Compare that to one of rock’s more overplayed bands, Nirvana, with only 10 songs in medium to light rotation and zero crossover hits.
The band has won nine Juno Awards, an American Music Award, an MTV Video Music Award for Best Video from a Film (Hero), and a World Music Award for World’s Best-Selling Rock Artist. The band was also nominated for seven Grammy Awards, four American Music Awards and ten Juno Awards. On December 4, 2006, Nickelback won three Billboard Music Awards out of five nominations. [wiki]
Formula? You bet! They even discussed it on NPR’s All Things Considered. Just because they have an obvious formula does that mean they aren’t any good? Well, according to their sales numbers, no one really cares. If you like one song, you like them all, but unfortunately if you don’t like one song, you probably won’t like any of them. Many people have been speaking out against Nickelback recently, implying that they don’t deserve their success because they lack originality in their music. Others believe that the sales numbers indicate just how great the music is. In the end, sales numbers indicate little aside from how well it is selling. It doesn’t speak to the quality of the music outside of the fact that people are clearly connecting with it on some level.
This band is polarizing because they are one of the only rock bands that’s been successful when it seems no one else can do it. Why is this happening? Is it that they’re the greatest rock band of all time? Or do they just have a great business plan, a formula that works, and good timing? I don’t doubt a valid argument could be made either way, since we have been seeing those arguments on KOAR for a while now. The truth of the matter is, for the right band, the ‘old industry’ is just as effective now as it was before, if not more so since there is less real competition in the mainstream. The revolving door of hype and fad bands mean nothing when compared to a band that consistently delivers with no surprises. Although many are singing the praises of satellite radio, iPods are selling like hotcakes and hardcore music fans are scouring the internet for free music, don’t underestimate the stronghold the mainstream has on the South and the Midwest. The South and the Midwest ARE the mainstream. In these parts of the country, commercial radio is still king and established artists like Nickelback aren’t even screened before being thrown into heavy rotation, while new artists have to jump through all kinds of hoops before being considered. Labels aren’t the only ones interested in hit songs. Radio needs them too and they are less willing to gamble on something without a proven impact.
However, in these parts of the country, there are pockets of listeners who rebel against the mainstream . They’re online, they listen to satellite, they attend every show that comes through their town on an endless search for great new music. They are desperate to connect to something the way their neighbors have connected to Nickelback, but at this point, they’re on their own. Even with all of the options and access they have through technology, finding the one great band in the endless ocean of shit is a full time job many of us are being paid to perform. There is great potential for an industry to exist outside of the ‘old system,’ but as of right now, it is in no way regulated and there are no clear leaders yet. MySpace seems to be the website of choice for artist self-promotion, but it’s a site that’s so huge and so poorly designed, artists are reduced to spamming to justify having a profile there. How often does it happen that you are spammed on MySpace by a band and they end up being the greatest thing you’ve ever heard? It never happens. Maybe because artists are spending more time spamming and updating profiles than actually working on their music and building their careers.
For those NOT interested in the mainstream and the major label system, where mass appeal hits are required with great consistency and the ‘game’ must be played, there isn’t really a working system for them, but it’s getting there. Bands CAN pick up a certain amount of traction and make waves almost solely through the internet, but there are no examples of that resulting in a legendary, great or even really good artist. We know it’s coming. We know it will eventually happen, but it hasn’t happened yet. There are literally thousands of music sites and internet-based third party companies of varying quality, taste and ability. As the better ones rise to the top, better opportunities will be available to those looking for other options. So, at some point a great band will come along and opt for this system and they will be successful at it, by anyone’s measurement. Until then, it is still a struggle.
Great music is out there. Great artists still exist. Whether they choose to be a part of the major label system or blaze their own trail, their true value can never be measured in album sales or awards. A band’s quality can only be determined by the connection they establish with their fans, and no one can say one connection means more or is worth more than another. ‘Success‘ means different things to different people and although labels may define it as ‘millions of copies sold,’ I’ve met very few artists who share that definition. There is no right way or wrong way to be in this business, there is only truth and lies. If you’re an artist or if you work with artists, you have to love the music you’re working with and believe in what you’re working towards. If you simply see it as a cash cow or a means to an end, you’re missing the point. I think Chad Kroeger has no problem sleeping at night. I believe he looks himself in the mirror and likes who he sees. No matter how I feel or don’t feel about Nickelback’s music, I think Chad Kroeger is a good dude and has a lot to be proud of. It’s not right to belittle his success or his fans just because the new system we would like to see isn’t in place yet or because things didn’t work out the same way for another artist.
AJ, KOAR
AJ - its right on. pretty much perfect.
Comment by OctoberDustin — April 2, 2007 @ 2:06 pm
Wow…. well said.
The best advice I have ever received, time and time again, was to get into this business because you love it and not how much you can take from it. Bring something to the table; your uniqueness. And the people that said those things to me meant that to be applied to artists AND people working to promote artists music. I think we all, if you have been in this business long enough, have to wake up every morning and realize that for you, this is the greatest job imagineable. That is our justification for doing it; our love for the music. It can’t be dependent on how well my show sold, or your artists show or record sold, because then satisfaction in what you do would be a constantly fleeting thing. Those things matter, but they just cant be the only thing that matters. The landscape for promoting records has COMPLETELY changed; even from just two years ago. I think love for the music, and the unique connection you have with it, will help channel new avenues to get music to the masses. When you love something, you are thinking on it all the time. It’s no longer a numbers game; it’s a passion. As long as people out there still feel the way this article was put, I think there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Comment by Brandon — April 2, 2007 @ 2:53 pm
this is not new..this happens every decade.Nickelback will be heard for the next 30 years.no matter what labels or radio or mtv push ..it’s still the buying public that makes the stars.what is the best part…you just never know.Well done Montie Connors, Roadrunner Records,and to you Nickelback.
Comment by larry anderson — April 2, 2007 @ 4:08 pm
perfectly stated!!!!!
Comment by DB — April 2, 2007 @ 9:45 pm
this is a very well thought out and articulately written piece. Nice work!
Comment by mike — April 3, 2007 @ 10:57 am
Love NB or hate them…. they own rock radio and can sell out every place they play in the world. Whatever chad and co. do is fine with me. It’s bands like this that keep enough revenue in the labels so they can turn around and waste a few million on these no talent emo bands that can’t sell 10,000 records with a song on the fuse 500 times a day.
Comment by Chris Volcheck — April 3, 2007 @ 12:28 pm
Same thing happened to Hootie in the 90’s. After selling 25 million records, everyone all of the sudden hated them. No talent, crappy songs, bad musicians…25 million people saw something in the band and bought the records. The average artist’s carreer is 5 to 7 years. You have to work it while you can. If you’re not constantly re-inventing yourself or pushing the envelope, you won’t have significant staying power. Take for example Radiohead and U2, two bands that have constantly evolved. Nickleback has it figured out. Whether you like it or not, they have hit songs and massive hooks. They may have another record or two in them, but will they ever make the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame? Have they made a significant contribution to rock & roll? I don’t know. At this point it is all a matter of opinion. They’ve proved their point.
Nice article.
Comment by Jay — April 3, 2007 @ 1:09 pm
Much respect. Love this site. More updates please!
Comment by A2daC — April 3, 2007 @ 3:49 pm
Anything that gets too big attracts haters. Remember disco? There’s a difference between critical acclaim and judging something only by how many units it sells. We all know why people hate Nickelback. They’re Canadian. Just kidding.
Comment by Brett — April 3, 2007 @ 4:31 pm
I am so disgusted with people who complain about success .. they’re just jealous .. who cares about what these people think? Apparently they don’t understand the harsh reality of .. NO ONE CARING. Numbers / Hit songs speak .. it doesn’t matter if Chad sings naked every night .. if he sells millions of albums every time they put out a new cd .. NO ONE CARES if they’re original or not .. and the majority of people that call out their originality most likely own their cd and are hiding their emotions. Instead of fighting the system .. how about making a new pathway for artists that never become discovered because of the “original factor” which leads to “TRENDS” that fail miserably.
Comment by realmad — April 3, 2007 @ 6:49 pm
Btw .. Ron Burman is their original A&R at RR .. who is VP of A&R and is responsible for Madina Lake, Faktion, Black Stone Cherry, and many other great bands!
Comment by realmad — April 3, 2007 @ 6:51 pm
I’ll take Nickelback over garage-rock anyday. Those nerds at spin and rollingstone can push this dork culture as far as possible, no one cares. Garage rock is the most generic shit I’ve ever heard. If the whiners in this story are garage rock hipsters, I’m very happy that they’re being owned by this rock band.
Comment by ERiK — April 3, 2007 @ 9:41 pm
This article for me, is one of the best written, most thought out articles to date on this site. Keep them coming… gets the viewers to actually think about music and the industry in general, rather than claim simple opions of bands they “like or dis-like.” As seen from the coments above.
Comment by Steve — April 4, 2007 @ 1:26 am
And this is the problem when you starting looking at music like a business (as all of you A&R people obviously do). You forget that music is an art. There’s a difference between one’s style and what Nickelback is. Picasso had a style. Nickelback has a formula. One’s an art and one isn’t.
Comment by Brock — April 4, 2007 @ 11:50 am
I think all of us can form opinions on whether WE like their music/art or if it even is art; but really the bottom line is that there are millions of people who LOVE it. No whether its a formula or not, it is reaching people and they are spending money on buying the albums.
Formula or no formula, the objectivity of every artist is, or should be, to reach people with their art. This is one argument that you cannot present without at lesat admiting that Nickelback have and will most likely continue to do well because they write songs (a song) that the public love and relate to in some form.
Rather than bitching about bands that are doing well, more musicians and people in the business should start enjoying music and respect the work ethics of those who are doing well…
Nickelback didn’t just stumble into a lucky niche. Yey struggled for a while and they earned their payday and success.
Comment by Gustavus — April 4, 2007 @ 12:10 pm
Exactly .. well said Rochester’s very own, Shelflyfe. Chad sat in jail and wrote some of the songs that landed him success .. not all of their material is “formulated”. I’m pretty sure a writer, producer, or A&R wasn’t crafting his writing .. when he was in jail./
Comment by realmad — April 4, 2007 @ 12:58 pm
Wow I shouldn’t type while on a conference call.
A few typos and a little stammering on my part haha, my apologies!
Comment by Gustavus — April 4, 2007 @ 1:23 pm
Wow…it took 14 posts, but you knew the “It’s not art, so it can’t be good” rant was coming!! I’m actually surprised it took this long. And as for the “…problem when you start looking at music as a business…” comment, IT IS A BUSINESS…hence the term “Music Industry.” Think of all the people that have jobs because of Nickelback (and other commercially successful bands). But since it’s not art, we’ll just fire all their management team, their road crew, their bus drivers, their publicity folks, the people that print, package, and distribute their CD’s…which would lead to getting rid of the folks that work at record stores and the CD department at Walmart ’cause without bands like NB, there would be a whole lot fewer CD’s being sold. Hmmm…let’s see, there are the security guards and concession sales people at all the venues they play at, the folks that set up, tear down, and clean up said venues, and while we’re at it, throw in the radio DJ’s that play their songs ’cause they obviously don’t know what they’re doing either..so they’re gone too!! There are so many more people in the “industry” that depend on bands being commercially successful. And not to mention all the people that pay good money to go to their shows…to heck with them too…they’re obviously too stupid to know that Nickelback is no good, that they’re not artists and they’re wasting their money paying to see them perform!!
Sorry…this was such a civilized discussion that I’ve taken downhill, but I just get so frustrated with the trashing of succssful bands. You not liking them does not make them bad! From what I’ve seen here before, AJ’s not even close to being a NB fan, but the point is, you can’t argue with their success and that was laid out very well in the article!! As Gustavus said, they earned their spot…they pounded all over the country and played shows for 10 people and wondered where their next meal was coming from…and probably had to go on faith that their vehicle would get them to the next show on time. They took chances and made sacrifices without knowing how things would turn out. They believed in themselves and stuck with it until someone thought they deserved a chance to be heard…and amazingly, when they were heard, a whole bunch of people decided they were pretty good. You know, the vast majority of people in this world couldn’t tell you the difference between a Picasso or a Rembrandt, nor do they probably care. Music and art are different things to different people and obviously NB has made a connection with a very large audience that has voted with their hard-earned money that they want more of NB’s “formula.” Don’t hate them for being successful…just believe enough in your own music to make the sacrifices necessary to get it heard if that’s what you want out of life. I truly believe that if you want it bad enough, and believe in it enough, you will do the things necessary to be heard. There are no guarantees that people will fall in love with it like they have NB, but that’s the chance you take when you put your stuff out in the public eye. You can’t make people like your music…they either do or they don’t. They may even respect your abilities as a musician, but we all know that doesn’t necessarily translate to sales either. I agree that there are things that need to change in the music biz and there are a lot of bands that don’t get heard that should. But I think I’d spend more time figuring out why so much time and money is poured into bands that don’t sell, than trashing the bands that do. More successful bands means more money for the industry to put into finding new talent, which opens more doors for more people. Sorry for taking up so much bandwidth!! Hope it’s been at least somewhat constructive. Thanks!!
Comment by Jason — April 4, 2007 @ 1:28 pm
amen
Comment by realmad — April 4, 2007 @ 7:20 pm
Coming from a musicians standpoint, here’s what I tell myself. It’s not about what the other bands are doing, because what works for them most likely won’t work for me. It’s all about sharing my music that I’m proud of with friends and then slowly spread from there. The business part is always second for me.
Comment by thedrummingpuma — April 4, 2007 @ 10:38 pm
Jason, you mentioned how Nickelback has obviously made a connection to lots of people because of the number of albums sold. That’s a point where I disagree with you. Nickelback albums are popular for being popular. If you play someone a song and tell them that it’s #1 in Europe, they will love it. If you play someone a song and tell them that it’s this terrible song you found on the internet, they’ll laugh at it. That’s the brilliance of public persuasion and everyone’s seemingly innate need to fit in.
They are a terrible band and the only reason that I don’t say this more often is because I think that they know it. People will laugh at them like we laugh at all those 80’s hair bands now (which actually had more talent).
Oh and Chad Kroeger’s voice sounds like sandpaper scraping a rock. He’s what I call a “jaw singer” where he sticks out his meathead jaw so far in an attempt to create a solid timbre that he looks like an ape.
Comment by Brock — April 5, 2007 @ 7:49 am
Brock…certainly not here to argue NB’s talent or their greatness. I don’t even own one of their CD’s. Just simply wishing people would stop trashing them for succeeding. They made the sacrifices needed to get where they are and the market has made it’s judgement. Your arguement seems to be that most people are sponges and will buy whatever is fed to them. From my perspective it’s that attitude that has gotten us where we are now. If people will buy anything that they’re told is good, then how come the industry is struggling so mightily? Wouldn’t it be true then that anything on the radio should sell like NB??? We all know that doesn’t happen. It seems that most of what is being promoted by the industry today is not resonating with the audience. NB does, whether you like them or not. Whether they are laughed at or not probably doesn’t matter to them or their fans. It just seems that success breeds as much hatred as it does love and I’m thinking if we want the industry to succeed we should try to figure out why they are successful, not just complain that they shouldn’t be. I wish I had all the answers!! But don’t we all?!?!?! To thedrummeringpuma…very well stated and refreshing!! Thanks all
Comment by Jason — April 5, 2007 @ 9:18 am
if labels stay true to the course..they should be signing a lot of bands that sound like Nickelback.hearing a lot of this style of music on XM radio.Blackstone Cherry is close.still think that Nickelbacks sales are do to the cross over to “up town country”.Canada as with the U.S. are big with country music.one word that i haven’t seen to much here is that Nickelback provides something that most folk want in thier music….Entertainment.
Comment by larry anderson — April 5, 2007 @ 10:08 am
Nobodys begrudging Nickelback their success. The frustration lies in the fact that just because someone sells millios of albums doesn’t mean they make graet music. Most of the porple who buy Nickelback album’s don’t really have a choice. They hear the same 3 songs on the radio over and over again and settle on Nickelback. In an ideal world the consumer would hear hundreds of different songs and make their choices from a wide variety of music. That’s not happening now. FM radio and the record companies are in cahoots to limit consumer choice. And their latest effort to completely shut down internet radio is designed to further entrench their monopoly and save their dying businesses.
Comment by Brett — April 5, 2007 @ 11:45 am
*can’t remember the last time I made that many typos*
Comment by Brett — April 5, 2007 @ 11:47 am
The one thing about Nickelback that should be taken into account right now is that they are probably past their pinnacle of success. None of their future CDs will sell as well as their past ones. I say this for a number of reasons. Firstly, people are getting tired of their sound. Music evolves. It can’t stay the same for five years. Unless they change with it (which is incredibly doubtful) they won’t be as successful. They need to put a new twist on their sound. Nobody wants to hear a band that sounds like 10 other bands (who probably copied them) on the radio. Secondly, backlash like this does have an effect on a band. It’s easier to convince somebody to hate a band than to like them. Personally, I think they write horrible music. My friends (who happen to have diverse tastes in music) have the same opinion of them. The image I get of a typical NB fan is someone who looks like Larry the Cable Guy. That’s not going to sell music. (At least from a female’s perspective it won’t.) Backlash will effect their sales. Thirdly, they won’t be able to sell in the Internet age. As more people start using the Internet as a means to find music, the less they will listen to NB. New acts with a much different sound will get people’s attention. That’s the way the business moves.
They still might be able to sell a lot of CDs, but they’re going to fade away from the public image. One of their CDs will become a flop, they’ll be dumped by their label, and people will move on.
Comment by annie — April 5, 2007 @ 1:33 pm
I agree that trends change and people do not want the same record rehashed to them 500 times in 5 years, but to narrow down a groups fan base to guys who look like Larry the Cable Guy is not exactly objective. And let me make this point; if their fans who bought 14 million records of theres look like that, so what. They bought a record. They are obviously a part of the record buying public. Hell, I want some Larry the Cable Guy fans; give me a club full please. If you are buying my record, I dont give a damn what you look like. That money spends the same as a guy wearing eyeliner who buys records. But I definatly think their fan base is far more vast than just a bunch of Bubbas.
Comment by Brandon — April 5, 2007 @ 3:12 pm
“If you are buying my record, I dont give a damn what you look like. That money spends the same as a guy wearing eyeliner who buys records. But I definatly think their fan base is far more vast than just a bunch of Bubbas.” (Brandon)
You just summed up the problem here. Yes, Nickelback and other terrible bands have great success and people don’t hate them or that. They hate them because they make terrible music and have the same mindset of you that they will do whatever sells. That is not a good trait and it’s even more laughable when you attempt to do what will sell and it doesn’t sell… eh?
Comment by Brock — April 5, 2007 @ 4:52 pm
People don’t care if you hate a band or not .. people just can’t face their success and yes .. people are cutting up Nickelback .. I don’t know how you could say that Brett. Okay lets start a new argument.
There is a 1,000,000 + same sound emo bands on Fuse and not enough talent gets heard .. we should be arguing about bands thate work for their friggin asses off and do not go anywhere because of the industry .. we shouldn’t be toying with whats already a fact. IF YOU DON’T LIKE NICKELBACK .. THEN DON’T LISTEN TO THEM.
Comment by realmad — April 5, 2007 @ 7:15 pm
I did not say I would do whatever sells; I said that their fans are obviously members of the record buying public. Those are the kind of fans anyone would want; people that BUY your record; not download a lower quality version of it off of a file sharing site. And YOU think they are a crappy band; 14 million people disagree with you. I am not saying whether I like Nickelback or not because that is not important. What is important is that they make people want to buy albums; OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. Not the one time sale that people toss aside and never remember again; these guys have been around for 10 years and have consistently performed. So go ahead, mock my quote. Thats fine; but to call 14 million people wrong for BUYING MUSIC that you deem terrible is what is laughable. One problem with the industry, which I think you are not taking into account, is that they dont sign more SONGWRITERS like Chad. He writes songs that connect; at the end of the day EVERY RECORD I have ever bought has been purchased for that reason. The point of that statement was who cares if the people are 13 or 31, wear eyeliner or overalls, or are purple and yellow. If they are buying records, they should be marketed to. That does’nt mean your music should be marketed to EVERYONE, but I think EVERYONE should have music marketed to them. Nickelback has obviously found their niche and exploded it; bravo for them.
Comment by Brandon — April 5, 2007 @ 8:05 pm
Yup, there we go with the “only stupid people buy Nickelback albums” arguement again!! The arrogance!!!! Is that your marketing pitch…if you like Nickelback, you’re stupid, you really should like my music more???? Yeah, that’s gonna really encourage people to connect with your music!! I know you’re too stupid to know what good music is, so buy this CD ’cause I said it was good!! I agree that there are a lot of great bands out there that should get heard and I’m for any idea that helps that happen. But this attitude that something has to be super-artistic and original to sell has been proven wrong time and time again. The average music buyer listens to a song and says, hmmm, I like that, or I don’t like that. And buys accordingly. They don’t sit there and say, wow, that’s really cutting edge and creative, and they’re so different, so I’m buying that. They don’t buy because it’s what an artist might say is good…they buy because they like it and they connect with it. Music is an emotional release and entertainment for the vast majority of people. If you’re only marketing to artists, then you better find a good day job. You can insult the record buying public, or you can try to figure out what they like. I’m with Brandon…I’ll take an army of loyal fans that like my music and give them as much of it as they want. In a world with the attention span of a 2 year old with ADD, the fact that NB and bands like them have been able to sustain their momentum over multiple records and years says something for them. The industry would be better served by learning from that than insulting them and their fans.
Comment by Jason — April 6, 2007 @ 8:50 am
It’s fine if you have stupid fans, as long as people don’t know they’re stupid. If being a NB fan starts to get a negative connotation, people won’t like it. The hardcore, loyal fans will still buy records, but the rest of the public won’t. My point about Larry the Cable Guy was not that it’s bad to have fans who look like Larry the Cable Guy, just that nobody really wants to look like him. Unfortunatly, in the world of music, an image comes with what you listen to. A negative image like that won’t sell records. Unless you can change that image to a positive one, which in this case is unlikely, it will fade away.
Comment by annie — April 6, 2007 @ 4:11 pm
Their latest single is the same song again as well. These guys are fucking rich, period.
Comment by Dave — April 6, 2007 @ 9:13 pm
“an image comes with what you listen to. A negative image like that won’t sell records”.and i always thought it was the music….
Comment by larry anderson — April 9, 2007 @ 4:28 am
-“an image comes with what you listen to. A negative image like that won’t sell records”-
I’m sorry…did I miss the part where Nickelback didn’t and doesn’t sell records??? It’s seems the arguement is, well sure they’ve sold millions of albums over the course of most of a decade, but they don’t have staying power…it won’t last forever. Sooner or later, people will wake up and realize they suck. Ok…wow…you’ve stumped me now. I can’t for the life of me think why this matters in any way whatsoever to the discussion. Even if their next record flops miserably, they’ve had triple the success of just about every other band of their era!!!
-”It’s fine if you have stupid fans, as long as people don’t know they’re stupid.”-
And now they’re not just stupid, but so stupid they don’t even know they’re stupid???
Ok…I’m going to try a different approach to see if I can crack through the cement wall. For the folks on here that just can’t seem to wrap their arms around why Nickelback et al are successful without insulting the people that buy or have bought their albums…please enlighten me as to who you think would better serve the industry. You now have the keys to the Caddy…where are you taking us? Would you just make an executive order eliminating NB and their ilk from music…no more radio, no more CD’s, no more shows??? They’re doing such a disservice to the music industry, they must be barred from further exposure??? Since you seem to know so much about what people like, please educate me. I’m serious here, I really want to know what the millions of NB fans that have bought their albums and gone to their shows really SHOULD be listening to. What are you going to put out there that would sell like NB, but would by your perception maintain “artistic integrity???” Or, maybe you could just tell me who is out there now that you think actually deserves to be there. My guess is that you’ll either present some talented musicians who write songs that nobody gets and thus will never buy…or you’ll give me an image/scene that will be the next fad for like 6 months and then die. Either way, my guess is that they won’t be the saviors the industry is looking for…but please, enlighten me so I can at least feel smart! Please tell me that you’re not just more people complaining about something without offering any legitimate solution or method to improve the situation. Thanks!!!
Comment by Jason — April 9, 2007 @ 11:17 am
Jason..home run !!!but who knows…maybe bands should only hand out applications to new fans…let’s see…must be young…and cool and style..and have all thier teeth…and wear shoes…i never thought that i would see anyone would ever take shots at the fans of any band.just wondering…don’t you have to be over 14 to be on this site?…..mmmm
Comment by larry anderson — April 9, 2007 @ 6:44 pm
[...] Daughtry TW 98,426 Total 2,204,219 *Nickelback, Hinder and now Daughtry. The US loves melodic rock. This record is going to hit 4-5 million. This summer you will be hearing more Daughtry tracks hit the airwaves. Read KOAR’s article ‘The Trouble With Nickelback’ [...]
Pingback by Kings of A&R » KOAR Industry News — April 11, 2007 @ 10:51 am
Melodic/Modern Rock with potential to sell that maintains artistic integrity:
10 Years
Comment by AJ-KOAR — April 12, 2007 @ 8:31 am
I’ll buy that. They’ve had good success from their first record and I’m looking forward to seeing how their next one does. It remains to be seen if they’ll come anywhere near NB/3 Doors/Daughtry/Hinder levels of sales though. They’ve had a ton of radio from that first release and haven’t exploded anything like those other acts. Hopefully they will with their next release. We’ll see I guess.
Comment by Jason — April 12, 2007 @ 12:49 pm
Eh, I don’t think it really matters if they sell 10 million copies of their next album. They are a band that’s been steadily progressing and I think will prove to be one of the few modern bands with hits AND longevity.
We’ll see how the next record sells, but I am much more interested to see how their ticket sales and merch sales increase.
Comment by AJ-KOAR — April 12, 2007 @ 3:33 pm
Definitely! Merch and tix are better for the band anyway. And if a band can keep filling venues, then they can sustain without a huge label machine behind them as long as they’re willing to keep touring. That would be a nice step in the right direction. Of course, then the labels will probably start trying even harder to weasel their way into bands’ tour and merch revenue!!
Comment by Jason — April 12, 2007 @ 7:27 pm