KOAR News
Posted November 8, 2007 — in Music News
Problematic: James Blunt‘s first album ‘Back to Bedlam’ sold 2.6 million in the US and was certificated 2x platinum. His first single ‘Beautiful’ was a Valentines Day hit that brought him to national spotlight. Blunt kept Atlantic Records alive as ‘Back to Bedlam’ was selling 55k a week. Blunt was so convincing that he even held hands with supermodels. A hit can turn anybody into a instance rock star. I believe Blunt’s album ‘Back to Bedlam’ is a great record all they way through. It’s rich in songwriting, emotion, and story telling. His live show is excellent along with his commanding stage presence.
I noticed his new album ‘All The Lost Souls’ fell off the top 50 album charts in 7 weeks. ‘All The Lost Souls’ does not have the spark or intensity of ‘Back To Bedlam’, but I would have thought he would have attracted a broader fan base other than top 40 flavor of the month music buyers. I cannot figure out what happened, although it seemed many people were unaware that he even had a new album out.
The Scottish singer and songwriter KT Tunstall is another artist that came off the heels of a platinum record and may be facing doomsday. Tunstall had her break with a performance on Later with Jools Holland of her song “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree”. She even picked up three BRIT Awards and a Grammy nomination. Her new record ‘Drastic Fantastic’ stalled at 125k and is sitting on #120 on the album charts.
The Road to Success: The Eagles new album ‘Long Road Out of Eden’ sold 707k in the Wal-Mart chains. These are old school numbers. In fact, people are finding the new “exclusive” album at small mom-and-pop record stores and big chains like Virgin Megastore with price tags ranging from $18.99 to $24.99. Everybody wants a piece of the Eagles.
Red Bull Takes on The Music Biz: Red Bull is now pushing a serious music initiative, according to Digital Music News. A stand-alone recording label with 360-degree concept that integrates Red Bull branding seems a possibility.
The new Radiohead album due December 31 on CD: They also released a statement that described the ComScore data as “wholly inaccurate” information which “in no way reflect definitive market intelligence or, indeed, the true success of the project.” Whatever….
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$25 for a CD .. no thank you.
Comment by Dave — November 8, 2007 @ 10:56 am
Though there were probably promotional problems as well, James Blunt suffered from oversaturation. Though it was a great song, “Beautiful” was WAY overplayed and ended up becoming something of a punchline for the melodramatic singer/songwriter types.
Comment by jalan — November 8, 2007 @ 11:35 am
“A hit can turn anyone into an instant rock star.”
So true…but that doesn’t make it a good thing. I don’t know how many times we will see one hit wonders come and go before labels realize there is no future in that business. Sure, the ‘hits’ are the only thing selling, but they have zero shelf life. We need real, legendary rock stars…not ringtones.
Comment by AJ-KOAR — November 8, 2007 @ 11:41 am
You live and die by the success of your last single.
AJ, the labels dont care if there aint no future in this business. You’re Beautiful made Atlantic more money than any “developing” act, even if they go on to sell 200k with each for their releases for the next two decades. It always has been about the quick cash in. And Blunt cant complain either, he’s a rich man. Never would have to work a single day in his life again. He could be in a much worse situation..
Comment by anonymous — November 8, 2007 @ 12:02 pm
I thought Blunt had a bigger fan base!
Comment by tina — November 8, 2007 @ 12:07 pm
My opinion on James Blunt is it was too soon to make a follow up, based on the tunes I heard, nothing stood out as being better than the tunes on Bedlam. He and Atlantic have the luxury of waiting until they have the absolutely best songs for a follow-up. It seemed rushed. I bought Back to Bedlam and his live DVD, so if something is good, people are buying. I previewed his new record on MySpace and nothing grabbed me.
Comment by Tim — November 8, 2007 @ 12:11 pm
Tina, he never had a fanbase, only his songs had one. Big difference. Led Zep, NIN, Pink Floyd have a fanbase. Blunt doesnt. He was just a flavor of the moment artist.
Comment by anonymous — November 8, 2007 @ 12:38 pm
Nascar, now the music biz? Red Bull Takes on The Music Biz: why not. just hire a couple former label people and you got a record company.hell,indie guys do it all the time just in Red Bull”s case they will have “billions” to play around with.
He was just a flavor of the moment artist.
and this is what this new generation will grow up on….
Comment by larry anderson — November 8, 2007 @ 4:26 pm
“He was just a flavor of the moment artist.
and this is what this new generation will grow up on….”
Maybe, but they long for something REAL, something AUTHENTIC. Otherwise they wouldnt listen to Led Zep or The Beatles. I’ll say it again and again, the artist or band that will be able to have TRULY great songs (maybe even Top40 material), while at the same time being absolutely real, will become the next big thing.
It wont even take that much talent, it’s fuckin easy to hit these days. Your competition is Nickelback and Avril Lavigne. HOW HARD CAN IT BE TO WRITE BETTER SONGS AND BE MORE AUTHENTIC THAN THEM?????
If you would’ve been up against The Beatles, Stones and Pink Floyd you would’ve been fucked, but this isnt even in the same league. Damnit, it shouldnt be that hard for somebody out there to write halfway decent tunes, and at the same really meaning what they’re singing about.
Comment by anonymous — November 8, 2007 @ 4:47 pm
anonymous —most of you guys here must be young.when you talk about great songs you all seem to forget that “time” is the one factor that makes a great song.
the Beatles, their first two albums in the 60’s were mostly covers of black artist.it took “time” for the writings of Lennon and McCartny to grow.
Avril Lavigne, Nickelback are commercial success.
if you ask the people who work for these singers they would tell you, Avril Lavigne and Nickelback write great songs.
music is at times is just an opinion and to most a pay check.
there is a lot of great songs written, we just haven’t heard them yet….
Comment by larry anderson — November 9, 2007 @ 6:39 am
You must be thinking of the Rolling Stones, old man.
The Beatles’ first records included I Saw Her Standing There, Love Me Do, It Won’t Be Long, All My Loving, & I Wanna Be Your Man, all penned by the Lennon/McCartney pair. The bulk of the songs on those records were self-penned, actually.
The early 60’s were a very unique time in that the transition was being made from songwriters & singers being two separate entities to bands writing & performing their own songs. The Beatles were actually the first successful band to do this & almost singlehandedly forced the change.
Even in the Rolling Stones’ case, Out of Our Hands appeared in stores just a year after their debut & featured the Jagger/Richards penned (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction. Just months later Otis Redding’s cover of the song made it into the Top 5 on the US R&B chart. To me that indicates that the Stones did covers not because they weren’t capable songwriters, but because the industry was transitioning out of a period where it was commonplace to record other people’s material. They were doing R&B up until that point, & that was the R&B way.
The reason we can’t develop career artists using today’s system is that so much time and money is invested into an album. The Beatles would’ve NEVER made it from Please Please Me to Revolver in 3 years if they hadn’t released 11 records in between. And they never would’ve released 11 records if they were expected to be pop stars, doing all of the bullshit promotion, playing the game. Today a band can go 3 years without adding a single song to their 12 song set (Maroon 5, anyone? Songs About Jane hit shelves in 2002 & they didn’t release any new material until 2007!!!!! Absolutely absurd!).
Comment by Jon Cole — November 9, 2007 @ 10:47 am