Popmartijn
Blue Crack Supplier
Hello,
I found this interesting article on the site of the LA Times.
http://www.calendarlive.com/music/cl-ca-popmvps24jul24,0,3996416.story?coll=cl-home-top-blurb-right
It's a candid look into the opinions of the big music executives regarding their artists and sales. The premise of the article is:
There isn't much mention of U2 in the article (they also don't appear in the top 10 of the power list) and of course only some of the more saucy comments were used in the article. Anyway, it's still a good read.
Here are quickly some of the U2 mentions:
And here's another quote from that article that I thought was quite interesting, regarding downloads and sales:
And oh, U2 did not make the top 10 this year, but neither did they make it in 2001. Considering the basis of this list (and seeing the other artists and their sales), I think that's reasonable. Since 2001 U2 has released only one album of original material and a Best Of... with total sales in the USA of 5 million. If you compare that to Eminem (18 million), Usher (13 million), Destiny's Child/Beyonce (10 million) or even Coldplay (I think about 6 million for AROBTTH and X&Y combined, with that last one still going strong). And those executives keep in mind it may take another 3 to 4 years before U2 release another album.
C ya!
Marty
I found this interesting article on the site of the LA Times.
http://www.calendarlive.com/music/cl-ca-popmvps24jul24,0,3996416.story?coll=cl-home-top-blurb-right
It's a candid look into the opinions of the big music executives regarding their artists and sales. The premise of the article is:
to learn which artists they think would sell the most albums (and thus bring them the biggest bonuses) over the next five years.
There isn't much mention of U2 in the article (they also don't appear in the top 10 of the power list) and of course only some of the more saucy comments were used in the article. Anyway, it's still a good read.
Here are quickly some of the U2 mentions:
And U2 fans should brace themselves: "Time is catching up with them. I'd rather have Coldplay on my roster."
Coldplay was the only rock group that executives across the board saw being able to match those numbers. The "new U2" tag came up often in the interviews.
The comparison is far from perfect. Coldplay doesn't have the thematic range and depth or sheer musical originality of U2, but the group's best songs have a wonderfully warm, engaging feel that makes it acceptable on mainstream radio.
"I just thank the pop-music gods that there is a band like Coldplay," one executive said. "They play mainstream pop-rock that gets on the radio and is lovely without being fluffy."
"This is where you really have to be disciplined," an executive said. "They're one of the greatest bands of all time, but they may become more of a touring presence, like the Stones, than continue to sell millions of albums."
And here's another quote from that article that I thought was quite interesting, regarding downloads and sales:
"Rock has really been hurt by the new reality in our world," said one executive, whose list included only two rock acts. "It's is the most stolen, pirated, whatever you want to say, genre we have now. Whatever you think you could sell with a rock album, you have to cut it by a third."
And oh, U2 did not make the top 10 this year, but neither did they make it in 2001. Considering the basis of this list (and seeing the other artists and their sales), I think that's reasonable. Since 2001 U2 has released only one album of original material and a Best Of... with total sales in the USA of 5 million. If you compare that to Eminem (18 million), Usher (13 million), Destiny's Child/Beyonce (10 million) or even Coldplay (I think about 6 million for AROBTTH and X&Y combined, with that last one still going strong). And those executives keep in mind it may take another 3 to 4 years before U2 release another album.
C ya!
Marty