Eminem to release album one week before U2 - bad news?

[Foxxern]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040830/music_nm/music_eminem_dc_2

DAMMIT DAMMIT!

I can't say I'm happy about this news, mainly because it'll reduce U2's chances of reaching number one in the US, and will probably also take away some of the limelight. Everytime this douchebag puts out a new album, its all over the damn music media. I just hope there is little enough crossover appeal that it doesn't matter. Still, we're going to need help from all those spoiled little brats with their allowances () to get U2 back in the mainstream. I hope U2 does a similar kind of promotion this time around too, playing shows all over the place to get the word out.

It'll take some work from all of us. Remember--buy copies for all your friends.

 

[Flying FuManchu]

U2 won't get number #1 then unless they release the album sooner. Eminem will probably hit the 1,000,000 mark (1st week) in the US unless the album really sux. Week two in which U2 will be probably released, will probably be just half that amount. U2 never has gotten more than 500,000. Oh, well... U2 has to hope this song is their Stairway to Heaven or Beat It...

 

[ZigZag]

I do believe Eminem's "best" is behind him.

I mean, what's he going to do now? Make a rap about Weird Al's parody?

If it were released on the same day, then maybe. But I think that Bono isn't crying as we speak.

 

[Diane L]

Eminem will keep U2 from the #1 spot in the U.S.

I wish U2 would move their release up two weeks, just so they can have the satisfaction of being #1 for a week. Things like being #1, getting a Grammy for Album of the Year, etc., seems very important to Our Guys, so I want them to have another #1 album. But with a new Eminem release in the market...I don't know...

 

[TheBrazilianFly]

I honestly have a feeling that Eminem's album will not do so well as expected and U2's album will be and do better.

 

[EvolutionMonkey]

If they were released the same week Eminem would beat U2 for sure and if his album is good word of mouth it would continue to beat the boys so they better re think their release strategy like bumping it up 2 weeks before Eminem release.

 

[Flying FuManchu]

I would be happy if U2 released their album sooner.



Do it U2! For the good of your album sales.

 

[BVS]

I heard Bono has already bleached his hair, got a few tatoos, and is sporting a wife beater while beating up puppets in order to compete.

 

[bathiu]

Isn't Destiny's Child's new album also released a week or two weeks before U2?

Eminem wont be #1, but I'm afraid the girls will be for several weeks at #1...

 

[mikal]

i could care less what the album debuts at. the less people that like it, the better seat i'll have at their concert.

 

[EvolutionMonkey]

I just heard that Destiny's Child and Britney will also release albums on Nov 16th as well as Gwen Stefani.

Oh yeah we can add Lauryn Hill and j-lo and Mariah Carey too.

Here's my take for the 16th:

1) Emenim 1,000,000
2) Destinys Child 400,000
3) Britney 300,000 (Greatest Hits)

Lauryn, Gwen, j-lo and Mariah won't do as good. Personally i think the boys picked a bad time to release and they've done that in the past as well.

 

[Lo-Fi]

It's just figures, is the album gonna be any good? that's the main point for me. I don't mind if U2 don't hit the top spot in the U.S. they know they're still loved!

 

[U2girl]

I think Jay Z and Outkast prevented ATYCLB from no.1 spot but it sold really well on the long run.

*edit* But I remember reading ATYCLB had U2's biggest opening week sales in US ever...or did I mix something up?

 

[LemonAid]

I dunno....it seems like kind of a weird strategy seeing as U2 and Eminem are both on the same record label...... I would've thought it'd be good business to keep the releases apart abit more, to maximise both of these huge albums.... Universal/Interscope is always being touted as THE major record company because of having both Eminem AND U2....

.....there must be something we dont know....

(that was my second ever post, by the way.....pretty technical, huh?)

 

[U2girl]

Now that you mentioned it, that is odd. Why would two biggest names of the label put out the album in the same month?

On the other hand, it is true they don't have the same target audience - still it'd be hard for U2 to compete with the current "stars".

 

[bedouin fire]

for the biggest part of the world, i mean outside the us, this will be a problem only for eminem. u2 will give him no chance.

 

[Axver]

Let's hope Eminem falls off the face of the planet and takes all memory of him with him.

Did I just read someone say Britney's releasing a greatest hits? I think the end of the world is here.

Let's hope U2 totally flogs everyone. Or we can adhere to Mikal's logic. I like that too.

 

[Lo-Fi]

I think this record could still sell 10mill + just off the back of how succesful ATYCLB was. It won't hit the figures on Em's release, but there's no accounting for taste is there!

I'd love to see their album brought forward, I think that is a stroke of genius! But maybe U2 think their album is strong enough to knock off Em's album. They'll need to get the hype machine up and running real soon!

 

[Angela Harlem]

AussieU2fan, email me if you have any questions.
Email in sig.

 

[AussieU2fanman]

U2's album could have the potential edge over Eminem's new release. By virtue of the fans young age group, a majority of these people will actual download the album off the net while U2's fan base is primarily older ie. 30+ and thus be not as technology savy and actually buy it. As far as this album being bigger than ATYCLB? Not a chance in my books. This album isn't intended to be as mainstream and 'poppy' as ATYLB leaving it on the outskirts of another U2 revolution (JT). It will still do extremely world nontheless

GO (insert unspecified album name here) GO!!

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

after the success of the 8 mile soundtrack and d-12's album... there's no chance that Em's record won't be #1... but if Vertigo is getting a lot of air play... with that big holiday weekend... perhaps

 

[innocent_eyes]

eminem is a terd.

 

[U2DMfan]

With respect to chart position (Billboard):

Soundscan goes off of shipped units, so it doesn't really matter how many actually copies are sold at the record store counters, it will be how many copies are ordered by the big music chains.

My guess is that Eminem's pre-order will dwarf U2's. Maybe in 3-4 years, U2's new album might eventually outsell Eminem or anyone else for that matter, but they will be playing catch-up.

Granted, U2 will do just fine in their first few weeks, but Eminem really has more cross-over appeal to that all-important teeny-high school "buy whatever is trendy" group. That's generally considered to be the largest music buying population in the U.S. Need look no further than Billboard's album and singles charts for that verification.

What Mikal said......

And really, who gives a shit? I hope U2's album debuts at #15 and the MTV crowd writes it off. I like having a more loyal, non-dilluted fanbase rather than a slightly bigger mass of morons who are just their to get the good tickets before I do. Fuck 'em.

The new album could not even chart, critics pan it, never get any bullshit MTV play and as long as I like it, well that's all that matters to me. And that should be all that matters to you. Who cares what the image of the bands success is?

U2 don't need the stamp of approval from a fickle music buying public that ships almost 2 million units of Backstreet Boys or other disposable pop music in one week.

It basically doesn't matter, unless you just like seeing U2 at the top of the charts. I don't see anything wrong with that, just saying it doesn't really amount to anything. As long as the music is good, that's all that really matters. I can live without seeing U2 on TRL or Vh1 or the other bullshit spectacles, even the Grammy's have become a joke.

I hope they tone down the marketing, but I know they won't.

 

[Tintin]

I want U2's new album to go to the top of the charts. I want my friends to like the new stuff. I want to hear it on the radio. See it on TV. Read good reviews in the NME.

Obviously, these are not the most important things. But I want them. Can U2 sell like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, will their next tour be comparable to a Muse show. Will it be as fresh as Franz Ferdinand's album?

If it is a great album it stands a chance. A huge chance. When you're a fan in that ever-coveted teen market (like I am) U2 is like a distant friend. (Well, close friend that go to another high-school.) When they come out with this new album, you really hope that your friends like it. Call it insecurity, something wrinkled old prunes (joking, joking... ) possess less of.

 

[Bono's Doll]

I'm still mad over Eminem knocking U2 out of their chance for an Oscar last year. He didn't even bother to show up & I thought they had it in the bag. I don't really know why anyone likes him (or Britney Spears) I wish they would both go away.

 

[U2DMfan]

I want U2's new album to go to the top of the charts. I want my friends to like the new stuff. I want to hear it on the radio. See it on TV. Read good reviews in the NME.

Obviously, these are not the most important things. But I want them. Can U2 sell like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, will their next tour be comparable to a Muse show. Will it be as fresh as Franz Ferdinand's album?

No, I don't think there is anything wrong with all of that, I'm just saying it doesn't really amount to much.

If it is a great album it stands a chance. A huge chance. When you're a fan in that ever-coveted teen market (like I am) U2 is like a distant friend. (Well, close friend that go to another high-school.) When they come out with this new album, you really hope that your friends like it. Call it insecurity, something wrinkled old prunes (joking, joking... ) possess less of.

I could see U2 having a great album and not selling as well as many think. There just aren't enough young people that are into the idea of a band of 40-somethings even if the music is great. Maybe I am cynical about it, but that's the way we were in high school. Nirvana, Janes Addiction, Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam over ANY of the old stuff, if only because it was a culture thing. A generational thing. Well, we liked U2 of course and even then back in the early 90's some people thought they had "had their time".

It probably is insecurity, and it's something that we've all had at one time or another. That's why I'm careful to say that I understand, and I don't see anything wrong with that.

But in 10 or whatever years, when you are out of high school, you aren't going to care about how big it is, you are going to want the music to be great, because that's what sticks with you.

I think it's great to see younger fans of U2 on this forum, it actually gives me hope in the future of rock. There are so many new bands out now that actually try to SOUND like U2, that you could in fact, be right. I'll just have to see it to believe it.

 

[EvolutionMonkey]

With respect to chart position (Billboard):


And really, who gives a shit? I hope U2's album debuts at #15 and the MTV crowd writes it off.

U2 gives a sh** that's why they do all the late night talk shows, TRL, Farm Club and they want to appeal to the younger crowd, that has become obvious. In the end it doesn't matter what we think about the charts but trust me they care A LOT about it. Personally i don't think they should ever have done those shows specifically the Tonight Show an TRL which is just a lame show and an example of pandering and U2 should be way above that but i think their record company makes them do these things. Letterman's band has played U2 songs for a long time going into the commercials and i remember Bono and Larry stopping in once so i can understand them playing there but the other shows suck.

 

[indigo tree]

It doesn't really matter if Em sells more cds than U2, as it simply will just speak for the taste of the consumers, and not the talent of either of the artists.

So, bring it on Em

 

[The Sage]

Let's hope Eminem falls off the face of the planet and takes all memory of him with him.

Did I just read someone say Britney's releasing a greatest hits? I think the end of the world is here.

Let's hope U2 totally flogs everyone. Or we can adhere to Mikal's logic. I like that too.

hear hear

 

[Bono's shades]

U2 don't need the stamp of approval from a fickle music buying public that ships almost 2 million units of Backstreet Boys or other disposable pop music in one week.

Honestly, at this point in their career what do U2 have left to prove? Even if the album doesn't do quite as well in the U.S. as Eminem and whatever else MTV is pushing these days, I seriously doubt it's going to go unnoticed - especially worldwide.