Why dont the record companies release the CD before the tour starts? Say a week or two before the tour? A lot of people never heard the new tunes before last night. I talk to people who like the Stones but still have not heard any of the songs from the CD. I would think that releasing it before the tour would bring new fans to the shows? 6 shows will have passed before the CD is released.

I TOO HAVE WONDERED ABOUT THIS? for the same reasons you just explaned.
it's really backwards thinking.



"Well my heavy throbbers itchin' just to lay a solid rhythm down"

kjcmic, i suppose some reasons for that could be :

(á) That's a good, "live" album's promotion.

(b) The Stones are not (never have been) on the top of the albums selling, but they remain the most popular live act in the world. So, they don't need the CD into their pocket to sell the 95 or the 98% of the tickets.

(c) They did Licks Tour without having new stuff, so the following tour have an element of renewal starting before CD release

They've done this before. I think it's wise this time in particular. Think of the thousands who will have seen them by September 6th who may have heard a new song or two they liked at the show, and therefore buy the album. They may not have done so if it came out before the tour. Plus the publicity machine will have been in full-swing for several weeks (cover of Billboard, feature in Newsweek, feature in USA Today, cover of Rolling Stone with a probable 5-star review, etc.) and people will be more aware of it.
I think this time they're pretty much guaranteed a #1 debut in the States and many places elsewhere. Musically, NOTHING is a big deal at the moment.

because it wasnt ready in time!

>I think this time they're pretty much guaranteed a #1 debut in the States and many places elsewhere.

#1 elsewhere maybe, but in US 50 Cent will re-edit his last CD on the same week. Usher did the same with his CD months ago and jumped from #26 to #2 with 420,000 copies or something. Kayne West will be #1 the previous week with high sales (more than 450,000) and his second week will be strong too.
The question here is: How much will sell ABB during the first week?
It could be #1, #2 or #3 that week.

# 1, 2, or 3 is really keeping with tradition of the past 41 years, always top 5 - only w/ Atlantic from SF thru TY did the have 8 consecutive # 1 albums. I hope it does very well

The Stones do sell many albums.If I remember Bridges To Babylon went to #3,VL went to #2,Steel Wheels #1,Dirty Work top 15,Undercover top 15,Tattoo You back to Let It Bleed all #1.

The release is down to time so it comes out a couple of weeks after the tour, so what? It's a good promotion by word of mouth although most of the crowd will probably buy Hot Rocks, Jump Back or Licks. Then there will be some converts who hit the back catalogue.

May be they should do like Neil Young and go out and play ALL new songs and release the album two years later, that was popular .....not.

They have done this for many of their albums. Tattoo You, Steel Wheels, B2B and, I think, Some Girls.

I think Gazza is right....

sladog Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> They have done this for many of their albums.
> Tattoo You, Steel Wheels, B2B and, I think, Some
> Girls.


Tattoo You was released a full month before the tour started, B2B was released a week after, Steel Wheels was released a couple of days before the tour in the US and I believe a week after everywhere else (big mystery), and Some Girls barely got in a few days after the tour started. Some Girls already had a big hit with Miss You when the tour started. Either way ...if it's only a few days it is not really enough time for the public to digest the new stuff. But the Stones are a great show and I don't think it ever affacts ticket sales.
Sorry ... I'm big on dates.

they were still mixing the album at the end of June and at that stage didnt even have a final track listing, title, artwork or anything like that.

Mick (or was it Keith) admitted in a recent interview that they were a bit behind schedule

I think they would have ideally wanted it out for opening night but with all the promotional and A&R work that has to be done these days on new releases, it simply wasnt ready in time

>The Stones do sell many albums.If I remember Bridges To Babylon went to #3,VL went to #2,Steel Wheels #1,Dirty Work top 15,Undercover top 15,Tattoo You back to Let It Bleed all #1.

In US every studio album since 12x5 went Top 5.

I wasn't aware of the 50 Cent re-issue or of the new Kanye West.
Sheesh...if ever there was a time when the Stones could have had a number one...the guys just can't get a break! If it's not 'The Lion King' soundtrack it's Elvis!
Every two-bit artist can have a #1 these dyas, but the Rolling Stones really deserve it!

I guess it's #3 for the boys once again...

(Everyone in the US buy 2 copies!...one for yourself and one for a friend. I pre-ordered 10.).

See how much the stones are in the news nowadays, so they first hype the brand 'Rolling Stones' then put the cd on sale..

They got a 2-3 weeks delay. Simply took to long. Original release dates were mid-Aug.

Bjornulf