Had 'A Bigger Bang' been released on its original release date, August 23rd, it would have been a guaranteed number one in the US (the Stones' biggest market).
To those who think this was not important, I will tell you why it was after watching the charts and the Stones and the attendant publicity for over 35 years...

'A Bigger Bang' has received zero airplay in the US. A number one album after 24 years would have generated a lot of press and publicity and curiosity about the album. It would definitely have increased awareness and sales. Now, with Kanye West and 50 Cent, it will probably debut at #3 or #4, spend one week in the Top Ten and then take a swan dive off the charts. No one cares about a #4 debut by anyone.
And that's a shame, because it will mean definitely NO airplay for sure. It must be dispiriting to the Stones that after an eight year lapse and a really strong new album,that they STILL can't hit number one. Does anyone really think they don't care that their new material is ignored and goes unheard by more than just the "die-hards"? They will think "Why bother?" I'm sure this will affect their overall attitudes and performance. It DOES matter a LOT to Mick, make no mistake!
So, the Stones become the new Grateful Dead, who could also fill stadiums with their oldies. Some fans don't care about new material. I am not one of them. A person can only listen to 'Exile On Main St' so many times.
People complain about the same old songs but this is why...no one knows their material post 1981...because of SALES.
It's such a shame...and I GUARANTEE you that with no airplay and dismal sales for the new album, this is the last new material you will ever hear from the Stones, thus their last tour. The further their well-known songs recede, the less likely they will be excited about performing "Jumpin' Jack Flash" for 70 year olds.
So everyone enjoy this one...this is it. Thanks Kanye.
(Anyone who thinks I'm overstating my case...just wait and see. You'll hear from the Stones no more).

Great!! Could you pls read my future as well??
Thanks!

...if by some miracle I am wrong, I will be dancing in the streets whilst eating humble pie....!!

You are a jackass. Why do you care? If I like it and buy I don't care what anyone else does and by the way the Stones never sold a ton of records. They recorded number ones when there was a smaller record buying public. GROW UP!!!

bottom line- its a very strong album, and if they tour for 18 months, it will sell like Voodoo lounge( a respectable 5-6 million worldwide). not too shabby.

I have already pre-purchased three different versions of ABB. Not to mention the one I downloaded which I am listening to right now, very loudly!!

Greg

Lets wait and see what happens, (do we have a choice?)

Also, mickrichards wrote: by the way the Stones never sold a ton of records. They recorded number ones when there was a smaller record buying public.

Are you kidding me? I don't think the 'record buying public' was that much smaller in the U.S than it is today, the population has not increased that much.

The following quote is from the USA TODAY article 'Four rockers define Stones age' 8/18/05(?)

"The band has sold 20.9 million albums since SoundScan began tabulating in 1991 with buyers favoring oldies: 2002's Forty Licks sold 2.5 million, double the take for Bridges to Babylon.

Add in the number sold from 64-90 and I think you can safely call that a ton.

I ain't stupid, I'm just guitarded.

You know, I come on this site because it's comforting and feels like a community...and then for expressing an observation, I get called a "Jackass." You know, that hurts, it really does.
I just want good works to be rewarded with success, and the charts are one barometer of that success. I wish 'A Bigger Bang' would sell 20 million copies so everyone would understand the thrill of a new Stones song, that's all. I don't want it to be heard by just a relatively small group of music lovers.
Don't you think Keith would have released more solo albums by now if his last album 'Main Offender' had gotten higher than #99 on the charts? Particularly after he slammed Mick and Bill for the sales of their solo albums? So it does matter.
Don't be so mean...let everyone have their say. You never know when someone's had a bad day and they come to the comfort of IORR. We should be family, not adversaries.

>Don't you think Keith would have released more solo albums by now if his last album 'Main Offender' had gotten higher than #99 on the charts? Particularly after he slammed Mick and Bill for the sales of their solo albums?

Great point, agree with you. He didn't want to record solo albums anymore, the first reached Top 25 in US and went gold but Main Offender flopped very bad.

I think it does matter if the album gets #1. Our boys deserve it.

Bigger Bang is number ONE in my world and that's important to me!!!

ROCKMAN

It's important to us too Rockman.

I ain't stupid, I'm just guitarded.

marston Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have already pre-purchased three different
> versions of ABB. Not to mention the one I
> downloaded which I am listening to right now, very
> loudly!!
>
> Greg


Why do you need 3 different bangs anyway without additional songs; I would invest that in boots personally...

I heard that in the UK once the initial rush is over they will rerelease ABB as a CD/DVD combo which I assume will be the same as the Japanese version.

Surely putting the whole album on RS.com won't help to get it to No1. It is like giving it away!

Percystokes, I don't agree with you.

Those people, who don't buy after listening to Bang on rs.com, would never buy. We have listened, but we also buy it next monday. So the free net-publication doesn't change anything IMO.

I agree with you completely. You are right it is important. There are some of those "fans" that say they don't give a damn about other people's opininon about the Stones. The Stones, especially Charlie(!), have always said how much they would appreciate a number one record. I think the Stones don't really care about those fans. For example, take Keith's website. You know, the Ask Keith section, were you can ask him questions. I think Keith's quite happy with a letter from an 11 year old. More happy than a letter of some 50 year old guy.

I think they'd love to be popular amongst all ages. And when a song or album reaches number one, people that don't like the Stones THAT much will also start buying it.

The point I am trying to make Gaigai is that a true fan like you and me will buy even if we have downloaded somewhere for free but a rolling stone virgin might just say "Hey! Look the whole new Stones album is here for free, all I gotta do is copy it to my cd recorder and I save my self money!"
By puttin the whole album on there is no different to any other illegal downloading or uploading that is supposed to be ruining the music industry is it?!?

For the 1231241234523456456089654th time. Keef said "WE DON'T RELEASE ANYTHING TO GET ON THE @#$%& CHARTS ANYMORE. I was interested in that once, but not now".

JumpingKentFlash

Keith said that & may mean it, Mick said in same Billboard article he wants a hit,and the sales/chart position of a new album will surely influence the RS' attitudes towards another album. It is actually surprising how well the albums have done - since VL, which was the first time w/out a hit single - given minimal airplay. But I agree, # 1 would be great...It amazes me how the entire time they were in Boston, on the cover of the newpapers, tv news, you couldnt find RJ on the radio (rarely, if you listened for hours, maybe 2 stations)

I'm sure The Stones can buy the Number 1 spot.
Thats how you get there anyway!
It has little to do with how good your album is.
How do you think 50 Cent and whoever gets #1

Jack Knife Wrote:
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A person can only listen to 'Exile On Main St' so many times.


Yeah, that's right. I agree, but it's probably about 3 million times, only two million nine hundred and ninety thousand to go and I'll be sick and tired of that album.

As long as they're number 1 or close to number 1 in concert revenue and related sales, they'll keep playing. That's my guess. Cheer up, there's a new tour that's just underway.

percystokes Wrote:
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> Surely putting the whole album on RS.com won't
> help to get it to No1. It is like giving it away!


I't does indeed make people talk about it.

Well they havent been able to "buy" the #1 spot (many # 2s, # 3s) in quite some time. The sales are based on soundscan ; companies (or reps/promo men as they used to be called) may 'buy' airplay as recent Sony scandal suggests.

Please

It can be bought

I think if the Rolling Stones want to continue to make albums, they will. Charlie has said if this one is liked they would do another in a similar style, so I think Sales are important to the band. At the same time, the Stones have averaged around 2 million in sales during the initial release period for new studio records. The Stones are a band that really gets their sales over the long haul.

I think Stones would certainly like thier newer material to be as appreciated as much as their older records. Take a band like Yes for example, they had a couple of glory periods, 1971-1978 and then from 1983-1988. They've continued to make studio records and live recordings over the years. The last studio record was in 2001 and it flopped. Great record, but it flopped. Recently singer Jon Anderson said at this point he didn't see a reason for the band to make a new studio album because no one was listening, except for hard core fans. I realize that Yes and the Stones are two completly different animals, but I would hope that the Stones would not get to the point where they didn't want to record because nobody bought thier records.

Bill

That's another good point, Bill. If this one hits number one, they'll realize that it is a good style. That it works not to use all those extra musicians.

There is a hit going on everywhere as far as I heard (Streets of Love) except for the US, so there will be good sells of the album I suppose (maybe also in USA although the single Rough Justice didn`t hit the charts there). Many other rock and roll bands that I adore have recently complaint about their low rate of sells in USA because (maybe) people there are being much more brainwashed of listnening shit "music", I mean crap like hip hop bull shit, that is made just for the money and contains no significant idea or message towards the audience. Making such kind of noisy shit that is advertised on shit television MTV has the purpose to make the young people stupid consumers with no sense of the qualitative music. Of course, good music will never die, and shits like MTV, etc will fail.

COME ON! IT WILL STILL MAKE IT TO #1, WAIT AND SEE! Once it's out, the general public will cetainly check it out because unless you live UNDER A ROCK, you KNOW THAT THE STONES ARE ON TOUR! The reviews have been great, in Boston, The Stones made the cover of the Herald two days in a row plus secondary papers, the same in Hartford! I also want to see it make it to #1 because I feel it's important for their souls. They sure deserve it.

Who cares! The charts belong to thugs like 50 cent, Eminem and Kanye West these days. They can have it!

I am enjoying the hell out of this album wherever it charts!

Ross