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treaclefingers

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stonescrow
A top five single would be a nice little feather in the cap, however, I agree that a real solid album would be much more beneficial at this stage of their career, not only in terms of launching another tour but also in terms of continuing to grow their legacy.

The A Bigger Bang album obviously didn't do anything to enhance their legacy, fortunately, the Bigger Bang tour did. The recent re release of Exile and the ten old/new tracks was definitely a nice recovery from the disappointing A Bigger Bang album. Hopefully the momentum from Exile will carry over into the studio resulting in a new album we can all be proud of.

ABB was critically well-received and internationally number 1, top 5 in the US if I'm not mistaken (#2 in UK).

Only the single, 'Streets of Love', was panned, although not universally.

That said, aren't we confirming the theme of this thread?

I rushed out and purchased A Bigger Bang and for weeks hailed it as their greatest work in many many years (much like the critics) however, reality eventually set in and in hindsight now consider it one of their weaker efforts especially in the context of their full body of work (all other album releases).

Ironically, 'Streets of Love' is my second favorite song on the album next to 'Laugh, I Nearly Died'. These are the only two I listen to from time to time.

The Stones really don't need a top five single or top flight album to continue on as a touring act-could easily build a tour around the recently released Exile tracks, however, a solid album (that would stand the test of time) including a hit single would bring great joy to Stonesland.

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stonescrow

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treaclefingers

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stonescrow
A top five single would be a nice little feather in the cap, however, I agree that a real solid album would be much more beneficial at this stage of their career, not only in terms of launching another tour but also in terms of continuing to grow their legacy.

The A Bigger Bang album obviously didn't do anything to enhance their legacy, fortunately, the Bigger Bang tour did. The recent re release of Exile and the ten old/new tracks was definitely a nice recovery from the disappointing A Bigger Bang album. Hopefully the momentum from Exile will carry over into the studio resulting in a new album we can all be proud of.

ABB was critically well-received and internationally number 1, top 5 in the US if I'm not mistaken (#2 in UK).

Only the single, 'Streets of Love', was panned, although not universally.

That said, aren't we confirming the theme of this thread?

I rushed out and purchased A Bigger Bang and for weeks hailed it as their greatest work in many many years (much like the critics) however, reality eventually set in and in hindsight now consider it one of their weaker efforts especially in the context of their full body of work (all other album releases).

Ironically, 'Streets of Love' is my second favorite song on the album next to 'Laugh, I Nearly Died'. These are the only two I listen to from time to time.

The Stones really don't need a top five single or top flight album to continue on as a touring act-could easily build a tour around the recently released Exile tracks, however, a solid album (that would stand the test of time) including a hit single would bring great joy to Stonesland.

I still like ABB...I'll agree with you, an even better album would be great (or just shorter...EDIT IT), and a hot hit single wouldn't piss me off too terribly.

The plight of the single saddens me. The 45rpm was the format of the 1960's. And let's not forget the B-side!

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Big Al
The plight of the single saddens me. The 45rpm was the format of the 1960's. And let's not forget the B-side!

I love 45's too...have ALL the stones 45's from UK and US.

I wonder if people got together in coffee shops and beer parlours (before the internet, how the hell else would they meet?), and bemoaned the death of 78's, or wax cylinders (do I have that right)?

There's a real split in musical style these days between the UK singles and album charts - the singles chart is heavily influenced by download sales and therefore what appeals to teenage buyers (pop, dance and modern "R and B" ), while it's mostly older people who still buy physical CDs or download complete albums (a much broader spread of styles - rock, indie, folk, easy-listening, whatever - we don't go in for separate charts for different genres here). A successful band in the UK can have a top ten album for months and months without ever troubling the top ten singles chart at all - and a successful single doesn't necessarily sell albums.

So it's pretty unlikely that the Stones could bring off a top-5 single, or that it would be worth their while to try. Whether the single is good or bad (in Stones terms) doesn't really come into it - the people whose buying habits produce the singles chart are just not into their kind of music.

And as susannewortmann says, it's a different world these days. We're going through the latest of many sea-changes in the way music is sold and the way musical success is measured. Probably in a few years time both singles and album charts will be as unimportant as sheet-music sales (which were once the ABSOLUTE yardstick by which success was measured), though what will replace them, I have no idea.

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Green Lady
Probably in a few years time both singles and album charts will be as unimportant as sheet-music sales (which were once the ABSOLUTE yardstick by which success was measured), though what will replace them, I have no idea.

I think your bang on with that assessment. With Video Games overtaking the motion picture business in $$'s, maybe that is the avenue, Guitar Hero and Rock Band games, with newly released material as the feature?

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treaclefingers

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stonescrow

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treaclefingers

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stonescrow
A top five single would be a nice little feather in the cap, however, I agree that a real solid album would be much more beneficial at this stage of their career, not only in terms of launching another tour but also in terms of continuing to grow their legacy.

The A Bigger Bang album obviously didn't do anything to enhance their legacy, fortunately, the Bigger Bang tour did. The recent re release of Exile and the ten old/new tracks was definitely a nice recovery from the disappointing A Bigger Bang album. Hopefully the momentum from Exile will carry over into the studio resulting in a new album we can all be proud of.

ABB was critically well-received and internationally number 1, top 5 in the US if I'm not mistaken (#2 in UK).

Only the single, 'Streets of Love', was panned, although not universally.

That said, aren't we confirming the theme of this thread?

I rushed out and purchased A Bigger Bang and for weeks hailed it as their greatest work in many many years (much like the critics) however, reality eventually set in and in hindsight now consider it one of their weaker efforts especially in the context of their full body of work (all other album releases).

Ironically, 'Streets of Love' is my second favorite song on the album next to 'Laugh, I Nearly Died'. These are the only two I listen to from time to time.

The Stones really don't need a top five single or top flight album to continue on as a touring act-could easily build a tour around the recently released Exile tracks, however, a solid album (that would stand the test of time) including a hit single would bring great joy to Stonesland.

I still like ABB...I'll agree with you, an even better album would be great (or just shorter...EDIT IT), and a hot hit single wouldn't piss me off too terribly.

I couldn't agree with you more...ten to twelve songs max. A Bigger Bang might have worked a little better for me with something along these lines for example: #1. Under the Radar, #2.Rough Justice, #3. She Saw Me Coming, #4. Let Me Down Slow, #5.Streets of Love, #6.Oh No Not You Again, #7.It Won't take Long, #8. Biggest Mistake, #9. Rain Fall Down, #10. Laugh, I Nearly Died, #11. This Place Is Empty.

A good example of the singles market nowadays:

Plundered My Soul reached #200 in the U.K. Top 200 singles chart selling 813 copies during that week, but Exile on Main Street entered at #1 with 32,000 copies sold.

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Gazza
...initial first-year sales of the UMG remasters were appalling.

Because, essentially, nobody needed them. And a lot less people wanted them.