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rogerriffin
They will keep us happy till April 24, this live sounds really good, very good rehearsed and energized songs!
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treaclefingersQuote
Big AlLike you, I'm not entirely sure. However, considering the Stones can still sell-out stadiums in the States, it's less-than-stellar performance sale-wise is certainly nothing to do with the group's popularity there. Could be to do with the demographic that purchases 'rock albums'? I'm not sure where I'm going with that, exactly, but the Stones' genre(s) caters to more of a niche market, perhaps. In the States, anyway. Pop, latin-pop, country, hip-hop, etc; they're all vying for sales in the States. I can't speak for mainland Europe, but here in the U.K., the market is probably narrower. In other words: 'rock acts' in general, have a better chance of charting more highly and selling well in the U.K.Quote
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MadMetaphoricalMax
The sales numbers tracking, since the sales are so good for this day and age, is great, the fact that the album may be the UK's Christmas no 1 is fantastic, another frickin' miracle no one would have anticipated.
In fact, I recall the absolute certainty with which a number of posters on here predicted that after a week in the charts it would drop into oblivion, and have no impact outside of the circle of deluded old saps who frequent iorr. Not so!!
The live tracks, however much tweaked, are a great listen, the album is shaping into one of their classics - every time I play it, I find I have to play the whole thing through - and it's been in the UK charts for almost two months, and maybe heading back to the top spot.
A Christmas miracle ....!
I'm not sure you could have found even one person that could have predicted this. You're right, it's nothing short of a Christmas miracle. The fact that in North America it's all but disappeared from the charts and in Europe you have a top ten hit (number one??? WTF?!) 2 months after it's release is startling.
One has to ask, "what's the difference, what went right in Europe and wrong in North America?"
.
BTW, how is it playing in South America, Asia & Australia by comparison?
I think someone pointed out earlier that until Blue & Lonesome, and since EXILE, Stones albums generally underperformed in the UK; in fact Blue and Lonesome outsold every Stones album but Tattoo You and Some Girls since Exile.
There's obviously an explanation, I just don't know what it is!
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keefriffhards
Reflecting on this album, played it in my car for a couple weeks until i put something else in the CD player, it's a good album but i doubt i will go back to it very often as it's not what i consider a Stones album.
That's not saying it's not good, just saying if i wanted that sound I'd listen to it from another band, as said before it will go on the back burner along with ABB.
Older music is listened to much more by young people in general in the streaming age. But the Stones have done a really amazing job in managing to have cross-generational appeal while being an ongoing band. It's quite a feat to be actively performing in your late 70s and still being perceived as cool by a significant portion of the younger generations. Who'd have thought, eh?Quote
Big Al
Well, as I have said before, here in the U.K., it does very much seem as if the Stones have undergone a definite renaissance in popularity. That, in my opinion, is the reasoning for their seeming rise in popularity and greatly-improved album-sales. It really does seem that there has been a change in the air, regarding how they’re perceived. Take the New Musical Express. (NME) from the about he mid-1970’s through to the early 00’s, they absolutely rinsed the Stones. Somewhere online, you may be able to come across their ‘review’ of the Stones’ Shepherd’s Bush Empire performance from 1999; it’s not pretty. In fact, as recently as the Licks Tour, they were, largely, unfavourable. Now, they absolutely adore the Stones. Maybe, it can partly be put down to the NME giving-up their mantle as the voice of contemporary rock and alternative, but it’s a wider happening. The Stones, on home soil, are just flat-out cherished. Long may it continue!
Edit: but why the newly-found appreciation and nostalgia? Perhaps, in part, it could be to do with the lack of a 'current' and meaningful music-scene in the U.K. Tjere hasn't been one here, in the U.K., since the mid-1990's.
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keefriffhards
Reflecting on this album, played it in my car for a couple weeks until i put something else in the CD player, it's a good album but i doubt i will go back to it very often as it's not what i consider a Stones album.
That's not saying it's not good, just saying if i wanted that sound I'd listen to it from another band, as said before it will go on the back burner along with ABB.
Not considered a Stones album? I wish you well and a merry christmas
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keefriffhardsQuote
boboQuote
keefriffhards
Reflecting on this album, played it in my car for a couple weeks until i put something else in the CD player, it's a good album but i doubt i will go back to it very often as it's not what i consider a Stones album.
That's not saying it's not good, just saying if i wanted that sound I'd listen to it from another band, as said before it will go on the back burner along with ABB.
Not considered a Stones album? I wish you well and a merry christmas
First off with only two original members left it's not a Stones album, the fact there are no killer riffs therefore Keith doesn't really give a damn for this album leaves us with Mick, so it's a Mick album ( other than a few Keith tracks ) with Ronnie on it as a session musician.
Basically it's a Jagger/ Andrew Watts album with Keith and Ronnie contractually obligated to play on it abd promote it, I haven't heard Keith praise this album once, like he said he's just riding the wave now.
Got to hand it to Mick though, it's a good solo album after nearly 20 years of writers block, hey wait a minute maybe this is a Andrew Watts written album with a few of his Stones chums playing on it
Whatever it is it's good, but it isn't the Stones.
Oh yeah, Merry Christmas.
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DoxaQuote
treaclefingersQuote
Doxa
Europeans love the Stones. Stupid Americans do not.
But so what - there will be not world for any longer in 2025 - Trump and Putin will guarantee you that!
- Doxa
Doxa! It may be the holiday season, but no drunk posting!
So what. Let us bullshit now. Next year we all we will explode, as our sweet Trump will take the command as the "smart people" of US will love to have. There are people on this site that that have orgasms for that guy, go figure. For the rest of us, we now there is no tomorrow. Fascism is back here.
- Doxa
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keefriffhards
First off with only two original members left it's not a Stones album, the fact there are no killer riffs therefore Keith doesn't really give a damn for this album leaves us with Mick, so it's a Mick album ( other than a few Keith tracks ) with Ronnie on it as a session musician.
Basically it's a Jagger/ Andrew Watts album with Keith and Ronnie contractually obligated to play on it abd promote it, I haven't heard Keith praise this album once, like he said he's just riding the wave now.
Got to hand it to Mick though, it's a good solo album after nearly 20 years of writers block, hey wait a minute maybe this is a Andrew Watts written album with a few of his Stones chums playing on it
Whatever it is it's good, but it isn't the Stones.
Oh yeah, Merry Christmas.
That review is striving to be authoritative, but it's an opinion that doesnt ring true to my ears when I put on the album. There's wonderful Ronnie Keith weaving, I don't hear jagger too high in the mix, and yes, it is 'produced' heavily, but it works so well, it;'s become an album I love, and I do hear and feel Keith all over it. To call it a Jagger solo album, as KeefRiffhards does, doesnt ring to true to me. And Ronnie is a Rolling Stone and he is in no wayt session musician but integral and at his very best on record here! But hey, that's also just my opinion. Merry Christmas....Quote
drewmasterQuote
keefriffhards
First off with only two original members left it's not a Stones album, the fact there are no killer riffs therefore Keith doesn't really give a damn for this album leaves us with Mick, so it's a Mick album ( other than a few Keith tracks ) with Ronnie on it as a session musician.
Basically it's a Jagger/ Andrew Watts album with Keith and Ronnie contractually obligated to play on it abd promote it, I haven't heard Keith praise this album once, like he said he's just riding the wave now.
Got to hand it to Mick though, it's a good solo album after nearly 20 years of writers block, hey wait a minute maybe this is a Andrew Watts written album with a few of his Stones chums playing on it
Whatever it is it's good, but it isn't the Stones.
Oh yeah, Merry Christmas.
I agree 100%. We may be in the minority on this board, but there are others who agree. As one critic wrote here
Watt did what he does and heavily processed and compressed Jagger’s vocals throughout the album so that the unique bottom end of his voice and his great sense of dynamics are totally missing. Pitch correction is constant and frequently obvious, eliminating the blues and R&B note-bending that is the hallmark of his style. Just enough essence of Jagger remains to satisfy the fans. Watt also mixed the vocals way up above the band, making Hackney Diamonds sound like a Jagger solo album. The signature Ronnie/Keith interplay is all but unheard because the guitars are so heavily compressed, distorted and equalized that they are hard to tell apart amid the grunge. Most importantly, the band’s unique, simultaneously ahead and behind the beat swing that made Jagger and Richards rock gods is quantized and “corrected” into that contemporary, generic stiff pound-and-thud.
This is not the band that I fell in love with. It's got sparks of brilliance here and there, and overall it is quite an accomplishment given their age. SSOH makes me tingle, but for the most part I'll pass.
Drew
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LeonidP
Interesting ... Exile is not a Stones album either it seems. No Brian - and Bill missing on many tracks. I need to revise my top 5 Stones album list!
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georgelicks
UK Midweek Update (Friday/Tuesday sales)
1 The Rolling Stones - Hackney Diamonds (12,272) [11,817 physicals, 204 downloads, 251 streaming]
2 Michael Bublé - Christmas (9,829)
3 Taylor Swift - 1989 (Taylor's Version) (8,162)
4 Cher - Christmas (5,729)
5 André Rieu & His Johann Strauss Orchestra - Jewels of Romance (5,249)
From Music Week:
"Wham! continue to target this year’s Christmas No.1 with Last Christmas, which has accumulated 39,669 sales so far this week.
Sam Ryder holds second place with You’re Christmas To Me, which has 35,350 sales so far, whilst Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You (31,510 sales), Noah Kahan’s Stick Season (27,721 sales) and Ed Sheeran and Elton John’s Merry Christmas (27,302 sales) round off the Top 5.
Meanwhile, the Rolling Stones are on the way to having this year's official Christmas No.1 album with Hackney Diamonds, which has 12,272 sales so far this week. The record is boosted significantly by its physical release, which accounts for 11,817 sales, whilst streams account for 251 units and downloads account for 204.
Michael Bublé sits at No.2 with Christmas, which has 9,829 sales so far, whilst Taylor Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version) (8,162 sales), Cher’s Christmas (5,729 sales) and Jewels Of Romance (5,249 sales) by André Rieu and the Johann Strauss Orchestra complete the Top 5."
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LeonidP
Interesting ... Exile is not a Stones album either it seems. No Brian - and Bill missing on many tracks. I need to revise my top 5 Stones album list!
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georgelicks
UK Midweek Update (Friday/Tuesday sales)
1 The Rolling Stones - Hackney Diamonds (12,272) [11,817 physicals, 204 downloads, 251 streaming]
2 Michael Bublé - Christmas (9,829)
3 Taylor Swift - 1989 (Taylor's Version) (8,162)
4 Cher - Christmas (5,729)
5 André Rieu & His Johann Strauss Orchestra - Jewels of Romance (5,249)
From Music Week:
"Wham! continue to target this year’s Christmas No.1 with Last Christmas, which has accumulated 39,669 sales so far this week.
Sam Ryder holds second place with You’re Christmas To Me, which has 35,350 sales so far, whilst Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You (31,510 sales), Noah Kahan’s Stick Season (27,721 sales) and Ed Sheeran and Elton John’s Merry Christmas (27,302 sales) round off the Top 5.
Meanwhile, the Rolling Stones are on the way to having this year's official Christmas No.1 album with Hackney Diamonds, which has 12,272 sales so far this week. The record is boosted significantly by its physical release, which accounts for 11,817 sales, whilst streams account for 251 units and downloads account for 204.
Michael Bublé sits at No.2 with Christmas, which has 9,829 sales so far, whilst Taylor Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version) (8,162 sales), Cher’s Christmas (5,729 sales) and Jewels Of Romance (5,249 sales) by André Rieu and the Johann Strauss Orchestra complete the Top 5."
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drewmasterQuote
keefriffhards
First off with only two original members left it's not a Stones album, the fact there are no killer riffs therefore Keith doesn't really give a damn for this album leaves us with Mick, so it's a Mick album ( other than a few Keith tracks ) with Ronnie on it as a session musician.
Basically it's a Jagger/ Andrew Watts album with Keith and Ronnie contractually obligated to play on it abd promote it, I haven't heard Keith praise this album once, like he said he's just riding the wave now.
Got to hand it to Mick though, it's a good solo album after nearly 20 years of writers block, hey wait a minute maybe this is a Andrew Watts written album with a few of his Stones chums playing on it
Whatever it is it's good, but it isn't the Stones.
Oh yeah, Merry Christmas.
I agree 100%. We may be in the minority on this board, but there are others who agree. As one critic wrote here
Watt did what he does and heavily processed and compressed Jagger’s vocals throughout the album so that the unique bottom end of his voice and his great sense of dynamics are totally missing. Pitch correction is constant and frequently obvious, eliminating the blues and R&B note-bending that is the hallmark of his style. Just enough essence of Jagger remains to satisfy the fans. Watt also mixed the vocals way up above the band, making Hackney Diamonds sound like a Jagger solo album. The signature Ronnie/Keith interplay is all but unheard because the guitars are so heavily compressed, distorted and equalized that they are hard to tell apart amid the grunge. Most importantly, the band’s unique, simultaneously ahead and behind the beat swing that made Jagger and Richards rock gods is quantized and “corrected” into that contemporary, generic stiff pound-and-thud.
This is not the band that I fell in love with. It's got sparks of brilliance here and there, and overall it is quite an accomplishment given their age. SSOH makes me tingle, but for the most part I'll pass.
Drew
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Rockman
Only wet babies like change ..........