Re: Why Don't Stones Albums Sell Anymore?
Date: November 15, 2007 06:32
BluzDude Wrote:
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> The Rolling Stones are Global. Many of their fans
> are about my age, we all have vinyl copies stored
> somewhere of Beggars Banquet, Let it Bleed, Sticky
> Fingers, Exile On Main Street, etc. While I will
> still buy all of their new studio releases
> unheard, most of my Stones fan friends will still
> see them every time they come to town, and even
> follow them to near by cities, but they will tell
> you that they haven't bought a new Stones CD in
> over 20 years. I am not saying this is typical,
> it's just my experience.
I think that this column sums the reasons very well. The casual people who are willing to pay the huge concert prices are the people who once bought the albums when they were pressed as vinyls. That's the 'fan base' that is much bigger and importnat than 'us' - the hardcore ones that are gathered in the forums like ours. Those people are not interested of their latest albums, and Jagger seems to quite awere of that. Some nice CD collection of 'greatest hits' might gather some interest, but that's about it. And frankly I also partly agree; the Stones hasn't really released any album in recent 25 years that would really make a difference, to add anything significant and fresh to the stuff for you, if you already have a Beggars, Sticky, Exile or even Some Girls or Tattoo You in your closet.
I think the Stones somehow 'lost it' by the time of UNDERCOVER their status as a big album seller. They had a very profilic years as big sellars prior that: SOME GIRLS, EMOTIONAL RESCUE and TATTOO YOU were their biggest album hits ever, and almost all of their 70's stuff were 'sure' number ones in US charts (and elsewehere). Even though they didn't sell as many copies, the #1 positions showed that they could draw a huge interest for their new releases - a new Stones album was a BIG thing. Even EXILE ON MAIN STREET reached that position, even though it is somehow famous nowadays for not selling so much and getting bad reviews at the time when it was released.
But as far as I can see it, after UNDERCOVER it has never been the same (and DIRTY WORK was almost a bum in Stones terms). Of course, the Stones don't ever fail strongly - expect by their solo abums and live recordings, but there is no such demand for a new Stones release anymore. I think the band somehow has been musically stigmatizied, at least in the eyes of its potential audience. The people somehow 'know' what to expect from a new release, and are not very excited about it. And there haven't been any big radio hits to draw the attention of new audiences to buy their albums.
There were some nice 'come back vibes' for STEEL WHEELS, and especially VOODOO LOUNGE was a great seller; both of them were nice a pair to buy with some tickets for their concerts, but the sales of BRIDGES TO BABYLON and A BIGGER BANG show that the time of 'tour souveniers' is gone. But to be true, none of the sales of their post-89 albums reflect their status of a concert-draw. They are a nostalgy act, says Jagger whatever he wants.
To repeat my point: I would say that the biggest reason for The Stones not being such a heavy seller anymore is not due to the fact that the big masses are ignorant or that the kids are fool nowadays or that their old fans are seniles or that radio policy is against them, but simply to the fact they don't make very exciting new music anymore. For that reason they don't gather that excitement anymore to make big sales, like Springsteen, U2 or The Eagles does. Even Dylan seems to be a better seller than them nowadays as far as new music is concerned.
You know, I was raised by "Start Me Up" and ever since I have waited the day for wittnessing a new Rolling Stones classic to be born - the one people immedietelly recognzing "Ahh Yeeaahhh, that's The STONES!!!", and without apologizies making the war horses section of their concerts with songs like "Satisfaction", "Brown Sugar", "It's Only Rock'n'Roll", but there haven't been any... it reflects something.
- Doxa
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2007-11-15 06:40 by Doxa.