Stevie needs Hearts PR team
 

I know many on here are also Heart fans, Stevie needs to get the people working for Heart working for her for her new album. Heart's new album, "Red Velvet Car" comes out on the 31st. They are ALL over the place right now, they have an official Facebook page that sends out three or four updates everyday with their schedule. Starting this week they are in magazines, on TV, they have video clips on Amazon (linked to their web site). They have an official YouTube page that is digging out long forgotten videos (who knew they did a video for "City's Burning" from '82!!!!) and more.
Whoever is working with Heart needs to get in touch with Stevie.

I wouldn't want anybody sending me a schedule update three or four times a day.

Haven't heard a word about it......

Uncles ~ I would love that too... But You Have to Understand How Shallow most of the members here on the Sledge are... Lmaoooooooo... they only like to ridicule and torrment anyone who does not agree with them... So why would Stevie or anyone WASTE their time here...???

Donnie Wayne ~

This board is PATHETHIC!!!

It's not the same thing being sent over and over, it's the updates. Whenever there is a new appearance or a new interview or whatever, the latest links are posted on Facebook.

Well watch the TV, Heart has about 19 appearances coming up over the next month (some of this includes repeat broadcasts of a newly recorded concert for VH1).

Well, just a random comment here but neither Heart nor Pat Benatar have been able to have any chart success for 15 years, Stevie at least does. There always seems to be more interest in Stevie over these other ladies. I’m fans of both Heart and Pat, don’t get me wrong but, people love Stevie. Even if she’s not a chart topper anymore, the fact that her CDs still debut in the top 40 says something.

To be fair, given that an album release is still more than 6 months away for Stevie, we shouldn't expect her PR team to have kicked in yet. I'm really impressed with the number of interviews popping up at this early stage.

I'm not suggesting it kick in now, I'm saying as it gets closer she needs this kind of push. It won't do anything but help. Having said that I'll be curious to see where Heart's album lands it's first week. Currently their album is #11 on the best seller chart on Amazon, #7 on the rock chart and #10 on the pop charts. Again, this is all based on pre-orders only.

I agree Heart's PR team really knows what they are doing. They are constantly updating their website, facebook and twitter and you can sign up to receive text message alerts from them as well. I really hope their new cd does well because every song I have heard from it so far is amazing!

Well, I'm not sure how relevant the Amazon chart is to the world at large. Brian Wilson's Gershwin tribute is Number 1, for crikeys sake. :eek: Heart's last album was a flop (even though it was their best album ever IMHO) and didn't even debut in the Top 100. But then again, it was also released on an indie. At least this time they have a big label behind them, so they have some resources to pour into the promotional effort.

I'm not a big chart person anymore, so I was a bit aghast when I perused the Billboard charts recently. Rock and roll is dead. There are basically three big genres (hip hop, dance pop and country) and one little genre (middle of the road pop) on the charts. I really cannot fathom where the likes of Heart and Stevie fit into all of this. It's kind of distressing.

Yeah the Billboard charts are a joke. I get annoyed when I am checking them every week but yet I still continue to do so. There is so much good music out there that nobody ever hears about it which is really crazy to me.

I would say the one exception this year is Train's latest cd. Its been out for a while now and doing really well considering they havent done that much lately. I have to say I was very surprised that Hey Soul Sister did so well on the charts because I thought it was the weakest song on the cd. My favorite song is Parachutes and If Its Love.

The success of Train is definitely against trend. But then again, Train whored their song out for that commercial (AT&T??), which apparently seems to be the way to get music promoted these days. I would be heartbroken if Stevie had to do this.

Yeah I heard that commercial a while ago and was like wtf?!!! I get kinda annoyed when bands do that but I think in todays world that is the only way for alot of bands to get their music heard which really depresses me. I used to love that song Say by John Mayer but once it was used in some halmark commerical I never thought of it the same way again.

I for one am not expecting them to fit in to the current scene much at all. I am just excited that the likes of Heart and Stevie Nicks are still recording new music. It is unrealistic to expect that these older artists are going to have a big impact on the mainstream charts anymore. Having said that, I anticipate Stevie's new CD to debut between the Top 10 - 20 Billboard album charts and then fade quickly afterward. Even if Warner/Reprise does killer promotion on par with TISL, with tie in's to social networking etc., release the best 1st song choice (which is always subjective), and the new record is on par with her best work ever, it's gonna be an uphill climb to have sustained album chart success AND a hit song. I'll be the 1st to admit I was wrong, and be happy to exclaim it, if Stevie has a fluke Top 40 pop single and a record that goes Platinum in 3-6 mos. But I certainly don't expect it anymore. I feel Stevie's chance for a major comeback on the charts as a solo artist was with TISL, and while a modest success, it didn't light the music world on fire.

Besides the music industry is fickler than ever before, Even younger pop artist cannot count on chart success anymore...Christina Aguilera's new cd "Bionic" bombed big time and could not score a successful single. Jennifer Lopez found herself without a record contract when her singles failed to ignite & her then record co. shelved the planned release altogether. And middle-aged, middle of the road pop/rock stars Sarah Mclachlan and Sheryl Crow's new albums didn't generate much attention even with major TV appearances, good promotion and concert treks. It seems that music artist's 15 minutes is fading faster than ever before.

I know we are talking Stevie here...and she is a unique artist, and while anything is possible, this is just a long way to go to say I just don't really care if Stevie has a big hit anymore. Just bring on some great music, lyrics, singing and inspiration please!

They may "whored out" their song but it worked, didn't it? I agree its a little sad when talented artists have to resort to this kind of negotiation to get themselves heard, but unfortunately, in today's world, it sometimes the only option if a band wants commerical success. I don't think Stevie would ever entertain such a notion but if Stevie had a #1 record due to a song that was used in TV advertising, I think I'd be quite pleased. I think it's sadder to have made a brilliant album that gets ignored.

Mellencamp did the same thing a couple years ago with "Our Country". He had said all along that he would never sell out and allow a song of his to be used in a commercial. But after his last few albums and singles all went by unnoticed he gave in. He ended up with his most successful album in a long while. When asked about it he said that the music industry sucks so bad right now that they only way to get your song heard is in commercials. He said that it's almost impossible to get played on radio these days unless you fall into that hip/hop rap genre.

Amazon's chart is based solely on Amazon sales. Someone out there is buying Brian Wilson's album.

plenty of singers/bands are paid upwards of 3-30 grand for a jingle, more for film/tv track; this is a great source of income as needed.

That’s funny about this thread as I was just thinking about Heart’s new CD today. I pre-ordered it & I’m looking forward to it. I got Sheryl Crow’s new one & I just can’t get into it too much. So I’m looking forward to some additional new music. And I did not find out about their new CD on their Facebook or Twitter or any of those type of media because I don’t get on any of them. Ironically, I found out about it from here, The Ledge. And again, I found out about Stevie’s new CD here, so this place is all she needs. :nod: But as far as Stevie hyping her CD, she doesn’t get in to any of the Twitter, Facebook stuff either. I know they are really hyping her concert appearance on the AC radio station that I listen to (they are playing it again right now), so maybe some radio wouldn’t be a bad thing. I also think word-0f-mouth works for her, too. Also, she should play some new songs off her new CD at her shows. That’s what Heart did, & I think they were well received.

Lee :)

I am really looking forward to the Heart cd as well. They posted alot of clips of their new songs on their website so it was nice to hear some of the cd before it comes out. I got the new Sheryl as well and I just dont think its very good at all. Very disappointing because I normaly love everything she does thats for sure. Sarah Mclachlan's new cd is pretty good I have to say.
I do find alot of information from this site. Its very informative and I find myself going on it several timese a day. I am addicted!!
Yes I agree Stevie should play some new songs on the tour. I am sure everybody would love them and that would help future sales of her new cd. The 3 new Heart songs that were played when I saw them were very well received. I think my favorite is Hew You but WTF was always really good live.

Hearts new lp can't wait!!
 

I got Hearts new cd single that has 2 of the new songs and 3 older one's live on it (guess you'd call it an EP maybe?) anyway, its pretty good. I also can't wait to hear the new cd of theres. I see them at DTE on 9/3 I know it'll be great. I also got Peter Frampton's new cd and I think its really really good. I think it rocks and I saw him live also this yr and he was better than Steve Miller (they were at the same concert together at DTE).....anyway, I do have a question though. I don't understand why is Stevie promoting her 'new' cd when its not gonna even be released til next yr. You'd think you'd want all this press when its actually released not almost a yr earlier. She'll have to do it all over again. It seems kinda pointless right now. I mean peoples attention spands are short anyway, who's gonna remember this next yr unless theres press or PR than??? I guess I'll never understand this way of promoting it.......it makes no sense to me........anybody else wonder too??:shrug::nod:

This is true. She is looked at differently. Maybe because she is also in Fleetwood Mac, maybe its because of her distinct style of clothes that gets brought up everynow and then. she just does have an edge above the rest, Im glad about that, i hope it helps her. I think it will.

Heres a quote from a new editorial on the Huffington Post web site regarding the music industry's ever declining sales that might illuminate more realistic expectations about Stevie's next album sales.

"Consider this...out of nearly 200,000 albums that appeared on the Soundscan chart in 2009, only 1,319 sold at least 10,000 copies, and a mere 85 sold at least 250,000 copies. And the first half of 2010 saw a further decline with the overall number of download transactions dropping, as well as a further 8.2 percent fall in CD sales."

Heres the link to the entire article if interested: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeff-p..._b_694439.html (the comments section has some very interesting points of view as well)

We should feel fortunate that Stevie is recording a new record at all! Having seen these 2009 sales figures, Stevie would be probably happy to sell over 100K copies!!:eek:

Everybody should to buy several copies if they are able and give them out to family and friends.;)

Heart's new CD comes out today!!!!!!! :D:blob2:

Get it!!! http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Fi...45088262177262

If you do pick up the new Heart album, check it out on iTunes. It comes with two bonus tracks, the video for "WTF" and the iTunes LP which is a media package that has photos, videos, lyrics and more cool stuff.

Tom Petty gave away a free download of his new Mojo cd with every ticket purchased for his tour. While at the concert he invited audience members to text and get a free download as well. I'm sure this will increase his cd chart positition. I'm not sure how this will work in $$$.

Maybe Stevie should try something like this ???

Petty's album came out in June, it debuted at #2 and is currently at #32. In this day and age that translates to a big success. So looks like it worked.

Heart's PR team did a pretty good job of viral marketing for this album and I also think Stevie's team needs to do the same type of thing for her upcoming album. In todays crazy digital world, viral marketing really is the best way to reach people.

I just hope Nicks doesn't fear it. I am no longer interested in physical media and have no problem supporting artists legally via digital means. I also love the perks of buying digital media over physical, especially in music as you generally get music bonuses with a digital album over a CD.

ON EDIT
Also, with iTunes 10 coming out today, with the new Ping feature, music networking just got a whole lot bigger.

Based on first day sales, Heart's new CD should move 25-30K during its first sales week and should debut in the top 10 of the Billboard 200.

Heart returns to Adult Contemporary chart:

http://www.billboard.com/#/column/ch...ory?tag=hpfeed