Stevie Nicks Disappointed With Sales Of Her Latest Album

[joe68]

If it was a great record it would have sold. C'mon now, it sounds like an 80's record with poor production with almost all of the songs hovering over 6 minutes. There's was no monster single and certainly no great follow up single. I would blame Dave Stewart but who knows? Glen Ballard did the same thing to IYD as he did to the last Annie Lennox record - he made it sound generic.

[nicolasjz]

Stevie should take comfort in the fact that when her contemporary female rock singers (Pat Benatar, Linda Rondstadt, Belinda Carlisle…) release their albums, they are happy if they even reach the Billboard 200!

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by joe68

If it was a great record it would have sold.

Sales = / = Quality.

I think when talking about IYD, Stevie's gonna get damned either way. If she said she was happy with how it did, as it was a moderate success, people would be like 'lol no, flopped' but now she's admitted she wishes it sold more, people are ragging on her for that. Woman can't win

[Christopher]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

But she is a big act. The fact that she participated in the best selling group studio album of all time is not to be taken lightly. The fact that her band can sell out 15,000-seat arenas means she's a "big act." No, she's no Taylor Swift or Beyonce in today's world, but if you use Stevie's own past accomplishments as a benchmark, she is a big act, and sales of IYD fell well short of that benchmark.

Amen! Stevie is a force of nature, by absolute perseverance & talent ta boot, It's not nothing that Stevie is well into her 5th decade of her storied adventure with fame & fortune. She is a big rock star! And debatably may have risen to the top of the mantle of the female rock throne! Stevie's music (Mac & solo) from 1975 - 1983 is STILL in constant rotation on numerous radio and satellite stations - probably moreso than any other female artist of her generation! Just because Stevie has never been the media whore like Madonna, LadyG, Beyonce etc., She is very much revered and has amassed the curiousilty of many new younger fans & continues to inspire todays recording Artists. That's not nothing. That's HUGE.
Also very few from her generation are still selling as much or more as Stevie sold with IYD! That list is not long (Bonnie Raitt, Paul Simon, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, etc.) Especially in the classic rock genre. She certainly sold thousands upon thousands more copies than Hearts last release.
Its also worth nothing that Stevie sold more copies than her younger female pop/rock compadres last releases; Melissa Etheridge, Sheryl Crow & Sarah Mclachlan, Hole.

[KarmaContestant]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

But she is a big act. The fact that she participated in the best selling group studio album of all time is not to be taken lightly. The fact that her band can sell out 15,000-seat arenas means she's a "big act." No, she's no Taylor Swift or Beyonce in today's world, but if you use Stevie's own past accomplishments as a benchmark, she is a big act, and sales of IYD fell well short of that benchmark.

OK. So she's a big *oldies* act - a *nostalgia* act. Like The Stones or Heart or any other number of bands and performers who are essentially has-beens. Many of them still sell out arenas, but cannot sell albums. Many of them also have fans who are convinced that music "isn't good anymore" and they only like the songs they know, from the past; check out Stevie's setlist - she perpetuates this.

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

What is this- the 1990s? Are videos on "rotation" anywhere? Does anybody really listen to the radio anymore? I agree that being in the public eye (premieres, social media, parties, paparazzi, etc.) is crucial for maintaining ones relevance in today's hyper-connected age, but that is tantamount to selling your soul. Quite simply, she's just not that kind of girl; she's not going to compromise her integrity/privacy just to get a few more hits on YouTube. Yes, ten years between studio albums is excessive, but she was still out there touring every year and offering retrospective packages of her work in the interim. And her continuous ubiquity on album rock and AAA format radio is unquestionable. It would be dishonest to say that suddenly she became a non-household name during those ten years.

Yes, videos are on TV. I watch them every week on NewNowNext. I find dozens of great artists, newer and older, this way. If videos and radio didn't matter, they wouldn't be so critical to the success of new acts. Every day there's a story about so-and-so's video in the entertainment media. I would not consider her a household name today, and if I were her manager I'd make sure she knew that that type of recognition comes from constant effort. You can't rest on the laurels of your past if you want to continue being successful. This is true of any profession. 10 years between albums? She could have released FIVE albums in that time period. Even 6 years between albums is too many years.

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

I honestly don't think she cares about the money. But she does care about sales because it is some kind of a metric on the quality of her album and the degree to which her fans did or did not embrace it. She wanted everyone to love it because she was so proud of it. Plus I'm sure there is a side of her that wishes she could go all in yer face to the naysayers who were telling her not to bother recording new music for the past ten years. Alas, the commercial reception of IYD only validated what they've been telling her; that has to sting.

I didn't mention money, but, obviously sales are important to her, or she would not mention them. Stevie equates sales *quantities* with success, but like I said, I believe it is because she is comparing herself today to herself yesterday. That needs to stop.



I love Stevie's music, and I don't want anyone to think I'm knocking her. I think IYD was one of her best albums, ever. I don't care how many albums she sells - it's not relevant to me as a fan. But reality is reality - name recognition, sales, radio, videos - these things matter - but all that aside, Stevie is not as big and popular *anymore* as she likes to think she still is. Being a legend doesn't mean you will sell a lot of albums. That's OK - I don't appreciate her any less than when she was selling millions.

[bluefox4000]

Originally Posted by KarmaContestant

OK. So she's a big *oldies* act - a *nostalgia* act. Like The Stones or Heart or any other number of bands and performers who are essentially has-beens. Many of them still sell out arenas, but cannot sell albums. Many of them also have fans who are convinced that music "isn't good anymore" and they only like the songs they know, from the past; check out Stevie's setlist - she perpetuates this.



Yes, videos are on TV. I watch them every week on NewNowNext. I find dozens of great artists, newer and older, this way. If videos and radio didn't matter, they wouldn't be so critical to the success of new acts. Every day there's a story about so-and-so's video in the entertainment media. I would not consider her a household name today, and if I were her manager I'd make sure she knew that that type of recognition comes from constant effort. You can't rest on the laurels of your past if you want to continue being successful. This is true of any profession. 10 years between albums? She could have released FIVE albums in that time period. Even 6 years between albums is too many years.



I didn't mention money, but, obviously sales are important to her, or she would not mention them. Stevie equates sales *quantities* with success, but like I said, I believe it is because she is comparing herself today to herself yesterday. That needs to stop.



I love Stevie's music, and I don't want anyone to think I'm knocking her. I think IYD was one of her best albums, ever. I don't care how many albums she sells - it's not relevant to me as a fan. But reality is reality - name recognition, sales, radio, videos - these things matter - but all that aside, Stevie is not as big and popular as she likes to think she is. That's OK - I don't appreciate her any less than when she was selling millions.

Agree on all Points.

Mick

[Jondalar]

Hello folks,

I admire Stevie's honesty. She worked her ass off promoting this record. She was on the big shows and everything. Think of all the things she has done in the last three years and what she has went through. The work did pay off in a way. Fleetwood Mac's tour is doing really well. That is because her smart thinking has kept them in the limelight (getting them on Glee...). It's just her solo career is not known for quality. Lot of people were ready to embrace her but never liked TISL.

She will do an EP or 10 song album, probably released directly to iTunes.

[KarmaContestant]

Originally Posted by Artemis

I think when talking about IYD, Stevie's gonna get damned either way. If she said she was happy with how it did, as it was a moderate success, people would be like 'lol no, flopped' but now she's admitted she wishes it sold more, people are ragging on her for that. Woman can't win

I think it's just that some fans see things for how they really are, and other fans see from a more fantastical point of view. I'm a realist - I love Stevie, but if she expects to be a top-selling artist today, she's living in a fantasy world. It just isn't going to happen. But it doesn't need to happen, either.

She comes off (in print) like her low sales figures have nothing to do with her, and everything to do with fans, the internet and label execs. While those things have a lot of sway over her success, it ultimately comes down to her not having throughput with all of the projects she talks about.

[KarmaContestant]

Originally Posted by kak125

i think in your dreams did pretty good considering how long its been for releases from her but if you listen to the entire interview from the Toronto Q&A sessions you wont think she was being such a jerk about it, its actually pretty funny the way she says it. that quote was taken out of context, she did go on to say that you cant look at it that way anymore because records don't sell like that. then she says this it is a great thing because she sold those 300,000 records personally by herself by stomping all over the US and then stomping all over Australia on her own.

There we go! She should be proud of the album and her efforts.

[olive]

probably being on American Idol hurt her career a bit

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by olive

probably being on American Idol hurt her career a bit

How could that have hurt anything?

Michele

[Jondalar]

Originally Posted by michelej1

How could that have hurt anything?

Michele

It didn't. That would of helped.

[starshine]

Originally Posted by PenguinHead

I am sort of one of those people sitting around smoking dope and wondering what the next record I'm going to buy! The essential difference is that I'm not wondering - I know the records I want to buy.

Stevie needs to focus less on sales and more on her craft. She's not getting any younger, and among any new material she has written, she has plenty of older material laying around to work with. At this stage in her career, she should be doing what Lindsey is doing - adding to his legacy by being more prolific than ever. She could put out an album every several years, and not feel obligated to tour for two years to promote it; perhaps just a few key performances, and TV appearances.

Another thing -- I find it odd that her concept of promoting a new album is to tour under the name of the album, yet only perform a slim fraction of it in the show, then make TV appearances performing old songs, and promise a movie documentary that is delivered nearly two years after the album's release, and accessible in the most limiting way. Who are the marketing geniuses responsible for this? The timing and tactics were all wrong. Makes me think her managers have the skill level akin to that of Chris Nicks' graphic design ability.

I think you make some great points here. Things should be released at the time they are out --meaning the CD and the documentary etc. I think she really missed the boat. The attention span today isn't like it was even 10 yrs ago let alone 20 and 30 + yrs ago. She could've done many things. Waiting 10 yrs between CD's isn't great either. Like others have stated too. Open up that Vaults and release 'all' those unreleased outtakes /extended versions/unheard songs as well as outtake photos etc. I don't think it'll happen though. Sad but so true.

[mitzo]

Originally Posted by PenguinHead

I am sort of one of those people sitting around smoking dope and wondering what the next record I'm going to buy! The essential difference is that I'm not wondering - I know the records I want to buy.

Stevie needs to focus less on sales and more on her craft. She's not getting any younger, and among any new material she has written, she has plenty of older material laying around to work with. At this stage in her career, she should be doing what Lindsey is doing - adding to his legacy by being more prolific than ever. She could put out an album every several years, and not feel obligated to tour for two years to promote it; perhaps just a few key performances, and TV appearances.

Another thing -- I find it odd that her concept of promoting a new album is to tour under the name of the album, yet only perform a slim fraction of it in the show, then make TV appearances performing old songs, and promise a movie documentary that is delivered nearly two years after the album's release, and accessible in the most limiting way. Who are the marketing geniuses responsible for this? The timing and tactics were all wrong. Makes me think her managers have the skill level akin to that of Chris Nicks' graphic design ability.

Yes to all this. I do not understand the studiophobia for someone who claims to be an artist. Not at all. The legacy will be the recordings, Honey.

[mitzo]

I have always been skeptical that she was persuaded by others not to record after TISL. I feel it was her own decision.... It took her eternity to get TISL out and I feel she dithered and coasted and suffered writer's block during the 2000's until she saw Lindsey pumping out material.