Stevie Nicks Disappointed With Sales Of Her Latest Album

[HejiraNYC]

Originally Posted by nicolasjz

As a European I'm a little offended by what you just said. The idea that the U.S, the land of commercialism, entertainment, sacred money and vulgar and talentless popstars is "more demandingof its performers" is just laughable.

Let me just give you a short list of real, artistic songwriters who are more popular in Europe than in the US:
- Tom Waits
- David Bowie
- Bruce Springsteen (yes, the Boss can still fill stadiums in Europe, no longer in America)
- Leonard Cohen
- The Pixies
- Marianne Faithfull
- Neil Young
- Patti Smith
- Tracy Chapman
And countless others. You'll notice that many of them are actually American.

The reason why Stevie had no success whatsoever in Europe is simple: she's hardly ever toured there! Had she toured for Bella Donna and The Wild Heart, she certainly would have built a following there. By the time she finally came for OSOTM, she was nearing the nadir of her commercial success. And of course, she never went there ever again. As I said in another post, Stevie has only herself to blame for her lack of success in Europe.
At the same time you have to give credit to Tina Turner for going on these massive world tours and playing tirelessely in Europe. That she became a much bigger star there than Stevie is only logical and fair.

No need to get your panties in a twist; my last comment was said in jest, as in . That aside, you can definitely see that there is a different musical palette in Europe, and I think it has little to do with touring. I know this is purely conjecture, but I think Stevie could tour Europe 365 shows a year and she still wouldn't be all that popular as a solo artist. She's had plenty of exposure to European audiences through her multiple tours of Europe with Fleetwood Mac, so people definitely know about her. But for whatever reason, they haven't embraced her as a solo artist. If they aren't buying her solo records, chances are they are not going to go out and see her shows.

Also, the examples you cite are false/misleading:

Marianne Faithfull is not a songwriter.
Bruce Springsteen is still definitely a stadium attraction in the U.S.
Leonard Cohen is an arena-sized attraction (sold out Madison Square Garden) in the U.S.
Neil Young is immensely popular in the U.S.; also able to sell out multiple nights at arenas.