Flop?

[elle]

hmm... it seems that at any given time period there is always somebody that sells huge... there was a time when FM was selling huge. nowadays gaga, katy perry, rihanna sell huge... so when compared to many of her peers, stevie did really well, as others have said.

i am somewhat puzzled by all these statements that kids do not buy music anymore... i see many kids who are buying music - little kids buy CDs (well, parents buy for them). and although many teenagers download stuff illegally others do buy their music through services like itunes. in the times past, kids used to make their own casettes instead of buying records...

[mikephxaz]

I love the cd and I'm relatively happy with the sales and coverage....I think the majot difference between TISL and IYD is that Stevie's guests appearences like Crow, Dixie Chicks, Macy, and etc helped sales of TISL abit...i still contend if tom petty has done CTF or ELY or we had seen a few guests spots (taylor swift) that it would have stirred more interest in the album

[MrStevie]

Originally Posted by mikephxaz

I love the cd and I'm relatively happy with the sales and coverage....I think the majot difference between TISL and IYD is that Stevie's guests appearences like Crow, Dixie Chicks, Macy, and etc helped sales if TISL abit...i still contend if tom petty has done CTF or ELY or we had seen a few guests spots (taylor swift) that it would have stirred some interest in the album

I'm grateful for the lack of guest appearances. Love what Dave does on his own but I wish he was not included on ELY. I also wish CTF was left off the record altogether.

[mikephxaz]

Originally Posted by MrStevie

I'm grateful for the lack of guest appearances. Love what Dave does on his own but I wish he was not included on ELY. I also wish CTF was left off the record altogether.

hey steve
i agree that i dont necessarily care for the guest spot appearences...i was suggesting that it may have caused some intial buzz for the cd if more contemporary artists had been attached the cd.
btw I COMPLETELY agree about your thoughts Dave's vocals

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by jellyman10

It seems obvious to me that all the signs point to Stevie (and Lindsey's) career coming full circle: they started out making music sort of in a vacuum, where nobody cared whether they did it or not.They just had to follow their own muses, and make what was in their hearts. I don't think they'll ever fall quite to the level where no one cares, but it will end up being all about the music again.

Loz

This reminds me of the show where the sound went out in Madison on the second leg of the SYW tour and Stevie took the time out to recall that she and Lindsey started out touring small places with Fritz and they'd go from city to city and be up on stages where nothing worked, but she exclaimed " look where we are now!"

Up on stage where nothing works! That's where they are now, one fan pointed out. I thought that was very funny.

Michele

[MrStevie]

Originally Posted by jellyman10

It seems obvious to me that all the signs point to Stevie (and Lindsey's) career coming full circle: they started out making music sort of in a vacuum, where nobody cared whether they did it or not.They just had to follow their own muses, and make what was in their hearts. I don't think they'll ever fall quite to the level where no one cares, but it will end up being all about the music again.

Loz

Wouldn't that be great? How realisitic is it from where they're sitting now? Reminds me of the clip on the SYW doc. Ray and Mick are mocking Lindsey behind his back about his artsy farsty attitude on the movie guy living in a two bedroom. Mick to Ray: "Lindsey, you're never going to be living in a two bedroom." Ray: Laughs his ass off. Can it ever really be all about the music ever again with either of those two divas? We're not seeing it with Stevie's ticket prices to say the least.

Originally Posted by michelej1

This reminds me of the show where the sound went out in Madison on the second leg of the SYW tour and Stevie took the time out to recall that she and Lindsey started out touring small places with Fritz and they'd go from city to city and be up on stages where nothing worked, but she exclaimed " look where we are now!"

Up on stage where nothing works! That's where they are now, one fan pointed out. I thought that was very funny.

Michele

Now I'm reminded of something completely off topic. Stevie talking about wishing she could have played steak houses when they were struggling for money before joining FM. I think it was on some recently uploaded footage of Dance promo interviews on You Tube. Lindsey said playing the steak house circuit was "a one way ticket to palookaville." I thought that was funny but I wonder what Stevie thinks about songs from her most recent releases going straight to canned background muzak for a chain eatery? Last week I heard Annabel Lee over the PA at P.F. Changs in Fresno.

[elle]

Originally Posted by MrStevie

what Stevie thinks about songs from her most recent releases going straight to canned background muzak for a chain eatery? Last week I heard Annabel Lee over the PA at P.F. Changs in Fresno.

heard secret love several times in the local kohl store, and also last week in harris teeter...

[jellyman10]

Originally Posted by MrStevie

Can it ever really be all about the music ever again with either of those two divas? We're not seeing it with Stevie's ticket prices to say the least.

That was why I used the future tense. I agree she's deffo squeezing the old model till the pips squeak at the moment, but reality will bite - probably after one more FM moolah jamboree - and she will have to embrace the DIY/collective route or just not put any new music out.

Two other factors that will make it easier for Stevie to downsize:
a) Dave will explain it to her and make it sound like the most fun thing ever!
b) Lindsey was forced to do it first

[jellyman10]

Originally Posted by michelej1

This reminds me of the show where the sound went out in Madison on the second leg of the SYW tour and Stevie took the time out to recall that she and Lindsey started out touring small places with Fritz and they'd go from city to city and be up on stages where nothing worked, but she exclaimed " look where we are now!"

Up on stage where nothing works! That's where they are now, one fan pointed out. I thought that was very funny.

Michele

That's perfect.

[darklinensuit]

I voted for "flop" only because of the reason described in the poll choice: "I expected it to perform better."
Certainly I respect the top 10 debut, but IYD has fallen from sight. I expected it to perform better, even if Stevie is 63.
I'm not disappointed in the album itself, as I have said here on many occasions.

Here in Dallas I have yet to hear IYD played or mentioned anywhere. Last week one of several friends who saw her when she toured with Chris Isaak (they all thought he was great & she was terrible on that night) made a point to tell me he heard she was coming here in August. Even though this friend was aware of the upcoming show, he was shocked to hear from me that she has a new album out & it was recently in the top 10.

I do not entirely blame Stevie or her people for the charts, excepting that I still don't think "Secret Love" was the smart single to generate publicity. It is adult contemporary & so far has not translated well live (like "Every Day", it is just not the song to show off her voice, sorry). Audiences want to see in Stevie a woman who does not age & still knows how to rock (and sing effectively if often roughly). The album delivers, but people who hear only SL will never know it. I think Stevie is putting sufficient effort into publicity, but the strategy needs improving. Too-safe singles that sound weak live have jeopardized her popularity for 20 years, and with the music industry what it is today, she can afford them less and less.

- Jake

[jellyman10]

Originally Posted by darklinensuit

The album delivers, but people who hear only SL will never know it.

100% agree. The first single should've been the title track, imo, and she should've been ready to deliver it live from the get-go.

[seekerj]

Originally Posted by Christopher

I agree. Sales wise strictly, I'm a little disappointed IYD has not shifted over 200K by now in the US. As of last week it had sold over 120K in the US and over 10K in the UK, so it's probably @ 150K world wide - having charted in the top 40 album charts in @10 countries, which is still decent business for Stevie not having a high profile as a solo artist in 10 years and being a classic female rock artist of 63 years (young)
I do think sales were affected (by how much we'll never know) being sick at the onset of release & canceling TV appearances and concerts and such.

But the album is far from being a considered a "flop". Now, had IYD sold 20K during it's debut week & @50k copies to date (in this new record sales reality), received lukewarm critical reviews, in addition to fans by & large being disappointed in it's contents & artistic merit - then, under these circumstances, IYD would absolutely be considered an outright flop by now. This album could still climb to over 200K in the US by years end, with her up coming tour, possible TV appearances on late shows, The IYD documentary with more promotional videos culled from that made available online. But I don't see it going Gold anytime soon, or her having another top 20 AC or top 25 triple AAA charting song. The 1st release was her best chance of getting major radio exposure on those formats that will play her. Unless she has a fluke tie-in to a hit movie or TV show, the probability has dwindled considerably.

Personally, I'm very VERY happy with IYD - the album. And am extremely proud that Stevie released a solo record of its caliber at this time in her career. IMO, it's exactly the record that she's needed to record for a long time, probably since RAL. We can debate this forever, but I do strongly believe as a whole, IYD is a much stronger, cohesive record than TISL (and for me that is high praise, cause I loved TISL). And had IYD been released 10 years ago coming off the 2nd coming of Stevie Nicks following "The Dance" - IYD would have been a bigger hit album than TISL was imo.

Also consider, in addition to CD sales being 50% higher or more 10 years ago, communally we had a lot less distractions in our daily lives. Technology universally has sped us up and the outcome is a communal ADD-ish syndrome squeezing our attention spans to all time low thresholds for practically anything. We have everything at our fingertips...more music & entertainment then ever before to mull from, with very few people having the attention or desire to listen to a whole record by any one artist.

More cohesive in what sense? (Musically? If so, I don't see that.) Certainly not lyrically; there is no single theme to this album.

[dontlookdown]

i think you'll be surprised 6 months from now. it's selling very well in the UK and once the tour starts in the States, it will climb back up the charts.

two months in, it's already considered a huge critical success - and that's really all that matters these days.

it would have sucked if it sold huge amounts and got awful reviews, which is what most of the top of the charts acts get these days.

if you look at her peers - tom petty, robert plant, bruce springsteen, etc., they don't sell a lot records anymore either. but the reviews are generally great and the true fans stay loyal and go to the shows.

i think it's a really strong album. a bit too long and i could have done without Cheaper Than Free and Ghosts Are Gone. but aside from that, it's her strongest collection since Bella Donna.

i wish there was a legitimate video for For What's It's Worth (not one directed by Dave Stewart but by a really creative young director).

[Christopher]

Originally Posted by seekerj

More cohesive in what sense? (Musically? If so, I don't see that.) Certainly not lyrically; there is no single theme to this album.

This album just feels more substantial & complete. Every detail feels meticulously thought out, from the arrangements to the lyrical composition. The music is embellished subtly and is neither wasted or overwrought, same goes for the lyrics and vocals. There are several themes throughout the record, but that does not detract from the record feeling wholly conceived & cohesive. This is not a fragmented record. It a diverse, yet satisfying 4 course meal.

TISL was a fine record, but imo it suffered some overproduction, and too many producers, suffering from direction at times & Stevie sounded flat in places. And while TISL was supposably a concept record, IYD is more of a statement overall from Stevie. She wrote or co-wrote every single song and does not waste a word, while TISL had 3 cover songs not written by Stevie at all. For me, IYD is Stevie's best record since Bella Donna hands down . Its well crafted, and shows off Stevie's mélange perfectly. There is something for every taste on this record.

[tabruns]

Originally Posted by michelej1

This reminds me of the show where the sound went out in Madison on the second leg of the SYW tour and Stevie took the time out to recall that she and Lindsey started out touring small places with Fritz and they'd go from city to city and be up on stages where nothing worked, but she exclaimed " look where we are now!"

Up on stage where nothing works! That's where they are now, one fan pointed out. I thought that was very funny.

Michele

The sound didn't go out during the show. What happened was Lindsey was handed not one but two out of tune guitars prior to performing "Say Goodbye". That brought the show to a standstill until they got it sorted out, but the audience was patient with it.