Why Do You Think Stevie Peaked Commercially with Bella Donna?

[TheSorcerer]

I’m not trying to start arguments or to diminish Stevie as a solo act but I’ve always wondered why her commercial success waned after Bella Donna. There’s no doubt that she continued to do well, scoring gold and platinum records (2xplatinum for The Wild Heart) but there’s also no denying her sales and chart positions dropped off as the 1980s rolled on. Was it the emergence of artists like Madonna and Cyndi Lauper? Was it simply a case of Bella Donna coming hot off the success of the 1970s and she could never top it commercially? I’ve read about fans being disappointed that her solo material wasn’t like her material with Fleetwood Mac or wasn’t as good. That’s not my opinion; it’s just something I’ve read quite often over the years. Her cocaine addiction affected her music; did this play a part in the public losing interest?

Her ticket sales for tours also seem to drop off as the decade rolled on, at least according to the data on fmlegacy.com. Was it that she was seen as somewhat unreliable in terms of what sort of performance she would put on after her drug problems? I guess her lack of success in the 1990s, at least around the time of Timespace and Street Angel, could be put down to her being seen as somewhat uncool at the time and not scoring big hits on the radio. What do you think? Obviously it doesn’t really matter in the broad scope of things since she’s still here today, I’m just interested in hearing what people have to say on the subject.

[TheWILDheart]

That's a really good question, but I don't know the answer. If anything, I think Stevie's post-Bella Donna hits ("Stand Back", "Talk To Me" and "Rooms on Fire" especially) were far more commercial than anything on Bella Donna. It seems that these songs were equally, if not more successful as singles and radio hits, but the albums didn't sell as well.

Funnilly enough, Stevie's solo career peaked in the UK and Europe with "The Otherside Of The Mirror", which is her biggest selling solo album here. "Street Angel" also charted significantly higher than both "The Wild Heart" and "Rock A Little".

I think the success of OSOTM in the UK and Europe is largely due to the massive success of "Tango In The Night" over here, which reached #1 3 times in 87 and 88. Same story with "Behind The Mask" - whilst only a moderate seller in the US, it spent 3 weeks at #1 in the UK and went platinum.

Here are Stevie's solo UK chart positions:

Bella Donna - 11
The Wild Heart - 28
Rock a Little - 30
The Other Side Of The Mirror - 3
Timespace - 15
Street Angel - 16
Trouble In Shangri La - 43
In Your Dreams - 14

All of Stevie's first 5 albums went Gold in the UK for sales of 100,000 copies.

[WildHearted]

I don't know - personally, I think it's just something that happens with artists in general. I can think of very people have been able to maintain a consistent success rate throughout their career. Someone/something new always comes along.

I'd say she was pretty lucky to have the success that she did, especially in light of the glory she'd already found with Fleetwood Mac. Not many people have that luxury. She may not have had 30 #1's, but most of her albums sold well, her singles got played, and she was even recognized by the academy with Grammy noms. To have a top 20 hit 13 years after you initially became popular - I'd say you're doing pretty good.

[TheSorcerer]

Originally Posted by TheWILDheart

That's a really good question, but I don't know the answer. If anything, I think Stevie's post-Bella Donna hits ("Stand Back", "Talk To Me" and "Rooms on Fire" especially) were far more commercial than anything on Bella Donna. It seems that these songs were equally, if not more successful as singles and radio hits, but the albums didn't sell as well.

Funnilly enough, Stevie's solo career peaked in the UK and Europe with "The Otherside Of The Mirror", which is her biggest selling solo album here. "Street Angel" also charted significantly higher than both "The Wild Heart" and "Rock A Little".

I think the success of OSOTM in the UK and Europe is largely due to the massive success of "Tango In The Night" over here, which reached #1 3 times in 87 and 88. Same story with "Behind The Mask" - whilst only a moderate seller in the US, it spent 3 weeks at #1 in the UK and went platinum.

Here are Stevie's solo UK chart positions:

Bella Donna - 11
The Wild Heart - 28
Rock a Little - 30
The Other Side Of The Mirror - 3
Timespace - 15
Street Angel - 16
Trouble In Shangri La - 43
In Your Dreams - 14

All of Stevie's first 5 albums went Gold in the UK for sales of 100,000 copies.

I nearly noted in my original post that Stand Back, Talk to Me and Rooms on Fire were big hits for her, the latter being her biggest hit in the UK and several other countries. According to an old copy of Guinness World Records: British Hit Singles and Albums, The Wild Heart and Rock a Little both spent longer on the UK album chart than Bella Donna, The Other Side of the Mirror and Street Angel did despite those three peaking much higher and "Mirror" launching her only UK top 20 solo hit.

I do agree that the success of TOSOTM in the UK was probably more to do with it coming on the back of Tango in the Night. Rooms on Fire is a great, great song but the album isn't her best. Maybe her earlier singles didn't chart so well in the UK due to them being of a sound that was more popular in the US than the UK back in the day. I could be wrong.

Originally Posted by WildHearted

I don't know - personally, I think it's just something that happens with artists in general. I can think of very people have been able to maintain a consistent success rate throughout their career. Someone/something new always comes along.

I'd say she was pretty lucky to have the success that she did, especially in light of the glory she'd already found with Fleetwood Mac. Not many people have that luxury. She may not have had 30 #1's, but most of her albums sold well, her singles got played, and she was even recognized by the academy with Grammy noms. To have a top 20 hit 13 years after you initially became popular - I'd say you're doing pretty good.

I agree. Like I said, it doesn't really matter in the broad scope of things. She's still here today releasing music and charted another US top 10 album in 2011. She's one of just a few female singers who fronted famous bands that managed to score a successful solo career, something that iconic singers like Debbie Harry and Grace Slick never really managed to do. It's definitely true that no artist is consistent in terms of success.

[On Ice]

I think it is a combination of all of the factors mentioned, especially that an artists popularity does fluctuate or disappear altogether. Bella Donna did undoubtedly ride the wave of Fleetwood Mac's success and seems to have stood the test of time in terms of being considered a great album. The rest of her albums started to deteriorate in quality and those fans outside of the core of us started to take notice along with the public at large. That said I think In Your Dreams was an honest return to form within what she is capable of as an artist at this point in her life. I think the foundation cracked when the clunky lyric "ghost" and noticeable vocal chord damage started to damage Stevie's artistic merit. She was fortunate that strong charting singles could carry an album. Even as a long time devoted fan, I have to admit scratching my head at her being marketed as "legendary" (even though her work in the 70's is without question nothing short of phenomenal) it almost is like we're pretending the mid-80's to 97 didn't exist and that she still has the voice worthy of the status. At best, she would receive a life time achievement award but not be introduced at each tv appearance as legendary, it makes me cringe actually. (I'm not saying I don't like her mature voice, but I do admit that the pipes that made her famous is pretty much in the past and has been for decades).

[Macfanforever]

Originally Posted by TheSorcerer

I’m not trying to start arguments or to diminish Stevie as a solo act but I’ve always wondered why her commercial success waned after Bella Donna. There’s no doubt that she continued to do well, scoring gold and platinum records (2xplatinum for The Wild Heart) but there’s also no denying her sales and chart positions dropped off as the 1980s rolled on. Was it the emergence of artists like Madonna and Cyndi Lauper? Was it simply a case of Bella Donna coming hot off the success of the 1970s and she could never top it commercially? I’ve read about fans being disappointed that her solo material wasn’t like her material with Fleetwood Mac or wasn’t as good. That’s not my opinion; it’s just something I’ve read quite often over the years. Her cocaine addiction affected her music; did this play a part in the public losing interest?

Her ticket sales for tours also seem to drop off as the decade rolled on, at least according to the data on fmlegacy.com. Was it that she was seen as somewhat unreliable in terms of what sort of performance she would put on after her drug problems? I guess her lack of success in the 1990s, at least around the time of Timespace and Street Angel, could be put down to her being seen as somewhat uncool at the time and not scoring big hits on the radio. What do you think? Obviously it doesn’t really matter in the broad scope of things since she’s still here today, I’m just interested in hearing what people have to say on the subject.

As far as I know Stevie got fked on the charts even with BD .Alot of her tunes should of done better.Even the same with FM.

Even back then the younger artists with the teenybopper tunes ruled the charts and ruin it for the established pop/rock artists.I put that as part of the blame.

[HejiraNYC]

Originally Posted by Macfanforever

As far as I know Stevie got fked on the charts even with BD .Alot of her tunes should of done better.Even the same with FM.

Even back then the younger artists with the teenybopper tunes ruled the charts and ruin it for the established pop/rock artists.I put that as part of the blame.

I don't know how you could possibly say that. Around the time of BD's release, the Billboard album chart was ruled by so-called "classic rock" bands- Asia, Journey, The Police, Foreigner, Styx, REO Speedwagon, AC/DC, etc. I can't really think of anything that qualifies as "teenybopper" from that era... except maybe "Jesse's Girl?" If anything, I think it was a bit of a golden era in terms of popular music. Rock and roll was the be all and end all. Stevie had three massive hits from BD, and I believe "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" continues to hold the Billboard chart record for most weeks at #3.

I think Stevie's success was largely an artifact or releasing the right album at the right time. She worked with the hottest producer and collaborators of the time and was already a major name in her own right. She was still also young enough to be relevant to kids, yet legendary enough to appeal to their parents. She had all of the advantages of being a hot new rising star as well as the advantages of being a veteran household name. The planets usually align like this only once for anybody. Twice if you're really, really lucky. She had her moment; two moments if you count the Rumours phenomenon.

Nobody has really been able to sustain mega-album sales throughout an entire career. Each of Michael Jackson's albums sold about half as much as its predecessor. Same with Janet Jackson. Same with Prince. And I'll bet Adele's next album (titled 25? 26?) will sell about half of 21. As for concert tickets, I suspect the decline in sales is largely due to the fact that she has pretty much toured every summer for the past 15 years (with a few exceptions) without releasing much in the way of new music. Audiences are a dynamic group- constantly dying off and renewing itself. By not releasing new music or repurposing her music for music/film/television, Stevie pretty much shut off her ability to recruit new fans. So as the old fans die off or become bored with the same setlist year after year, there are no fresh new a$$es to fill those seats. Indeed, by her last greatest hits (not a tour) tour in 2010, she was playing 2000-3000-seat venues at casinos. For IYD, she was back to playing 4000 - 10,000 seat venues.

[moon]

First, I must repeat, that I don't believe on rankings, especially Billboard. Many artists have had a very successful career, and if they have not had a No. 1 in a particular ranking, just does not mean they were unsuccessful...

About Stevie, well, I always thought it was for the 70s legacy. You know, her relationship with Lindsey, the Rumours days, Dreams as a No. 1, the Tusk days... She had these things behind, and the responsability to keep the "glory" of these days. And I still believe that if she released her first solo work after Mirage, things could be different, you know why. Mirage was not like Tusk, or even Rumours.
By countries, for example, here in Argentina, Stevie is well known not for Bella Donna. After her FM songs (Dreams, Sara, Rhiannon, Landslide, Seven Wonders, and Gypsy), you can hear (still today, I suppose) songs like Stand Back, I can't wait, Talk to me, and Rooms on Fire. As you can see, songs from her next three studio albums.
So, I don't know the real reasons, but drugs played, unfortunately, a special role, as the comparison with her FM songs. As The Sorcerer, I don't think her solo work was worse.
Regards!

[mitzo]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

I don't know how you could possibly say that. Around the time of BD's release, the Billboard album chart was ruled by so-called "classic rock" bands- Asia, Journey, The Police, Foreigner, Styx, REO Speedwagon, AC/DC, etc. I can't really think of anything that qualifies as "teenybopper" from that era... except maybe "Jesse's Girl?" If anything, I think it was a bit of a golden era in terms of popular music. Rock and roll was the be all and end all. Stevie had three massive hits from BD, and I believe "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" continues to hold the Billboard chart record for most weeks at #3.

I think Stevie's success was largely an artifact or releasing the right album at the right time. She worked with the hottest producer and collaborators of the time and was already a major name in her own right. She was still also young enough to be relevant to kids, yet legendary enough to appeal to their parents. She had all of the advantages of being a hot new rising star as well as the advantages of being a veteran household name. The planets usually align like this only once for anybody. Twice if you're really, really lucky. She had her moment; two moments if you count the Rumours phenomenon.

Nobody has really been able to sustain mega-album sales throughout an entire career. Each of Michael Jackson's albums sold about half as much as its predecessor. Same with Janet Jackson. Same with Prince. And I'll bet Adele's next album (titled 25? 26?) will sell about half of 21. As for concert tickets, I suspect the decline in sales is largely due to the fact that she has pretty much toured every summer for the past 15 years (with a few exceptions) without releasing much in the way of new music. Audiences are a dynamic group- constantly dying off and renewing itself. By not releasing new music or repurposing her music for music/film/television, Stevie pretty much shut off her ability to recruit new fans. So as the old fans die off or become bored with the same setlist year after year, there are no fresh new a$$es to fill those seats. Indeed, by her last greatest hits (not a tour) tour in 2010, she was playing 2000-3000-seat venues at casinos. For IYD, she was back to playing 4000 - 10,000 seat venues.

Absolutely the lack of new music for long long stretches has had a negative effect on her popularity since mid-late '80's. In an ironic way, Stevie is a case of wasted potential - she achieved huge success and then allowed it to peter out by not keeping up her output over the years, and by some questionable decisions in her solo career.

[Macfanforever]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

I don't know how you could possibly say that. Around the time of BD's release, the Billboard album chart was ruled by so-called "classic rock" bands- Asia, Journey, The Police, Foreigner, Styx, REO Speedwagon, AC/DC, etc. I can't really think of anything that qualifies as "teenybopper" from that era... except maybe "Jesse's Girl?" If anything, I think it was a bit of a golden era in terms of popular music. Rock and roll was the be all and end all. Stevie had three massive hits from BD, and I believe "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" continues to hold the Billboard chart record for most weeks at #3.

I think Stevie's success was largely an artifact or releasing the right album at the right time. She worked with the hottest producer and collaborators of the time and was already a major name in her own right. She was still also young enough to be relevant to kids, yet legendary enough to appeal to their parents. She had all of the advantages of being a hot new rising star as well as the advantages of being a veteran household name. The planets usually align like this only once for anybody. Twice if you're really, really lucky. She had her moment; two moments if you count the Rumours phenomenon.

Nobody has really been able to sustain mega-album sales throughout an entire career. Each of Michael Jackson's albums sold about half as much as its predecessor. Same with Janet Jackson. Same with Prince. And I'll bet Adele's next album (titled 25? 26?) will sell about half of 21. As for concert tickets, I suspect the decline in sales is largely due to the fact that she has pretty much toured every summer for the past 15 years (with a few exceptions) without releasing much in the way of new music. Audiences are a dynamic group- constantly dying off and renewing itself. By not releasing new music or repurposing her music for music/film/television, Stevie pretty much shut off her ability to recruit new fans. So as the old fans die off or become bored with the same setlist year after year, there are no fresh new a$$es to fill those seats. Indeed, by her last greatest hits (not a tour) tour in 2010, she was playing 2000-3000-seat venues at casinos. For IYD, she was back to playing 4000 - 10,000 seat venues.

Yes I have to say you are right.She was lucky with Rumours and BD. Ed you have a point.

I'm just frustrated over it like many of us.

I'm probably just pissed because she could not do better then some of these other artists like Michael Jackson,Madonna and so forth.

[Macfanforever]

Originally Posted by mitzo

Absolutely the lack of new music for long long stretches has had a negative effect on her popularity since mid-late '80's. In an ironic way, Stevie is a case of wasted potential - she achieved huge success and then allowed it to peter out by not keeping up her output over the years, and by some questionable decisions in her solo career.

I agree.Other artists release one to two albums a year Her and FM are years and years apart.



This is way before the threat of internet pirates so they cannot use that for a excuse.


What was the excuse then.

[RockawayBlind]

Bella Donna is Stevie's best album. There was all this pent-up energy and creativity just waiting to be released. She had a pile of great songs that had not been used with FM. She also was the darling of Fleetwood Mac, and as such, really the biggest draw to the band. And she looked great. Going solo at that particular moment was perfect timing.

She also had the best producer she has worked with, aside from Lindsey.

[skuncles]

Bella Donna was a perfect storm in terms of timing.

She was the darling of Fleetwood Mac
Her first single was with Tom Petty who at the the time was himself riding a wave
MTV hadn't yet changed the radio landscape or Top 40 radio
The album, like Rumours, is not a victim of the musical trends of its era

Everything Stevie did after BD would be affected by the influences of MTV, her status as really being a hold over from the 70's, and just the normal lifespan of an artist. Elton John once said every artist, no matter who they are, gets about five years where they are at their peak, after that they may still have hits, but nothing like those five years. For Stevie those five years are 1977-1981.
It's also interesting to note that Bella Donna didn't really earn #1 status. It got it as a favor, Pat Benatar actually sold more albums that week and Stevie should have been #2 but a deal was worked out to let Stevie get the #1 spot for one week. This story comes from the head of her record label, Danny Goldberg.

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

And I'll bet Adele's next album (titled 25? 26?) will sell about half of 21.

This is interesting. It's something I'm going to watch. Although the reaction to Skyfall has been unjustifiably giddy and if she can start with a single people really like, I think that will buoy the album. I don't know Taylor Swift's album sales, but I don't think they're halving.

I don't know about Stevie, but for me Wild Heart was a much better album than BD and I was crazed over it at the time. Back then, I had no idea it wasn't as successful. I mean, we were getting into videos more and I think that really should have given her album an edge over its predecessor.

Michele

[peer_gynt10]

Originally Posted by skuncles

Bella Donna was a perfect storm in terms of timing.


It's also interesting to note that Bella Donna didn't really earn #1 status. It got it as a favor, Pat Benatar actually sold more albums that week and Stevie should have been #2 but a deal was worked out to let Stevie get the #1 spot for one week. This story comes from the head of her record label, Danny Goldberg.

What????????????????????? When and where did he say that? And what did Pat B. gain from that? Do you know of any other similar 'deals'? I am shocked.