Could Contraband signal a revival of rock? We need it.

[79mcgrath]

Is it me or has hit music been pretty boring lately? I love that VR's Contraband is sellling so well -- it proves that there are a lot of people like me out there dying for a revival of rock music on the charts.

Here's an article that cheered me up a bit. ( http://flynnfiles.com ) It compares Contraband to The Knack's My Sharona 25 years ago.  He shows that the pop charts of '79 look like the charts of '04 -- mostly non-rock songs except for My Sharona, which awakened the charts to rock again after boring pop and disco dominated for too long.  

The article claims that "Listeners are starved for rock music. Velvet Revolver?s sales success sends a message to the market to correct itself. Demand for rock music exceeds supply."

This is obvious to me and to any other rock fan. But can VR's success change things? History tells us that maybe it can. "Twenty-five years ago, another seemingly run-of-the-mill band playing rock music served as the catalyst for a huge change in the music industry."

Do you feel the same? Am I being too optimistic?

The charts are too boring. We need rock to make another come back, and VR could do it, if we judge by their sales. I hope the record companies agree.

What do you think?

[Cowboy Buddha]

I think that we need to change the music what people are listening to.  The Rap/Pop shit sucks the new rock sucks (most of it).  I hope it's just a start of Rock N' Roll Coming back.  

[Mr Cowbell ?]

With there cd selling less then half it did in its first week CHANGING rock might be a little bit off

[younggunner]

Rock needs a bunch of young bands that have balls. All of these "rock" bands are pussies and do eveything in an organized way. Its boring and predicatble.

Plus the music sux. Nothing unique and rocking. Im always finding myself buying albums that have been around for awhile.

Ive been listening to a lot of Monster Magnet lately. Now thats a fukin rock band. BUt they have been around for awhil enow.

Teen/pop/rap has dominated the industry for almost 10 yrs now.
MTV has killed the rock star and the video star. You hardly see any rock videos. ANd when they play videos its all rap and shit. ANd they hardly play those either. Its all these shows. Put the shows on MTV2. Videos should be on where they originated, MTV.

But Rock is too blame too. You have all these phony wanna be punk bands running around like blink, GC, NFG and all that shit. Its disgusting. ITs whiny and gay.

Man if I was blessed with any musical talent, I would have put together a rock band that would tear shit up. BUt im not so I just play baseball lol...im done with this ramble....adios

[Booker Floyd]

With there cd selling less then half it did in its first week CHANGING rock might be a little bit off

Like somebody said in another post, half of quarter-of-a-million aint that bad, especially when a lot of peoples guess for first-week sales were in the 1xx,000 arena anyway...

[Mr Cowbell ?]

With there cd selling less then half it did in its first week CHANGING rock might be a little bit off

Like somebody said in another post, half of quarter-of-a-million aint that bad, especially when a lot of peoples guess for first-week sales were in the 1xx,000 arena anyway...

Now Booker I know you love your VR, but if their cd falls another 40-50% next week its not even gonna be in the top five maybe even the top ten. Look at the beastie boys. Personally they suck. They are old. And they denounced there best album "License to Ill" and they almost hit 400,000 in their first week. VR has sold a little less then them in their first two weeks. If they plan on "changing rock" they are gonna have to get some new plublicity.

May it be ...
FTP released as a single w/ a video.....
A Big Fall Tour Announced with a co headliner @ arenas
Scott getting in the news... (use your imagination)

Something along that lines will need to happen soon to keep VR up where they belong. I want to see their album CB have the longevity of Audioslaves album in which it can produce 5 singles.

[GNROSAS]

Contraband will flop. In UK is in 35 position from 11. From the 1st listen of contaband i wanted to listen to their second album. (if they will manage to make one.)

Personally i believe in no way Contraband will revive Rock N roll. Better albums didn't manage to do that.

Hopefully their 2nd album will achieve sth better.

To their Credit VR are great Live. Playing live is their major strength
so by announching a big tour and play in big festivals maybe will help promote theis sales worldwide.

[Falcon]

History shows that bands who changed musical landscapes
usually are in their early to mid twenties and bring with them their own generation along with their younger brothers and sisters.  IE, impressionable teens.

VR has done fantastic and should continue to thrive but I think asking them to be any beacon for a return to rock might be a bit too much.  The band that will revive rock probably hasn't even got together yet, let alone recorded a record.

As for Contraband "flopping", it's not likely, in the US at least.  Too much positive buzz along with 5 guys who seem to want to go the distance and tour their ass off.    

[younggunner]

VR has done fantastic and should continue to thrive but I think asking them to be any beacon for a return to rock might be a bit too much.  The band that will revive rock probably hasn't even got together yet, let alone recorded a record.

Agreed, but a lot of that expectation comes from the band itself. All we have heard about before the album, was how "dangerous and sleezy" it was and how there bringing real rock back. Well the material on the album although good for the most part doesnt have that kind of impact.

As you mentioned the only way rock will become the number 1 genre again is by having a bunch of young bands doing something of relevance. And since the early to mid 90's no rock band has done anything with such force.

As for CB slumping a little. Its a combination of things. The initial hype and gnr/stp and rock fans in general carried its initial sales. NOw the album and its single will have to attract new or skeptical fans. Like someone said Audioslave was able to get a shitload of singles out of that album. Same with Linkin PArk. Time will tell with VR.  
They have nothing to worry about in terms of being a live act, but Im not sure if they will be able to maintain their success with the album. Its just a descent rock album. Nothing more nothing less. SO in terms of taking over the rock world, its unlikely.

[GNRisAFD]

The drop in sales (of Contraband) is a very bad sign for the album, it pretty much means that the next single is going to have to catch on like wild fire if they are to even stay within the public eye.

I agree with those who say this band's main attraction is its live performances.

The only thing that can save rock n roll is a GNR reunion, there is no other way.

[dave-gnfnr2k]

The drop in sales (of Contraband) is a very bad sign for the album, it pretty much means that the next single is going to have to catch on like wild fire if they are to even stay within the public eye.

I agree with those who say this band's main attraction is its live performances.

The only thing that can save rock n roll is a GNR reunion, there is no other way.

Axl has not release his album yet, so axl can still bring something fresh to rock music. He just has to relese the album so we can find out

[Falcon]

The drop in sales (of Contraband) is a very bad sign for the album, it pretty much means that the next single is going to have to catch on like wild fire if they are to even stay within the public eye.

I agree with those who say this band's main attraction is its live performances.

The only thing that can save rock n roll is a GNR reunion, there is no other way.

The drop in sales was expected, no one in their right mind should think they'd come and duplicate first week sales with a powerhouse like the Beasties coming out the same week.  

An educated guess would think RCA is doing cartwheels about now, with the early success of the record and tour, the album may very well may be paid for already.

They'll have no problem staying in the public eye as long as they continue to be the road dogs they seem to be.  Off to Europe for a bit then back in the states to coincide with the release of a second single appears to be the plan
and who's to argue?

They've done everything else perfect so far...

[GNROSAS]

To me Contraband from 11th position in first week to drop on 35 on the 2nd week in UK is a big Flop!!!! I don't know where people find so much success (unless they mean only USA). It's not that difficult to make number 1 first week considering the RCA promotion and the history of VR. Only the fans from GNR/STP buying the 3 different covers would make it number one. To me success is wht will happwn in the following 2 months in charts worldwide and it doesn't look good.

i know that in states is number three but in most europe GNR GHs is outselling contraband. So far no UK dates are booked (although dates are booked in most europe) and i wonder if this delay has to do with the big drop in the sales.

I can not see FTP as a major breakthrough. time will tell

[Mr Cowbell ?]

See VR needs to hit the rest of the world to CHANGE ROCK. A Europe tour followed by another US leg would help and FTP being released will also help

[Falcon]

To me Contraband from 11th position in first week to drop on 35 on the 2nd week in UK is a big Flop!!!!

I'm doubting chart position in the UK is a concern for RCA at the moment.  Their money has long been recouped in sold distribution rights

I don't know where people find so much success (unless they mean only USA). It's not that difficult to make number 1 first week considering the RCA promotion and the history of VR. Only the fans from GNR/STP buying the 3 different covers would make it number one. To me success is wht will happwn in the following 2 months in charts worldwide and it doesn't look good.

The US market is where money is made, everywhere else is beyond secondary.  To drop from 11 to 35 in the UK might mean 5,000 records sold in a week in the UK, stateside is an entirely different animal.

i know that in states is number three but in most europe GNR GHs is outselling contraband. So far no UK dates are booked (although dates are booked in most europe) and i wonder if this delay has to do with the big drop in the sales.

See above...

[younggunner]

Im sure Vr and RcA will do well financially but who cares? DOes that really determine if this band is good or popular? The album only cost like 500.000 to make and and a few million for promotion.

its more of how it does sales wise over the long haul. ANd how many singles they can get out of the album.

[Top-Hatted One]

touring the UK after October will definitely help the sales and after FTP is released

[tomass74]

Great album, I know alot of people that have it and like it.  Anyone who says it's a flop is just out of their mind.  The album is a success like it or not.  The fact they are playing alot of different songs on the radio rather than just the single is great. Thgis album may not break records but the music industry is hurting right now and this album is doing great relative to that. Contraband will have legs. This album isnt going to change rock but is definately refreshing and I am pumped to have it.

[Doc Emmett Brown]

The fact they are playing alot of different songs on the radio rather than just the single is great.

That's awesome - what songs are they playing?  I've only heard Slither so far.

I really hope they choose YGNR as a single - it's my favorite on the album.

I think that Contraband will revive the idea of releasing an album that has depth...what I mean is that there are a variety of songs on it, and you can listen to it in different moods.  

[SunKing278]

The drop in sales (of Contraband) is a very bad sign for the album, it pretty much means that the next single is going to have to catch on like wild fire if they are to even stay within the public eye.

I think "Fall to Pieces" is going to be that hot single.  It's already getting play at WAAF here in Boston and some other stations across the country, two months prior to its probable release as a single.  It's a simple yet powerful ballad, oozing mass appeal.  How many years has it been now since a truly killer rock power ballad has dominated the charts?  The real attraction here is Slash, who lightens the song up with his familiar uplifting licks.  I believe we'll end up seeing four or five radio hits off the record over the next year and more, and that Contraband will sell consistently for a good while.

As for the 53% sales drop, I'm willing to wager the Beastie Boys record will drop by AT LEAST that in its second week.