GNR's 'Democracy' To Be Retail Exclusive?

[ShotgunBlues1978]

Based on what's been heard thus far there isn't anything that would need to be censored

That said, it's doubtful Axl would ever consent to having his album available only in censored form, so I wouldn't worry about it.  We'll hear the album the way it's intended to be heard when it comes out

[King Axl]

It will not be Walmart because they do not sell CD's with parental warning and I am sure C.D. will have one.

I was in a Walmart today, and I noticed the new CD from the band Disturbed did not have the word "edited" on the UPC/price label. Aren't they a band that uses a lot of explicit language in their songs?

[spunton]

Do they do this kind of thing here in the UK?

Only thing i can think of was paul mcartney(beatles dude) his album was only available from some coffee shop.

Don't think ive heard of ADSA(walmart in uk) have had exclusive's may be wrong though.

[King Axl]

This news makes me even more optimistic about a 2008 release because AC/DC just announced track-listing and release date of their new album and they also have a track on rock band 2 and are distributing through wallmart

I'm with ya. I think the label and GN'R management are doing everything possible to get it out this year. My guess? No later than November 28th (the day after Thanksgiving in the U.S.).

[ShotgunBlues1978]

It would be huge if they could get it out this year.  The Dr. Pepper thing is the type of promotion that money can't buy.  The best thing about the Wal-Mart deal would be that people could get their CD and their Dr. Pepper in one stop 

[faldor]

It will not be Walmart because they do not sell CD's with parental warning and I am sure C.D. will have one.

I was in a Walmart today, and I noticed the new CD from the band Disturbed did not have the word "edited" on the UPC/price label. Aren't they a band that uses a lot of explicit language in their songs?

I bought the Disturbed disc from Target and it did have the explicit lyrics label on it.  Not sure what version Wal-Mart has.  Target had both censored and uncensored though, I'm pretty sure.

[slashsbaconpit]

I'm betting that it's some kind of in-store exclusive deal like a bonus CD, full of B-sides or re-recorded AFD. I don't see a real benefit to GNR releasing just through Walmart. I'd like to see a wider release. Plus, as it's been pointed out, Wally world doesn't like words like fuck, shit, damn, darn, sex, cocaine, kill or crap.

Okay, I'm exaggerating. A little.

[Voodoochild]

You don't see a real benefit? Just take a look at this Azoff article about the profits and benefits he got with an exclusive deal to sell the Eagles album:

http://adage.com/entertainmentmarketers08/article?article_id=127077

[GNR4L]

I like that article ! I like how they placed the CD in diffrent parts of the store !! I could only imagine what they could do with Chinese Democracy !! if a deal goes through.

[D]

I think people put way too much on the GH's sales as they will not translate into CD's sales at all. With a GH album, u are putting so many awesome great all time best songs in one collection.

CD has to have its own legs to stand on. if the first single catches fire, it has the potential to sell millions. If the first single flops and no single after hits, the album will be a flop.

that goes for pretty much anyone. Music is so singles driven today and that sucks but its just the way it is.

[ben9785]

I think people put way too much on the GH's sales as they will not translate into CD's sales at all. With a GH album, u are putting so many awesome great all time best songs in one collection.

CD has to have its own legs to stand on. if the first single catches fire, it has the potential to sell millions. If the first single flops and no single after hits, the album will be a flop.

that goes for pretty much anyone. Music is so singles driven today and that sucks but its just the way it is.

The music will get a strong response just out of curiosity alone. And the hype of a brand new "Guns N Roses" song and Axl returning to the radio.

There is an unfortunate chance, however, that many people will not give the music the attention it deserves or unfairly criticize it - not because the music is bad but because "its too different" or "its not the same as before", likewise all the people who say GNR "isn't the same anymore" because Slash isn't there or Duff quit or whatever, and not forgetting all the garbage about this being "the longest album ever in production"/"will it meet expectations"/"should Axl have bothered" when people don't really know the history of it.

[faldor]

I think people put way too much on the GH's sales as they will not translate into CD's sales at all. With a GH album, u are putting so many awesome great all time best songs in one collection.

CD has to have its own legs to stand on. if the first single catches fire, it has the potential to sell millions. If the first single flops and no single after hits, the album will be a flop.

that goes for pretty much anyone. Music is so singles driven today and that sucks but its just the way it is.

Very true.  Look at Kid Rock for example.  His latest album debuted at #1 then steadily went down, it was hanging in the 30's or so and then he released "All Summer Long".  Now the album is back in the top 5.  Shows you how a strong single can carry an album.  It doesn't necessarily have to be the first single though.

[Bodhi]

To make a profit, Walmart is the best way to go.

I dont think the label is THAT interested in making a profit off of money they spent over 10 years ago...I think they are more interested in the album doing well, then a tour, then more albums...making the 13 million back off "CD" is probably not what they are thinking about....13 million for a big label like that is nothing....

What?

dude u are seriously delusional if u don't think record labels are in it for profit. They are gonna want their money back. 13 million is a lot of money, especially in this day and age of how bad the record business is going.

read what I wrote again...then respond accordingly...I said they are not looking to make 13 million bucks just off this record...they are probably more interested in building a longer lasting product that will continue to tour and make money in the future...some ofyou think that just because 13 million was spent on this one album it HAS to be made back with this one album...of course the label is in it for profit...and they will profit more with this album doing well and leading to more albums...

and by the way 13 million bucks is peanuts to a major label...espeically becaue that money was spent before the majority of the people at the label even worked there...

[D]

If 13 million made 3 albums, then yeah, u got a point but to say they don't care about making that money back just isn't so. I dont think that labels make anything off a band's tour.

A record label is pretty much like a bank. That 13 million is like a loan. U tell me any bank in the world that wouldn't care about losing 13 million on a business venture. Record Labels are all about the money which is why music sucks today and they mass produce carbon copy pop shit cause its a guaranteed easy profit.

[$$$$]

I think people put way too much on the GH's sales as they will not translate into CD's sales at all. With a GH album, u are putting so many awesome great all time best songs in one collection.

CD has to have its own legs to stand on. if the first single catches fire, it has the potential to sell millions. If the first single flops and no single after hits, the album will be a flop.

that goes for pretty much anyone. Music is so singles driven today and that sucks but its just the way it is.

this is what i was getting at earlier. by including CD in the ticket price for their shows, it will indirectly force the fans who are into the classics to buy CD. Its kinda cheating but think about it. they release CD then do a massive tour using this strategy. do you really think fans are gunna not attend the show because their ticket cost 12$ more? unlikely considering the success of the 2006/2007 tour then at the door they are given CD which they didnt even know they already paid for. make sense? that way the "old fans" who just wanna hear the classics are kinda forced to buy CD without really knowing.

prince did it and i think its genious.

[Christos AG]

You don't see a real benefit? Just take a look at this Azoff article about the profits and benefits he got with an exclusive deal to sell the Eagles album:

http://adage.com/entertainmentmarketers08/article?article_id=127077

Very interesting article...

I wouldn't mind getting the album from such a place if it benefited the band.

I don't get all the cry-babies on this on other boards... You've been waiting for this album from 15 years to 1 month (i bet we got some new gn'r fans in here...).

Why wouldn't you buy this album? I'll probably buy it in any form it comes out and from anywhere, as I am a collector, but even if I wasn't, I'll still buy like 10 copies at least to give away to people I think should have the album...

[ben9785]

I don't really buy too many new CDs these days, only really pick up things i've missed by other older bands that I love.

So I'll be very eager for some collectibles or special versions of the album.

There's so many additional ways they can also market the album to appeal to anyone, whether old GNR fans, new GNR fans, or just casual music fans in terms of extras with the album, limited edition pressings, autographed versions in a lottery system etc. But thats for another thread..

[w.axl.rose]

Guns N' Roses Go Exclusive?
Axl may release Chinese Democracy in select retail outlets.
by IGN Music
 

August 18, 2008 - According to a news story posted on Reuters over the weekend, Guns N' Roses may release Chinese Democracy exclusively through a major retailer.

Chains apparantly being considered for carrying the release are Wal-Mart and Best Buy.

While no release date has been set for Chinese Democracy, fans are hoping that it will finally see the light of day. The fact that the first official single, "Shackler's Revenge", is being premiered on Rock Band 2 is a good sign that the album may finally see the light of day.

If Axl and company decide to go this route they will be following in the footsteps of The Eagles, who released Long Road Out of Eden through Wal-Mart, and AC/DC, whose upcoming Black Ice album is being released exclusively through Wal-Mart and Sam's Club.

http://music.ign.com/articles/899/899890p1.html

[D]

I think people put way too much on the GH's sales as they will not translate into CD's sales at all. With a GH album, u are putting so many awesome great all time best songs in one collection.

CD has to have its own legs to stand on. if the first single catches fire, it has the potential to sell millions. If the first single flops and no single after hits, the album will be a flop.

that goes for pretty much anyone. Music is so singles driven today and that sucks but its just the way it is.

this is what i was getting at earlier. by including CD in the ticket price for their shows, it will indirectly force the fans who are into the classics to buy CD. Its kinda cheating but think about it. they release CD then do a massive tour using this strategy. do you really think fans are gunna not attend the show because their ticket cost 12$ more? unlikely considering the success of the 2006/2007 tour then at the door they are given CD which they didnt even know they already paid for. make sense? that way the "old fans" who just wanna hear the classics are kinda forced to buy CD without really knowing.

prince did it and i think its genious.

Yes, the Musicology Tour and that was genius. He moved TONS of copies of that album. Also releasing his new album for free in the UK with the paper was genius also as it exposed a new fanbase to his music.

Bon Jovi and other acts do something now, where if u buy a Concert ticket, u get a free Itunes DL of the album which counts on record sales. U buy a ticket and get a code that put u in on Itunes.

so there are all kinds of ways to sell more cds than the conventional way. Problem is GNR have to tour to do these concepts and there is one huge question mark right now when it comes to that.

[cyllan]

You don't see a real benefit? Just take a look at this Azoff article about the profits and benefits he got with an exclusive deal to sell the Eagles album:

http://adage.com/entertainmentmarketers08/article?article_id=127077

That's an interesting article, especially the comment:

"We looked at a number of different options," says Mr. Azoff......"But we wanted to have control over the final product and how it was marketed" to Eagles fans."

I can see that being a major attraction for taking GNR down this route too.

Yes, the Musicology Tour and that was genius. He moved TONS of copies of that album. Also releasing his new album for free in the UK with the paper was genius also as it exposed a new fanbase to his music.

Bon Jovi and other acts do something now, where if u buy a Concert ticket, u get a free Itunes DL of the album which counts on record sales. U buy a ticket and get a code that put u in on Itunes.

D, I can see the value in the options you mentioned above, although I think the return on the first one, ie. Prince's action of giving away the CD free with a daily newspaper, is likely to be lower.  If someone has bought a concert ticket then at least they're going to have a passing knowledge about the band and, in my opinion, are more likely to want to hear more, especially after seeing Guns in action.

The other problem I have about giving the album away free is that, to me at least, it feels like you're devaluing it's worth, and by that I mean the physical and emotional work that has been put in by all concerned throughout the years.  I know that in order to put a monetary value on creative endeavours it has to be a case of head over heart, but I would still feel very uncomfortable with the idea of the album being given away free.

Also, I know that when I get a paper with a CD or DVD I barely give it a second glance and it just goes straight in the bin and, on a personal level, it'd really upset me to see an album I've waited years for, and that I know I'll treasure for many more years to come, being simply cast aside without a second thought by people as they pick up the paper at the tube or petrol station or wherever.  Perhaps I'm just being a silly old fool for feeling this way but it's the truth.