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Roger Friedman: Is Madonna Being Sabotaged?


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From Fox News:

Is Madonna Being Sabotaged?

I often criticize Madonna in this space for her nutty politics or her membership in the Kabbalah cult.

But there’s one thing you can’t beat and that’s Madonna live and in person.

So let’s clear up reports yesterday that her big fall tour isn’t selling out. With the sole exception of Los Angeles’s Dodger Stadium, the Sweet and Sticky tour, I am told, will outpace Madonna’s last tour significantly.

Indeed, Dodger Stadium is the only venue where Madonna hasn’t sold out yet. Of course, the show isn’t for five months. The fact that she’s sold half the stadium now for November is pretty damn impressive.

So where did this bad news come from? Industry sources don’t need Jessica Fletcher to figure it out. Warner M. Group, which lost Madonna to Live Nation, this year, has been on a tear planting negative stories about the latter organization.

WMG, as I predicted, has done little to nothing to promote Madonna’s Hard Candy album as retribution for her exit to Live Nation. That a CD with a hit single — the Justin Timberlake-Michael Jackson soundalike duet, “4 Minutes to Save the World” — has sold only 500,000 copies is an utter disgrace. But WMG only has itself to blame.

It didn’t take a rocket scientist to predict this. WMG has just this and a greatest hits album left with Madonna, and then she’s gone. Her departure is a huge embarrassment to the ailing, much mocked record company.

But here’s what’s better: I’m told Live Nation is on the very of cutting a similar deal with WMG’s act, Nickelback with hits like “The Reason” and “Photograph,” is still a contemporary hit maker act — a rarity these days. Grabbing them from WMG could be Live Nation’s coup de grace.

Live Nation is also rumored to be doing deals with Epic Records star Shakira for concerts and CDs. Is it happening? Well, hips don’t lie.

But Live Nation did not do the deal I long ago exclusively reported with the Rolling Stones. In the end, I’m told, it made more sense for Live Nation to keep putting on Stones concerts. But album wise, the group is not a big seller. They are likely to continue one off deals with Interscope, which did such a good job with their “Shine a Light” soundtrack.

As for Madonna, we needn’t worry about her or Live Nation. She’s already sold out four shows at the Garden and out in New Jersey at what used to be the Continental Airlines Arena — now the Izod Arena. She’s also sold out most of her venues in Europe. And Dodger Stadium? Those Angelenos are just mellow. They’ll get to it in time.

Meanwhile, a better question to ask is why WMG can’t cough up a follow up single to “4 Minutes.” That is, assuming they would want to. “Hard Candy” is full of candidates like “Miles Away” and “Give it to Me.” But WMG hasn’t had made a move yet. By contrast, Mariah Carey — whose sales have outpaced Madonna’s considerably — is already on her third single

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Guest Coked Up Baby Boy

When it's everyone else, it's a "flop", but when it's Madonna, it's a CONSPIRACY!!!!!

Plz :rolleyes:

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When it's everyone else, it's a "flop", but when it's Madonna, it's a CONSPIRACY!!!!!

Plz :rolleyes:

THERE WAS A RADIO BOYCOTT FOR THE AMERICAN LIFE ERA

OH

EM

GEEEEEEE!!!

IT BE THE TRUE.

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By contrast, Mariah Carey — whose sales have outpaced Madonna's considerably — is already on her third single

HUH?? they got it wrong there.

Hasn't HC and 4 Minutes outsold Mariah's album & single?

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As for the album, I know WB has fucked up released and promos beofre so no doubt this would be the same case. But are they that angry?? Bitter? Than there very dumb as well cause if madonna Has a hit or a big seller they stand to make money as well!! So eveyone loses!!!

As for Madonna not promoting herself makes sense since the profits would go to WR! But wow what a grudge to hold!

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MADONNA being sabotaged by NY POST... yes... coz, they put a headline that if no one reads the article, they would get the impression that MADONNA is over and not good at concerts too... they know this, that ordinary people don't even read articles anymore but just headlines...

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When it's everyone else, it's a "flop", but when it's Madonna, it's a CONSPIRACY!!!!!

Plz :rolleyes:

We need to organise a fan rally in london and have Madonna scream through a loud speaker from a bus that Sony um Tommy Mottola oops I mean Warner are the DEVIL and it's all a big conspiracy her Invincible oops I mean Hard Candy album didn;t sell 30 million copies

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Well, Mimi's 3rd single has an official radio date of next week- but unlike GI2M, I imagine it's going for adds at most of its applicable formats.

And, he shortchanged HC's sales by 44,000+. ;) (at least through last week's reported numbers)

Since Mr. Friedman is so knowledgable, he also should know that a good amount of people buying the 4M single wouldn't be interested in a Madonna album.

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Whether it sells out or not, it would be very retarded at this point for anyone to call this tour a flop. Not when revenues are predicted to exceed the last tour.

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Guest Pud Whacker

By Roger Friedman

Fox News

Is Madonna Being Sabotaged?

I often criticize Madonna in this space for her nutty politics or her membership in Kabbalah.

But there’s one thing you can’t beat and that’s Madonna live and in person.

So let’s clear up reports from Tuesday that her big fall tour isn’t selling out. With the sole exception of Los AngelesDodger Stadium, the Sweet and Sticky tour, I am told, will outpace Madonna’s last tour significantly.

Indeed, Dodger Stadium is the only venue Madonna hasn’t sold out. Of course, the show isn’t for five months. The fact that she’s sold half the stadium now for November is pretty damn impressive.

So where did this bad news come from? Industry sources don’t need Jessica Fletcher to figure it out. Warner M. Group, which lost Madonna to Live Nation, this year, has been on a tear planting negative stories about the latter organization.

WMG, as I predicted, has done little to nothing to promote Madonna’s Hard Candy album as retribution for her exit to Live Nation. That a CD with a hit single, the Justin Timberlake-Michael Jackson soundalike duet, "4 Minutes to Save the World," has sold only 500,000 copies is an utter disgrace. But WMG only has itself to blame.

It didn’t take a rocket scientist to predict this. WMG has just this and a greatest hits album left with Madonna, and then she’s gone. Her departure is a huge embarrassment to the ailing, much-mocked record company.

But here’s what’s better: I’m told Live Nation is on the brink of cutting a similar deal with WMG’s act Nickelback with hits such as "The Reason" and "Photograph," a contemporary hit-maker act, a rarity these days. Grabbing them from WMG could be Live Nation’s coup de grace.

Live Nation also is rumored to be making deals with Epic Records star Shakira for concerts and CDs. Is it happening? Well, hips don’t lie.

But Live Nation did not do the deal I long ago exclusively reported with the Rolling Stones. In the end, I’m told, it made more sense for Live Nation to keep putting on Stones concerts. But album-wise, the group is not a big seller. It likely is to continue one-off deals with Interscope, which did such a good job with the "Shine a Light" soundtrack.

As for Madonna, we needn’t worry about her or Live Nation. She’s already sold out four shows at the Garden and out in New Jersey at what used to be the Continental Airlines Arena — now the Izod Arena. She’s also sold out most of her venues in Europe. And Dodger Stadium? Those Angelenos are just mellow. They’ll get to it in time.

Meanwhile, a better question to ask is why can’t WMG cough up a follow-up single to "4 Minutes"? That is, assuming they would want to. "Hard Candy" is full of candidates such as "Miles Away" and "Give It to Me."

But WMG hasn’t had made a move. By contrast, Mariah Carey — whose sales have outpaced Madonna’s considerably — already is on her third single from her contemporaneous release, E=MC2 album.

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He's really just stating the obvious.

Fox probably hates WBG more than they do Madonna.

The article yesterday reaked of spin by someone, I was thinking it was the outsted Live Nation honcho. This makes sense also.

"hmmm. let's focus on the 1 gig that isn't 90% sold."

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Yeah to what Dr. L said!! Never trust Roger Freidman on anything and he'll most likely make up for trashing her more later.

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At least he's attempting to be objectionable rather bashing her. And he makes valid points regarding Warners not pushing this album like they should. It does boggle my mind how a single "4 Minutes" approaching the 2 million copies sold is doing so well, yet the album it comes from is not selling as well. I still think this album will eventually outsell American Life by a long shot. I just think it's about releasing the right songs as singles to appeal to the masses, rather just Madonna fans. Besides, most fans have the album by now. Now, it's time to appeal to the casual or non-fans by promoting this album and releasing singles that will work in specific regions. For instance, I don't think "Give It 2 Me" is a good single choice for the U.S. And if "Miles Away" is consider the follow up, you'd might as well consider the album a flop now.

Fans will argue and debate which is the best choice. Each fan will think their choice is a better single, but in the end it should be about what appeal to the masses. In the U.S. market, they should be choosing more urban tracks such as "Candy Shop" as the follow up single. It's not my favorite song, but I do think it will work in the U.S. region. The rest of the world can have "Give it 2 Me".

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I wouldn't say he's being "positive for once". I do think he's being a bit more objectionable which is fair.

But I have to laugh at the fans who claim Madonna has done very little promotion for this album. In reality, she's done more promotion (especially in the U.S.) that she has done in years. She did a lot of radio interviews (which needed to be done) prior the release of HC. I'd say 3 FREE promo gigs is promotion. She also did a lot in internet and magazine interviews.

An avid fan such as myself knows that in Madonna history, in this last decade she's done more promotion than she's done ever for an album. Granted, she had radio and MTV backing her big time back in the day. So I agree these days she needs to get herself out there more. And with LIVE NATION, I think she's going to have to do more leg work than she anticipates in promotion. But I think she did a hell of a lot of promotion for this album especially with radio. It seemed to pay off with the first single. So where is Warners during all this?? I don't see much effort on their part to make sure ads and further promotion is on television and video stations.

Edited by neutrocks
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Roger must be having a temporary moment of sanity.

His point about WB not supporting HC is dead on though. Most of the morons who constantly blame Madonna for not properly promoting this record, seem to forget that it is also a responsibility of the record company to sell their product. WB has done jack shit for this record, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. The success of 4 minutes is really in spite of WB, who probably hoped it failed. Give it 2 me should have been released weeks ago, and the delay from last week makes no sense. If this song is a hit, again it will be in spite of WB.

At this point, I only see one more single. WB is DONE with Madonna, and she clearly is focused on her tour. The one thing i'm sure about regarding Live Nation, is that they will promote the hell out of Madonna's tours and records.

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Roger must be having a temporary moment of sanity.

His point about WB not supporting HC is dead on though. Most of the morons who constantly blame Madonna for not properly promoting this record, seem to forget that it is also a responsibility of the record company to sell their product. WB has done jack shit for this record, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. The success of 4 minutes is really in spite of WB, who probably hoped it failed. Give it 2 me should have been released weeks ago, and the delay from last week makes no sense. If this song is a hit, again it will be in spite of WB.

At this point, I only see one more single. WB is DONE with Madonna, and she clearly is focused on her tour. The one thing i'm sure about regarding Live Nation, is that they will promote the hell out of Madonna's tours and records.

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