Nikki Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 a soft acoustic like version of american life would be cool on tour. i don't really see her performing it in the original way.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iasonas Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 weren't the AL singles hits all over bar america? They struggled in all English speaking countries except for the UK and the French part of Canada. In New Zealand for example the flopation was even harder. AL peaked at no33 and the other singles didn't even chart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sambassile Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 (edited) They struggled in all English speaking countries except for the UK and the French part of Canada. In New Zealand for example the flopation was even harder. AL peaked at no33 and the other singles didn't even chart. New Zealand? Please they have more sheep than humans. What's their entire population? 3 million? The below chart positions clearly show that the song was a worldwide hit and not the flop a lot try to make it to be. Yes it underperformed compared to Music and Hung Up but it still did very well Australian Singles Chart 7 Austrian Singles Chart 7 Belgium Singles Chart (Flanders) 10 Canadian Singles Chart 1 Danish Singles Chart 1 Finnish Singles Chart 3 French Singles Chart 10 Irish Singles Chart 7 Italian Singles Chart 1 Dutch Singles Chart 4 New Zealand Singles Chart 33 Norwegian Singles Chart 9 Spanish Singles Chart 2 Swedish Singles Chart 2 Swiss Singles Chart 1 UK Singles Chart 2 US Billboard Hot 100 37 Edited May 18, 2014 by sambassile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iasonas Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 I was talking about the singles in general. Not American Life only. Hollywood, Nothing Fails and Love Profusion were pretty much ignored by radio in all English speaking countries except for the UK. Don't look at that "Canadian Singles Chart". That's not the official singles chart of Canada. It was like the Billboard Hot Physical Sales chart where even Get Together smashed. Very few songs were released as physical singles. Hung Up stayed at no1 for like 21 weeks on that chart. American Life was a big hit. No doubt about that. What I was trying to say is that there has been an ageism issue in all English speaking countries since 2003 (except for the UK where it started after Celebration and Radio 1's new stupid rule which inevitably affected other stations too). It hasn't been easy for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th singles to become hits. Of course it's in the US where the problem has been severe. In terms of difficulty to penetrate a market for Madonna, I would suggest that there are 3 categories of countries/territories. 1. Continental Europe, French part of Canada and parts of Latin America. Very easy to score a hit. Even the demos of Beat Goes On and GMAYL were hits in Quebec. LOL. 2. English speaking countries (except for the US and New Zealand) and Japan. 3. The US and New Zealand. The most difficult areas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJM Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 Wow so negative in here! M can easily score a top 10 hit if the song is fucking awesome. I'm not counting on her getting to number 1 but if she did I wouldn't be shocked. I doubt she will be giving us another GMAYL lead single. 2014 "is hers." I think she'll be coming back with something of epic proportions (Hung up, 4 minutes) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJM Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 I'm talking about America btw. She'll really have no problem anywhere else. Maybe australia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elijah Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 4 minutes was an epic mess though. I think she will have to deliver something much better than that. If the snippet is hers, she will... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJM Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 4 minutes is awesome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzy Jan Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 4 minutes was an epic mess though. I think she will have to deliver something much better than that. If the snippet is hers, she will... 4 minutes was a huge hit. Before people say it is only because of Justin Timberlake, whenever the song is mentioned, it is referred to as a Madonna song, they don't even mention Justin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simo9jo Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 ^ Just give up Kurt. I learned a long time ago there's no convincing people their conspiracy theories are false. In fact, by default the definition of a conspiracy theory means it can never be disprove because the tin-hat-wearing believers will fit all of the facts you give them to suit the theory. They've made up their minds that the only explanation for Madonna flopping is that there must be some broad conspiracy against her. It couldn't possibly have been the music. You're being just as stubborn as those you are accusing of being irrational and conspiracy theorists. I think the truth is somewhere in the middle. I and many other shared stories of radio and other media outlets clearly being hostile towards her (and a lot of other artists). I think your post in response to me was mostly correct though. It was a perfect storm and it wasn't only politics...although I think you're minimalizing the effect that aspect had. Do you really remember that time in the U.S.? The song was also not commercial and the rap was awful (in my opinion, but I do like the rest of the song). AL was her most experimental and polarizing album, there is no question about that either. We both agree and I think most people do, that it was really a variety/combination of reasons. I don't think it was a huge conspiracy against her. Appreciation for artists comes in waves as well, and she had ridden two albums worth of the best reviews and respect she had ever received. Not releasing the video was a mistake too, as the news was already out there, so it wouldn't have made much difference. It felt as though she gave in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuckeye Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 i would be fuckin shocked if she goes top ten...i'm now fine with it not being HUGE, i'll love it, shes done everything...but if she does hit the top ten its gay coma time, lol. i'd be flabergasted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justinian Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 I think she can go wherever she wants…these days it is (a lot) in connection with how much you pay…OLA :-)! with MDNA she was aiming just high profits (so, in this case her promotion costs where minimized for relatively/arguably good revenues from music sales and huge revenues from concerts) but now I think she is in the mood for N1(s)…with the time she's putting on instagram…with the fun and pleasure she shows in creating her new music….with the (aggressive, sexyest) way she looks in the recent photos…with all pop females currently struggling/flopping …it must be her vanity to show SHE is the master…the (only) living legend succesfully active in music industry... Anyway we shall see where she wants her success to be…placed... this time around! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camacho Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rachelle of London Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 Jasonakos, brilliant post as usual. Just one point I disagree with. Madonnas lack of hits post celebration in the UK has nothing to do with her age. The MDNA singles and album on her whole was not promoted here at all. Outside of the fan base MDNA is non existent which is Sad considering how huge Madonna is. There are radio DJs who think her last album was Hard Candy. I've heard in the past two months a DJ say they are eagerly awaiting Ms next album her last one was released years ago and produced by JT and Timbaland. Judging by Masterpieces success over here and that being linked to the movie it is evident that age will not stop M being successful in the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugbyguy Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 Didn't American Life sell 1 million copies in France alone? I recall her giving a speech in Paris on the Re-Invention Tour thanking the crowd for their support and announcing the 1 million sales in their country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vocalism Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 You're being just as stubborn as those you are accusing of being irrational and conspiracy theorists. I think the truth is somewhere in the middle. I and many other shared stories of radio and other media outlets clearly being hostile towards her (and a lot of other artists). I think your post in response to me was mostly correct though. It was a perfect storm and it wasn't only politics...although I think you're minimalizing the effect that aspect had. Do you really remember that time in the U.S.? The song was also not commercial and the rap was awful (in my opinion, but I do like the rest of the song). AL was her most experimental and polarizing album, there is no question about that either. We both agree and I think most people do, that it was really a variety/combination of reasons. I don't think it was a huge conspiracy against her. Appreciation for artists comes in waves as well, and she had ridden two albums worth of the best reviews and respect she had ever received. Not releasing the video was a mistake too, as the news was already out there, so it wouldn't have made much difference. It felt as though she gave in. I don't think withholding belief without evidence is being stubborn. I just like facts. It's true that many radio programmers/DJs were hostile toward Madonna, but that doesn't mean Clear Channel created a "blacklist" and put Madonna at the top. I personally never heard any DJs saying anything negative about Madonna at that time (as compared to 1993 when DJs flat out cut her songs off halfway and said "No one wants to hear this, do they?" - literally). If anything, it was total ambivalence. If listeners requested "American Life," radio wouldn't have NOT played it. What they care about is profits. I do remember that time very vividly. And I remember in 2004 when Green Day's "American Idiot" came out and everyone realized the Iraq War was sham (I personally couldn't believe anyone didn't know that before it started), I thought, "Too bad AL came out a year too soon." But that was just the fan in me wanting to believe things would have been different if the politics had been different. In retrospect, though, I just think the sound was "tired" and AL was a poor single. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simo9jo Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 I don't think withholding belief without evidence is being stubborn. I just like facts. It's true that many radio programmers/DJs were hostile toward Madonna, but that doesn't mean Clear Channel created a "blacklist" and put Madonna at the top. I personally never heard any DJs saying anything negative about Madonna at that time (as compared to 1993 when DJs flat out cut her songs off halfway and said "No one wants to hear this, do they?" - literally). If anything, it was total ambivalence. If listeners requested "American Life," radio wouldn't have NOT played it. What they care about is profits. I do remember that time very vividly. And I remember in 2004 when Green Day's "American Idiot" came out and everyone realized the Iraq War was sham (I personally couldn't believe anyone didn't know that before it started), I thought, "Too bad AL came out a year too soon." But that was just the fan in me wanting to believe things would have been different if the politics had been different. In retrospect, though, I just think the sound was "tired" and AL was a poor single. I did hear the vitriol spewed at her (and others) on several popular radio stations at the time. I remember them clearly saying they were done with playing her and they played the end of Take A Bow. I didn't hear it from the radio (surprisingly) in 1992/1993, but I heard it from every other direction. I like facts as well and I agree with many of your points, and I didn't say that I thought she was blacklisted by Clear Channel or anything like that. Not a huge conspiracy, but a backlash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iasonas Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 Where in the world you live and the only pop stations in your area are Clear Channel stations? There are NO markets with just Clear Channel stations. A company cannot own more than 5 FM stations per market. Other companies didn't support the AL singles either... Actually, most pop stations played it for like 1-2 weeks but then gave up. It peaked in the 20s on pop airplay. Z100 had even added a remix for a while. Not sure which one it was. AL was the most disliked current song in the country back in April and May of 2003 according to all call out surveys. If you were a music director of a radio station and you played a lot a song that your audience doesn't like at all you'd probably lose your job. A friend of mine works at the local CC cluster and he never lets his personal taste influence his station's playlist. The playlist is based completely on the surveys they conduct. Also, Livenation and CC were the same company back then. CC produced Drowned World and the Re-Invention Tour. Why would they sabotage their own artist? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simo9jo Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 There may be a few people who have conspiracy theories on here, but I think most understand that it was a combination of factors (as we have been discussing ad nauseam). Just like the Sex era, the AL era was controversial (in a different and political way). If someone said the word "peace" it was considered anti-American. Someone can spout all the technical chart/radio methodologies they want, but there was a backlash (not a wide spread conspiracy) on radio and elsewhere. Partly because it was not the best choice for a single (I totally agree), but the vitriol for her at the time was real. That in turn will affect public perception of something. I'm sure the Dixie Chicks were getting tons of hate calls into radio stations at the time as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horn Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 Didn't American Life sell 1 million copies in France alone? I recall her giving a speech in Paris on the Re-Invention Tour thanking the crowd for their support and announcing the 1 million sales in their country. No lamb math please. AL was certified 300K in France. Entire Europe - 1m (Shipped) US - 1m (Shipped) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vocalism Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 I did hear the vitriol spewed at her (and others) on several popular radio stations at the time. I remember them clearly saying they were done with playing her and they played the end of Take A Bow. I didn't hear it from the radio (surprisingly) in 1992/1993, but I heard it from every other direction. I like facts as well and I agree with many of your points, and I didn't say that I thought she was blacklisted by Clear Channel or anything like that. Not a huge conspiracy, but a backlash. I agree. I do think there was a backlash, but I also think she could have survived it had the music been "good" (I say that as someone who enjoys AL but thinks it was creatively/commercially a misfire). There are many people on here who believe the "conspiracy" theories, and then there are some who confuse the word with "backlash." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horn Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 NRJ French Music Radio has confirmed that there will be a duet with Katy Perry on Madonna's new album. Another top 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonymarraffa Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 Another top 10 If true it's a surefire number one in the USA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carta Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 If true it's a surefire number one in the USA. Two to three years ago, yes, but not any more. Katy's up to single #4 from "Prism" - singles 1 and 3 reached #1, but singles 2 and 4 didn't even reach the Top 10, so Katy's no longer the guaranteed smashmaker she was just a couple of years ago. While it's still early days for "Birthday", it's only #23 after six weeks, so it's definitely not going to be a #1 single. It's quite bizarre, really, because "Roar" and "Dark Horse" were massive, so the undeperformance of "Unconditionally" was a massive surprise and sticks out like a sore thumb in her chart record ("Birthday" will be an even bigger glitch). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vocalism Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 ^ Unconditionally underperforming was not a "massive surprise." The song was boring and a bizarre choice given that the two promo singles were selling extremely well on iTunes already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollhouse Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 Roar and Darkhorse have been so massive that its no surprise the other singles suffer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerGirl Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 Roar and Darkhorse have been so massive that its no surprise the other singles suffer. Exactly. And they didn't expect for Dark Horse to be this huge. I don't even think they were planning to release it as a single, at least not yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arnian Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 Michael Jackson's "Love Never Felt So Good" is now in the top 10 on Billboard's Hot 100. If Madonna releases a surprise single and it does well then both the Queen and King of Pop could be in the top 10 again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carta Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 ^ Unconditionally underperforming was not a "massive surprise." The song was boring and a bizarre choice given that the two promo singles were selling extremely well on iTunes already. How can a single by someone whose previous nine singles had all peaked in the Top 3 (seven at #1) failing to reach the Top 10 (let alone the Top 5) NOT be considered a "massive surprise"? I happen to think it's a great song (as opposed to your verdict of "boring"), so whose opinion is right - yours or mine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mmmmm Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 Flop or not, I like Unconditinally song, don't think it's boring. Yes Madonna can get a top 10!!!! *prays* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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