Hagarthy

This post will be rife with speculation, and I will renege beforehand any false theories I raise. First, why hasn't the very simple thing of sending FUMF or Thunder to Top 40 happened? This is really intriguing to me, especially because radio airplay is the main reason people sign up with any majors. What's the holdback? If Leona cannot get an elaborate answer for this, then she may need to wise up...well, I'll just say take the reins of things. From the looks of things, she and Toby seem to hold publishing rights for I AM (if indeed they produced it independently all the way). Def Jam particularly may just be a distribution label at this point, with no comprehensive deal signed so far. In lieu of this, there expenses on I AM so far are practically zero. Leona receives no royalties until expenses on her travel and promo are recouped. I AM doesn't seem to have had any physical distribution in the US (except for Amazon), or did it? Anyone seen it in store? An artist in this day and age is only valuable to record labels if they have a 360 deal. I could be wrong, but, as it is, she could be of low value to DJ to make them disinclined to risk too much with with I AM. This is why I say she and her management assert themselves more in terms of radio airplay. If DJ continues to shilly shally for peculiar reasons, turn to the escape clauses in the contract and run for the hills. At that point, they would purely be playing games. So what would be the gameplan after that? Macklemore already set a template for release (physical distribution and radio) with their album. To keep it short, they partnered with an independent artist distribution label of Warner Bros Music (ADA), paid them to push their music on pop radio...and the rest as they say, is history. FUMF could be good for testing the waters...if it catches on...you move to IGU to keep the momentum...then drop YKMW...but all this waiting, someone may be up to their own fishy business. They could alternately push a different song in friendlier markets such as Germany or Japan and if it hits there, other there, other territories may take notice. It worked out for Am I wrong...for thinking la di da la di da. The point, putting aside my allegations for a moment, is that there are multiple options for I AM's success. But someone's gotta take charge :) Wouldn't mind a repost on DS. People are obsessing over the situation so far instead of what could be done for a turnaround.

Hard to know what's happening behind the scenes, but I think Leona needs to step in and push to have FUMF sent to Pop radio next week. The album's chart decline is already creating the impression of inferiority - even among fans - when it's anything but. It has just been mis-released. There is good incentive, I believe for it to recover from its poor start. Producer/Collaborator/Songwriter goodwill is only easy to attract when an artiste's management indicates proper structure, strategy and business practice. Very few people are willing to put in the best effort for something which, despite all good intention, will still be handled recklessly come release time. People have bills to pay, don't they? I AM simply has to recover, and I feel Leona ought to push for that more than anything. Not only because the album has potential, but if flops, blame - as is typical - will be pointed back to her having come up with much material. Then the question will remain of how to handle things in the future. There so much risk of another scenario in which her creativity is stifled in favor of commissions by her label...and it will be SyCo all over again. The label has you right where they want you, powerless and left to their whims. This mess must simply be undone. Plain and simple!

This would make zero sense. They should have put together a focus group a long time ago to determine which among the choice singles was best. I highly doubt Thunder came out on top. I don't what challenges they are facing as a label, but its hard not to see gross negligence with how things have been handled so far. I hope FUMF is sent to Pop radio next week, and that Leona performs it for her next appearances.

I am personally disappointed in how Def Jam and Island have handled things. They do not seem to have agreed on an integrated strategy, and I'm not sure who is to blame. I could be wrong, so I'll just leave it there for now. I feel though that Leona needs to be careful moving ahead. Either Def Jam and Island prove themselves the rest of the year as worthy partners, or they release her and she moves on to other things. If you are going to sell like an indie, you may as well be one fully. I AM is a good album. Production on certain songs could have been better (and I'm sure that can be said for a lot of other work), but it has gems that qualify for a good sales run. The issue so far seems that a precise strategy was not applied in its release. I can only recommend the below in my considered judgment. As time is of the essence and videos for IGU and ALS (the other uptempo tracks on the album) are not ready, it may be time to send FUMF to Top 40. This will be done in conjunction with a worldwide push of the same single. They need a solid uptempo track fast on the format, one whose organic airplay on it will help draw the requisite buzz for Leona. Fast; I'm not willing to bet on any of the unvideod songs because...things could happen (re: I AM video). Push FUMF till it peaks. If this is mid-November, then go with I Got You as a next single. It has nice religious undertones that could play well from Thanksgiving through to the New Year. YKMW can get the routine Talent Show showcase, but radio, daytime TV can be all about I Got You. Will really look forward to see what's in store in terms of promo. Island also needs to get moving on Europe if they are covering release there.

I'll just add one more thing...will come back another time with a full post about the US station. There are plenty of movies coming up during the holiday season and even into the spring. Leona and DJ can try approach a few studios with a recorded track or offer to perform a movie's song. I would be so jazzed if she sang for Star Wars (dreaming big here), and with I SEE YOU in her resume, it seems all the more possible. Wish it could happen.

I want to post so bad on things that could be done to guarantee success of this era, despite the missteps so far, but fear it is presumptuous as long as Thunder, which they are heavily promoting atm, has not been sent to Top 40. Anyone know why? And how many spins per day can she get. Nick Jonas has averaged 200 spins -plus since he released Ladders. I wonder how an artiste gets that. I'm sure that would push Thunder to the top without fail. Island need to completely shift their focus from UK to Germany (TV and Radio), the rest of Europe and Australia. Their focus in that market should be for the holiday season. She could make up big time for the under-performance so far with multiple performances of YKMW, coiffed up and gowned to her ankles, on TV shows...Strictly, Graham Norton, Allan Carr..etc. Promote FUMF across the rest of the world in readiness for a spring US release.

So it's basically a Google Play promo. It's not remotely bad in that case. In such scenarios, actually, an online retailer still compensates a merchant at the full-retail price. The goal of such promos is to get sign-ups onto a particular retail store. It's such a non-story, maybe DJ can throw up one on Tinder too and make it clear where the discounted purchases are being made.

How is the Grindr thing supposed to work? You buy on the app. or via link to Amazon or itunes. Most Grindr uses, I believe, use it for free, and people can be very reluctant to provide credit card info on such platforms. I wonder how its supposed to work out.

Caught her GMA performance. She was pitch-perfect, but I think the guitars were a bit too loud. When her voice is so good, it tends to be what I prefer to hear over everything else. Maybe it's just my earphones :) Great start to the week, though. Grindr is a very interesting promo option. I'm sure if it gives good results, she good start a major trend...much as its been done before. To success... :cheer:

Let's just give it till the end of the week to see where the chips truly fall. Remember in the UK, we really do not know the impact of the little promo that has been done on physical sales. I have plenty of thoughts on your question; we've all, of course, had since the beginning :) I just don't want to jump in criticism when things are far from over.

The LOL before that remark indicates that it was said entirely in jest. No need to take offense. Damn. I'll watch my 'barbs' from now on anyway. 'Special' link to the BBC performance, please.

LOL. Some of you are special. You expect Leona to sound the exact same way she does on a record, reverb, compressions et al included. The performance wasn't bad at all. Her voice just sounded dry...probably just because of bad hydration. She looks pretty. The lotto spot doesn't seem to have done much for the album, time to move on to the next slots. I AM may also be a low-impact song when it comes to tv performances...all the reason why I suggested YKMW for all her tv promo spots. I just think it impacts much better than a lot of the other songs on the album. THUNDER, for example, needs at least seven listens before you properly warm to it. It's perfect for radio because of its gentle brilliance, but live on just the first listen, I don't see how impact get's high.

I hope things improve a lot next week. It would be criminal if I AM sell over 1 m worldwide (way over)...not with YKMW, Thick Skin, Thunder, I Got You, FUMF and Power on the album. I await to see the European strategy. They seem very receptive to new music.

Haha, I just watched that Beyonce video. I don't mean that kind of jerky backward movement...just reverse slow retreat as she sings.

Just relistened to YKMW in HQ. Disregard my previous remarks (for anyone who read it :). I think the song is so flawless. My video idea is a theater actress under constant harassment by her director. The singing portions could simply have Leona walking backwards in various London streets...kinda like Beyonce in one of her videos...don't remember. But I think it would be a good effect coupled spliced with drama from tense confrontations with a director...stressful time alone in the mirror...emptiness to her popularity (people cheering you at the premier of a new show but your face remaining dead with impassiveness). Just thoughts. And yes, I love TEOM too. Splendid song! They simply have to go with Spotify in determining the next singles. Spotify makes it super-easy to pick out popular songs from an album.

Wow, that's an epic billboard. I didn't know those could go up. Looks great. I wonder if this Island's way of working around their UK radio kerfuffle. Great move.

Wow, so itunes banners are pretty much free (see here)? Where are the labels' promo money being pumped then? So far, it looks like Leona could have pretty much just gone with a small PR firm to release the album. Def Jam and Island really need to step it up...tv appearances, international promo - Germany and Switzerland, for example, where she seems to have a start, top 40 radio. So far it almost seems as though they haven't done anything Leona could not have done with a run of the mill distributor and PR firm. They need to step it up big time.

How long does an itunes album banner stay up? Is there a chance it might stay up all week. Also, what is Leona performing on GMA? YKMW strikes me as the song that could give her the best online buzz right now. I hope that's what she performs on late night shows and Ellen. She could also go really ham towards the ending. She held back a bit. Wish there was a small instrumental gap before the bridge of the song, though. It comes so suddenly to me. I wish she could also do some advertising on gay blogs. Queerty is especially good with pop culture stuff. Pitch Perfect 2 promoted on it for almost two weeks before its release.

I had a dream two days ago having Leona announce ALS as a single. Justad posting because of the fb ad. LOL. She also opened at No 3. in my dream (US I think). Number 1 had 51K sales or something of the sort. She was also curious about branding in the dream. What do you people make of her brand? It's pretty straightforward to me - ANIMAL LOVER, DOG PERSON (plenty of cute pics on instagram); BIG VOICED ARTISTE (maybe diva and the ball gowns from the Spirit era may work better. I hope this is how she performs YKNW when the time comes. It would be a good throwback to those eras). She should also talk more about her interest in movies, etc.

Man, that THICK SKIN extended preview just finishes me. Damn that song...its rhythm, its soul...LEONA MOTHER OF JESUS! :)

I was just reading an article about how Top 40 radio works in the US - including things like payola - and I've realized it's not as simple as we are discussing it. Not remotely. Songs get tested for how well they may play to a particular demo and maybe Thunder is not coming out strong for Pop Radio. I don't see how when there are songs like it on the format, but maybe that's why it hasn't been sent yet. Also, radio just doesn't help break new/'returning' artistes as much anymore. TV - chat show performances - are more helpful in a market like US, so its vital that the song that tests the best for the viewership of a particular show is performed. Fact is, we don't what this song could be...whether its YKMW, Thunder, I Got You or FUMF. If Def Jam have been testing with a focus group, then they should know. If its YKNW, then they should just do a video like the one for the Kanye cover, post it on youtube, then perform it on their TV slots.

I don't know if it sound to change singles this late...after all the interviews and performances. Doesn't promo across multiple formats have to be in sync. Top 40 means nothing if spins will just be as few as HAC. Fact is, Thunder has not been given a chance to prove itself. HAC spins it nighttime, from what I gather; its not on heavy rotation on music TV channels and is omitted from Pop radio. So how exactly are people to find out about it? Has the video for I Got You been shot?

All those songs have been added to Pop radio. She has the smallest audience, so you can't really compare. The big question is why Thunder is yet to get it's start on Top 40 radio. As for the few number of spins, notice Taylor Swift's Wildest Dreams is getting over 100+. She's eating up a lot of spins for all songs on the format, hence the low number of plays.

Album Impressions/Song critique... I'll first start with my impression of Ladders. I don't like the production very much, especially the electronic sound in the middle. Once, it sounded nice, but then it repeats thrice or four times in too dominant of a fashion. The vocal production in this song is AMAZING, so solid, I wish the production would be tweaked. Just want to highlight again my issues with POWER. I love its production - really primeval and fresh, but the prechorus - I feel - should have carried on with the same structure and instrumentation of the verse; just with slight modification of melody before the cue to the chorus. Two more lines, then chorus cue, then the CHORUS. Same for the bridge. The last two 'lines' need actual lines and not just the ad-libbing. I had very high hopes for this song and believe its just a tweak away from perfection. Onto the album itself. Well, it DefJam, Island and Leona are serious about getting a hit album, I don't see how they fail. I love the sample of YKMW - and yeah, I know samples can be deceiving - but whenever Leona's voice is allowed to shine in a song - her strong suit in my opinion - then her music is just so elevated. I would also really like to hear THICK SKIN in full. I really love its rhythm. And isn't I AM acoustic just sterling. My release plans would be, considering released singles so far - THUNDER in US, and FUMF and I AM in UK,, I GOT YOU - 2nd US and 3rd UK. From mid-October onward. TOP 40 airplay, for the love of god, and the usual, VEVO promo, etc. You need people sharing the music. IHY could carry the album till Christmas, I reckon, with Thanksgiving being another period where it could really work. YKMW - they could test it first with live tv performances, and then decide whether to go with it as a single or not. The era needs a proper ballad, stripped back with vocals at the top. FUMF - because, I still believe its the most energetic song in the album. No remix, maybe just a bigger video. Last, Best and the Worst just seems to be begging for a Mackelmore feature. It reminded me of Same Love a bit. Good day peeps!

I wish we knew the situation with Top 40 radio. She has the smallest audience of the top 30 songs on HAC, as well as no chart appearance. They better not rethink song choice for the format. Thunder is very very strong, especially with repeat airplay, in my opinion.