MADONNA AND WARNER MUSIC GROUP ANNOUNCE MILESTONE, CAREER-SPANNING PARTNERSHIP!!

[Honey Little 4,486]

10 minutes ago, BuggedOut said:

 

Bitch shoulda been the first single followed by Ghosttown.

Agree

[DoneGone 16,711]

9 hours ago, tscott said:

I suspect, Warner will be behind her next new album.  They were behind releasing the MXtour digital release, so I suspect they are willing to release new material when that time comes.

Interscope was purely behind distribution.  That is because Live Nation failed to become a distribution for her.  So Interscope really didn't have any obligation to promote the album. It was up to Madonna and her management to do so.  And I think that is what @Prayerwas trying to point out. 

IMO, I'm not that impressed with Living for Love, so I can understand why BBC may not be impressed with that song, but for me "Ghosttown" was a classic Madonna type song.  If any new song by Madonna that should have hit specifically in U.S., Ghosttown would have been it.  It did manage to have some A/C success, so it's not like radio was completely opposed in playing the song, but top 40 wasn't touching it.  I would say that's because she didn't have a label or the right people to push it to top 40 radio globally. It's hard to believe after all these years, corporate radio would need someone to push a Madonna song, but I'm pretty convinced, top 40 is more about 'payola" then what is actually what the public wants to hear.  Radio 2 usually appeals to more of an older audience much like A/C does in the U.S..  They are more inclined to play older acts because that's where many older artists end up on the radio.

I always had the impression that she was sold by Guy O and maybe Interscope as well the idea of "radios don't want to play you anymore cause they say you're old!" when radios were actually playing her only three years before and she was "old" already then. But it was very convenient to have that excuse, right?

Radios weren't playing her partly cause people were not doing their jobs.

Yes, pretty much everything we hear on the radio is either "payola" or agreements behind the scenes, same for the big platform playlists. It's not as simple as "oh no, they don't like your song!", especially for big names like her.

Radio 1 maybe is different cause it's the BBC in the end and it's a public broadcaster. But in the end they have to play songs that take off anyway, like Kylie's "Padam Padam". If any of Madonna's 10s singles have had proper support and success, BBC would have had to play it in the end.

An example of label support - "Popular" (The Weeknd's label of course):

[Blue Jean 17,291]

2 hours ago, Prayer said:

I always had the impression that she was sold by Guy O and maybe Interscope as well the idea of "radios don't want to play you anymore cause they say you're old!" when radios were actually playing her only three years before and she was "old" already then. But it was very convenient to have that excuse, right?

Radios weren't playing her partly cause people were not doing their jobs.

Yes, pretty much everything we hear on the radio is either "payola" or agreements behind the scenes, same for the big platform playlists. It's not as simple as "oh no, they don't like your song!", especially for big names like her.

Radio 1 maybe is different cause it's the BBC in the end and it's a public broadcaster. But in the end they have to play songs that take off anyway, like Kylie's "Padam Padam". If any of Madonna's 10s singles have had proper support and success, BBC would have had to play it in the end.

Hmmm but radio stopped playing Madonna quite some time ago especially in the USA (2003 ish.) Yes they played 4 Minutes but that was all really since then.

Also the Kylie situation is very recent. I can't think of many older artists that have had that kind of radio support in recent years in the UK. I believe all the others were features with younger artists. (Eg Elton John.) It is just a fact that radio stations that have a young demographic don't want to play older artists because it isn't cool for their listeners. I don't think it is entirely the fault of radio but a reality of what young audiences want also. If 90% of their actual listeners were genuinely requesting Madonna they'd probably play her. But that won't happen.

It should be noted too that Radio 1 never really got behind Padam Padam. I believe they playlisted it in the end once it became a hit but it was not on high rotation and it took A LOT for them to give in.

[Aiwa08 18,488]

4 hours ago, Blue Jean said:

Because it’s shit

Congratulations. You have won the Madonna's True-Fan™ number #1 pin. Now you can stop spewing bile like the girl from The Exorcist every time MDNA is mentioned.

[DoneGone 16,711]

2 hours ago, Blue Jean said:

Hmmm but radio stopped playing Madonna quite some time ago especially in the USA (2003 ish.) Yes they played 4 Minutes but that was all really since then.

Also the Kylie situation is very recent. I can't think of many older artists that have had that kind of radio support in recent years in the UK. I believe all the others were features with younger artists. (Eg Elton John.) It is just a fact that radio stations that have a young demographic don't want to play older artists because it isn't cool for their listeners. I don't think it is entirely the fault of radio but a reality of what young audiences want also. If 90% of their actual listeners were genuinely requesting Madonna they'd probably play her. But that won't happen.

It should be noted too that Radio 1 never really got behind Padam Padam. I believe they playlisted it in the end once it became a hit but it was not on high rotation and it took A LOT for them to give in.

Age is an issue, definitely - and the "American Life" backlash another one to consider too. But let's check her radio positions for her singles from 2000 in the US to try to get a clearer idea.

There were two radio charts she was in: US Mainstream Top 40 (the most popular song of a panel of Top 40 radio stations in the US) and US Adult Top 40 (same but focused on adult Top 40 radio stations).

- Music: #2 Mainstream / #16 Adult

- Don't Tell Me: #4 Mainstream / #4 Adult

- What It Feels Like For A Girl: #14 Mainstream / #24 Adult

- Die Another Day: #4 Mainstream / #23 Adult

- American Life: #27 Mainstream / #- (Didn't chart) Adult

- Hollywood: #- (Didn't chart) Mainstream / #35 Adult

- Me Against The Music: #11 Mainstream / #- (Didn't chart) Adult

- Nothing Fails: #- (Didn't chart) Mainstream / #- (Didn't chart) Adult

- Love Profusion: #- (Didn't chart) Mainstream / #- (Didn't chart) Adult

- Hung Up: #17 Mainstream / #16 Adult

- Sorry: #- (Didn't chart) Mainstream / #36 Adult

- Get Together: #- (Didn't chart) Mainstream / #- (Didn't chart) Adult

- Jump: #- (Didn't chart) Mainstream / #- (Didn't chart) Adult

- 4 Minutes: #5 Mainstream / #20 Adult

- Give It 2 Me: #- (Didn't chart) Mainstream / #- (Didn't chart) Adult

- Nothing Fails: #- (Didn't chart) Mainstream / #- (Didn't chart) Adult

- Celebration: #- (Didn't chart) Mainstream / #33 Adult

- Revolver: #- (Didn't chart) Mainstream / #- (Didn't chart) Adult

- Give Me All Your Luvin': #24 Mainstream / #33 Adult

- Girl Gone Wild: #38 Mainstream / #- (Didn't chart) Adult

- Turn Up The Radio: #- (Didn't chart) Mainstream / #- (Didn't chart) Adult

- Living For Love #36 Mainstream / #- (Didn't chart) Adult

- Ghosttown: #- (Didn't chart) Mainstream / #38 Adult

- Bitch I'm Madonna: #- (Didn't chart) Mainstream / #- (Didn't chart) Adult

- Medellín: #- (Didn't chart) Mainstream / #- (Didn't chart) Adult

- Crave: #- (Didn't chart) Mainstream / #34 Adult

- I Rise: #- (Didn't chart) Mainstream / #- (Didn't chart) Adult

- I Don't Search I Find: #- (Didn't chart) Mainstream / #- (Didn't chart) Adult

- Popular: #27 Mainstream / #- (Didn't chart) Adult

Conclusions:

There was an obvious decline after the "American Life" fiasco. Yet, Warner managed to get good radio support for every first single of every Warner album after. There was a clear shift into Adult from "Hung Up", I guess it was easier for them to place her there, and eventually that's all they got for her with "Celebration".

Gotta say I thought in my mind the Interscope years had been worse in terms of US radio support. I was wrong!

While nothing extraordinary, "GMAYL" and "Girl Gone Wild" were Top 30 and Top 40 on Mainstream radio, while "Living For Love" and "Ghosttown" were Top 40 Mainstream and Adult and later "Crave" Top 40 Adult.

With "Popular" now she's back in to Mainstream Top 30 for the first time since "Give Me All Your Luvin'".

[Scottyx 9,286]

8 hours ago, Blue Jean said:

Details please

The real meaning of like a prayer down on my knees lol

[Adonna 21,406]

3 hours ago, Prayer said:

Conclusions:

There was an obvious decline after the "American Life" fiasco. Yet, Warner managed to get good radio support for every first single of every Warner album after. There was a clear shift into Adult from "Hung Up", I guess it was easier for them to place her there, and eventually that's all they got for her with "Celebration".

Gotta say I thought in my mind the Interscope years had been worse in terms of US radio support. I was wrong!

While nothing extraordinary, "GMAYL" and "Girl Gone Wild" were Top 30 and Top 40 on Mainstream radio, while "Living For Love" and "Ghosttown" were Top 40 Mainstream and Adult and later "Crave" Top 40 Adult.

With "Popular" now she's back in to Mainstream Top 30 for the first time since "Give Me All Your Luvin'".

Yes, and I would even go as far and say especially in the U.S. there seem to be a decline to play her on the radio after Music album.  Though Die Another Day did decently well.  But after that, it all began to really go down hill for her regarding radio support. 

I am glad the LFL, GT and Crave for top 40 support, but we all know those appeal to the older crowd and like you said, it was that "extraordinary".

As for "Popular" that's all due The Weeknd.  If that was a Madonna solo track it wouldn't gotten as far for sure.  I think we all know that.  I also don't think there is much possible for her to ever have a solo track to go mainstream top 40, but I'd love to be proven wrong. I'm willing to say, "anything is still possible", but likely?  I doubt it.

[Diieeego 294]

Getting back to the Warner deal, even though some people insist that nothing was promised, I think we can all agree that not celebrating the 40th anniversary of the debut (besides an Instagram post of her dancing to lucky star and the release of lucky star to streaming) is a huge missed opportunity and makes no sense commercially

i am really disappointed :(

[DoneGone 16,711]

3 minutes ago, Diieeego said:

Getting back to the Warner deal, even though some people insist that nothing was promised, I think we can all agree that not celebrating the 40th anniversary of the debut (besides an Instagram post of her dancing to lucky star and the release of lucky star to streaming) is a huge missed opportunity and makes no sense commercially

i am really disappointed :(

It is but it's the way it is, it can't be changed now.

Maybe they still wanted to milk "FEL" with the rainbow edition and hopefully they'll have proper plans for this Fall or whatever. They'll let us know I guess.

[Adonna 21,406]

9 minutes ago, Diieeego said:

Getting back to the Warner deal, even though some people insist that nothing was promised, I think we can all agree that not celebrating the 40th anniversary of the debut (besides an Instagram post of her dancing to lucky star and the release of lucky star to streaming) is a huge missed opportunity and makes no sense commercially

i am really disappointed :(

I do understand your disappointment.  I agree it seems to be a missed opportunity to not at least have announced pre-orders for a re-issued expanded set of the debut album.  Who knows when it will be , but I'm also thinking there might be more to come in the coming weeks. I guess we'll have to continue to wait and see.  It's pretty likely we'll get a re-issue before the year is out. 

[Would You Like To Try 9,492]

I don't find the point of releasing it now there's not enough material to be milked that isn't on digital or streaming,only the UK mixes of Everybody and perhaps the original album versions of certain songs

[Brendanlovesu1 13,458]

Guy's statement informing us that M was in ICU also included the prhase 'at this time we will need to pause ALL commintments including the tour' I don't think it's a stretch to include any reissues along with this even though the priority would be the tour?

[Adonna 21,406]

1 minute ago, Brendanlovesu1 said:

Guy's statement informing us that M was in ICU also included the prhase 'at this time we will need to pause ALL commintments including the tour' I don't think it's a stretch to include any reissues along with this even though the priority would be the tour?

To be completely honest, I don't see how "pausing" the release of the debut album re-issue really would be necessary? But I guess it's easy to think that now, since nothing has happened yet. If anything, I would think going ahead with a re-issue would help the moral of the fans and generate more positivity and interest due to the circumstances. Oh well, it is what it is. 

[wtg1987 10,650]

21 minutes ago, Diieeego said:

Getting back to the Warner deal, even though some people insist that nothing was promised, I think we can all agree that not celebrating the 40th anniversary of the debut (besides an Instagram post of her dancing to lucky star and the release of lucky star to streaming) is a huge missed opportunity and makes no sense commercially

i am really disappointed :(

it does but considering this whole campaign has been (imo ) a huge let down im not surprised - all we have had are poorly upscaled videos - songs dumped onto digital to please the phone/streaming abusers and hologram sleeves for the vinyl lovers - none of these were what i expected the deal to be - i was expecting Prince legacy releases (landmark) which included multiple versions of both music and video content -most of which had never been released before and yes i know his deal is different as he is sadly no longer with us - the statement from warner (which i think we have talked to death over) said releases fans have been asking for for years(to me that translates at demos, concert dvds etc ... ) heck - they still havent put out the madame x tour on a physical release yet...

like i said M's health and the upcoming tour is all i think that shes interested in at the moment ...

[MikeyK 989]

9 hours ago, BuggedOut said:

I’ve said the same thing.

Living for Love isn’t bad, but it’s really not single worthy to me.

Bitch shoulda been the first single followed by Ghosttown.

In hindsight yes. But at the time it prob seemed like a real gamble. Don’t forget how divisive that song was, especially at first.

It was hard to predict if it would’ve been embraced or another Girl Gone Wild.

LFL is boring but safe and a (half assed) attempt to recapture classic Madonna vibe.

Also it was solo. People had been griping about how she was relying on features on her prior two albums. Which she was, and needed to.

They prob figured they’d try LFL and GT w/her solo. Both flopped, and BIM got the most engagement. It was a total crapshoot. And the leaks. The whole era was a mess.

[cosmic_system 3,388]

37 minutes ago, tscott said:

To be completely honest, I don't see how "pausing" the release of the debut album re-issue really would be necessary? But I guess it's easy to think that now, since nothing has happened yet. If anything, I would think going ahead with a re-issue would help the moral of the fans and generate more positivity and interest due to the circumstances. Oh well, it is what it is. 

Well we know that the Madame X vinyl was “cancelled/postponed” because of her health. So it’s very possibile the same happened with the first album reissue. 
Also, as much as I’m disappointed too, I don’t think other reissue from other artists (McCartney, Prince etc) were released the same day the original album was released. With the tour paused till October maybe a fall release makes more sense at this point. Summer is usually a very slow period for new releases. The Hello Nasty 25th by Beastie Boys (that it’s actually a reprint of an old deluxe edition) is going to be released in September. The anniversary was this month.  

[scamper 2,046]

I still think that the problem is that the tour was cancelled in USA. When she was going to start the tour in July, I thought on it as a whole. I guess they were thinking something like "With the first concert all the news will talk about Madonna, so that's the moment to announce the pre-sales for the reussie of the album". I know a lot of people that buy the albums after watching the concerts, so I guess that's all they wanted. The fans will buy it (and wait for it, we always do) and it will be easy for them to promote it to the general public when she's on tour and all the countries she visit will talk about it.

I even think that the "all commintments" thing could be some interviews for some magazines talking about the tour and the album at the same time. She could make it by telephone or mail and send some new pictures (if she has done new sessions for the tour book) and things like that, you know what I mean. But, as I said, is what I think. Mayebe we get nothing but I'm a believer--- so I'm sure we'll have something as soon as she's completly recovered.

[Adonna 21,406]

22 minutes ago, cosmic_system said:

Well we know that the Madame X vinyl was “cancelled/postponed” because of her health. So it’s very possibile the same happened with the first album reissue. 
Also, as much as I’m disappointed too, I don’t think other reissue from other artists (McCartney, Prince etc) were released the same day the original album was released. With the tour paused till October maybe a fall release makes more sense at this point. Summer is usually a very slow period for new releases. The Hello Nasty 25th by Beastie Boys (that it’s actually a reprint of an old deluxe edition) is going to be released in September. The anniversary was this month.  

I guess I missed it?  How do we "know that the Madame X Vinyl was cancelled/postponed because of her health issue"? I don't recall anyone official even announcing this release yet, nor mention it was cancelled or postponed because of her health.

But I do agree what you are saying regarding the re-issue.  I've pointed this out before.  U2 announced a limited edition 30th Anniversary Vinyl weeks after it's anniversary.  I guess at the end of the day, it doesn't matter if it comes now or later, but I think we also know with all the publicity by the media currently surrounding the fact it's her 40th Anniversary could be good promotion behind a re-issue.  Also, I suspect a physical release is in plan, so with that we know (especially if it includes a Vinyl release), there will be a pre-order set, so if they announce it now, it probably wouldn't be until this fall we would even receive the physical release.   Also, the Beastie Boys "Hello Nasty" 25th and their official store is already taking pre-orders for their re-issue.  This is what I assumed would have happened on the anniversary of M's album. 

[Aiwa08 18,488]

1 hour ago, cosmic_system said:

Well we know that the Madame X vinyl was “cancelled/postponed” because of her health.

Why do you think that?

[cosmic_system 3,388]

59 minutes ago, tscott said:

I guess I missed it?  How do we "know that the Madame X Vinyl was cancelled/postponed because of her health issue"? I don't recall anyone official even announcing this release yet, nor mention it was cancelled or postponed because of her health.

But I do agree what you are saying regarding the re-issue.  I've pointed this out before.  U2 announced a limited edition 30th Anniversary Vinyl weeks after it's anniversary.  I guess at the end of the day, it doesn't matter if it comes now or later, but I think we also know with all the publicity by the media currently surrounding the fact it's her 40th Anniversary could be good promotion behind a re-issue.  Also, I suspect a physical release is in plan, so with that we know (especially if it includes a Vinyl release), there will be a pre-order set, so if they announce it now, it probably wouldn't be until this fall we would even receive the physical release.   Also, the Beastie Boys "Hello Nasty" 25th and their official store is already taking pre-orders for their re-issue.  This is what I assumed would have happened on the anniversary of M's album. 

It’s pretty obvious since it was basically cancelled/postponed the same week. Why do you all think a release already on a pre-release sheet was “cancelled” when it’s probably already pressed? 
The Hello Nasty is vinyl is already on pre-order (but again it’s a repress like the MDNA vinyl) but Warner can still announce the first reissue next month for an a rover release (or in September for a November release etc). 

[DoneGone 16,711]

Honestly I can't see why her health has made them postponed any release, especially the "Madame X Tour" vinyl, except there was promo planned for them... and that couldn't be really, cause she would have been on tour anyway.

Except maybe some kind of joint promo within the tour or something.

The only reason I can think of is that she doesn't feel like releasing anything new while recovering, that she prefers to wait.

[Adonna 21,406]

3 minutes ago, cosmic_system said:

It’s pretty obvious since it was basically cancelled/postponed the same week. Why do you all think a release already on a pre-release sheet was “cancelled” when it’s probably already pressed? 
The Hello Nasty is vinyl is already on pre-order (but again it’s a repress like the MDNA vinyl) but Warner can still announce the first reissue next month for an a rover release (or in September for a November release etc). 

The MXT vinyl never was officially announced to be release, so I really don't consider it has anything to do with her health and what has been put on pause.  But I don't disagree, regarding the re-issue. I suspect a pre-order can be possible at any time or in the next month. 

I think the main thing here is that most of us was hoping something more than just a digital release for Lucky Star.  LOL!

1 minute ago, Prayer said:

Honestly I can't see why her health has made them postponed any release, especially the "Madame X Tour" vinyl, except there was promo planned for them... and that couldn't be really, cause she would have been on tour anyway.

Except maybe some kind of joint promo within the tour or something.

The only reason I can think of is that she doesn't feel like releasing anything new while recovering, that she prefers to wait.

This is what I'm thinking.  I think the tour at most could have acted as further promo for a re-issue as she would be singing some songs from the album.  It would be a good tie in to the tour to have such available. A classic first album re-issue available to the public. 

[cosmic_system 3,388]

They wanted to release the live vinyl along with the tour. Just like they did with I’m Going  To Tell You A  Secret. 

[Adonna 21,406]

1 minute ago, cosmic_system said:

They wanted to release the live vinyl along with the tour. Just like they did with I’m Going  To Tell You A  Secret. 

But where is this coming from?  Who actually said this?  What is your source?  Other than a member here claiming he got a notice from Rhino for pre-order and then was informed it was cancelled, is all we got.  Other than that, we are still in the dark how authentic the MXT vinyl is.

[cosmic_system 3,388]

8 minutes ago, tscott said:

But where is this coming from?  Who actually said this?  What is your source?  Other than a member here claiming he got a notice from Rhino for pre-order and then was informed it was cancelled, is all we got.  Other than that, we are still in the dark how authentic the MXT vinyl is.

Nevermind.