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Post by Big Red Machine on Sept 17, 2024 12:13:18 GMT -5
Anybody wondered what kind of strategies record companies and artists used in placing singles on an album and the order they were in? Apologies if this was already talked about. I find it fascinating!
For example, why did Hall and Oates wait to release “Kiss on my List” on their album “Voices” after 2 mediocre singles? Did they really think KOML was not as good as the first 2, or did they wait to save the best for later along with “You Make My Dreams”? What if Thriller were released way earlier for example instead of waiting until #7? I’m sure Thriller would have hit #1, for example, if it was released earlier, with or without the famous video. Do they release the best first or save it for last? Timing is everything. I wish we could go back and read their minds on these decisions.
Looking at the Hot 100 for 9/25/82, I always assumed Don Henley released Dirty Laundry first, but I forgot he had a minor hit, “Johnny Can’t Read,” which did not make the Top 40, and just wasn’t catchy and good like DL. Food for thought. Any other examples you were curious about or kept your head scratching during the Casey era?
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Post by mga707 on Sept 17, 2024 17:48:53 GMT -5
Anybody wondered what kind of strategies record companies and artists used in placing singles on an album and the order they were in? Apologies if this was already talked about. I find it fascinating! For example, why did Hall and Oates wait to release “Kiss on my List” on their album “Voices” after 2 mediocre singles? Did they really think KOML was not as good as the first 2, or did they wait to save the best for later along with “You Make My Dreams”? What if Thriller were released way earlier for example instead of waiting until #7? I’m sure Thriller would have hit #1, for example, if it was released earlier, with or without the famous video. Do they release the best first or save it for last? Timing is everything. I wish we could go back and read their minds on these decisions. Looking at the Hot 100 for 9/25/82, I always assumed Don Henley released Dirty Laundry first, but I forgot he had a minor hit, “Johnny Can’t Read,” which did not make the Top 40, and just wasn’t catchy and good like DL. Food for thought. Any other examples you were curious about or kept your head scratching during the Casey era? My go-to example of what was IMO poor single release order was done by Capitol in 1980 on Bob Seger's smash "Against the Wind" album. The first two release were fine, with the title track in late April following "Fire Lake" in February. But the third and fourth releases should have been swapped: "The Horizontal Bop" was the perfect summer release (summer is even in the lyrics) and should have been the next single released that July, with "You'll Accomp'ny Me" following in October. Both, especially "Bop" which only reached #42 in mid-December, would've been bigger hits if they had done so. |
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Post by dukelightning on Sept 17, 2024 18:15:14 GMT -5
We meaning mga707 and I posted about that Seger album in the 80s thread awhile back. I had said the first 2 singles should have been flipped since "Fire Lake" like "Horizontal Bop" as mga707 said is a summer song.
Of course the first summer song released in the winter by BobSeger was "Night Moves". That's understandable since he was starving for a breakthrough hit and did not want to wait.
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Post by jlthorpe on Sept 18, 2024 16:55:22 GMT -5
Speaking of songs from Thriller, I was thinking about this with "The Girl Is Mine" being the first single and not "Billie Jean" or another song from the album. Without looking up the reason why, my guess was that McCartney had a massive duet earlier in 1982 with "Ebony and Ivory", and someone wanted to capitalize on that with his Jackson duet. Otherwise, it seems like an odd choice compared to what would be the next three releases - "Billie Jean", "Beat It", and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'".
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Post by LC on Sept 18, 2024 17:24:24 GMT -5
Speaking of songs from Thriller, I was thinking about this with "The Girl Is Mine" being the first single and not "Billie Jean" or another song from the album. Without looking up the reason why, my guess was that McCartney had a massive duet earlier in 1982 with "Ebony and Ivory", and someone wanted to capitalize on that with his Jackson duet. Otherwise, it seems like an odd choice compared to what would be the next three releases - "Billie Jean", "Beat It", and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'". I think you're exactly right. I still wonder why Macca was the one chosen for the duet when there were other stylistically more compatible choices available (Stevie Wonder, George Benson, and even Marvin Gaye immediately come to mind.) |
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Post by UnknownEric on Sept 18, 2024 18:08:34 GMT -5
Also, Def Leppard releasing "Women" as the first single from Hysteria was a miscalculation. Long run, it really didn't hurt sales, but the album would have caught fire much sooner with a different lead single.
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Post by 1finemrg on Sept 18, 2024 20:42:40 GMT -5
Always was perplexed about the release of singles from Boz Scaggs' "Silk Degrees".
First there was "It's Over" which barely crept into the Top 40, peaking at #38.
"Lowdown" was next, peaking at #3. Should have been first. It was getting plenty of airplay on FM radio immediately upon its release.
"What Can I Say" was third. Missed the Top 40, peaking at #42.
Finally, the fourth single "Lido Shuffle" was released one year after the album debuted. Think it would have charted higher than #11, had it been the follow up to "Lowdown". Radio seemed eager for it. It was the highest Hot 100 debut on March 12, 1977 at #72. The next week it reached the Top 40 at #37. It was a steady climb of 10 weeks to the #11 peak position where it remained for 2 weeks.
In hindsight, "It's Over" and "What Can I Say" should not have been released as singles. Following "Lowdown" and "Lido Shuffle", the third single released should have been "We're All Alone". It had been a Hot 100 single for Frankie Valli and would become a Top 10 hit when covered by Rita Coolidge. "Georgia" would have been another possibility.
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Post by dukelightning on Sept 18, 2024 20:57:45 GMT -5
Speaking of songs from Thriller, I was thinking about this with "The Girl Is Mine" being the first single and not "Billie Jean" or another song from the album. Without looking up the reason why, my guess was that McCartney had a massive duet earlier in 1982 with "Ebony and Ivory", and someone wanted to capitalize on that with his Jackson duet. Otherwise, it seems like an odd choice compared to what would be the next three releases - "Billie Jean", "Beat It", and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'". The reason that Girl was chosen as the first single is that the people at Epic were concerned about the dearth of songs by black artists at that time. There was a week when there were no songs by black artists in the top 20. This was continuing a trend that had been going steam throughout 1982. With the death of disco in 1981, songs by black artists were facing stiff headwinds, many of them missing or not making it that far into the top 40. So a song featuring a superstar white artist seemed like a safe bet. Of course those worries were unfounded as it turned out. |
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Post by dth1971 on Sept 19, 2024 6:41:19 GMT -5
Speaking of songs from Thriller, I was thinking about this with "The Girl Is Mine" being the first single and not "Billie Jean" or another song from the album. Without looking up the reason why, my guess was that McCartney had a massive duet earlier in 1982 with "Ebony and Ivory", and someone wanted to capitalize on that with his Jackson duet. Otherwise, it seems like an odd choice compared to what would be the next three releases - "Billie Jean", "Beat It", and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'". Was "The Girl is Mine" originally planned as a Paul/Michael duet for Paul's "Tug of War" album but was recorded for MJ's "Thriller" album instead? |
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Post by Big Red Machine on Sept 19, 2024 12:19:44 GMT -5
Another one that came to mind was Duran Duran’s “Rio.” Because they released it so late compared to the UK, they didn’t have a chance to release more than 2 singles in the USA because their next album was going to be released shortly after. Many fans say they should have released “Save a Prayer” in 82-83, which was a much bigger smash in the UK compared to the title track, and an MTV staple. Instead of waiting years later when their “Arena” album came out.
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Post by Big Red Machine on Sept 19, 2024 12:23:52 GMT -5
Always was perplexed about the release of singles from Boz Scaggs' "Silk Degrees". First there was "It's Over" which barely crept into the Top 40, peaking at #38. "Lowdown" was next, peaking at #3. Should have been first. It was getting plenty of airplay on FM radio immediately upon its release. "What Can I Say" was third. Missed the Top 40, peaking at #42. Finally, the fourth single "Lido Shuffle" was released one year after the album debuted. Think it would have charted higher than #11, had it been the follow up to "Lowdown". Radio seemed eager for it. It was the highest Hot 100 debut on March 12, 1977 at #72. The next week it reached the Top 40 at #37. It was a steady climb of 10 weeks to the #11 peak position where it remained for 2 weeks. In hindsight, "It's Over" and "What Can I Say" should not have been released as singles. Following "Lowdown" and "Lido Shuffle", the third single released should have been "We're All Alone". It had been a Hot 100 single for Frankie Valli and would become a Top 10 hit when covered by Rita Coolidge. "Georgia" would have been another possibility. “Georgia” is a great song! He also should have released “Simone,” another great tune in his “Middle Man” album. Both get played frequently on the Yacht Rock stations. |
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Post by dukelightning on Sept 19, 2024 12:30:33 GMT -5
In this week's 80s A show is an odd choice for the second release off of Toto IV. "Make Believe" pales in comparison to "Rosanna", "Africa" and "I Won't Hold You Back".
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Post by rgmike on Sept 19, 2024 13:03:56 GMT -5
Speaking of songs from Thriller, I was thinking about this with "The Girl Is Mine" being the first single and not "Billie Jean" or another song from the album. Without looking up the reason why, my guess was that McCartney had a massive duet earlier in 1982 with "Ebony and Ivory", and someone wanted to capitalize on that with his Jackson duet. Otherwise, it seems like an odd choice compared to what would be the next three releases - "Billie Jean", "Beat It", and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'". I think you're exactly right. I still wonder why Macca was the one chosen for the duet when there were other stylistically more compatible choices available (Stevie Wonder, George Benson, and even Marvin Gaye immediately come to mind.) Macca and Michael were both on CBS-affiliated labels at the time (Columbia and Epic, respectively) so coulda been a factor. Of the 3 others you mention, only Marvin was on Columbia in '82/'83. |
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Post by johnnywest on Sept 20, 2024 12:51:14 GMT -5
Sometimes greatest hits albums didn't feature the songs in chronological order, or even come close. For example, in 1988, Fleetwood Mac's GH started off with "Rhiannon," and continued with "Don't Stop," "Go Your Own Way," "Hold Me," Everywhere," "Gypsy," "You Make Loving Fun" and "As Long As You Follow." The B-side was "Dreams," "Say You Love Me," "Tusk," "Little Lies," "Sara," "Big Love," "Over My Head" and "No Questions Asked."
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Post by djjoe1960 on Sept 20, 2024 13:16:01 GMT -5
The Beatles Red (162-66) and Blue (1967-1970) albums released in 1973 were, IMO, one of the best Greatest Hits/re-caps of any group ever issued.
I think that should be the model for ALL best of's/greatest hits product releases.
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