Is it critical for Axl to have big hit songs on the next GNR record?

[downzy]

GNR doesn't need any more hits because they no longer play the "hit" game. To say that all bands need hits to remain functional is ignorant of the various realities facing different bands.

Pearl Jam, Rush, AC/DC, The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, U2, Def Leppard, Motley Crue, Radiohead, Phish, the Dave Matthews Band, most likely Cold Play at this point, Ozzy, Smashing Pumpkins, Metallica... All of these bands do not need hits to remain economically viable. For most of them if not all, they've all past their artistically relevant phase years ago. Guns N' Roses is very much in that category as well. This is not to accuse any of them of being incapable of writing amazing music, it's just an appraisal of how much the public cares. For most of these bands, they have their following and that's enough to sustain them. They do not need "hits" to entice an inattentive public.

And I'm not sure if there's much wisdom in playing the hit game. Much better to have a following that will attend shows regardless of hits. If your popularity is hit driven, think Christina Aguilera or Katy Perry, your draw will dry up once the hits do.

I think hits only really matter to label execs and hardcore fans who have some compulsive need for GNR to be the biggest band on the planet again. I look forward to any music released by Axl and his merry men, but I could care less if it burns up the charts or not. It has no baring on my enjoyment level. I'm at peace with the fact that the public has moved past GNR as an artistically relative band.

Cheers,

Andrew

Edited June 7, 2012 by downzy

[wasted]

they just didn't have the 5 mil -10 mil to do a real GNR video. They Chopper money.

[saber_]

If you want pop music, go listen to Slash's recycled lick extravaganza.

[wasted]

I don't think Guns ever tried to write a hit? SCOM was considered filler by Slash. Nov Rain was way too long to even get on radio. To me Paradise City is too heavy in the verses like There was a Time is.

With CD the visuals were missing. If you had Axl walking down sunset in a fedora for SOD people would connect with it. Or Mickey played some B movie monster for Shacklers it would enter the publics consciousness.

Catcher and TWAT are begging for big videos.

[finck6]

I don't think Guns ever tried to write a hit? SCOM was considered filler by Slash. Nov Rain was way too long to even get on radio. To me Paradise City is too heavy in the verses like There was a Time is.

With CD the visuals were missing. If you had Axl walking down sunset in a fedora for SOD people would connect with it. Or Mickey played some B movie monster for Shacklers it would enter the publics consciousness.

Catcher and TWAT are begging for big videos.

axl and robin tried. they succeeded. axl and robin have written a big hit single called better

[wasted]

Did they try to write a hit or just a song. I mean the Full of Anger part is not so radio to me.

I think subject matter is too deep or serious or whatever.

Sweet Child, Patience, Don't Cry really sold the albums to wider audience. My friends who didn't like hard rock or metal just liked the ballads but got the album.

They probably like This I Love or Sorry.

So Better as the action movie video, Sorry could be like the Don't Cry, This I Love the Nov Rain.

[spunko12345]

No, not at all. GNR could tour the US every other year until the end of time without ever releasing more music and still make millions in the process.

Furthermore, they could never release music ever again, never tour the US ever again, focus on other markets and make even more millions.

No they couldn't this is all false.

GNR's fan base in Europe is certainly not growing in 5 years time a full tour here without a successful new album would probably not be viable be , its shrinking at an alarming rate. Paul Mcartney would not be able to an areana tour every other year in the UK playing Beatles classics. So what makes you think Axl could do the same with GNR?. Paul Mcartney could do a stadium tour of major uk cities London, Barcelona, Milan, Paris etc every few years and make a killing but Axl and this GNR do not have that option.

[combos]

I see the danger in being that they release another dud track like Chinese Democracy as a single; thus further damaging the brand's reputation in America.

that song was a top 5 hit in america though, even without any cooperation from the band.

Top 5 hit? Really? Link? I like the song personally but...come on.

[finck6]

Did they try to write a hit or just a song. I mean the Full of Anger part is not so radio to me.

I think subject matter is too deep or serious or whatever.

Sweet Child, Patience, Don't Cry really sold the albums to wider audience. My friends who didn't like hard rock or metal just liked the ballads but got the album.

They probably like This I Love or Sorry.

So Better as the action movie video, Sorry could be like the Don't Cry, This I Love the Nov Rain.

axl and robin co-wrote a hit song called better together. but it wasn't promoted properly. so like the title track, had little 2 no airplay on radio. but axl did make a live music video 4 it. robin finck and lars are in it!!!

[DizzyReedsexmachine]

The General is the next big hit rock1

[finck6]

The General is the next big hit rock1

crossing fingers robin finck has a big solo on the general and that the general is released on itunes for the summer

[wasted]

Did they try to write a hit or just a song. I mean the Full of Anger part is not so radio to me.

I think subject matter is too deep or serious or whatever.

Sweet Child, Patience, Don't Cry really sold the albums to wider audience. My friends who didn't like hard rock or metal just liked the ballads but got the album.

They probably like This I Love or Sorry.

So Better as the action movie video, Sorry could be like the Don't Cry, This I Love the Nov Rain.

axl and robin co-wrote a hit song called better together. but it wasn't promoted properly. so like the title track, had little 2 no airplay on radio. but axl did make a live music video 4 it. robin finck and lars are in it!!!

In my mind it's a hit song. As in if a GH came out Better would first on the list.

On the release my focus was more on Shacklers, ITW, Scraped, Sorry and Prostitute.

I just think every song on the album is a hit.

[finck6]

Did they try to write a hit or just a song. I mean the Full of Anger part is not so radio to me.

I think subject matter is too deep or serious or whatever.

Sweet Child, Patience, Don't Cry really sold the albums to wider audience. My friends who didn't like hard rock or metal just liked the ballads but got the album.

They probably like This I Love or Sorry.

So Better as the action movie video, Sorry could be like the Don't Cry, This I Love the Nov Rain.

axl and robin co-wrote a hit song called better together. but it wasn't promoted properly. so like the title track, had little 2 no airplay on radio. but axl did make a live music video 4 it. robin finck and lars are in it!!!

In my mind it's a hit song. As in if a GH came out Better would first on the list.

On the release my focus was more on Shacklers, ITW, Scraped, Sorry and Prostitute.

I just think every song on the album is a hit.

the 1st chinese record has lots of hit songs. robin and bucket belt out AWESOME riffs and solos on the songs. an example is TIL. every time i listen to TIL i think "man, this should have been the first single and an EPIC music video." the video for TIL could've been bigger than november rain. TIL the song could have hit #1 on the billboard hot 100 singles chart. TIL is the best rock ballad since november rain. axl brings the phantom vocals. robin brings the best guitar solo on a rock record since slash on the illusions. TIL is huge. an example of what could have been for hit singles and videos from the record with proper promotion and buzz

[combos]

Did they try to write a hit or just a song. I mean the Full of Anger part is not so radio to me.

I think subject matter is too deep or serious or whatever.

Sweet Child, Patience, Don't Cry really sold the albums to wider audience. My friends who didn't like hard rock or metal just liked the ballads but got the album.

They probably like This I Love or Sorry.

So Better as the action movie video, Sorry could be like the Don't Cry, This I Love the Nov Rain.

axl and robin co-wrote a hit song called better together. but it wasn't promoted properly. so like the title track, had little 2 no airplay on radio. but axl did make a live music video 4 it. robin finck and lars are in it!!!

In my mind it's a hit song. As in if a GH came out Better would first on the list.

On the release my focus was more on Shacklers, ITW, Scraped, Sorry and Prostitute.

I just think every song on the album is a hit.

the 1st chinese record has lots of hit songs. robin and bucket belt out AWESOME riffs and solos on the songs. an example is TIL. every time i listen to TIL i think "man, this should have been the first single and an EPIC music video." the video for TIL could've been bigger than november rain. TIL the song could have hit #1 on the billboard hot 100 singles chart. TIL is the best rock ballad since november rain. axl brings the phantom vocals. robin brings the best guitar solo on a rock record since slash on the illusions. TIL is huge. an example of what could have been for hit singles and videos from the record with proper promotion and buzz

Obviously you haven't paid much attention to mainstream music or the charts since 1991 lol

[finck6]

Did they try to write a hit or just a song. I mean the Full of Anger part is not so radio to me.

I think subject matter is too deep or serious or whatever.

Sweet Child, Patience, Don't Cry really sold the albums to wider audience. My friends who didn't like hard rock or metal just liked the ballads but got the album.

They probably like This I Love or Sorry.

So Better as the action movie video, Sorry could be like the Don't Cry, This I Love the Nov Rain.

axl and robin co-wrote a hit song called better together. but it wasn't promoted properly. so like the title track, had little 2 no airplay on radio. but axl did make a live music video 4 it. robin finck and lars are in it!!!

In my mind it's a hit song. As in if a GH came out Better would first on the list.

On the release my focus was more on Shacklers, ITW, Scraped, Sorry and Prostitute.

I just think every song on the album is a hit.

the 1st chinese record has lots of hit songs. robin and bucket belt out AWESOME riffs and solos on the songs. an example is TIL. every time i listen to TIL i think "man, this should have been the first single and an EPIC music video." the video for TIL could've been bigger than november rain. TIL the song could have hit #1 on the billboard hot 100 singles chart. TIL is the best rock ballad since november rain. axl brings the phantom vocals. robin brings the best guitar solo on a rock record since slash on the illusions. TIL is huge. an example of what could have been for hit singles and videos from the record with proper promotion and buzz

Obviously you haven't paid much attention to mainstream music or the charts since 1991 lol

well. i think TIL is that good. whether it's 1991. 2008. or 2012 lol axl rocks the vocals. deep deep. robin rocks the guitar. not since slash is there a better guitar player on a rock ballad than robin finck on TIL. it's the perfect storm. perfect combination. 4 a big hit single and music video in today's market

[wasted]

In someways GNR never was mainstream even in 91 only GNR did Nov Rain type ballad.

It definitely seems harder to have a hit with a rock song these days.

But without promo well never know.

It might have helped if cd singles were available to buy in the record store. With some b sides. I'm so 90s.

[combos]

Did they try to write a hit or just a song. I mean the Full of Anger part is not so radio to me.

I think subject matter is too deep or serious or whatever.

Sweet Child, Patience, Don't Cry really sold the albums to wider audience. My friends who didn't like hard rock or metal just liked the ballads but got the album.

They probably like This I Love or Sorry.

So Better as the action movie video, Sorry could be like the Don't Cry, This I Love the Nov Rain.

axl and robin co-wrote a hit song called better together. but it wasn't promoted properly. so like the title track, had little 2 no airplay on radio. but axl did make a live music video 4 it. robin finck and lars are in it!!!

In my mind it's a hit song. As in if a GH came out Better would first on the list.

On the release my focus was more on Shacklers, ITW, Scraped, Sorry and Prostitute.

I just think every song on the album is a hit.

the 1st chinese record has lots of hit songs. robin and bucket belt out AWESOME riffs and solos on the songs. an example is TIL. every time i listen to TIL i think "man, this should have been the first single and an EPIC music video." the video for TIL could've been bigger than november rain. TIL the song could have hit #1 on the billboard hot 100 singles chart. TIL is the best rock ballad since november rain. axl brings the phantom vocals. robin brings the best guitar solo on a rock record since slash on the illusions. TIL is huge. an example of what could have been for hit singles and videos from the record with proper promotion and buzz

Obviously you haven't paid much attention to mainstream music or the charts since 1991 lol

well. i think TIL is that good. whether it's 1991. 2008. or 2012 lol axl rocks the vocals. deep deep. robin rocks the guitar. not since slash is there a better guitar player on a rock ballad than robin finck on TIL. it's the perfect storm. perfect combination. 4 a big hit single and music video in today's market

I like it too. I think it's a beautiful work of art. But come on, this isn't the type of music that goes into the charts. These days it's the Lady Gaga's and Katy Perry's doing that stuff. lol. There's no chance this type of music will ever go #1.

[Eu4ic]

I disagree. If nobody's selling music, #1 is a lot easier to achieve that it was 20, 30, 40 years ago. Also, people are starved for good music. Axl Rose could release a good song and go to #1 no problem, imo.

[Dazey]

I disagree. If nobody's selling music, #1 is a lot easier to achieve that it was 20, 30, 40 years ago. Also, people are starved for good music. Axl Rose could release a good song and go to #1 no problem, imo.

What makes you think that nobody's selling music? Loads of people are selling music, it's just that they're the likes of fucking Justin Bieber and all that shite.

[wasted]

They just need to put a single out before the album and in a format or way that encourages you buy it. Did I buy Whatever for the song? No the b sides. If they put out TIL as a video single with 4 tracks off CD II I'd buy it. So would most GNR fans. Hence it would go no. 1.

[dalsh327]

They don't have to have a "hit", they just have to have a song that has positive response.

The only promotion GNR have to do is Tweet and FB out the info about it. They should have it available for free for 48 hours (except for their fan club members), and after that, put it out for sale on Amazon and iTunes, and then it would go to the rock stations, and can decide whether or not to do a video for it within that week, but already have the ideas drawn up on what the video would be, or just release a "live" performance video (basically - what Van Halen did, and what GnR had done in the past) with some recent audience footage. There's no money spent in promoting it, they don't need a record label, and they get a really good idea of how many people are interested in new music.

They can put it up on You Tube, but have them prevent other people from putting the songs up without GnR's consent (or the one who already shuts down videos from being posted) I think they can get a sponsor if they did post it on there, so they get some cash out of it.

Video singles make sense if it's done the way Tool's put theirs out. I think if the video's big budget, it's a good way to pay off expenses from the video, and that's prob. why Making F-ing Videos even happened. It was after Madonna put "Justify My Love" out and sold like crazy, and being MTV didn't pay royalties, music videos are very costly for a band, even if it was a performance video, unless they were using house video. But I've seen videos where fan footage was edited in and looked professionally done.

GNR's an "established" band and that means it's kind of hard to sell copies (it's no different than any other artist getting older, he's not competing with Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber or Rihanna) but I would prob. do heavier promotion in countries where they're guaranteed radio play. There are countries where, if the song is good, people will support it, and it def. would compete with the pop stars.

America would prob. be low on the priority list unless it really took off and getting attention. The news about other countries putting GNR to #1 beating Bieber and Gaga would make people go "must be good" and being that they missed the boat on the free download, would have to buy it, or watch it on You Tube.

And being that GNR would completely own the song, could charge any number they want. 25 cents. 2 dollars . $1.50... it's theirs to decide, but it would be more money in their pocket than trying to get a major label, spend money on promotion, and not get much out of it.

The promotion for "Chinese Democracy" now would be handled completely differently than 4 years ago. This was also a time Circuit City was shutting its doors, and Rome was burning. Perfect soundtrack for the times, but taking the safe bet and the big check from Best Buy - bad move. And for Axl to be pissy about it and not actively promote it, whether it's a short theater tour or doing some interviews, worked against it. When he finally emerged to tour, people by then were familiar with the songs and what he had to go by on was the My Space hits as to what people liked, and when he came here, was prob. trying to get some fan feedback and have us ask questions about the album.

He is savvy with social media, so I think he has some ideas of how he would put new music out, but when it comes to distributing the songs and getting them played, he has to be more active in it. Even the "anti tech" artists are grudgingly doing it. I think the band is pretty good about this.

[dalsh327]

Did they try to write a hit or just a song. I mean the Full of Anger part is not so radio to me.

I think subject matter is too deep or serious or whatever.

Sweet Child, Patience, Don't Cry really sold the albums to wider audience. My friends who didn't like hard rock or metal just liked the ballads but got the album.

They probably like This I Love or Sorry.

So Better as the action movie video, Sorry could be like the Don't Cry, This I Love the Nov Rain.

axl and robin co-wrote a hit song called better together. but it wasn't promoted properly. so like the title track, had little 2 no airplay on radio. but axl did make a live music video 4 it. robin finck and lars are in it!!!

The problem with "Better" was that it was promoted a lot on the radio, but it was promoted on morning radio and you had a lot of DJs making negative comments about it and going "I wish Slash and Axl would reunite". Even though they don't call it payola, a lot of money is spent on getting new music played on radio, but now that radio's dead, would be pissing money away. GNR should have gone on Kimmel and Fallon - 2 shows that have a lot of rock fans, and just did a set. Even if Axl did a De Niro and gave one word answers, it would all be in fun. If they're interviewing the whole band, odds are Axl would let the other guys do most of the talking anyway.

Those two appearances would beat any radio promotion that was done, and even though GNR's appearance at the VMAs backfired, should have still performed live on TV.

I think going on Letterman would have been good, only because it was the Ed Sullivan stage. What Pearl Jam had done was cool on Letterman- they brought the fan club in and did a webcast of their concert for about an hour, and it was sponsored, so the band got paid for it.

[Dazey]

Top 5 hit? Really? Link? I like the song personally but...come on.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Better_%28Guns_N%27_Roses_song%29

Well that's not really a hit as most would consider it. Whenever you say top 5 hit to anybody they normally think of the Billboard Hot 100.

[Dazey]

Alright alright, I've tried to be nice. But at some point some of you guys are going to have to stop replying to threads you haven't read.

Oh I've read it and I wasn't including anybody else in the argument. I was just saying that in my opinion I wouldn't perceive that position in a relatively minor chart as a hit. I'd say the same thing if it was Slash, VR, Loaded or any other band. It's a simple case of numbers sold and to me none of the singles from any members past or present mentioned in this thread sold enough to be classed as bona fide hits.

Edited June 7, 2012 by Dazey

[Rustycage]

It's either top 5 or it isn't. Bending and stretching it every which way you can doesn't make it appear more popular than it was. That's just pathetic.