Billboard 200: GH Re-entered Top #100

[Roush]

Did you get some lotion for that mouth rash while you were there?

I can't hear you. I'm playing "TWAT" in 5.1 Lonely teardrops are calling you! Thaz 'da real shit!

[Kill Devil Hill]

Without fail, the anti-Axl brigade shows up to posture and put some spin on things.

CD sold 3 million albums, before the price drop. Whoops. How much did Libertad sell again? Hahahaha

Oh calm the fuck down. First off, we're talking about the price drop in America. In which Best Buy bought 1.6 million copies upfront, and then couldn't even sell half of them, even after the price drop; which is why it ended up here; with best buy stickers still intact . No hate, it just was what it was.

Yeah, yeah, yeah it sold about 3.5 million worldwide based on the best estimates. Let's pretend that wasn't mostly based on the insane amount of hype, anticipation, and mystique the album had for years. But the bottom line is it failed when it came to catching interest, having the audience begging for more. And that's important when it comes to the next album, if, God willing, there's ever another one. So it will be really interesting to see what happens if Axl ever releases another "GNR" album without Slash and friends. So much so, I'd be willing to bet you a hundred bucks that if the nex...oh wait...

Remember how I said "anticipation" doesn't last that long? Here's a perfect modern example: Nelly Furtado. After having a HUGE era with her album Loose, her next English album came out six years later. Its opening week (coming off a MONSTROUS era in 2006), The Spirit Indestructible sold 6k copies. The public had moved on. After six years, the public had already moved on.

While Nelly was not nearly as huge of an artist as GN'R was in both their respective peaks, remember there was a seventeen-year break from original material for GN'R. I still think it's a miracle it sold as much as it did. The public is really fickle, believe it or not.

Still, that was apples and oranges compared to this scenario. The amount of hype and anticipation was unlike any the industry has seen before. It was always going to sell a significant amount of copies no matter what. The rest was up to the actual music. And based on the commentary by average joe, and the fact that we all know Axl could stop playing CD stuff at shows, and the vast majority wouldn't even bat an eye shows the music itself, putting it as respectfully as I can, just didn't catch on with people.

That's exactly my point. After a certain amount of time, there is no hype or anticipation. Then you're just forgotten about. Like Nelly was forgotten about after a mere six-year break. As it is, Britney Spears barely scrapes by. I agree that it was gonna sell a certain about of units no matter what, but there was no chance it was going to become a mainstream success. In fact, let's look at Britney Spears. She has had fantastic success with her singles (since her songs are blending in quite nicely with pop radio... unfortunately), yet she can't sell albums well. And remember, this was the woman who STILL holds the record for highest sales on a debut week by a female artist. She didn't have a quiet break from the public by any stretch of the imagination (she had a lot more publicity than GN'R has had). When she started making albums again, she only debuted with 290k copies, and it was the first time she didn't debut at #1.

I can provide example after example of an artist taking a break and coming back with lackluster sales. I do think if CD had had a modern pop/rock song as its lead single, it would've sold a lot better and could've possibly smashed, but I'm glad it didn't.

Edited November 5, 2012 by Kill Devil Hill

[Roush]

Dude, Bobbo, all Slash did was reinvent himself with a brand new band in his 40s when rock music was on the decline. All poor Axl had was the "Guns 'N' Roses" name, $15 million dollars, and 10 years. Can't you see how it was stacked against 'em?

[Kill Devil Hill]

Regarding Slash's low sales, rock doesn't sell anymore, I hope you guys realize. Only Mumford & Sons really sell, and I'm not sure why. They're more folksy anyway.

[Damn_Smooth]

Bobbo-

Who's fault is it that they signed away the name again? If you want to say that the name has some significant weight, put the blame for Slash not having any right to it squarely where it belongs.

[Bobbo]

Without fail, the anti-Axl brigade shows up to posture and put some spin on things.

CD sold 3 million albums, before the price drop. Whoops. How much did Libertad sell again? Hahahaha

Oh calm the fuck down. First off, we're talking about the price drop in America. In which Best Buy bought 1.6 million copies upfront, and then couldn't even sell half of them, even after the price drop; which is why it ended up here; with best buy stickers still intact . No hate, it just was what it was.

Yeah, yeah, yeah it sold about 3.5 million worldwide based on the best estimates. Let's pretend that wasn't mostly based on the insane amount of hype, anticipation, and mystique the album had for years. But the bottom line is it failed when it came to catching interest, having the audience begging for more. And that's important when it comes to the next album, if, God willing, there's ever another one. So it will be really interesting to see what happens if Axl ever releases another "GNR" album without Slash and friends. So much so, I'd be willing to bet you a hundred bucks that if the nex...oh wait...

Remember how I said "anticipation" doesn't last that long? Here's a perfect modern example: Nelly Furtado. After having a HUGE era with her album Loose, her next English album came out six years later. Its opening week (coming off a MONSTROUS era in 2006), The Spirit Indestructible sold 6k copies. The public had moved on. After six years, the public had already moved on.

While Nelly was not nearly as huge of an artist as GN'R was in both their respective peaks, remember there was a seventeen-year break from original material for GN'R. I still think it's a miracle it sold as much as it did. The public is really fickle, believe it or not.

Still, that was apples and oranges compared to this scenario. The amount of hype and anticipation was unlike any the industry has seen before. It was always going to sell a significant amount of copies no matter what. The rest was up to the actual music. And based on the commentary by average joe, and the fact that we all know Axl could stop playing CD stuff at shows, and the vast majority wouldn't even bat an eye shows the music itself, putting it as respectfully as I can, just didn't catch on with people.

That's exactly my point. After a certain amount of time, there is no hype or anticipation. Then you're just forgotten about. Like Nelly was forgotten about after a mere six-year break. As it is, Britney Spears barely scrapes by. I agree that it was gonna sell a certain about of units no matter what, but there was no chance it was going to become a mainstream success. In fact, let's look at Britney Spears. She has had fantastic success with her singles (since her songs are blending in quite nicely with pop radio... unfortunately), yet she can't sell albums well. And remember, this was the woman who STILL holds the record for highest sales on a debut week by a female artist. She didn't have a quiet break from the public by any stretch of the imagination (she had a lot more publicity than GN'R has had). When she started making albums again, she only debuted with 290k copies, and it was the first time she didn't debut at #1.

I can provide example after example of an artist taking a break and coming back with lackluster sales. I do think if CD had had a modern pop/rock song as its lead single, it would've sold a lot better and could've possibly smashed, but I'm glad it didn't.

But as you said, she wasn't on the same scale as "GNR", and no artist in the industry had a situation quite like this. The point being though, audiences are going to buy what they like.

All I'm saying is that Axl had a lot going for him in terms of financial support, exposure, mystique, and hype. It got to the point where the rest of it was up to the music itself, and the bottom line is that the actual music just didn't connect to any audience. That's why CD failed and is seen as a failure throughout the industry. Nobody cared after CD fell of the face of the Earth after it's initial release, and nobody's savoring for more new "GNR" music without Slash and co. It all and all left audiences unimpressed and that's why it failed. Plain and simple.

Bobbo-

Who's fault is it that they signed away the name again? If you want to say that the name has some significant weight, put the blame for Slash not having any right to it squarely where it belongs.

That's a completely other debate in itself that inevitably draws out to three or four other debates that I've already gone through six or seven times on here. I simply don't have the time, I was suppose to leave for the gym fifteen minutes ago, lol.

Edited November 6, 2012 by Bobbo

[Damn_Smooth]

Have fun at the gym.

[Kill Devil Hill]

But as you said, she wasn't on the same scale as "GNR", and no artist in the industry had a situation quite like this. The point being though, audiences are going to buy what they like.

All I'm saying is that Axl had a lot going for him in terms of financial support, exposure, mystique, and hype. It got to the point where the rest of it was up to the music itself, and the bottom line is that the actual music just didn't connect to any audience. That's why CD failed and is seen as a failure throughout the industry.

That's why I brought up Britney Spears who had more going for her than GN'R. Her fans claim her "comeback" album is her best album (it's universally claimed as her best album), yet her sales don't support that.

Britney's probably the only recent star who has had that monumental success that GN'R had. And she had an incredible amount of exposure during her hiatus.

But even considering Nelly, she was still huge (just not as huge as GN'R) and she had a far smaller break.

The key is exposure. If anticipation meant anything, Rihanna's career would've ended by now.

[Apollo]

I don't keep track of album sales, can somebody update me how many total albums Slash and Axl have sold since they parted ways.

Album sales....solo work....Axl vs Slash.

Album sales......GnR vs Velvet Revolver.

Total sales for both musicians.

Isn't it funny how the Nutters say that album sales don't matter.......unless it is a comparison that GnR wins, then album sales DO matter.

[Kill Devil Hill]

I don't keep track of album sales, can somebody update me how many total albums Slash and Axl have sold since they parted ways.

Album sales....solo work....Axl vs Slash.

Album sales......GnR vs Velvet Revolver.

Total sales for both musicians.

Isn't it funny how the Nutters say that album sales don't matter.......unless it is a comparison that GnR wins, then album sales DO matter.

Same goes both ways, though, doesn't it?

Anyway, the album comparisons will always be apples to oranges. Axl was in a better sales climate than Slash AND he had the GN'R name, but Slash actually promotes his shit and his album is easier to track since it's allowed to chart on Billboard, so it'll never be a fair comparison.

What do CD and Slash even have to do with GH selling well? This should be celebrated by both extremes.

[Damn_Smooth]

Groghan-

Who are these nutters you speak of?

VR = 5,000,000 give or take.

GN'R = 90,000,000 give or take.

Axl solo? Unless you're speaking of CD, there hasn't been one. If you are.

Axl solo = 3 - 5,000,000 plus depending on who you ask.

Slash solo = under 3,000,000

Anything else?

Edited November 6, 2012 by Damn_Smooth

[chinaman33]

Adele 21 - 22M

Chinese Democracy - 3m

Adele > GNR

[Apollo]

Groghan-

Who are these nutters you speak of?

VR = 5,000,000 give or take.

GN'R = 90,000,000 give or take.

Axl solo? Unless you're speaking of CD, there hasn't been one. If you are.

Axl solo = 3 - 5,000,000 plus depending on who you ask.

Slash solo = under 3,000,000

Anything else?

Your numbers are not accurate. If you have to fudge the truth to prove your point......

Since the breakup of the classic line-up.

Solo albums......Slash has sold more.

Band albums.....VR has sold more.

Total albums sold since break-up...Slash has sold more.

Like it or not, those are the facts.

But I'm with Kill Devil Hill. To me it isn't a competition, and I couldn't care less who sells more. CD is one of my favorite albums of all time, definitely the best rock album of the last decade. But I also love the Slash continues to put out hard rock music every couple of years. We need more rock.

I will never understand why some people are so Hung up on this being a competition rather than just enjoying the fact both guys are putting out rock music.

Edited November 6, 2012 by Groghan

[Damn_Smooth]

Groghan-

I don't know why you feel the need to be dishonest and try to change your question and add stipulations after I answered it for you, and I don't care. Facts are facts and you can't change them by shaking your head and saying no. Guns N Roses has definitely sold way more albums than VR, and the only way to get an Axl solo record is to count CD as that record. If you don't want to do that, don't try to compare solo careers. It's that simple. It doesn't matter if you can't handle the truth, you're going to have to live with it.

[SweetRose]

Without fail, the anti-Axl brigade shows up to posture and put some spin on things.

CD sold 3 million albums, before the price drop. Whoops. How much did Libertad sell again? Hahahaha

Oh calm the fuck down. First off, we're talking about the price drop in America. In which Best Buy bought 1.6 million copies upfront, and then couldn't even sell half of them, even after the price drop; which is why it ended up here; with best buy stickers still intact . No hate, it just was what it was.

Yeah, yeah, yeah it sold about 3.5 million worldwide based on the best estimates. Let's pretend that wasn't mostly based on the insane amount of hype, anticipation, and mystique the album had for years. But the bottom line is it failed when it came to catching interest, having the audience begging for more. And that's important when it comes to the next album, if, God willing, there's ever another one. So it will be really interesting to see what happens if Axl ever releases another "GNR" album without Slash and friends. So much so, I'd be willing to bet you a hundred bucks that if the nex...oh wait...

Wish that I would have seen this…was in the dollar tree yesterday.Lol Only way that I will ever buy this.

[ChristmasFnatic]

I just bought CD again a couple of hours ago cuz my CD was dying. Amazon, you can get it for $2.

[Darkness Descends]

Well, to be fair... the current version of quote unquote Guns n Roses is promoting the greatest hits CD. Not a great cover band, but they are trying.

[dalsh327]

A GNR fan defending Chinese Democracy is like a Mariah Carey fan defending Glitter.

[Bobbo]

But as you said, she wasn't on the same scale as "GNR", and no artist in the industry had a situation quite like this. The point being though, audiences are going to buy what they like.

All I'm saying is that Axl had a lot going for him in terms of financial support, exposure, mystique, and hype. It got to the point where the rest of it was up to the music itself, and the bottom line is that the actual music just didn't connect to any audience. That's why CD failed and is seen as a failure throughout the industry.

That's why I brought up Britney Spears who had more going for her than GN'R. Her fans claim her "comeback" album is her best album (it's universally claimed as her best album), yet her sales don't support that.

Britney's probably the only recent star who has had that monumental success that GN'R had. And she had an incredible amount of exposure during her hiatus.

But even considering Nelly, she was still huge (just not as huge as GN'R) and she had a far smaller break.

The key is exposure. If anticipation meant anything, Rihanna's career would've ended by now.

But Axl had all of the above, plus exposure. The album was promoted throughout the industry very well at the time of the finalized release. I highly doubt Axl going on Letterman at that point would had have been a significant game changer. People were well aware of the music being released. They heard it. CD the single was all over the radio upon release. They just didn't take to it, and sometimes it really is just that simple.

Plus are people generally praising Chinese Democracy? The general feedback from the casual fan base is overall negative, and reception among the hardcores, especially around these necks of the woods, is divided at best.

Edited November 7, 2012 by Bobbo