7.1.12 - 7.14.12 Numbers Thread

I am not going to worry about radio play because Adam IS a star regardless of what the haters and naysayers may think. His biggest problem is that he doesn't really HAVE a particular genre. His profile WILL build over time because of the strength of his live performances. Did you know that even people who claim to HATE U2 will spend loads of money to go to their concerts because they put on incredible live shows. Adam will build his audience over time. People said the media would loose interest in Adam after the first blush of idol was over and the new crop was coming on the scene but that NEVER happened. The media is in LOVE with Adam much the same way they were in LOVE with Bono in the early days and for many of the same reasons. Incredibly intelligent, articulate, and ALWAYS interesting. I think the Grammy nominations will come because of his reputation within the industry as a generous artist always willing to support others and give credit where it is due. He WILL be a legend but these things do take time.

With record sales tanking the artists who will survive are the live performers and that will build through word of mouth. They are being SO SMART concentrating on promo one off performances that will build his reputation before planning a tour because they will get a good idea of what he is capable of drawing and I really hope that when they do book the tour they keep it to the size venues that they know he will sell out because that is the way to build. You always want to leave an area with the impression that your show was the hot ticket hard to get in to show because that builds buzz as well. The fact is that media is SO fragmented now that there are relatively few ways to reach large numbers of people at once. It is harder and harder to reach the levels that Gaga and Katy Perry have reached and they fall far short of the reach Madonna had in her prime I think. As big as they are they still don't come close to Michael Jackson levels. It has been said for years that reaching the level that Elvis, The Beatles, Michael Jackson or even U2 are virtually impossible because there are NO outlets to deliver the kind of audience percentages that were possible when TV choices were limited. I think had it not been for Live Aid U2 would not have reached the level that they did.

For all those who continue to say the Adam isn't all that famous, I call bullshit. He is a cultural reference and has wide media exposure and as far as the media is concerned he IS a superstar. Sorry folks but A-list is defined by the media and as long as they bill Adam as A-list he IS A-list.

You know after U2's second album executives at Island records had all kinds of reasons on paper for why they should be dropped and they presented all this to Chris Blackwell and he responded with one word: "NO". Two short years later U2 basically kept Island alive financially by taking stock in the company in lieu of royalty payment as paying U2's royalties would have bankrupted the company. He believed in them. It seems to me that RCA or maybe Sony overall believes in Adam as an artist not just as a make a quick buck product. They have given him more freedom and control than most idols have gotten and have given every indication that they are in this for the long haul. Until I start seeing grumblings from the record company itself I'm inclined to believe that. I do think there is still a difference between acts that a record company considers "artists" and acts that are "product". I think "artists" are judged by different criteria. As long as RCA "believes" in Adam I think they will stick with him.

I agree that Adam is different, but I think "radio" (or maybe I should say PD's) does not see him as any different. In terms of radio airplay, he is not doing any better than anyone else from reality TV, really. While NCOE is exactly what is being played on radio, I would say Kris's song could have been a HAC hit if The Script was singing it. And Haley's song, while different, would not be out of place on radio where Adele and Gotye and Fun are getting spots for their quirky/different songs. Radio has Adam and everyone else from AI on a pretty level playing field right now. Luckily, the media sets Adam apart, RS sets him apart, and --obviously--he has this very unique oppotunity with Queen. In general, the music industry has a ton of respect for Adam. As we have said numerous times, radio is the missing piece.

Just an update in Denver...100.3 (HAC station) played NCOE three times yesterday, after not spinning for weeks. Played at 2am, 6pm, 11pm. And this morning at 4am. So, not ideal times, but at least they're spinning.

I'd like to think requests are working here!