Buried in the press releases and media coverage about the latest album from The Dixie Chicks is the inconvenient fact that, in terms of first week sales compared to their last album (2002’s Home), according to Billboard sales have plummeted 33%.
The drop in sales, while hardly surprising, has to be a disappointment considering the fawning wall-to-wall coverage the band has received in support of the release. Here’s how their record company describes the press love they’ve received:
- Taking The Long Way arrives in the midst of an incredible media blitz surrounding the Dixie Chicks, who were honored with a profile on CBS’s “60 Minutes” and appeared on the cover of Time magazine an unprecedented two times in May. The group was featured in a five-part series of interviews, culminating with an SRO live concert at New York’s Bryant Park on Friday, May 26, on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” The Dixie Chicks will sit down for an in-depth interview on “Larry King Live” tonight, Wednesday, May 31.
The popular success of Taking The Long Way is echoed in the praise the album is receiving from the press, which has been heralding the record in a flurry of four-star reviews. “Taking The Long Way embraces the depth and fury of classic rock while remaining true to the trio’s Texas roots,” raved Rolling Stone while USA Today called the album “Incredibly impressive.”
Entertainment Weekly gave the new Dixie Chicks album an “A” grade saying, “Fightin’ words and the music doesn’t back down either, on an album that finds the Dixie Chicks bolder than ever. With (Natalie) Maines projecting more passionately than ever, Taking The Long Way remains intimate and personal.”
“This is an album that has something for everyone,” said The New York Times, “old fans who thought the Dixie Chicks were at their finest in their fancy-free early days as well as recent admirers who are eager to see the band push beyond the confines of country.”
Rolling Stone closed its review of the album with a nod to the new Dixie Chicks single, “If you’ve dismissed the Chicks or need a new reason to love them, the epic, howling longing of ‘Voice Inside My Head’ will blow away your expectations.”
An yet, despite glowing reviews and endless media coverage, sales are down. While the AP report linked below notes a “cool reception” from country radio and fans, it fails to note that the Chicks seem intent on martyring themselves in that regard by continually demeaning the country audience.
Dixie Chicks Return to No. 1 on Charts – [AP]
I wonder if THIS thread will attract the same number of DC fanatics that the last one did. (Where did they come from? Did some DC fan forum link here?)
And just to intercept the argument they made over and over since none bothered to read the thread: yes, the Dixie Chicks have the right to speak their opinions. And we have the right to call them and their opinions idiotic.
I’ve never listened to them and frankly don’t care, but Kevin you seem to be ignoring an important factor here.
Re: drop in album sales from previous album:
Have you been asleep the last three years? Did you not notice that in that time all album sales have gone down 7-9% every year due to online downloading? This would easily account for most or all of the drop in sales from their last album.
An album debuts at #1, and you seem to be trying to find any reason to claim it’s a failure. Interesting. I’ll bet most bands would love that kind of failure.
Wow, debuted at number 1. I guess the big bad boycott was a major flop. Chalk up another failed attempt to persuade the public.
Oh wait – I bet we’ll soon see a post here stating that the MSM lied about the “number one” ranking – my bad….
Kevin,
I heard Harold Ford, Jr. say he bought the new Dixie Chicks album. I can’t help but wonder if he was a fan back when they were doing real country, or if his purchase was a political statement. Just wondering.
About the comment above that all album sales have dropped, I haven’t looked at the country vs. rock sales, but country music has been growing in popularity, and I assume, sales. Just ask Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw and Gretchen Wilson.
The whole point of the article was to use the same facts and figures see if they the could logically lead one to a conclusion diametrically opposed to the record company’s take.
I think I proved it was possible…
It might be a great album, I don’t know since I’ve not heard it, but it’s not selling as well as their last album. It’s still going to sell a boatload of copies, something that will be hard to call a failure.
The interesting compare and contrast case is the case of “The Da Vinci Code” which was proclaimed by the mainstream media as an abysmal failure, even though it has ended up doing very well at the box office.
Also, MI3 staring couch jumping freak Tom Cruise, was widely proclaimed a flop after opening well below the debut numbers of MI2, even though it was “Number 1 at the Box Office.”
Just sayin…
Look more like “Dixie Pigs”.
Don’t overlook the fact that rankings are affected by the competition an album is facing. Just as a ‘bad’ movie can open at #1 despite lousy box office numbers, so too can an album (or a book) open at #1 if there’s not a whole lot else out there right now.
And looking at the Billboard results for the week, it doesn’t seem as if the DC faced a whole lot of competition for the top spot…. some albums that had been in the stores for a while already and an American Idol soundtrack… it’s not as if they opened DC against Springsteen or anybody else with draw, did they?
Lorie, you mention that country sales have been growing in popularity but none of the artist have hit the charts anywhere near the DC. The only country group to sell more cds on opening week was Rascall Flatts. Huge artists like Toby Keith or Tim McGraw only sold 330K and 243K with their last album.
The boycott may have had an impact but the DC certainly aren’t hurting.
Well, they got the timing right. Maines basically recalls her apology, and the non cross-eyed one outlines the trendy “following” that she wants all between 7 and 10 days before the album is released. A cascade of attention from Time magazine to Larry King builds them up and presto – they’re number one! What a surprise – hell if they weren’t they’d be the laughing stock of the Music world if they aren’t already.
Why didn’t they just say that they were doing Brad Pitt, or converting to Scientology and attempting to bear children with Tom Cruise? I’m really wondering now when the movie about them will come out?
Just so they know, I am ashamed that they are from Texas.
I’m no fan of DC (okay I’m not a big fan of most music groups), but the bottom line is selling albums. The sold 526,000 copies. Thats way above #2 at 175,000.
I did a quick search and came up with #1 country music album debut (aka what the DC did) that was selling at 99,000 for the week. Since that is lower than the number 5 for this week, I am assuming it was an atypical slow week.
http://www.thatscountry.com/artman/publish/printer_2395.shtml
Rascall Flatts was at 721,000 the first week recently.
http://www.cmt.com/artists/news/1528558/04122006/rascal_flatts.jhtml
Bottom line is going to be how many sales they can pull in total. While I recognize that a misleading headline ala MSM could be written (DC sales slump 33%), why should their record company care if they are selling to people who are making a political statement with buying the album or really like the music?
Missing from your post is the inconvenient fact that there has been no airplay of this album, unlike the previous efforts.
As a previous commenter pointed out, I am missing from the sales because I listened to this great album on Rhapsody.
Furthermore, as a real Texan (unlike the pres, who is from Connecticut) I am proud they are from Texas. Again unlike the pres, they uphold the real Texas values – independence, integrity and honesty.
Lee: Are you so stupid you don’t really know the antique MSM phonies up everything they put out? They are always 99% wrong or just put out plain made up lies. If you haven’t learned that in the past few years there is no hope for you.
Borrow a dixie chumps album, make 50 copies and put them outside the record shops in a box marked free. I think that’ll work.
They had no radio play and still came out at number one – pretty impressive.
Music, Movies and books sale debut are often misleading, especially if it is a controversial one. Most of the supporters will buy or see them when they are first release. The positioning and sales are often manipulated to produce a positioning result. Give it a month and we will see a more valid picture either way.
Scrapiron: I know several people who work in the MSM. Nobody I know dummies up anything – nobody.
If you’re stupid enough to believe they do – that’s your problem. I could care less. Just be sure to repeat your claims often to anyone who will listen. Tell your neighbors, friends, and your coworkers at the junk yard. Tell them about the great MSM conspiracy Scrapiron – it’s your civic duty. Do it for America! Let the truth out! Engage!
The pathetic grunting of the right-wing sows as they slide further into the mud pit is amusing, but not instructive.
Lee,
Lighten up on the coffee, will ya ?
Lighten up on the coffee, will ya ?
I don’t suffer fools gracefully, but I’m working on it, honest.
Debuted at #1 out of 2, that aint all bad as You consider the major newspapers are in a similar quandry.
Who cares! Not me. The Dixie Chicks are arrogant stuck up bitches who’ve gone goth since they alienated 90% of their fan base.
Screw em. They can re-invent themselves and spout their bullshit all they want, but I won’t listen to their crap or buy their stuff.
Too bad musicians won’t just shut up and sing. They are right up there with the folks from F.A.G. (Film Actors Guild).
DC listed as # one album on sale at iTunes Store today.
Just FYI.
Having scanned the lyrics, I have no desire to buy this one no matter how sweet the music might be. But hey, whatever floats your boat.
Debuted at #1 out of 2, that aint all bad as You consider the major newspapers are in a similar quandry.
Translate this into English for us Virgo, so we can all share in the fun.
Mantis raised the point I was going to make; they haven’t released a studio album since 2002 according to the website, and we all have heard about what the music industry has been going through.
Also wanted to mention that while I do not listen to country or the DC, I think plummeted is a pretty strong word for what amounts to the group’s second-best first-week showing. 526,000 albums without radio support seems pretty good, especially considering the fact that according to Forbes, they have the 2006 second-best first-week to date for all country albums.
As yetanotherjohn says, the real test will end up being the overall sales.
Notice that the post is filed under “Fun With Numbers,” which could just as easily be title, “Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics.”
Clearly this is a successful debut, arguing otherwise would be futile, BUT much like big-budget Hollywood movies their sales are measured against expectations and their past successes. In that respect the “success” of the album (and more importantly the tour) is still anyones guess.
Why were they listed in the country charts if they say they aren’t a country band anymore?
It debuted at number one. No matter which way you spin it that pretty much says it all. As hard as the right-wing blogosphere tried, they had little or no impact on dampening the release of the album — in fact, the DCs spun it to their advantage.
What’s next? Why not attack Disney due to its liberal employee benefits plan? — just let me know in advance so I can buy stock in the company before you guys launch your attack, ok?
The “buzz” and media hype has obviously helped, and I’m sure lots of moonbats who can’t stand country music bought it out of solidarity. Album sales will be clearer in six weeks or so – if it’s still selling strongly, there won’t be any argument.
Performers typically make the largest portion of their income from concerts, though. Their record deals pay them a % after x sales, on a sliding scale, but most stars have already received a substantial advance on their contract by the time each new album is released. Concerts = quick cash.
We’ll have to see how they draw on their US tour – that will be the best measure of whether or not their controversies have hurt them where it counts.
A lot of people seem to think all country folk are Republicans – I’m true _blue_ country not “red” country, I like the Dixie Chicks music _and_ politics. I would’ve been pretty embarassed if I thought that whole nazi CD burning thing had something to do with my country roots – fortunately there’s a lot of us out there that don’t get involved in that kind of nonsense. I’ll definitely buy the CD. Some of us here in rural states actually have independent minds and don’t have some robotic chip implanted in our brain that makes us listen to Toby Keith and vote Republican.
and I’m sure lots of moonbats who can’t stand country music bought it out of solidarity
Likewise many “wingnuts” didn’t buy it out of solidarity with their wingnut compadres. Actually, probably far more wingnuts swore off the record than moonbats who did buy it.
One small point many may be missing here is the power of Clear Channel, the right-wing communications company that banned the Dixie Chicks. Maybe they aren’t as powerful as they thought. Are they the radio arm of the so-called MSM, fading from power because there are so many other distribution channels for music?
People don’t tune in to listen to Clear Channel stations because they love the conservative executives and who they decided to ban. They tune in to listen to the music made by the artists. I know Wall Street doesn’t much like media companies who let their politics run the company and Wall Street ain’t dumb.
Better sell your Clear Channel because it was already a dog. Now it’s looking like a dog with fleas.
I watched the Dixie Chicks interview on Larry King last night and they did pass up a number of opportunities to take shots at Reba McEntire, Toby Keith and George W. Bush. They were really very restrained given the trashing they’ve taken.
Still, this morning the talking cadaver, Don Imus, and ugly-ass Bernard (don’t know and don’t care about his last name) were taking cheap shots at Natalie Maines about her looks. God, what irony.
This is how absurd you are, if #1 is something to be ashamed of, i guess you think Tobey Keith is a total failure. And Bruce springstin need to quit.
I am glad someone else noticed the cross-eyed dixie slob on king last night. I guess it is from concentrating too much on that record industry cock before felating it. Could we therefore say that she’s cock-eyed?
It appears that some people need to have an encounter with something I like to call “reality.”
Some actual facts: it is utterly common for a new album (or a new movie) to open at # 1. Stop. Think. Pay attention. Any new media event with the requisite hype will usually open at the top. How many times have you heard the phrase “the # 1 movie in America” used to describe a horrid flick that a week later had vanished? Movies like “Scary Movie Four,” “White Chicks,” and the last cheesy Rob Schneider movie were all #1 – for about five minutes. In short, it is utterly meaningless. And if you have a brain and a pair of ears, you already know this. (Unless you actually think “Freddy Got Fingered” was worthy of # 1 status …)
More actual facts: the Dixie Chicks were once the biggest act in music; in fact, they still hold the title for best-selling all-female group ever. Something like 11 Grammy nominations, countless ACM and CMA awards. So anything they do should be HUGE, right?
Fact: wrong! Despite all of the above, despite enormous publicity, the first single topped out at #36 on the country charts – and died. It reached # 32 on the adult contemporary charts – and died.
These are facts, kids. Some of you may not like them, but they remain indisputable.
This album – and the Dixie Chicks – are massive failures. Almost unprecedented failures, in fact, in light of their equally unprecedented earlier success.
Obviously, they will still sell albums. Millions of them, in fact. If you want to be intellectually dishonest and compare them to some no-name wannabe band, they will always appear successful. They will continue to make a living.
But judged with an ounce of intelligence, they are now abject failures – when they are compared to where they SHOULD be in terms of sales. That is the only comparison that matters.
Rest assured, their record company does not consider them a success.
The group will disband within four years, and your children will watch Natalie Maines on the Surreal Life Part 42 (and they’ll all wonder who the hell she is.)
Reality, kids. Deal with it.
Rest assured, their record company does not consider them a success.
They opened at number one, have been getting great press, and this moron tells us that in his “reality” he’s resting assured that the DCs record company doesn’t consider them a success? I won’t even address the rest of his blatherings — he’s not “reality-based” in any sense of the word.
Professor Blather is certainly appropriately named.
The above is total, utter blather of the kind not ordinarily seen. This is an argument so dumb not even John Gibson of Fox News would attempt it.
natalie maines on surreal life part 42–classic!! I can see it now….she falls in love with dennis rodman and ends up bitch slapping rosie o’donnell…
Success is a relative thing. If their first album sold 15 million copies and their second album sold 20 million copies they would hardly be considered a “success” if their third album sells 1 or 2 million copies, even if that would be wildly successful for a band without such high expectations. The notoriety helped them with a good start, time will tell if the album has legs.
Mission Impossible III is a record setter for Tom cruise because it continues his string of movies that have earnen $100 million plus but you will have a hard time finding anyone who thinks the movie is a success.
I wouldn’t walk across the street to see the Dixie Chicks but I felt the same way about them before any political talk started.
Let’s wait a couple of weeks and see how the album sales continue. I’m willing to bet that they drop substantially in a way that their album sales did not in their pre-sedition phase.
And let’s see if they get significant radio airplay anywhere — I know they don’t down here is Houston, and I don’t think they have anywhere in their native Texas.
Then again, it may just be that we are as ashamed that they are from Texas as they are.
Album sales for all artists slow down the longer they’re around . Look at Madonna, Pink, Pearl Jam, and even Eminem… they’re not the heavy hitters they were before. To go gold in one week is pretty amazing- considering the DC are alienating some of their original fans– yes it is lower than Home but it’s still number one.
What about DC basher TK? Toby Kieth, he’s suffered too, since he started bashing the DC. He debuted at #1 in 2003 with Shock’n Ya’ll and sold 4 million.. he has since to debut at nbr 1 on the top 200 charts. His next one sold three million and and and last year’s Honkytonk U has sold 2 million. White Trash with Money has yet to go platinum. Is this because he is a DC basher or because his music is getting lame and satellite radio and iPod have hurt sales? If you’re a democrat, then it’s because he’s bashing Natalie and supports the war and Bush..if you’re republican it’s because his music is not as good as it used to be and he’s not as popular anymore.
Either way you look at it, the two top dogs of country music before the ‘incident’ are both generating less sales. They represent the two extreme views of this country right now. You can debate and talk all you want and spin the numbers to fit your cause. The one number that can’t be bent is the Dixie Chick’s debuted at the number one spot.
The music industry is much, much different today than it was three years ago. The iPod has revolutionized the way people listen to music and to the way people purchase their music.
The sales figures don’t account for digital downloads. FYI, the Dixie Chicks’ new albums has been No. 1 on iTunes for two weeks straight. So, the 33% drop in sales is a bit misleading. I
Nice try, but album sales don’t mean a thing anymore considering how many people get their music digitally. If you do not like the Dixie Chicks, WHY do seem to care so much about what they are doing? If I do not care about an artist (like, say Toby Keith, for example), I do not waste my time taking note of his album sales.
I’m sorry that the Dixie Chicks are Texan. I’m sorry that they were once country and I’m sorry that people will buy thier albums. I’m not sorry that the country music scene wont take the credit anymore. I heard Gretchen Wilson’s new song and that my friends was an inspiration. At least there are patriots in music and patriots in America… thank God. I am so sick of people sticking up for those against the war. My Dad is in Iraq and when I heard the Chicks’ comments ringing cowardly from another country, I was no longer a fan. I never will buy another dixie chick album and all the people like me wont either. They’re getting press for being left wing, not musicians. They know this. That’s why they changed their fan base and when that fan base realizes they are still country singers and folk… we’ll see if the sales don’t plummit.
They’re number one for the second straight week… sales for the second week dropped, but it’s still enough to keep them at the top spot.
Well……interesting blog. The fact is, the DC’s have pissed off their Nashville fan base as well many others. If you like them, that’s great. I think they are arrogant and self indulgent and their lyrics support my opinion. Hey…when you are multi millionaires, you probbaly could care less what the rest of humanity thinks of you. But, here’s a fact. They are struggling to sell their tour. They are reconfiguring it as I write this. Ticket sales are off and the venues are too big. I’m in the business and that is death to an act like theirs. Rest in peace you morons. I give them six months before they split up. MAybe that’s wishful thinking.
The Dixie Chicks’ “Taking the Long Way,” which exceeded industry estimates by selling 525,000 copies during its first week, added 271,000 copies in the week ended June 4, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The country trio’s Columbia Records set dipped a respectable 48%. Out of the 13 albums that have opened at No. 1 this year, only four fell less than 50% in their second week.
In politics, there’s a concept called “churning” – what it means is that the group of people who support a candidate in a given state or area can change over nearly completely. That happened to Clinton – his base of support churned over at least once, and probably twice, in the runup to the New Hampshire primary in 1992. And frankly who those supporters were wasn’t as important as the fact that he & his campaign knew it was happening and knew how to capitalize on it – which they obviously did considering his surprisingly strong second place finish in that crowded primary despite all the allegations, etc.
Using a political analysis here seems to make perfect sense, so: The Dixie Chicks are fully aware of their own “churning” – and are taking it all the way to the bank. Case in point: at nearly every Starf*cks in this country, the new DC album is sitting right up front by the registers (next to the jazz, blues, and adult contemporary artists they also sell that you’d expect every white-collar left-leaning latte-drinker in the country to be buying).
You may be able to accuse the DC of a lot of things, but they and their label have no lack of understanding about where they stand. And they and their reps are being incredibly savvy about adjusting to it.
Oh, and outside the US, Taking the Long Way has already gone gold in Australia (it debuted at #2, just behind Stadium Arcadium), and is #1 in the Canadian charts for two weeks running as well.
It was also released yesterday in Europe with (of course) great reviews from the BBC, etc. Gee, do you think next week we might find out that it’s done well on the European charts, too?
Jean,
That might work inside the beltway, but in Tennessee, it won’t. The truth is, at this point, the DC’s don’t really care what their fans think as long as the millions keep running into the bank accounts. However, almost every big rich artist tries to make a difference and tries to be remembered for their contribution to society after they reach maturity. It’s like Clinton since you want to use that example/analogy. Clinton was a great President, but what he will be remembered for is a stained dress and a cigar stuck in Monica’s ass hole. That is the never dying image that will be the most relevant and pervasive memory of old Wild Bill. I can see it in teh history books now… In the case of the DC’s, their image will be that of a baby sucking a pacifier as they rebel against their own countrymen and women. This is their legacy. One of a whiny, self endulgent existence. They could have looked back in 25 years and seen their adoring public without any animosity. Now, they will be remembered for their stupid remarks, which by the way make no difference in the public debate about the war because no one cares what they think. So much for the churning. Looks like cottage cheese to me.
they still sold more album than toby keith though, LOL. and besides all album sales are down not just the dixie chicks
Most comments here are about statistics or politics. Yep, the album is pretty bitter but musically it is pretty damn good. Thats what music is about: expressing feelings and opinions. You may choose not to buy due to politics, but it is good music.
Disagreeing with someone’s politics is American & should be encouraged. Using programming power to restrict airplay & provoke listeners to take a position, is also sadly American.
It is, however, simply the stand of one dimensional beings, who in the early 21st Century, still perpetuate the might makes right theory of the human struggle.
That said: guys who don’t dig ‘ Chicks, ‘ I refer you to the collective wit of Ozzie Guillen. . ..
Tucker, you missed my point. What I was saying is that it no longer matters what Nashville thinks of the Chicks – it matters what New York, LA, Sydney, London, and Toronto think of the Chicks. And apparently they like ’em.
Let me bring this local for you, since I’m not actually a beltway chick and have spent a lot of time in Memphis. What I’m saying is that the DC’s fan base used to be more traditional country – rural, coservative, etc. And I have no doubt their sales have dropped dramatically in Tipton County. But if their sales have also skyrocketed in Midtown and among socially left/moderate white-collar FedEx workers, then sales are still pretty good. That’s what I mean by “churning” – and their label anticipated it, planned for it, and worked to maximize it. Their PR machine was astoundingly good at it.
Oh, and by the by, it was at a Starbucks out by Wolfchase (Bartlett, Tennessee, y’all) that I first noticed the DC album by the register.