Will Lightning Bolt go Gold?

[Frightening Fault]

I'm new to the board, so go easy. But my thoughts are that they are chasing some broad notoriety again. I think it's tough for them to get that with those who missed them post Vitalogy. It seems their is a massive cultural void for Pearl jam as a result of their pulling back. By this I mean a huge number if people who didn't know they existed particularly during binaural/ra period. Whilst many will argue their pulling back was a good thing (I do) it has definitely hurt their capacity to sell records and stay in the memory of people. U2 never left, and people just assume they are the biggest band ever no matter what they release. With Pearl Jam there is still an element of "are they still making records" or for younger generations not around for their smash records "sorry, who is pearl jam". The fact they get up around 500k for their last few records is pretty good considering how polarising their approach was in the mid 90's. I think their current approach of relating to celebrities is a strategy to get themselves out there without totally seeming as if they are selling out...by the way, I think LB will go gold!

[Frightening Fault]

Oh and think their best chance if crossing over and selling more records may be releasing Infallible (a radio edit version as the record version is too long for radio) or sleeping by myself...

[C4lukin]

I'm new to the board, so go easy. But my thoughts are that they are chasing some broad notoriety again. I think it's tough for them to get that with those who missed them post Vitalogy. It seems their is a massive cultural void for Pearl jam as a result of their pulling back. By this I mean a huge number if people who didn't know they existed particularly during binaural/ra period. Whilst many will argue their pulling back was a good thing (I do) it has definitely hurt their capacity to sell records and stay in the memory of people. U2 never left, and people just assume they are the biggest band ever no matter what they release. With Pearl Jam there is still an element of "are they still making records" or for younger generations not around for their smash records "sorry, who is pearl jam". The fact they get up around 500k for their last few records is pretty good considering how polarising their approach was in the mid 90's. I think their current approach of relating to celebrities is a strategy to get themselves out there without totally seeming as if they are selling out...by the way, I think LB will go gold!

I think they have been pretty consistent with their marketing efforts since Riot Act. The whole music video thing they have done with lightning Bolt is essentially the same as what they did with Riot Act. They are still not doing a ton of television performances. They have certainly become a bit more receptive to interviews, but most of the interviews they did for the new album were very controlled. The Fixer Target thing was a bit of an anomaly, but it seemed to work out for them in the end. They are certainly doing a lot more promotion these days, but they are doing it very much under their own terms.

[C4lukin]

Oh and think their best chance if crossing over and selling more records may be releasing Infallible (a radio edit version as the record version is too long for radio) or sleeping by myself...

No I think Lightning Bolt is their best bet, and maybe Getaway. They are both songs that could be played across multiple radio formats. Infallible is great, but it just does not have that cross media potential. It is like an Immortality or Sleight of Hand. Great songs but anything outside of an alternative rock station is not going to have the patience for them.

[Frightening Fault]

Oh and think their best chance if crossing over and selling more records may be releasing Infallible (a radio edit version as the record version is too long for radio) or sleeping by myself...

No I think Lightning Bolt is their best bet, and maybe Getaway. They are both songs that could be played across multiple radio formats. Infallible is great, but it just does not have that cross media potential. It is like an Immortality or Sleight of Hand. Great songs but anything outside of an alternative rock station is not going to have the patience for them.

I see your point, but Infallible is more accessible than Sleight of Hand definitely and maybe more so than immortality...not saying it's a better song, but more digestible for a mainstream audience.

[stip]

getaway seemed more immediately popular which probably makes it a better choice for a single, despite my strong preference for Lightning Bolt as a song

[armstrsj]

It has got to be getaway as the new single. It is accessible, a relevant message, catchy, the right song length for radio, and a strong ending with a rearviewmirror feel to it.

Probably just me and I can't pin down why but the "vibe" of the song reminds me of 'you only live once' by the strokes.

If the third single were to be infallible or lightning bolt, the radio edit would have to cut parts of the song put and I can't see where.

The nz/Aussie tour starts soon via the big day out, if there is a third single it might drop this week or next?

[Oh, Jimmy]

No uptempo or rocking Pearl Jam song is gonna catch on and drive to more album sales, imo. The best they can hope is one of their ballads catching on the way Just Breathe did. As awful as it is, Future Days is probably the best hope for something grabbing the general public's attention.

[warehouse]

pull a 'who you are' and release 'pendulum' as the next single. then keep writing good songs like that one.

[digster]

I think they have been pretty consistent with their marketing efforts since Riot Act. The whole music video thing they have done with lightning Bolt is essentially the same as what they did with Riot Act. They are still not doing a ton of television performances. They have certainly become a bit more receptive to interviews, but most of the interviews they did for the new album were very controlled. The Fixer Target thing was a bit of an anomaly, but it seemed to work out for them in the end. They are certainly doing a lot more promotion these days, but they are doing it very much under their own terms.

They also have been letting their songs be used in movies and television, which I'm pretty sure started with Backspacer (by this, I mean letting shows play songs from their newest record as a means of promotion, not writing a song for a film like Man of the Hour was).

[stip]

Man of the hour was used in the 06 Winter Olympics during some athlete profile

[stip]

When was that yellow ledbetter friends thing?

[Mine]

2004 according to this http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2149824/?ref_=fn_al_nm_2
Also WWS was on CSI NY in 2006.

[Citizen Dick]

Yeah, the strategy of releasing songs for TV shows started earlier than Backspacer. IIRC The Friends finale was a bit of a turning point which opened the door to the CSI one you mentioned as well as Come Back being used on Friday Night Lights, Nothingman in Californication, and that episode of Cold Case that played a bunch of ten songs.

Not sure about the US but in Aus their songs have been used in the background of sports shows since the 90's but that seemed different to being incorporated in a scripted show.

[C4lukin]

Week 1. Rank 1 170k
2. 2 40 K
3. 11 28k
4. 18 16k
5. 28 12k
6. 31 10k
7. 63 10k
8. 65 11,293
9. 60 12k
10. 40 ? Probably 10k
11. 41 ? Probably 10k
12. 28 11,511
13. 72 ? Probably 3500ish

My guess is between 3k and 4k for week 13. Album is dropping quickly now. Time for another single.

So some interesting factoids. That jump to 28 came when ITunes did a best of the year list, and Lightning Bolt was the first choice under rock and the price was reduced to 7 or 8 bucks. I think it is back to 12 now while a ton of albums are still at 8.

[KurtLeon]

It would be... shocking...

[WtOB?]

long road was also on scrubs in 2006.

[broken iris]

Oh and think their best chance if crossing over and selling more records may be releasing Infallible (a radio edit version as the record version is too long for radio) or sleeping by myself...

No I think Lightning Bolt is their best bet, and maybe Getaway. They are both songs that could be played across multiple radio formats. Infallible is great, but it just does not have that cross media potential. It is like an Immortality or Sleight of Hand. Great songs but anything outside of an alternative rock station is not going to have the patience for them.

I see your point, but Infallible is more accessible than Sleight of Hand definitely and maybe more so than immortality...not saying it's a better song, but more digestible for a mainstream audience.

Eh. There is no winner left. They are all pretty good Pearl Jam songs (better than Backspacer), but not good fits for modern radio. Anything other than SBM would blend into the other dad-rock tracks out there as they lack the mainstream verse-chorus-verse sing-a-long appeal of Imagine Dragons or the bland pop idiocy of The Script. Plus I would be embarrassed as a Pearl Jam fan if that "making love like the lizards" line was on the radio.

[Leatherhead]

Oh and think their best chance if crossing over and selling more records may be releasing Infallible (a radio edit version as the record version is too long for radio) or sleeping by myself...

No I think Lightning Bolt is their best bet, and maybe Getaway. They are both songs that could be played across multiple radio formats. Infallible is great, but it just does not have that cross media potential. It is like an Immortality or Sleight of Hand. Great songs but anything outside of an alternative rock station is not going to have the patience for them.

I see your point, but Infallible is more accessible than Sleight of Hand definitely and maybe more so than immortality...not saying it's a better song, but more digestible for a mainstream audience.

Eh. There is no winner left. They are all pretty good Pearl Jam songs (better than Backspacer), but not good fits for modern radio. Anything other than SBM would blend into the other dad-rock tracks out there as they lack the mainstream verse-chorus-verse sing-a-long appeal of Imagine Dragons or the bland pop idiocy of The Script. Plus I would be embarrassed as a Pearl Jam fan if that "making love like the lizards" line was on the radio.

Best lyric in the song.

[Birds in Hell]

Oh and think their best chance if crossing over and selling more records may be releasing Infallible (a radio edit version as the record version is too long for radio) or sleeping by myself...

No I think Lightning Bolt is their best bet, and maybe Getaway. They are both songs that could be played across multiple radio formats. Infallible is great, but it just does not have that cross media potential. It is like an Immortality or Sleight of Hand. Great songs but anything outside of an alternative rock station is not going to have the patience for them.

I see your point, but Infallible is more accessible than Sleight of Hand definitely and maybe more so than immortality...not saying it's a better song, but more digestible for a mainstream audience.

Eh. There is no winner left. They are all pretty good Pearl Jam songs (better than Backspacer), but not good fits for modern radio. Anything other than SBM would blend into the other dad-rock tracks out there as they lack the mainstream verse-chorus-verse sing-a-long appeal of Imagine Dragons or the bland pop idiocy of The Script. Plus I would be embarrassed as a Pearl Jam fan if that "making love like the lizards" line was on the radio.

Best lyric in the song.

(I like it too.)