Why has modern rock radio in North America shut Axl and Chinese Democracy out?

[badfaulkner]

Who the hail listens to radio anyhow? I listen to ChiDem 5 times a week and could give a flying wet one who likes it or doesn't like it. 

[Jus10]

poor sheep, at it again.

KROQ in LA was playing the hell out of Chinese Democracy.  No video ever surfaced, no tour ever amounted, and then other artists put out singles, albums, tours, etc.
The world moved on, and Chinese Democracy was left behind.

Blame it on the entire world, but you refuse to point the finger at the ONLY person responsible.

[Jus10]

Axl doesn't even care enough to promote the shit on shows which is what most bands will do. He didn't do anything but hand the CD over to the bigwigs himself then go into hiding.

Music is art but beyond that its a business and Axl's ego seems to stop him from doing business.

And maybe thats alright. Maybe thats how the dude wants it.

I don't see why FANS want to shove this album down everyones throat.
It failed. Enjoy it for yourselves and wait for the tour which is the only thing a fan of this brand can do.

~S~

Shawn, FTW.

[L_Haynes]

poor sheep, at it again.

KROQ in LA was playing the hell out of Chinese Democracy.  No video ever surfaced, no tour ever amounted, and then other artists put out singles, albums, tours, etc.
The world moved on, and Chinese Democracy was left behind.

Blame it on the entire world, but you refuse to point the finger at the ONLY person responsible.

[skitzocalypso]

Don't get me wrong when I say this, I love:  Leppelin, AC/DC, Black Sabbath and the lot of em', but seriously the Top 25 rock markets are not representative of what the youth are listening to or what is relevant in youth/young adult culture.  You have to go to satelite for that. 

You can test market the bananas out of the top 10 new songs you feature, but it doesn't mean you're truly representating what's going on.  I love Guns n' Roses.  I love the new line-up and the new Guns n' Roses music.  But, it's pretty obvious why it's being shunned.

Look at AC/DC.  Here is a band that has 199k Myspace friends.  They test market the new tune for a couple weeks and revert back to 'Back in Black' or 'Highway to Hell,' almost instantly.

Now, take a look at AFI - they have 936k myspace friends.  Like it or not, Facebook, MySpace, etc., are the new mediums and while music isn't a popularity content, based on myspace stats, it does say something.  So, in order to hear bands like AFI, you have to be targeting online radio, satelite radio, etc. 

But, suffice it to say, there is an overwhelming market out there for new music, but how much of it do we hear?  I'm not even advocating these bands, as much as making an analysis. 

Killswitch Engage, a band you'd only hear on satelite radio, has 515k myspace fans/friends and large underground following, to boot.  Bands like The Black Maria, a seriously great/breakthrough act, gets a pass from modern rock radio. 

Here's the biggest kicker, they've been playing the same tired Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, AC/DC songs since I was a kid.  I was sick of rock radio, then.  They have to realize their core demographic has grown up. 

Modern rock radio and payola are just as locked as they once were.  It's not called payola, it's called advertising space - I'm in advertising, trust me, I understand.  But, the biggest problem in all of this is, the true voices of a new generation are getting swept under the rug.  Forgotten. 

One of the greatest tragedies in all of this, is the sounds, the progressions, the style and the ideas of this new generation have been sold out to the status quo.  This the true demise of the record industry and tragedy of culture.  Guys like Axl see it.  They have enough money to fight for it.  They have enough integrity to capture it.  They have enough power to deal with it.  But, it's going to take an onslaught on his part to make it work.  To cut the fabric of white trash America.  To save rock n' roll music.

There are so many amazing rock acts, even on the local level. The industry used to represent these cultures and create rags-to-riches ideologies out of the youth.  Now, it's turns a blind eye and assembles acts, which can sellout on adult contemporary radio stations as much as modern rock radio.  But, believe me when I tell you this, Nickleback, Daughtery, Creed, Godsmack - this isn't rock n' roll.  This is the record companies interpretation of you (White America), based off a reflection in advertising and marketing statistics and sales.  This is how naive they know you are.

People have got to wake-up!  Believe me when I tell you this, too, kids drink alcohol, Mr. Budweiser Marketing GuRu.  So, if a terestrial radio starts spinning newer acts, you'll have just as many happy, healthy, horny 20-somethings ready to buy your product.  The kids of today still smoke cigarettes.  Play The Black Maria and you'll have just as many Marlboro sales as if you spun 'Crazy Train' for the 8kth time.

My band has been self-releasing records since 1998.  We would sign to a label, but honestly, there's nothing in it for us.  You need so much money, backing, press and support, it's rediculous.  We're not selling cheap.  This isn't even accounting for artistic integrity and the ability to write, create and sell the music you believe in, on your own terms, which, to me, is Rock n' F 'n' Roll.

Axl Rose is in a very fortunate position, but modern rock radio isn't going to back him right now, it's really that simple.

[DrRedFox]

Axl should of released this album in either 1999 or 2002.

[GNRVahland]

Axl should of released this album in either 1999 or 2002.

Shoot should.....

[deadxsouth]

Don't get me wrong when I say this, I love:  Leppelin, AC/DC, Black Sabbath and the lot of em', but seriously the Top 25 rock markets are not representative of what the youth are listening to or what is relevant in youth/young adult culture.  You have to go to satelite for that. 

You can test market the bananas out of the top 10 new songs you feature, but it doesn't mean you're truly representating what's going on.  I love Guns n' Roses.  I love the new line-up and the new Guns n' Roses music.  But, it's pretty obvious why it's being shunned.

Look at AC/DC.  Here is a band that has 199k Myspace friends.  They test market the new tune for a couple weeks and revert back to 'Back in Black' or 'Highway to Hell,' almost instantly.

Now, take a look at AFI - they have 936k myspace friends.  Like it or not, Facebook, MySpace, etc., are the new mediums and while music isn't a popularity content, based on myspace stats, it does say something.  So, in order to hear bands like AFI, you have to be targeting online radio, satelite radio, etc. 

But, suffice it to say, there is an overwhelming market out there for new music, but how much of it do we hear?  I'm not even advocating these bands, as much as making an analysis. 

Killswitch Engage, a band you'd only hear on satelite radio, has 515k myspace fans/friends and large underground following, to boot.  Bands like The Black Maria, a seriously great/breakthrough act, gets a pass from modern rock radio. 

Here's the biggest kicker, they've been playing the same tired Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, AC/DC songs since I was a kid.  I was sick of rock radio, then.  They have to realize their core demographic has grown up. 

Modern rock radio and payola are just as locked as they once were.  It's not called payola, it's called advertising space - I'm in advertising, trust me, I understand.  But, the biggest problem in all of this is, the true voices of a new generation are getting swept under the rug.  Forgotten. 

One of the greatest tragedies in all of this, is the sounds, the progressions, the style and the ideas of this new generation have been sold out to the status quo.  This the true demise of the record industry and tragedy of culture.  Guys like Axl see it.  They have enough money to fight for it.  They have enough integrity to capture it.  They have enough power to deal with it.  But, it's going to take an onslaught on his part to make it work.  To cut the fabric of white trash America.  To save rock n' roll music.

There are so many amazing rock acts, even on the local level. The industry used to represent these cultures and create rags-to-riches ideologies out of the youth.  Now, it's turns a blind eye and assembles acts, which can sellout on adult contemporary radio stations as much as modern rock radio.  But, believe me when I tell you this, Nickleback, Daughtery, Creed, Godsmack - this isn't rock n' roll.  This is the record companies interpretation of you (White America), based off a reflection in advertising and marketing statistics and sales.  This is how naive they know you are.

People have got to wake-up!  Believe me when I tell you this, too, kids drink alcohol, Mr. Budweiser Marketing GuRu.  So, if a terestrial radio starts spinning newer acts, you'll have just as many happy, healthy, horny 20-somethings ready to buy your product.  The kids of today still smoke cigarettes.  Play The Black Maria and you'll have just as many Marlboro sales as if you spun 'Crazy Train' for the 8kth time.

My band has been self-releasing records since 1998.  We would sign to a label, but honestly, there's nothing in it for us.  You need so much money, backing, press and support, it's rediculous.  We're not selling cheap.  This isn't even accounting for artistic integrity and the ability to write, create and sell the music you believe in, on your own terms, which, to me, is Rock n' F 'n' Roll.

Axl Rose is in a very fortunate position, but modern rock radio isn't going to back him right now, it's really that simple.

Damn skippy!

[LostInTheGarden]

good stuff skitzo 

if only we could get the bigwigs to buy into our point of view. maybe we could have a no-shit rock n roll revival.

 Another thing...It really pisses me off when I sit at home listening to my copy of Waking The Fallen, which is a perfect example of all that is right in the world of music, a flawless representation of artistic integrity and overall a basically perfect Album. (granted there are a few drawn out orchestral bits I could do with out) Only to tune into any of my local rock stations and hear Avenged Sevenfold "gems" like Scream (puke) and bat country (double puke) being hailed as such awesome songs. Hell I can't even go to an A7X concert anymore, the last 2 have been basically buckcherry shows with Unholy Confessions as the encore.

That's just one band I could go on and on.... All That Remains, Atreyu, Killswitch, ... Even the great Lamb of God lost a step or 2 on their last album. But I'm hoping that's just gonna be known as a poor album in their catalog and not the beginning of their corporate sellout/demise.

Call it "evloving" or "growing up" if u want but in reality it's nothing more than selling out and abandoning the ideals of their respective fanbases. those ideals being "be different, fuck the label bigshots, make music that you love and that your fans love, and for christs sake stop tryin to appeal to the fuckin fratboys and O.C. bitches"

anyways i got totally off topic and sorry for the rant.

yeah, play more chinese democracy

[dman1991]

very true skitz,  I would also say bands like zeppelin, hendrix and the other stuff you hear 10x a day on the radio have ties to the labels and are still represented by the label,  where as a lot of new bands are taking there own route.

[ina_s]

Don't get me wrong when I say this, I love:  Leppelin, AC/DC, Black Sabbath and the lot of em', but seriously the Top 25 rock markets are not representative of what the youth are listening to or what is relevant in youth/young adult culture.  You have to go to satelite for that. 

You can test market the bananas out of the top 10 new songs you feature, but it doesn't mean you're truly representating what's going on.  I love Guns n' Roses.  I love the new line-up and the new Guns n' Roses music.  But, it's pretty obvious why it's being shunned.

Look at AC/DC.  Here is a band that has 199k Myspace friends.  They test market the new tune for a couple weeks and revert back to 'Back in Black' or 'Highway to Hell,' almost instantly.

Now, take a look at AFI - they have 936k myspace friends.  Like it or not, Facebook, MySpace, etc., are the new mediums and while music isn't a popularity content, based on myspace stats, it does say something.  So, in order to hear bands like AFI, you have to be targeting online radio, satelite radio, etc. 

But, suffice it to say, there is an overwhelming market out there for new music, but how much of it do we hear?  I'm not even advocating these bands, as much as making an analysis. 

Killswitch Engage, a band you'd only hear on satelite radio, has 515k myspace fans/friends and large underground following, to boot.  Bands like The Black Maria, a seriously great/breakthrough act, gets a pass from modern rock radio. 

Here's the biggest kicker, they've been playing the same tired Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, AC/DC songs since I was a kid.  I was sick of rock radio, then.  They have to realize their core demographic has grown up. 

Modern rock radio and payola are just as locked as they once were.  It's not called payola, it's called advertising space - I'm in advertising, trust me, I understand.  But, the biggest problem in all of this is, the true voices of a new generation are getting swept under the rug.  Forgotten. 

One of the greatest tragedies in all of this, is the sounds, the progressions, the style and the ideas of this new generation have been sold out to the status quo.  This the true demise of the record industry and tragedy of culture.  Guys like Axl see it.  They have enough money to fight for it.  They have enough integrity to capture it.  They have enough power to deal with it.  But, it's going to take an onslaught on his part to make it work.  To cut the fabric of white trash America.  To save rock n' roll music.

There are so many amazing rock acts, even on the local level. The industry used to represent these cultures and create rags-to-riches ideologies out of the youth.  Now, it's turns a blind eye and assembles acts, which can sellout on adult contemporary radio stations as much as modern rock radio.  But, believe me when I tell you this, Nickleback, Daughtery, Creed, Godsmack - this isn't rock n' roll.  This is the record companies interpretation of you (White America), based off a reflection in advertising and marketing statistics and sales.  This is how naive they know you are.

People have got to wake-up!  Believe me when I tell you this, too, kids drink alcohol, Mr. Budweiser Marketing GuRu.  So, if a terestrial radio starts spinning newer acts, you'll have just as many happy, healthy, horny 20-somethings ready to buy your product.  The kids of today still smoke cigarettes.  Play The Black Maria and you'll have just as many Marlboro sales as if you spun 'Crazy Train' for the 8kth time.

My band has been self-releasing records since 1998.  We would sign to a label, but honestly, there's nothing in it for us.  You need so much money, backing, press and support, it's rediculous.  We're not selling cheap.  This isn't even accounting for artistic integrity and the ability to write, create and sell the music you believe in, on your own terms, which, to me, is Rock n' F 'n' Roll.

Axl Rose is in a very fortunate position, but modern rock radio isn't going to back him right now, it's really that simple.

Interesting point. I agree with it