« Previous Entry | Main Diary | Next Entry »
03.24.06 11:40 AM
the ne-yo marketing success story
tags: music | ne-yo | marketing | t.i.
It started with Def Jam shipping 900,000 Units. And though the RIAA has certified In My Own Words as Platinum, it only means that Ne-Yo's debut album has shipped sufficient copies to sell over one million units at retail.
Released on Feb. 28, it was reported by Mar. 8 that the album debuted at #1 Pop and R&B. Overall, Def Jam's marketing strategy revolved around the selling of the single, "So Sick." On Mar. 16, it was reported that the single led the U.S. singles chart for a second week.
Currently Ne-Yo's "So Sick" is #5 on the Billboard Pop 100 Chart, #2 on ringtone downloads, #4 on hot digital downloads, #3 on hot digital tracks, #6 on hot r&b/hip-hop songs, #3 on the Billboard Top 100, and #4 on Pop 100 Airplay. In My Own Words is #3 on hot r&b/hip-hop albums and #4 on the Billboard Top 200. Crooner Ne-Yo is now a hot crossover act.
So it's safe to assume, at this point, that Def Jam's witholding of the single from iTunes and other digital music services until the CD was released was a smart move. According to Rollingstone.com, 120,000 copies of "So Sick" were downloaded from paid digital music services, and the singer sold 301,000 copies of In My Own Words in its first week, making it the year's biggest debut.
The usual practice of labels is to release advance singles, before the album is released, the generate a buzz. But since this strategy has paid off for Def Jam, other labels are now following suit.
Atlantic Records partnered with Sprint to offer fans exclusive mobile downloads of rapper T.I.'s King up until it's released on Mar. 28. This will be the only digital advances of T.I.'s new music available prior to it's on-sale date. In T.I.'s case, his sales will also be boosted by his acting debut in ATL, that's set to hit theaters Mar. 31.
As labels continue to struggle with record sales, there are going to be a slew of new strategies that buck against the recording industry's status quo for marketing an artist.
Also check prohiphop's Marketing E-40
posted by lynne | link to this |
TrackBack
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.lynnedjohnson.com/cgi-bin/pingit.cgi/709
Comments
what?
no rebuttal to bol's attack?
c'mon, the internets is watching.
posted by Bay Area Native | March 24, 2006 12:40 PM #
I don't mean to sound nit-picky, but was "Stay With Me" ft. Peedi not released as a single commercially? Just wondering...
posted by nOva | March 24, 2006 1:59 PM #
I hate to say it but the Ne-Yo album is quite good. President Carter knows what he's doing. It was also held back from the DJ promo CD rings, another leaky faucet in the digital music game.
posted by KB | March 24, 2006 3:46 PM #
nova i know that stay w/peedi is the first single, but the way all of the information that i've found is presenting so sick, it sounds as if stay may have been radio first single but not necessarily commercially available. which i find hard to believe b/c i had that track for a minute. but while trying to find this out, i also found out that this is totally def jam's new strategy...
as read on ask billboard in response to a question about rihanna's sos:
"Hi Mark,
"SOS" is not available at the Apple iTunes Music Store, likely following in the footsteps of other songs like Ne-Yo's "So Sick" and LL Cool J's "Control Myself." In Ne-Yo's case, "So Sick" was withheld from iTunes because his label, Def Jam, wanted to encourage consumers to buy the album once it came out -- instead of only buying a 99-cent track. LL and Rihanna are also Def Jam artists.
"SOS" is the first single from Rihanna's second album, "A Girl Like Me," due April 25 via Def Jam. The song, which rises 46-44 on the Billboard Hot 100 dated March 25, samples the classic 1980s song "Tainted Love" by Soft Cell.
Rihanna's 2005 debut, "Music of the Sun," debuted and peaked at No. 10 on The Billboard 200. It has sold 416,000 in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. "
posted by lynne![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.lynnedjohnson.com/nav-commenters.gif)
| March 24, 2006 4:30 PM #
i remember interviewing neyo last summer when "Stay" was the single of choice. He was telling all the journalist that he hated "Stay" and that his manager and Jay- Z and L.A. Reid were constantly arguing about his direction and marketing. Jay- Z wanted him much more hip hop'd out and he and his manager and LA Reid felt that he should be much more R&B, much more R. Kelly. (i can digitize the audio clip if ya want)
at my second interview with neyo he admitted that he won his battle and that his second single "So Sick" would be more indicative of what is style and flow is. he also admitted that the Jiggameister would jump on the bandwagon once he saw how audiences respond to "So Sick" and he wasn't forced to be thugged out.
SOHH, I ask, is the not making "So Sick" a single on iTunes and sign that Def Jam is great at marketing or it was a hold up in the process because Jay Z didnt believe in neyo's and his manager's vision for his career.
Jay Z has never really picked winners (except Beyonce)... everyone else on Roc-a-fella or Def Jam that BLEW UP are things Jay Z can claim by default. (werent cam'ron and kanye dame dash finds?)
posted by critic | March 24, 2006 4:47 PM #