Brian charts at #55 in UK album Top 100

[Andrew G. Doe]

 

[Mike's Beard]

That's a shame but it's also a realistic snapshot of what the majority of the record buying public are into. Maybe Brian shouldn't be so quick to dismiss the reunion after all.

[absinthe_boy]

Ask yourself what promotion the record has had over here. From what I know, two tracks have had decent air play on Radio 2, but I've not seen or heard anything else at all.

I maintain that the reason why TLOS charted more successfully in the USA than the UK was because of the total dearth of promotion here. As things stand, a Brian Wilson album won't be in the supermarkets, only places like HMV....and the vast majority of people simply don't bother with anything other than the supermarket any more.

[kwan_dk]

Obviously, all of us would have liked to see Brian charting higher but isn't it a pretty respectable showing considering today's music climate?

I reckon that with Brian as a solo artist the majority of his sales must rely on music fans who are deeply into his history & the Beach Boys' catalogue. I highly doubt that many who don't know about his past work would go out and take a chance on the album - and I don't think the Gershwin angle adds that much to the big picture. For that reason I would think that #55 is ok...

[Pretty Funky]

GIOMH reached #53 in the UK I recall. 

We have a winner!

[shelter]

I reckon that with Brian as a solo artist the majority of his sales must rely on music fans who are deeply into his history & the Beach Boys' catalogue. I highly doubt that many who don't know about his past work would go out and take a chance on the album - and I don't think the Gershwin angle adds that much to the big picture. For that reason I would think that #55 is ok...

BWPS and TLOS were #7 and #37 in the UK, respectively. So #55 is not really that good.

[kwan_dk]

I reckon that with Brian as a solo artist the majority of his sales must rely on music fans who are deeply into his history & the Beach Boys' catalogue. I highly doubt that many who don't know about his past work would go out and take a chance on the album - and I don't think the Gershwin angle adds that much to the big picture. For that reason I would think that #55 is ok...

BWPS and TLOS were #7 and #37 in the UK, respectively. So #55 is not really that good.

Point taken. I actually wasn't aware that those albums charted so well. In addition to a lack of promotion then maybe it's the Gershwin angle that has kept the album from charting higher then? It certainly made me less interested in getting a copy to begin with. (But I was pleasently surprised when I eventually got one.)

[absinthe_boy]

I would have thought that Gershwin is pretty well liked here. OK so I have a better musical education than the average person, but I've been aware of Gershwin for as long as I care to remember. I doubt the Gershwin connection would hurt sales.

I don't frequent music/record shops but I have not seen a single item of promotion for this record in the UK. It's had some play on the BBC radio station most likely to have the 'right' audience, but that's down to the BBC and the presenters.

[The Heartical Don]

Let's be realistic.

Ask 100 people in the street if they know who Lady Gaga is. I bet 70 to 80 say 'yes'.

About Brian Wilson: perhaps 10 to 20 reply in the affirmative, but 5 of them are referring to a Scottish politician.

So #55 is not that bad.

And most of the buyers of BW will have been 40+ anyway. We're getting old, brothers and sisters.

[absinthe_boy]

But none of that explains why GIOMH (generally regarded as an inferior record, though I will defend it) charted better. Nor TLOS which had about as much exposure as BWRG.

Up until TLOS, Brian's solo records had tended to do better in the UK than in the USA. Something's changed because the last two albums have done respectably on Billboard and underperformed in the UK.

[The Heartical Don]

But none of that explains why GIOMH (generally regarded as an inferior record, though I will defend it) charted better. Nor TLOS which had about as much exposure as BWRG.

Up until TLOS, Brian's solo records had tended to do better in the UK than in the USA. Something's changed because the last two albums have done respectably on Billboard and underperformed in the UK.

Hm. Perhaps it's just the BWPS momentum that was longer in the US than in the UK? At any rate, the importance of the differences can only be assessed if you know the absolute sales. If 'Pleasure Island' sells 3 copies in Timbuktu, and 1 in Turkmenistan, then Timbuktu wins by margin of 200%.

[absinthe_boy]

Somehow I doubt overall music sales are up on 2004 or 2008. But I take your point on absolute sales, it would be interesting to see if Brian has suffered more than other artists. I suspect he has, given that he's beaten by 54 albums rather than 36.

SMiLE was special of course, and generated a lot of publicity for the man. That may be why GIOMH charted at #53, the momentum was building up and Brian was in the media. I am not currently reading any of the music magazines but I have not seen any promotion of any kind for BWRG.

[Nicko]

I think that in the U.K. there is more suspicion about covers albums and they are certainly less popular. Reaching 55 is a reasonable showing imo as the album was always likely to do worse here than it did in the States.

[Mike's Beard]

I live in the UK and if it wasn't for this website I would have had absolutely no idea that Brian had an album out.

[Curtis Leon]

I live over in Washington. Haven't heard a single peek of evidence that Brian was even releasing an album. I had to go on this very message board to find out. You wanna know how bad it was? Best Buy only had one copy. And it was still there when I came and bought it. Pathetic.

[The Heartical Don]

I live over in Washington. Haven't heard a single peek of evidence that Brian was even releasing an album. I had to go on this very message board to find out. You wanna know how bad it was? Best Buy only had one copy. And it was still there when I came and bought it. Pathetic.

That IS indeed awful. I will start action tomorrow. I will buy a 2nd hand cannon, and I will shoot a couple of thousands of copies into the general direction of the U.S.A., home of Disney, and home of Brian Wilson. We will prevail, and remember The Alamo!

[absinthe_boy]

There was visible promotion for GIOMH, and of course the run-up to SMiLE being released saw a lot of publicity for that project and anything else Brian had recently done. There was an effective advertising campaign for SMiLE in the print magazines and I even caught one TV advert.

I did see a small amount of advertising for the Christmas record. But nothing for TLOS or BWRG. I first heard of it on here and here is where I've got all my subsequent information from.

BBC Radio 2 has been good enough to play a couple of tracks but that is pure luck, and good taste on the part of the radio people.

You shouldn't have to be proactive and think "hmm, I wonder what my favourite artists are up to. Let's check their web sites and discussion boards".

[Jon Stebbins]

There's at least been reasonable attention given to BWRG in the UK music press. Reviews in newspapers and magazines are where I usually hear about records by people I'm not following closely...not advertising. BWRG has already been reviewed in many of the major UK print media outlets, Mojo, Guardian etc... Granted some of the reviews have been negative, but they should tip off the average music consumer that Brian has a record out.

[GoogaMooga]

Music press reviews are probably more effective for an artist like Brian than TV advertising anyway.

[absinthe_boy]

True enough Jon, there have been reviews...as I said I've not been reading the music magazines but I am still aware of the reviews.

I suppose I just expected to see *something* more. It is a tricky album to market in some respects, while in others it ought to appeal to afficianados of both brian and Gershwin...and probably anybody who likes the style of music.

[Mike's Beard]

The best way to advertise Brian's new album to the UK public would be to book him on the "Later.... With Jools Holland" show. This is the only really high profile music show on British TV that does not cater strictly to the Lady GaGa type crowd.

[Paulos]

The best way to advertise Brian's new album to the UK public would be to book him on the "Later.... With Jools Holland" show. This is the only really high profile music show on British TV that does not cater strictly to the Lady GaGa type crowd.

You know what, that would have been a really good idea, pity Brian's management didn't think of it!

[GoogaMooga]

The best way to advertise Brian's new album to the UK public would be to book him on the "Later.... With Jools Holland" show. This is the only really high profile music show on British TV that does not cater strictly to the Lady GaGa type crowd.

Has Brian never been on Jools Holland? I'm surprised, because he's featured such a broad range of artists on that show. I used to watch that show in '95-'96, and I think BBC Entertainment shows it in Europe.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Has Brian never been on Jools Holland?

No.

[Wirestone]

You know what, that would have been a really good idea, pity Brian's management didn't think of it!

Thinking of it and being invited on it are very different things.