Why Are Some Bands Just Not Marketable In The USA?

[Fordman]

The headline says it all, Why arnt some bands marketable in the USA? Bands like Airbourne, Place Vendome or Black Label Society to name a few. BLS does have a cult following, but they never get any radio airplay.

Your Thoughts?

Fordman

[TOK]

My thought is that radio in the US sucks. I'm in the Philly area and two of the three main rock stations in this huge market are playing the same tired crap they've been playing for 20 years. A near nonstop rotation of the top 3 songs by AC/DC, Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin and Metallicas 5 worst songs (think Fuel and Unforgiven II).

They think they're being edgy when they play interchangeable generic from Chevelle, Nickelback and Puddle of Mudd in between ads for various penis medicines. Its f'ing depressing.

I got satellite radio 5 years ago, and can't ever imagine going back. I'd just have to get an iPod adapter for the car or something if I ever dumped Sirius.

[Malenko]

it all went down hill after Y100 became a rap station.

[TOK]

it all went down hill after Y100 became a rap station.

I think 104.5 is kind of similar in style to the old Y100, and thats what I usually listen to if there is no other option. Still a lot of sissy stuff I can't stand on there like Dave Matthews and John Mayer.

Do you remember WDRE? I thought that was a much cooler station, but it also went rap/hip-hop.

[Malenko]

I mostly stick with WMMR and 98Rock , but they both shove metallica down your throat, sorry havent been a metallica fan since like.....master of puppets. I tried to listen to Q102 and for a big chunks of the day its fine, till they start playing Gaga, Britney, Beiber,etc  I mean I listen to A LOT of different music so when all else fails I turn to JackFM (102.7) cause its like they have a giant playlist set on random. All BS aside they played NIN, then Beyonce, then johnny cash, then some 80s song; in that order.

[CheffoJeffo]

My thought is that radio in the US sucks.

+1, but for Canada.

We have one local station that I listen to and I have satellite radio, which is a big step up, but mostly I listen to Internet radio (fortunately, I am in WiFi range most of the time and have a decent mobile data plan for when I'm not).

[Fordman]

Same here in Cincinnati, crap-channel plays the Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, AC/DC (guaranteed these three each hour), Guns N Roses, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Aerosmith (Pump album) and then they try to throw in Puddle of Mudd or Chevelle to try and make them sound up to date.......blah!
Sounds like crap-channel programs all their 'rock' stations the same way.
Fordman

[RayB]

<-- Last.fm for me

Radio has always been crap and limited to a narrow selection of music pushed by big labels.

In the 80's I had to rely on short 2 hour shows on University radio stations in order to hear any "alternative". Even "new wave" was too weird for mainstream radio stations where I lived.

It's always been about money. The only difference is that as we get older the less we can relate to what's currently being pushed and the more we forget about the dreck that was being played "in our day". But it's all the same crap, just a different flavor.

[jamesjones626]

the 2 rock stations around here have been playing the same songs for like the past 5 years.  Makes me  :censored:ing insane.  Once in a blue moon they put up a new song.  i usually avoid the radio and just listen to a cd or something

[pmowry]

Simply because of large corporate ownership and the whole US entertainment industry afraid of risk. No new movies or TV shows unless they are a remake or had a successful version over seas. No new bands signed unless a computer rates their potential based on how much they sound like what is popular now.

What a waste.

[Epyx]

$4 dollar stereo cable+Iphone+aux port in car = much better than anything on the radio.

[Ginsu Victim]

When I'm driving, I only listen to my iPod or discs full of MP3s. There's nothing on the radio but the same stuff over and over.

[Samstag]

Since I got a droid a month ago I listen to last.fm pretty much everywhere I go.

Radio that lets you skip songs or ban them outright kicks all kinds of butt.

[TOK]

When I'm driving, I only listen to my iPod or discs full of MP3s. There's nothing on the radio but the same stuff over and over.

The one thing I like about having satellite radio vs. just an iPod is that a few times a week I'll hear a great song that I've forgotten or haven't heard in a while.

That is my biggest hangup with the iPod -it plays the stuff you know you like, but only stuff that you've put there.

[Malenko]

When I'm driving, I only listen to my iPod or discs full of MP3s. There's nothing on the radio but the same stuff over and over.

The one thing I like about having satellite radio vs. just an iPod is that a few times a week I'll hear a great song that I've forgotten or haven't heard in a while.

That is my biggest hangup with the iPod -it plays the stuff you know you like, but only stuff that you've put there.

with an Iphone/blackberry/droid you can also use apps like I heart Radio and play stations or genres , so its more then just an MP3 player in that regard

[protokatie]

I wonder how much of this is due to royalties for older works vs newer works. If the royalties that radio stations have to pay for the newer stuff is far more expensive, it would make "good" business sense to play cheaper older stuff that they know people like already...

[RobbyMac]

...Do you remember WDRE? I thought that was a much cooler station, but it also went rap/hip-hop.

WTH?!?!?! RAP? I still have cassette tapes that I recorded from that station back in college

Once out of college it was difficult to keep up with varying music. I like all types (except new rap and new country)
Now I spend my time listening to slacker.com which has better variety than pandora and doesn't sock you with a time limit either.
it fulfills any mood I'm in, which lately has been vera lynn, doris day, kitty kallen, etc... surprised the heck out of me they even had stuff that old and has given me a whole 'new' kind of music to learn about and appreciate

[Xiaou2]

Simply because of large corporate ownership and the whole US entertainment industry afraid of risk. No new movies or TV shows unless they are a remake or had a successful version over seas. No new bands signed unless a computer rates their potential based on how much they sound like what is popular now.

What a waste.

 This is right on the Money.

 The stuff today is made to a "Generic" Formula that most people will find
acceptable.  This is why almost all the new music sounds exactly the same...
cause they use the same techniques for producing it.  Same samples,
same effects, etc.

 They play the new stuff on the Radio, because they are trying to Sell
the new stuff to kids on Itunes / Cds.   (Not because its Better)

 They dont make good new stuff, because they dont want to Risk it...
as said above.  Whoever they sign on, who may have potential... they
bend over with a fine print contract... and force them to do a different
kind of music, in a different kind of way  "Their Way".

 All due to Corporate Fear and Control.
 Gota Luv it.


I stopped listening to Radio more years than I can remember.
Havnt bought a new CD in ages either.
That is the result of their handiwork... but on a much more massive scale.

 As for Metallica, they suck.  They have not been good since Justice.
Everyone agrees that black was only OK at best... but somehow all these
Zombie fools keep buying their CDs hoping they will be better again...
which means they will keep pushing their new crap over the airwaves.

 Thats the other problem with Coorporate puppetry.  They dont understand
the actual figure data they get back.  Any fan who picked up 'Load' felt exactly
like they bought the literal title: a pile of Poop.  A true Load.

[Ginsu Victim]

As for Metallica, they suck.  They have not been good since Justice.
Everyone agrees that black was only OK at best...

It's rare that you and I agree, so I have to quote this since it's EXACTLY how I feel.

[Moose13]

The headline says it all, Why arnt some bands marketable in the USA? Bands like Airbourne, Place Vendome or Black Label Society to name a few. BLS does have a cult following, but they never get any radio airplay.

OK, back to the original post. I've never heard of these bands, from the general census of the replies, I'd assume that they are (hard) rock bands. Where from?
I'm really bored of the (lack of) rock bands in the US and need something new to listen to. Are these bands good suggestions? Any others?

[Ginsu Victim]

You haven't at least heard of Black Label Society? It's Zakk Wylde's band. (I'm a guitar player, so maybe I'm just more in-the-know on that sort of thing)

I'm not a fan. They were ---Deutsche Frankfurters--- to Iron Maiden.

[Moose13]

You haven't at least heard of Black Label Society? It's Zakk Wilde's band. (I'm a guitar player, so maybe I'm just more in-the-know on that sort of thing)

I'm not a fan. They were ---Deutsche Frankfurters--- to Iron Maiden.

I've heard of the name, but I can't recall hearing anything from them....

[Ginsu Victim]

Ha ha ha......

me either.

[Fordman]

Black Label Society is Zakk Wylde from Ozzy Osbourne's band. He has taken on the whole 'biker' persona. They have produced 6 albums and they are usually very hard rock, focusing on booze, women, bikes and fallen rockers (Dimebag Darrell).



Airbourne is basically the second coming of AC/DC.



Place Vendome is a very melodic rock band from Europe.



Give them a listen!

Fordman

[Ginsu Victim]

I'm not a fan of Zakk's. All he does is constant false harmonic squeals and namedrops Dimebag every chance he gets.

He also ruins all the old Ozzy songs when performing live. Randy Rhodes and Jake E Lee were way better.

[RayB]

The stuff today on radio has always been is made to a "Generic" Formula that most people will find acceptable.  This is why almost all the new music sounds exactly the same...
cause they use the same techniques for producing it.  Same samples,

Fixed that for you. Because if you think it wasn't like this in the 90's, 80's, 70's, etc, then you are just viewing music history through rose colored glasses.

[Moose13]

Thanks guys, I grabbed a couple of albums for these guys, couln't ind any Vendome yet....
The train ride will be a more enjoyable experiee tomorrow!

[HanoiBoi]

Not marketable in the USA, could just mean not marketed correctly?  If you dig a band, and they're accessible to you, enjoy the obscurity and keep listening.

I've always loved a mix of music and a lot of the bands I listen to aren't always on the top of the rock heap, or alternative heap, etc.

I was a metal head back in the day.  I was into stuff that was mainstream, like Crue, Priest, Maiden, Quiet Riot, Def Leppard, Poison, Cinderella, GnR, Skid Row, etc.  But there were other bands that you could argue never really got marketed well; Armored Saint, Black N Blue, Badlands, Queensryche, TNT, MainEEAxe, 220 Volt, etc.  Marillion was a fantastic prog rock band that never broke the US, but they were (and are) on heavy rotation in my house.

With the risk of going further away from the OP, I'll stop here with a few recent bands that I'd suggest checking out.  Maybe you'll find something you like...

Gogol Bordello (Gypsy Punk...very catchy, very fun!  For you Philly boys, they're playing May 1st at the Electric Factory.  I'll be there)
Lars Frederiksen & The ---daisies--- (punk - they've got 2 albums and both are fantastic beginning to end)
Atomship (3 piece rock band with big, crisp sound - check out 'Pencil Fight' and 'Mothra')
Yo-Yo's (rock)
Backyard Babies (rock)
American Pearl (rock)
Prozzak (alt, pop)
Teddybears (alt, pop, rock)
Foxboro Hot Tubs (pop, rock - Green Day side project)

[Fordman]

I was a metal head back in the day.  I was into stuff that was mainstream, like Crue, Priest, Maiden, Quiet Riot, Def Leppard, Poison, Cinderella, GnR, Skid Row, etc.  But there were other bands that you could argue never really got marketed well; Armored Saint, Black N Blue, Badlands, Queensryche, TNT, MainEEAxe, 220 Volt, etc.  Marillion was a fantastic prog rock band that never broke the US, but they were (and are) on heavy rotation in my house.

Queensryche was HUGE in the US 1990-1993 Operation LIVE Crime was the tour to see! Funny you mention Black N Blue as their guitarist, James Thayer is currently playing with KISS as the Space Ace character. All the others you mentioned were on the Metal Blade, ATCO or Original Roadrunner (Roadracer) labels and thats why they never was marketed well.

Yes, Im an old metal head myself!

Fordman

[HanoiBoi]

I was a metal head back in the day.  I was into stuff that was mainstream, like Crue, Priest, Maiden, Quiet Riot, Def Leppard, Poison, Cinderella, GnR, Skid Row, etc.  But there were other bands that you could argue never really got marketed well; Armored Saint, Black N Blue, Badlands, Queensryche, TNT, MainEEAxe, 220 Volt, etc.  Marillion was a fantastic prog rock band that never broke the US, but they were (and are) on heavy rotation in my house.

Queensryche was HUGE in the US 1990-1993 Operation LIVE Crime was the tour to see! Funny you mention Black N Blue as their guitarist, James Thayer is currently playing with KISS as the Space Ace character. All the others you mentioned were on the Metal Blade, ATCO or Original Roadrunner (Roadracer) labels and thats why they never was marketed well.

Yes, Im an old metal head myself!

Fordman

I think it's Tommy Thayer, unless that was just his stage name, but yeah, I remember he got with Kiss.  Didn't he do some producing too?  I never followed the labels, but did recently watch that Roadrunner reunion concert.  Good stuff.

For Queensryche to be big in 90-93, it took a few years and a few excellent albums; EP, The Warning, Rage For Order.  I remember seeing them open for Kiss and another time for Def Leppard.  After Mindcrime, they really dropped.

I also remember the first time I saw the video for "Queen Of The Reich".  It was the same day I saw "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun".  We didn't have cable at the time and I was at my Nana's.  I thought they were awesome!  And, that was well before 90-93'.

On the marketing end, just a few weeks ago, when lokking for jukebox software and loading album art and such, after adding art for my entire music collection, I actually thought to myself (and sent an email to a friend!) that Queesnsryche has the worst album covers - aside from the Warning.  There's nothing about them that makes me want to see what's inside.  That's marketing for ya.

An argument could be made for any of these bands as far as how well marketed they were.  If Twisted Sister never recorded "We're Not Gonna Take It" along with a funny video, they would've continued to be the butt of every issue of Creem magazine, and I never would have found their earlier, rocking stuff.

You might know this....but there was a local band in the Philadelphia area called Teeze.  They had some killer tunes; Party Hardy, Hellraiser, Midnight Madness, etc.. Then, they got a record deal.  My understanding is that the name was already being used by some R&B girl group, or something like that.  So, they changed their name to Roughhouse.  I didn't mind that so much, but then the record label made them change and re-record some of their songs for their debut LP.  The changes sucked...and they flopped.  That's marketing for you.

Wrathchild's album Stakk Attakk was on HEAVY rotation for one summer.  Beginning to end, fun, fun stuff.  Still, never made it in the US.  Sadly, I never even got a chance to see them.

Another band I dug, not metal by any means, was Sigue Sigue Sputnik.  But, they never seemed to get any further than the Ferris Bueller Soundtrack.

How about Asphalt Ballet?  Another poorly marketed, talented band.

Oh!  A newer band that you should check out is Billy Talent.  The name can be misleading, but they've got good stuff.  It's a bit punky, I guess (think Warped Tour), but it's some great stuff.

I also hope that you haven't dismissed Marilyn Manson due to his imagery.  I tell my buddies, who are still locked into 80's rock, that Manson's music is the natural progression to all the old stuff we loved.

[TOK]

You might know this....but there was a local band in the Philadelphia area called Teeze.  They had some killer tunes; Party Hardy, Hellraiser, Midnight Madness, etc.) Then, they got a record deal.  My understanding is that the name was already being used by some R&B girl group, or something like that.  So, they changed their name to Roughhouse.  I didn't mind that so much, but then the record label made them change and re-record some of their songs for their debut LP.  The changes sucked...and they flopped.  That's marketing for you.

Have you ever heard of Burning Brides? They are a Philly area band that I thought was going to be huge and never caught on, even though they're still active. Their sound is kind of a grunge/hard rock crossover.
You can find videos for Arctic Snow and Heart Full Of Black on youtube. I don't want to just start posting links and crap up the thread for people that aren't interested.

[HanoiBoi]

Yup.  I've seen Burning Brides.  They played a festival at the Tweeter about 6-7 years ago.  I think it was a Y100 show.  They were a 'side stage' act, but one I wanted to check out.  I did dig them, but not enough to pop a whole album on.

Another band, and I don't know how local they are, but they seem to play around pretty often is Earl Greyhound.  A very different look for a rock band.  Kinda remind me of The Zutons in their sound, but not as full.

[Ginsu Victim]

Why is that VH1 Classic's "Metal Mania" only shows Queensryche's "I Don't Believe in Love" when there's the entire Video:Mindcrime with videos of every song from that album?

I'm so burned out on that song now. They need to play "Speak".

[Malenko]

Im very happy this turned into a metal thread, lol

lots of great bands of both heard of and have no idea who they are. keep dropping links, the people not interested can just skip past them or probably have already stopped reading.

[Ginsu Victim]

That's what I love about www.grooveshark.com

I hear about a band, I just look 'em up and check 'em out.

[Fordman]

Thanks guys, I grabbed a couple of albums for these guys, couln't ind any Vendome yet....
The train ride will be a more enjoyable experiee tomorrow!

Make sure when you search for music it's 'Place Vendome'. Right now, 'My Guardian Angel' on the 'Streets of Fire' album is my new favorite (for the moment) tune!



Not an official video from the band as I dont beleive they have any.

 

Fordman

[HanoiBoi]

That's what I love about www.grooveshark.com

I hear about a band, I just look 'em up and check 'em out.

I use Slacker.com when I'm in the mood for a little variety.  I hear that it's similar to Pandora, but I've never used that.  For one, Slacker is free.  You just search for a band you like and they'll create a playlist with that band and similar bands.  Streaming audio.  Good stuff.

+1 on this turning into a metal thread.  I had noticed from other threads (jukebox software screen caps, favorite albums, etc.) that there's a good amount of metal fans on here.

Perhaps a music related question should have been on that guy's questionnaire?  "When going to the arcade, did you listen to Heavy Metal, or Buckner & Garcia?"

[Ginsu Victim]

Oh hell, metal! Buckner & Garcia sucked, I don't care what the songs were about.

I was young, heard Pacman Fever, though "Neat," then didn't care if I ever heard it again.

[HanoiBoi]

Oh hell, metal! Buckner & Garcia sucked, I don't care what the songs were about.

I was young, heard Pacman Fever, though "Neat," then didn't care if I ever heard it again.

LOL...please don't think I meant they were good!  It was more for the arcade reference.