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Vanessa Carlton => General Vanessa Carlton Discussion => Topic started by: Martin. on June 22, 2007, 08:07:43 am
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if you were in charge of the handling of 'Harmonium', in terms of the single choices, how would you have handled it? what songs would you have released (and more importantly, which single would you pick to lead the album) and at what time of the year?
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I feel as if White Houses was the best choice to be released first as a single and I never understood why exactly it didn't do so well - possibly because of "label doing a crap job promoting it", getting banned on MTV, but I think it really is the hallmark of the album. If I didn't pick White Houses as the lead single, I probably would have picked Afterglow because it's very radio friendly. Perhaps Private Radio would be a good first single too but I fear the negative criticism going for a more ironic direction.
If it were my choice, Summer would be a good time to release the single.
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i'm stuck between "white houses" or "private radio" to lead the album. i think "private radio" is very radio-friendly and the majority of people i've come across that have heard it, like it. "white houses" is very different though and kinda sums up the album really well.
1. white houses (lead the album)
2. who's to say
3. private radio
4. afterglow (close the album)
^^ something like that would have worked nicely, i think.
i think there was promotional problems as to why "white houses" and her album bombed. i also think the MTV and VH1 thing didn't help either.
such a shame.
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Who's To Say would have made a REALLY good music video, but I'm not sure about radio play.
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I like that who's to say vid idea. I think I would have released White Houses first. Than Private Radio and than just go from there.
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I always envision Vanessa in a convertible with her b/f or whatever and she's all screaming "who's to saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay *hits a bird*"
LOL jk. Well, I envision that only she doesn't hit a bird.
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I always envision Vanessa in a convertible with her b/f or whatever and she's all screaming "who's to saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay *hits a bird*"
LOL jk. Well, I envision that only she doesn't hit a bird.
Haha that made me laugh! But I really like the driving away in a convertible, maybe on a highway next to the ocean and the sun setting, like an "Afterglow" feel.
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It could be, like, a giant vulture.
or a palm tree.
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i would have done basically what irv is doing now.. release white houses (nolita fairytale) but have a backup plan - private radio (hands on me), in case it doesn't take.
but see, the discussion really doesn't matter, because the whole reason white houses/harmonium as a whole didn't do well, is because nobody cared enough to handle the album in the first place. had there not been label problems, it would have been handled, and it would have done better.. there would have at least been a second freaking single.
but yeah.. private radio would have been a fantastic single.
just like hands on me would be.
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I never thought White Houses was a good single idea. The first verse's super high-pitch is odd and hard to get used to. Idk, I think only maybe Tori Amos can make such weird pitches and lyrics that popular mainstream, and even she still has more of an underground following. I don't think Private Radio would have done well either. It's catchy, but borderline cheesy (sorry, but Badada gotta get a little? lol). Afterglow would have been a disaster, even less popular than Pretty Baby. . .Of course this is all my opinion. . . I think if V were more widely accepted Who's To Say would have done moderately well as a single and maybe followed up by San Francisco. I don't really think any of the other tracks could have been singles.
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why were there problems at the label anyways? what caused them to not care!?!
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why were there problems at the label anyways? what caused them to not care!?!
Harmonium only sold about 30,000 copies during its first week, and it didn't even chart during the second week of it's release. The record company most likely decided to cut its losses and scrap any more promotion efforts for what they considered a failed record.
Record companies also focus on and pump most of their money into debuting acts/brand new artists as well, and tend to leave already established artists on their label the short end of the stick in terms of promotion efforts. That's just the way things work in the industry.
Interscope also heavily relied on the fact that Vanessa penned "A Thousand Miles" to sell Harmonium too, not only did they rely on "A Thousand Miles" to sell Be Not Nobody, they relied on it to sell Harmonium as well. I mean, it was pretty obvious what their strategy was when they played "A Thousand Miles" at the begining of the Target promo commercial and then cut to footage of the White Houses video. Come on, give me a break.
Vanessa needs to distance herself from "A Thousand Miles" this time around. Otherwise she'll only be remembered as a one hit wonder, which many already consider her to be. :? That song has been a blessing but also an extreme burden for her.
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I liked Harmonium, but I don't think it was really that radio-friendly. White Houses was the closest there was to a possible hit single.
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thats true. But thats because most songs are just deep and not kean to most people's style of music these days.
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I think that White Houses was a good lead single but it received little radio play and not many people even know of it...Harmonium and White Houses were not promoted enough. Private Radio would have been the best choice I think for the second single and I could see that doing well. Who's To Say should have been a single also because I think it is so moving and I think people would like it. Afterglow should have been the last single. Besides singles though, the album NEEDED to have been released earlier since it leaked so long before the release date and that killed the hype for the album. Harmonium was such a risky and artistic album that it NEEDED to be promoted to catch on and it wasn't so it didn't but it is still my favorite album ever. After Harmonium there is no possible way that Heroes and Thieves could do worse... It's only looking up from here! :blob:
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The singles that I think would have worked are:
1. White Houses (I wouldn't change that).
2. San Francisco (I don't really like the song but it's catchy and I think it would have done good on radio).
3. Who's to say (my favorite one, also if they had done like a gay themed video it would have been a sure hit and she would have become a very popular "fag hag").
4. Private Radio (just to have a fourth single).
I don't really think Afterglow would have worked as a single it's too slow and not catchy at all, people wouldn't give the song a chance.
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Singles I would have released are:
1. Who's to Say
2. Private Radio
3. White Houses
And I would have released the album in the Late Spring/early summer
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thats true. But thats because most songs are just deep and not kean to most people's style of music these days.
That's so sad.... but true. I LOVE Harmonium becuase it doesn't have that commercial sound. You can tell she made it becuase she loves music, not money.
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I would have kept White Houses as the first single. I would have done the music video very similar. With dancing. But I think I would add flashbacks that related to the song...just something to keep the audience interested and really involved in the story.
Then Who's To Say. And I would have made a kick ass music video.
Then probably Afterglow, as it's radio friendly.
After that I don't think I would have released another single. We all know that Harmonium is absolutely amazing, but most of the songs aren't suitable for many radio stations.
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Who's to Say would be the first single... it's catchy, pretty, but doesn't have so much pizazz that any subsequent singles could never live up to.
Private Radio would be the second single. This song would have been such a hit, I'm convinced.
Afterglow would make a good 3rd single.. it's completely different than Private Radio, but I think many adults would like listening to it.
San Francisco would make an okay 4th single, but some of the lyrics are kinda weird and so it would probably be the last single.
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i would go:
1. Private Radio
2. Who's to Say
3. Cest La Vie
4. White Houses
(Possible 5th) : San Fran
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1. White Houses with the same video that I love
2. Who's To Say (the BIG hit !)
3. Afterglow
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I'd have done White Houses, then Private Radio, then Who's To Say. Big mistake was releasing the album in November, months after WH. I would have moved it back to build on the momentum of WH, October the latest.
I remember being very uncomfortable with A&M's strategy(it's prolly written here somewhere!)
But....IIRC there were releases by U2, Eminem, etc., and I think that after their feeble attempt at promoting WH, they figured putting 500 grand behind U2 or Marshall Mathers was a better bet.
My theory is that they were never happy with the album to begin with.
I think of all the things that could have been done, like a "Private Radio", like Vanessa comes to your town and plays for a small gathering of fans, promotion.
I don't work in the biz, but I used to work in radio, and believe me, when a label wants something, like J-LO airplay, they get it done. And not because the music is of staggering quality.
Gonna go dry heave.
Dan/NS
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One, I'd have moved up the release date of Harmonium after the album leaked at the end of August.
Two, I'd have released White Houses, Who's to Say, and Private Radio. I'd have put money behind both radio promo and getting V out to play shows, both club and private/non-private radio shows.
They never really re-established V's credibility in the market after Pretty Baby completely tanked pretty much everywhere but Milwaukee (which I always found kind of funny), and that is where I think they went wrong just randomly assuming WH would pick up her fanbase again.
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Well if the album went really well i'd release it like this [with 5 songs]
1. Private Radio - Release around July [for anticipation]
2. Who's To Say - Release around Septemeber [so they have to buy it, because the album isnt out yet]
3. Half A Week Before the Winter - Release around November [with album] because the single will lead into winter for the US
4. White Houses - Just as a back - up so people know what the album is [release January - White snow = White Houses xD]
5. The Wreckage - Just to make a little radio success and close the album [3 months after White Houses so people who haven't bought it remember about it]
xD crappy plan
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winter and the wreckage as singles? i doubt it...
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winter and the wreckage as singles? i doubt it...
still thats my choice, although i do respect your critcism, I just think although they wouldn't be very popular, i would take that risk =x
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do you guys really thing who's to say would have done really well? the flaw that i see with that is that the song is almost 5 minutes long, and typical radio songs barely go over three.
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do you guys really thing who's to say would have done really well? the flaw that i see with that is that the song is almost 5 minutes long, and typical radio songs barely go over three.
Well, that's where radio edits come in ;)
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I know it seems that "WHite Houses" was the best lead single choice, but after what happened, perhaps "Private Radio" should have lead the album.
1. Private Radio
2. White Houses
3. Who's to Say
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I think White Houses was a poor choice for a LEAD single because it was very personal and might have scared some people off, so I think it would have done better as a second or third. Also, I may be in the minority when I say this, but I think She Floats would have been a great final single. The video would be awesome. Just don't listen to it while driving home late at night... alone...
If I had my way, I'd have released six singles:
1. Private Radio (the catchiest)
2. White Houses (catchy AND moving)
3. Who's to Say (a touching third single)
4. Afterglow (a nice slow fourth single)
5. San Francisco (they could do an A Thousand Miles-esque video with a piano being dragged through SF)
6. She Floats (appeals to a different crowd)
Annie would be a cool single too, but there aren't many video options for that without being cliche.
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since this thread talks about Harmonium...I will talk about this here.....I ordered CD's through BMG Music and I ordered Harmonium and I get my cd's is it there!?!? NO!!!!!! THEY SEND ME SOME STUPID SOUNDTRACK TO QUEER AS FOLK....completly wrong.! SO PISSED!
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August 2004 - "Private Radio"
Late September or Early October - "Who's to Say"
Late December or Early January - "Afterglow"
March or April - "White Houses"
June - "Annie"
If a sixth single was needed at all, I would use "San Francisco" sometime in late summer or early autumn.
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i don't think afterglow would have been a good first single. it is too slow to attract peoples attention, and just not catchy enough like a thousand miles was.