Britney Spears: Artist Discussion

[Deleted]

Oct 6, 2016 7:36:33 GMT -5 Caviar said:

I think people place too much blame on the labels and not the artist and management. Britney's team totally botched the video release and left RCA little to work with. RCA promoted the hell out of this song and album yet still couldn't get more than 1 week in the top 10 on the albums chart. She hasn't even promoted the album tracks and is sticking to her Vegas routines. What in the Sam hell??

I think there's an equal amount to blame on both. To add to what Marooned@Midnight said regarding other RCA acts - I'm a KC fan and RCA seemed to think it was a logical marketing plan to wait TOO.DAMN.LONG. after a single had tapered off to send out the next one. This happened multiple eras, and was exacerbated by the the follow-up single also being the single that wasn't going to get as much promotion b/c she had just wrapped up her media time on the prior one, was heading into summer (less opportunities for TV promo), and/or was about to hit the road for her tour. This happened whether the single prior was a hit or a flop and whether it was Clive at the helm or Peter Edge and Tom Corson. In retrospect, it's kind of a miracle Breakaway's rollout was as smooth as it was; it was definitely an aberration. And this is to say nothing of other RCA artists for whom I have several gripes about re: their weak or nonexistent approach to scheduling, but I won't hog the Britney thread with all my gripes.

"Waiting on [Britney's] team to announce" is a cop-out because waiting too long is just what RCA does. This excuse completely cedes the time table over to Britney and her people while the label sits back and twiddles its thumbs. If RCA really wanted to take control of this era they could have said "we can't wait that long, we need to send something out to radio now so make a decision by [insert date] or we will make it for you."

If the second single is the wrong one and flops, I'm willing to put that on Britney's team b/c they are apparently the ones in control of picking it. And yeah, she/her team are also responsible for her sticking to her Vegas routines instead of switching it up and focusing more on album tracks when she has an opportunity to perform more than one song. That's only fair. But DYWCO was the only other Glory song she performed at iHeart so that probably is the next choice - and that points to the decision having already been made, or at least Britney having already decided which song she prefers to release next. So there's NO reason we should still be waiting on an announcement, and the issue of timing is at least equally on RCA, IMO - to the point that I would even say Britney's promotion has probably been off partly b/c without RCA pushing her to move on to single #2, she's lingering too long on single #1. A ripped-from-Vegas set list might not be as problematic if she was at least placing more focus on a big routine for the second single, instead of ending with the Make Me/MM&I medley.

[Ginger Spice]

It should be "Slumber Party" but as long as they were to give "Do You Wanna Come Over?" a somewhat decent (i.e. re-watchable) video, I wouldn't mind it being a single. Nothing's going to smash on radio at this point.

[think pink.]

"Better" would smash radio. It needs to be next.

[Relaxing Cup]

The worst part about DYWCO? being released is the choreography, we already know, is horrible. Whenever the pre-chorus comes on, I think of all those spastic hand movements she does : (

[Deleted]

Oct 6, 2016 12:23:09 GMT -5 Ginger Spice said:

It should be "Slumber Party" but as long as they were to give "Do You Wanna Come Over?" a somewhat decent (i.e. re-watchable) video, I wouldn't mind it being a single. Nothing's going to smash on radio at this point.

Both of those songs are actually my favorites on the album but "Do You Wanna Come Over?" has been my most listened to and favorite overall from the get go. Her "uh huhs" are very hot and very Britney. The fact that it's one of her favorites if we were to judge from the interviews from this era and that fact that she's performed it so often makes me want to root for it as a full fledged single.

[popbox]

They took over a month to make that decision? That's what they were going with forever ago, you'd think the wait would have indicated they were changing to something else. They're clearly done with this era already and just throwing a second single out to make it appear like they tried.

[slw84]

I don't think Do you wanna come over is as polarizing as people make it out to be
It is signature classic Britney.
Make me is a new Britney sound for the GP although we've heard Mad love, Blur, unusual you and a few other songs as stans.

It was a promo single that didn't do well but then again it had promo spots that weren't going to drive sales.
It went down in streams during the album release week but has picked right back up as the top streamed song daily after Make me.
the only thing about this song is that it HAS to have a great visual that reminds people that Britney is a visual artist and can make an exciting interesting piece of art that has replay value.

It can't be luke warm

Judging by streaming
make me obviously is the top streamed followed by

Do you wanna come over? Just past Private show in total streams
then Change your mind which even one of the radio DJ's she interviewed with stated this was the standout track
then Slumber party and Private show

July single Make me
late October/November single do you wanna come over? can be a hit if Radio is on board and the video is A quality
February Change your mind. Serve us La isla bonita queen.
close with Slumber party in May

[Ace]

I think the biggest issue here is that RCA and/or Team Britney didn't have a contingency plan in mind when Make Me didn't become the comeback hit they thought it would be (and should have been ). The single being released early due to the potential leak coupled with the video/album photoshoot debacle completely threw off the timing of everything they had planned for the era, and in Britney's current situation, timing was key to really making everything click and pushing Make Me to its full potential. Once that timeline fell apart, I think both teams floundered on how to right the ship, since everything else was in the works/booked already, and so they just stuck to the schedule regardless of MM dying.

Another factor to think about in all of this is Britney herself. I'm very proud of everything she's accomplished this time around (promoting, performing in public, speaking candidly, behaving like a pop star, etc), but we have to imagine this was a lot for her to take on considering how the pushes for her last 2 album cycles panned out. She did a lot more to put herself out there this time, but she probably had to do a lot of physical and mental prep to get herself back into the "pop star" mentality that she abandoned years ago, and throwing a wrench into the situation by changing up the carefully-orchestrated plans for the rollout was probably less of an option.

All that being said, I can't help but be disappointed that this amazing album didn't get the TEoM-type exposure that it deserved, but it is what it is.

[Choco]

No new single yet? They're taking forever. Just throw something out there and see if radio likes it, at least.

[Revelry]

I don't think DYWCO is a good album track, let alone a single. I think its awful, to be honest. Slumber Party & Better are the only choices really.

[Cheese305]

Anything they release at this point will flop I'm afraid, but releasing dywco is so lazy lol

[kmbgs]

Lmao I am obsessed with DYWCO and don't understand why it wasn't the lead so ya'll can continue to discuss its alleged imminent poor chart performance while I bask in its glory.

[Deleted]

Oct 7, 2016 10:22:46 GMT -5 Ace said:

I think the biggest issue here is that RCA and/or Team Britney didn't have a contingency plan in mind when Make Me didn't become the comeback hit they thought it would be (and should have been ). The single being released early due to the potential leak coupled with the video/album photoshoot debacle completely threw off the timing of everything they had planned for the era, and in Britney's current situation, timing was key to really making everything click and pushing Make Me to its full potential. Once that timeline fell apart, I think both teams floundered on how to right the ship, since everything else was in the works/booked already, and so they just stuck to the schedule regardless of MM dying.

Another factor to think about in all of this is Britney herself. I'm very proud of everything she's accomplished this time around (promoting, performing in public, speaking candidly, behaving like a pop star, etc), but we have to imagine this was a lot for her to take on considering how the pushes for her last 2 album cycles panned out. She did a lot more to put herself out there this time, but she probably had to do a lot of physical and mental prep to get herself back into the "pop star" mentality that she abandoned years ago, and throwing a wrench into the situation by changing up the carefully-orchestrated plans for the rollout was probably less of an option.

All that being said, I can't help but be disappointed that this amazing album didn't get the TEoM-type exposure that it deserved, but it is what it is.

YUP the label doesnt believe in Britney, the way Mariah's label believed in her. Its Like That was a hit, but not a major hit. It opened up radio for her, like Make Me did, but instead of being worried that it wasnt a major hit, Mariah's label released We Belong Together before the album dropped and believed it would help her immensely. Seems like RCA took a minor setback as gospel and said fuck it to the 2nd single, which was such a horrible idea. The album is coming out, what do you have to lose? release something and see what can happen. failure at its finest when you're too afraid to pull the trigger due to fear.

[Eqbk]

Britney will be performing at Triple Ho Show:

Skip to 7:39


Teens do know her and her music, even if they were barely alive when some of her singles were released. The problem is that Team Britney seem to think it's a good idea to have her keep performing her Vegas show everywhere she goes. Who would buy, stream, or even be aware of anything from Glory when she keeps performing IS4U, Toxic, Womanizer, etc. for the umpteenth time?

[Deleted]

Why would her team prioritize Glory over the Vegas show when she gets next to no return from the former compared to the latter? If it is her team's job to look out for her best interest both financially and professionally, then they're doing a good job. Balancing that with the Vegas show? Debatable, but I can-the-f**k-not with Britney stans acting like her team is s**t and don't know what they're doing. Just because they aren't fulfilling some fan's wet dream doesn't mean they aren't looking out for her best interest; and frankly the fan's best interests (she needs hits!!!) rarely align with hers (she needs a sustainable legacy that makes her $$$$).

Like, come on. Britney doesn't give a shit about a hit. Neither should you. She's laughing her way to the bank regardless.

[Eqbk]

Oct 7, 2016 22:20:43 GMT -5 @touch said:

Why would her team prioritize Glory over the Vegas show when she gets next to no return from the former compared to the latter? If it is her team's job to look out for her best interest both financially and professionally, then they're doing a good job. Balancing that with the Vegas show? Debatable, but I can-the-f**k-not with Britney stans acting like her team is s**t and don't know what they're doing. Just because they aren't fulfilling some fan's wet dream doesn't mean they aren't looking out for her best interest; and frankly the fan's best interests (she needs hits!!!) rarely align with hers (she needs a sustainable legacy that makes her $$$$).

Like, come on. Britney doesn't give a s**t about a hit. Neither should you. She's laughing her way to the bank regardless.

If you're referring to my post that's above yours, I didn't say that she should prioritize Glory over Vegas. I said that it's a problem that she's basically just performing her Vegas act everywhere instead of showcasing Glory more and it is, imo. If her goal is to have a sustainable legacy, then it would make sense to promote the music on Glory more than she has so far. Wanting Glory to be commercially successful and wanting Vegas to be successful are not two different goals. Her Vegas success is due to her legacy and her legacy is built upon her hit music. The more successful hits/albums/eras she has, the more she adds to her legacy and the more she can profit from Vegas. Mainstream success and relevancy is means to keep Vegas afloat. Her team understands this, that's why they've continued to actively try to get her mainstream success even after her residency proved profitable and why she's added newer songs to her Vegas setlist. They're not desperate for a hit, but they certainly want one. They wouldn't have invested a ton of money and effort to try and make Glory successful if this wasn't the case.

The problem with performing her Vegas act at almost every opportunity is that it helps neither Glory nor Vegas. Performing it doesn't really have much of a purpose at this point. People, including teenagers, are already aware of her past hits and the legacy she's built so far. People who are compelled to go to Vegas b/c of her past hits and legacy have already been convinced at this point. That's why I believe showcasing more of Glory (instead of her past hits) is going to do more for her legacy (and Vegas sales) at this point.

Also, I joined this board b/c I like following the chart life of albums/songs and discussing why something became a hit or not. That's what I'm doing here. I enjoy discussing and reading about what's gone right, what's gone wrong, and where things go from here. As fan, I do have my hopes/wishes and my frustrations regarding this era, but I don't get a cut of her profits so I ultimately don't care whether she gets a hit or not.

[Enigma.]

This talk about single choices has been going on like 50 pages

[Eqbk]

Britney will be appearing on Stand Up To Cancer UK on October 21st: www.channel4.com/info/press/news/stand-up-to-cancer-line-up-of-celebrity-packed-programming

[MiniMusic]

On ATRL an "insider" said the second single is Slumber Party but who knows.

[Marooned@Midnight]

Oct 9, 2016 15:30:04 GMT -5 MiniMusic said:

On ATRL an "insider" said the second single is Slumber Party but who knows.

I much prefer this. It would be a dream and I want it to be true!

[upsidedown]

Another insider at Pop Justice said that the decision has been made and no one would be upset about it. Which leads me to believe it would Slumber Party

Either way- I give her team the benefit of the doubt a lot but in this situation, they fucked up. It's almost the middle of October. There is no excuse not to be at least sending this song for adds at pop radio already.

[Deleted]

I really don't understand why people continue to believe Gold Soundz when he's been wrong about a lot this era.

I don't doubt that he has sources mind you, but it seems like he gets bread crumbs or "hypotheticals" and passes them off as fact. If he's right, people laud him as having insider info—if he's wrong, people just sort of cycle back to what he did get right. So far he's been wrong about the Apple setlist (or was it iHeart), the SNL promo (she'd have gotten it by now if she was ever going to, although I'd welcome being wrong), and if 'Slumber Party' is the second single then that too. He's 0/3 this era, so can we maybe stop quoting him every time now? Please?

[Ivy Leegue™]

Oct 9, 2016 15:59:21 GMT -5 @touch said:

I really don't understand why people continue to believe Gold Soundz when he's been wrong about a lot this era.

I don't doubt that he has sources mind you, but it seems like he gets bread crumbs or "hypotheticals" and passes them off as fact. If he's right, people laud him as having insider info—if he's wrong, people just sort of cycle back to what he did get right. So far he's been wrong about the Apple setlist (or was it iHeart), the SNL promo (she'd have gotten it by now if she was ever going to, although I'd welcome being wrong), and if 'Slumber Party' is the second single then that too. He's 0/3 this era, so can we maybe stop quoting him every time now? Please?

Yung Kunt, preach.

[popbox]

Oct 7, 2016 22:20:43 GMT -5 @touch said:

Why would her team prioritize Glory over the Vegas show when she gets next to no return from the former compared to the latter? If it is her team's job to look out for her best interest both financially and professionally, then they're doing a good job. Balancing that with the Vegas show? Debatable, but I can-the-f**k-not with Britney stans acting like her team is s**t and don't know what they're doing. Just because they aren't fulfilling some fan's wet dream doesn't mean they aren't looking out for her best interest; and frankly the fan's best interests (she needs hits!!!) rarely align with hers (she needs a sustainable legacy that makes her $$$$).

Like, come on. Britney doesn't give a s**t about a hit. Neither should you. She's laughing her way to the bank regardless.

You'll excuse us if we want Glory to get exposure outside of the core fanbase. And no that's not happening without a hit, hate to break it to you. Only fans will know this album and that's a damn shame.

[tatula69]

Maybe RCA had done the math and calculated some probabilities and decided it was not worth doing any more promo on Glory. That's business savvy, as opposed to wishful thinking.

[Relaxing Cup]

Rumor is they are currently negotiating a deal to play at Rock In Rio

[popbox]

Oct 9, 2016 18:39:17 GMT -5 tatula69 said:

Maybe RCA had done the math and calculated some probabilities and decided it was not worth doing any more promo on Glory. That's business savvy, as opposed to wishful thinking.

It's business savvy if this were another BJ where the odds of a hit were very small. But this album had hits, and what's more she's only 34! Hardly pariah age for Top 40 yet, she can still score hits. It just needed support (and ya know, not wasting the entire era budget on the first music video when it was a risky vid in the first place). RCA are anything but business savvy most of the time.

[Marooned@Midnight]

Meanwhile she confirms a new jingle ball performance every other day. Clearly another single is coming. Even if the timing is asinine.

[Deleted]

Britney was just announced as a performer at the KISS FM Jingle Ball in LA on December 2. That's 3 radio shows she's already confirmed for December-- a 2nd single is obviously coming (hopefully with a radio deal...)

Maybe their plan is to save a ton of promo for the holiday season and try to re-ignite sales for Glory throughout November and December-- actually, not a bad idea

[BRhap786]

Regarding the latest (lack of) developments with the second single -- while I'm thrilled Britney's getting out there and did a TON of promotion thus far, and it looks to continue through various radio shows, I still can't help but be disappointed with how this all played out. Unless RCA/Team Britney/Britney herself gets their act together and start treating her like a current artist as opposed to some purely legacy act, I do not see a real future for any Glory singles. I feel like at this point they need to basically treat Single #2 as if it were Single #1, with some sort of major launch, highly promoted (and an actually good) video that doesn't get completely botched, etc. Otherwise it will probably get a minor boost on itunes/streaming into the Top 100 if we're lucky, and land somewhere between #20 and #30 on pop radio for a couple of weeks, and be done for. If the latter happens, I hope they at least go with Slumber Party as that song absolutely deserves a single release.

I really think (as I think others have mentioned here) this boiled down to bad timing with missing the launch of "Make Me" at the BBMAs, and really messed with everything they had (allegedly) planned. I think this time it just really stings because the material is really there this time and Britney seems more engaged than she has been in YEARS, so to see timelines break down in such a way is frustrating.