Frankie Ballard - "You'll Accomp'ny Me"

[josephmorgan]

I started this thread because the audio for this Bob Seger cover is on All Access right now. That probably means that this is the third single from El Rio.

[Deleted]

Jan 25, 2017 20:26:35 GMT -5 josephmorgan said:

I started this thread because the audio for this Bob Seger cover is on All Access right now. That probably means that this is the third single from El Rio.

Yep it's also listed on Music Row for impacting February 13th so this is definitely the next single.

[someguy]

I'm surprised that they're going with this. Frankie does a nice job of it though, and I hope that it does well for him.

[zjames]

I remember listening to this when the album came out and being really surprised how radio-friendly this was. I'll have to listen to this again.

[slowmo]

I like this choice. It's familiar enough to catch people's attention without being a recent song and he does a good job with it. fwiw, off of El Rio, this song has the most streams on spotify.

[.indulgecountry]

Honestly surprised with how poorly "Cigarette" did and how his album has only sold like 12 copies that he even got a third single, and on first listen this didn't grab me at all. I think him covering Bob Seger here might give him some curiosity buzz in the short-run, but I still have trouble imagining this being anything resembling a hit at country radio and getting him back on track.

[dm2081]

Pretty surprised they're going with a 3rd single considering the past two under performed, but I think Frankie does a good job with this cover.  I'm assuming that they haven't recorded enough new music yet to move on to a new era, so they'll throw out one more single to see if it catches fire.  Doubt it does anything but I hope I'm wrong.

Here's the audio:

[Dustin J.]

I'm not usually a big fan of covers...but Frankie does a great job with this one. Stays close enough to the original that the tune should ring familiar...yet he put enough spin on it to make it his own. Thumbs up here. Hope it does well.

[rsmatto]

Let's be honest: how many of the average country fans out there will know this is a cover if the DJs don't tell them?

[zaclord 🌈]

Jan 26, 2017 10:20:59 GMT -5 rsmatto said:

Let's be honest: how many of the average country fans out there will know this is a cover if the DJs don't tell them?

I've never heard this song before and certainly wouldn't know if I didn't read all the comments here. So I highly doubt many people in their twenties or younger will notice or care.

With that said, this is easily my favorite of the singles from this album, but that's not saying much. I think this is alright, but definitely not gonna be a hit with the lack of momentum he's got right now.

[rsmatto]

Jan 26, 2017 11:11:49 GMT -5 zaclord 🌈 said:

Jan 26, 2017 10:20:59 GMT -5 rsmatto said:

Let's be honest: how many of the average country fans out there will know this is a cover if the DJs don't tell them?

I've never heard this song before and certainly wouldn't know if I didn't read all the comments here. So I highly doubt many people in their twenties or younger will notice or care.

With that said, this is easily my favorite of the singles from this album, but that's not saying much. I think this is alright, but definitely not gonna be a hit with the lack of momentum he's got right now.

I don't know. I see people use "lack of momentum" quite a lot here and I just think radio hasn't liked the singles from this album too much. So, to me, momentum means nothing most of the time. It may be a "thing" but in the case of aging or young second and third tier artists, it is what it's always been about: "the song." That's what gets radio interested. For example, could anyone have predicted Rascal Flatts' "I Like the sound of that" becoming the hit it was after they "lost their momentum"?

[zaclord 🌈]

Jan 26, 2017 11:19:21 GMT -5 rsmatto said:

Jan 26, 2017 11:11:49 GMT -5 zaclord 🌈 said:

I've never heard this song before and certainly wouldn't know if I didn't read all the comments here. So I highly doubt many people in their twenties or younger will notice or care.

With that said, this is easily my favorite of the singles from this album, but that's not saying much. I think this is alright, but definitely not gonna be a hit with the lack of momentum he's got right now.

I don't know. I see people use "lack of momentum" quite a lot here and I just think radio hasn't liked the singles from this album too much. So, to me, momentum means nothing most of the time. It may be a "thing" but in the case of aging or young second and third tier artists, it is what it's always been about: "the song." That's what gets radio interested. For example, could anyone have predicted Rascal Flatts' "I Like the sound of that" becoming the hit it was after they "lost their momentum"?

I agree to an extent. I think if Frankie released a fantastic song as the third single, there would be some potential to get another hit from it. But I think after a slightly underperforming single and another complete flop, almost any artist (except A-listers) would struggle with a third single unless radio does really like it for various reasons. So I think there are ways to get around a lack of momentum with radio, but I certainly think it exists. If I worked in radio, it would be my expectation that artists were giving me the best they have to offer from an album as radio singles. So if an artist gave me two singles in a row from an album that I wasn't excited about, I certainly would be hesitant to receive a third from that same album. So maybe Frankie's team thinks that releasing this cover will create some buzz around it that any other song on the album wouldn't have right off the bat, but I don't think this song is good enough to make it much higher than "Cigarette" did. I think that cases like "I Like the Sound of That" are much more the exception than the rule when it comes to momentum, and even in that case, "I Like the Sound of That" was very radio friendly, "Payback" and "Riot" weren't anywhere close to the flop that "Cigarette" was, and Rascal Flatts is a much more recognizable name than Frankie Ballard (plus ILTSOT was basically a Dan + Shay song who had a big hit at that time, so the similar sound certainly didn't hurt either).

So I do agree that the momentum that Frankie has now does not mean "all hope is lost for his chances at a hit again", and my use of "lack of momentum" was intended to mean that he needs something that really connects with radio and listeners in order to get another hit, and I don't see this song getting him there.

[CoJoFan]

Jan 26, 2017 11:19:21 GMT -5 rsmatto said:

Jan 26, 2017 11:11:49 GMT -5 zaclord 🌈 said:

I've never heard this song before and certainly wouldn't know if I didn't read all the comments here. So I highly doubt many people in their twenties or younger will notice or care.

With that said, this is easily my favorite of the singles from this album, but that's not saying much. I think this is alright, but definitely not gonna be a hit with the lack of momentum he's got right now.

I don't know. I see people use "lack of momentum" quite a lot here and I just think radio hasn't liked the singles from this album too much. So, to me, momentum means nothing most of the time. It may be a "thing" but in the case of aging or young second and third tier artists, it is what it's always been about: "the song." That's what gets radio interested. For example, could anyone have predicted Rascal Flatts' "I Like the sound of that" becoming the hit it was after they "lost their momentum"?

As a Flatts fan I think the reason they've lost momentum is their labels poor decisions for single selections as well as radio not playing their music much. If you think about it we haven't had a group since Lady A had their run having consistent top 10 singles. Well other than Old Dominion who currently have 3 top 10 singles in a row. As for "I Like The Sound of That" I knew it would be a hit because it was one of the better songs on the album. "Riot" was the huge disappointment for me.

[.indulgecountry]

Jan 26, 2017 10:20:59 GMT -5 rsmatto said:

Let's be honest: how many of the average country fans out there will know this is a cover if the DJs don't tell them?

A lot of covers like this don't do particularly well when released as singles, regardless of how well known the original is with the casual fans listening to it on the radio. Justin Moore's "Home Sweet Home" cover barely scraped the Top 30 a couple years ago after a string of big hits, so I think it being a cover could give it some buzz, but it could also hinder it from becoming a big hit. That said, I have a hard time imagining this being a hit even if it were an original song. He has no momentum, his music has been selling poorly, and this just doesn't sound like a hit (to me anyway).

[Kanenrá:ke]

I quite like this cover but I don't see this doing anything for him. Really the album as a whole doesn't have anything that sounds like a hit so if they wanted another single I think picking an original would've been better. Shows off more of him and whatever airplay and exposure they get from it could be used to build upon. This being a cover I don't think it showcases Frankie as much.

[Deleted]

Shame that Frankie Ballard does not sell well because as a whole I like his style of music. He has a simple add date at least so far as it is just him and Brooke Eden. But honestly, I see this song charting on Billboard and maybe doing as well as Cigarette but not much higher at all.

[robenglund]

I really like this. I wasn't thrilled initially to see it as a single cause it's a cover, but since the album doesn't have a lot of radio friendly material, the single choices were limited. This is certainly one of the more radio friendly songs on the album though. I know I've brought this up before, but I really like Frankie's style of music. A lot of it sounds like the classic rock I grew up listening to. Frankie belongs in the country format though in 2017. His style isn't heavy enough for modern Rock. Him and Seger both hail from Michigan, so him covering this makes sense. I hope this does something but I agree with everyone else that this era is over momentum wise. I'm hoping Frankie doesn't get dropped by Warner and sticks around/keeps making music.

[someguy]

Jan 26, 2017 10:20:59 GMT -5 rsmatto said:

Let's be honest: how many of the average country fans out there will know this is a cover if the DJs don't tell them?

Initially I was thinking that most would, but I guess the original was quite awhile ago now. I typically think of country radio being what a lot of 70s and 80s rock fans listen to now, but those fans are getting older at this point. Maybe a lot of people under 25 won't know it's a cover.

[Kentucky25]

Unfortunately, most in my age demographic 20-29, don't know who Bob Seger is...those who do generally just know him for Old Time Rock & Roll. So I would imagine most of them will consider this to be an original.

[dm2081]

"Turn The Page" would make for a great country cover song. Honestly, most of Bob Seger's music would fit in well with country radio playlists.

[someguy]

Jan 29, 2017 10:43:57 GMT -5 Kentucky25 said:

Unfortunately, most in my age demographic 20-29, don't know who Bob Seger is...those who do generally just know him for Old Time Rock & Roll. So I would imagine most of them will consider this to be an original.

Yeah that's probably true. I'm 32, but grew up with my parents listening to pretty much everything, so I was exposed to a wide variety of music.

[vann]

I am not sure about picking up this song as the next single because I just dont feel like as a single but a good song for the album.

I would rather "Good as Gold" or "Sweet Time". :)

[sabre14]

The ad Warner Music Nashville put in Country Aircheck/Billboard tonight, for "You'll Accomp'ny Me".

[zaclord 🌈]

Dear Lord that font choice. I can barely even read the song title with the way the letters are placed and the unnecessary spotlight on the right. Seriously though, that first "Y"...

[phil1996]

I re-listened to the album. Why the heck was Cigarette released instead of El Camino? They missed out on an easy top 5 hit and now his radio career might be done.

[straitouttanashville]

Jan 31, 2017 10:28:55 GMT -5 phil1996 said:

I re-listened to the album. Why the heck was Cigarette released instead of El Camino? They missed out on an easy top 5 hit and now his radio career might be done.

100% agree "El Camino" is a great song and radio friendly. I think he or the label released "Cigaette" because the heavyweights who wrote the track. I mean I didnt really like "Cigarette", and I expected more from a song written by Chris Stapleton, Kip Moore & Jaren Johnston.

[sabre14]

This one got 19 adds on impact day...hmm, sounds familiar...that's because that was the exact same add number "Cigarette" got last summer.

Frankie's momentum is gone and his album sales for El Rio are embarrassing. I don't know why Frankie's songs sell so poorly but I knew his time at radio would find struggles at some point. I like this one better than "Cigarette" but that song was a bad choice for radio and the quick burn rate for the lead single didn't help either.

[sabre14]

I like this one! Much better than "Cigarette." I knew it was a Bob Seger cover but I'm unfamiliar with the original. I like the persistent nature of the narrator and the guitar riff is really catchy.

It's unfortunate this couldn't be the second single. Radio has cooled on Frankie after "It All Started With A Beer" peaked but "Cigarette" did not sound like something they would've warmed up to anyway. This single climbed eight spots to #69 on Mediabase this past week but with the lackluster adds (27 total so far), I doubt this much past the top 50, honestly. I think Frankie has a great distinctive voice and sound but his sales speak for themselves -- 7,000 copies sold El Rio's first week out and 11,000 sold Sunshine & Whiskey's first week out back in 2014. It's difficult to see his radio days lasting much longer with his momentum gone and sales being nonexistent.

[Ten Pound Hammer]

My mom played a lot of Seger when I was growing up, so I'm quite familiar with a lot of his songs, including this one. Frankie does a very good job on this.

[Deleted]

It is a shame that Frankie Ballard has lost his momentum and how badly he lost it. This song has been a jam for me lately!

Unfortunately it's chart prospects look very bleak at best. Frankie Ballard continues to bounce around in the 50s and the song has actually lost a bit of audience in the past couple of weeks (about 200k) and I have doubts this will even make the Top 50. Shame, once again I love this song for some reason