Sevendust - "Forever"

[jvandyck87]

Now officially the follow up to "Unraveling" as my local rock station played it on today's new music feature and the DJ said this was the next single.

I initially thought this song was a mistake, and I still don't think it's a good choice, but on a new music feature called 'Hit Or Diss' where a song that manages to get even 50% hits usually goes in to rotation..."Forever" has 28 hits and 0 disses so far. So maybe it's more likable than I initially thought. I still think this song is going to get dayparted to evenings/overnights on most rock stations but whatever, maybe it'll outperform my expectations if everyone seems to be liking it this much.

[pen]

I guess it's nice as a throwback to when their singles were a little heavier, but I agree that this is a terrible choice. I wanted "Better Place" or "Karma".

[metalfan87]

goes for adds on the 26th (FMQB)

[lockebox]

Ah man can't believe they've released this. "Karma" was the standout option for second single.

[arashinclowery13]

I think this is one the song that similar to previews records. anyway, i like this song. My choices is KARMA - BETTER PLACE - CONFESSION - SPLINTER - NOWHERE.

[lockebox]

Oh yeah. Hot RED remake. It'll probably do about the same chartwise.

[arashinclowery13]

The song has a good chorus and also has a fast rhythm and strong lyric.

[fran182]

Well, I didn't really memorize how any song on the album goes, besides "Unraveling", but listening to this right now, I'm pretty sure it's a good choice.

[jvandyck87]

Top 50 on Active

88 50 SEVENDUST Forever 80 22 58 0.144

[Shadows in the Dark]

New low on the Active Top 50?

In regards to the song, it's not too bad, but I don't know if it'll get high.

[jvandyck87]

Mid 20s would be my prediction. Their follow-up singles off their last few albums have all topped out there. And while "Unraveling" did better than any of their recent lead singles, songs like "The Past" and "Failure" were substantially more radio friendly than this one. But I believe the relative success of "Unraveling" will help "Forever" match their success. I just hope that it does well enough for radio to take them seriously on their third single and they'll make a "BETTER" choice then *nudge nudge*.

[bamafan2102]

Looking at the BDS rankings, Forever was tied for the most station adds this week with 9. Maybe a good sign???

[arashinclowery13]

I there any news about shooting video?

[Shadows in the Dark]

Top 40 on Active:

52 40 SEVENDUST Forever 233 104 129 0.385

[jvandyck87]

This song got off to an incredibly hot start, passing the latest singles from Chevelle, Finger Eleven, Drowning Pool, Korn on its initial tear up the chart. But it's essentially stagnated over the last 6 days, and with the exception of Chevelle, all the other songs have since re-passed it. After looking like a lock for top 30 6 days ago at #32 with a triple-digit bullet, this song has stumbled to #37 and gained just 4 spins since then, and given last Monday was its big update, it's due to lose a bunch more unless today somehow matches their huge Sunday from last week.

If this song fails to go top 25 after "Unraveling" was their highest charting single ever, it would just reaffirm what a terrible choice this was.

[pen]

This is actually the only song off of the album I didn't think would work as a single, so I'm not surprised it's having a rocky climb.

[jvandyck87]

Haha what about "Strong Arm Broken"? I like it better than this, but that song is TOO heavy for active rock radio. Maybe it'd work for metal specialty shows. I had this as the third worst single choice ahead of SAB and "Ride Insane".

With the exception of "The Past", their recent follow-up single choices have all be questionable. I thought "Silence" would have been way better than "Failure", "Clueless" or "Under" way better than "Beg To Differ" and following the tremendous choice of "Unraveling", now they botched this one as well with 5 or 6 candidates that probably could have cracked the top 15 as follow-ups. This isn't one of them.

And while "The Past" was a solid follow-up choice off Chapter 7, in retrospect, "Inside" and "Scapegoat" might have been better bets as lead singles than "Prodigal Son". Or if they were allowed to release "Sorrow", that might have been the best choice of all.

[Shadows in the Dark]

Top 30 on Active:

34 30 SEVENDUST Forever 356 324 32 0.586

[jvandyck87]

Peak predictions:
BDS active rock: #22
Mediabase active rock: #24
Billboard Mainstream Rock: #25

[pen]

Aug 25, 2010 14:30:30 GMT -5 jvandyck87 said:

Peak predictions:
BDS active rock: #22
Mediabase active rock: #24
Billboard Mainstream Rock: #25

Seems like it should be higher based on Unraveling's success, but it is a pretty weak single so you might be right.

[David]

LJ is totally rocking my boyfriends clothing line now. He loved it so much he gave Ben his number!! LJ is a pretty nice guy as well. Very down to earth.

[jvandyck87]

Aug 25, 2010 14:30:30 GMT -5 jvandyck87 said:

Peak predictions:
BDS active rock: #22
Mediabase active rock: #24
Billboard Mainstream Rock: #25

Current BDS peak: #22
Current Mediabase Active peak: #24
Current Billboard Mainstream Rock peak: #25

Am I sick or what?

That said, the song could still move up, and I'm rooting for it to do so and prove me wrong for Sevendust's sake rather than stopping right where I predicted... I'm still patting myself on the back though.

[jvandyck87]

Top 20 on active:

24 20 SEVENDUST Forever 606 532 74 1.155

This song out of nowhere has gotten hot again and re-passed Drowning Pool and Korn, which is surprising considering these are all 2nd singles, and Drowning Pool traditionally does better than Sevendust at radio, and Korn is just all around more popular than Sevendust. I also feel like "Turn So Fold" is more radio-friendly than "Forever". Whatever, I'm not complaining. :)

All it has to do is stay hot for two more days and they'll officially have two top 20 active rock singles on the same album for the first time since the 'Seasons' era. Not bad. Now I just wonder what "Better Place" or "Confessions" could have done following "Unraveling", but I'm glad this is doing well because "Forever" going top 20 strongly increases the chances that a third single off this album (preferably one of the two songs that I just mentioned) will be able to make the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.

[arashinclowery13]

I agree with jvandyck87... I think Forever reaching top ten. I dont know why this song is not played in alternative radio... last song in alternative chart was ENEMY peaked #30. Anybody know that why sevendust singles since 2004 werent in alternative charts? i mean why Sevendust missed their alternative fans? but Korn and Deftones still have their fans in alternative.

[jvandyck87]

I wish I could agree with you too...I don't think that has even the slightest kernel of hope of going top 10 on active but that would be huge for them. Their lack of success at alternative is due to the genre of nu-metal becoming more of an active rock only thing, and only the handful of nu-metal bands that had been big enough to become alternative staples can still get any success there. Sevendust never had that BIG hit on the format, and it probably doesn't help that "Angel's Son", their only top 20 hit on alternative radio that reached roughly #15, was not even under their own name.

[arashinclowery13]

Yeah... After departured from TVT, their genre changed to nu metal and their songs became darker from previews songs. When Clint Lowery left the band, John Connolly became Lead Guitar and he came with some drums rhythm guitar like Last Song, Hero, Alpha ... that they had not this styles in the past. There are many reasons that their styles had changed.

[pen]

Oct 2, 2010 6:52:51 GMT -5 arashinclowery13 said:

Yeah... After departured from TVT, their genre changed to nu metal and their songs became darker from previews songs. When Clint Lowery left the band, John Connolly became Lead Guitar and he came with some drums rhythm guitar like Last Song, Hero, Alpha ... that they had not this styles in the past. There are many reasons that their styles had changed.

Actually, their style on the albums without Lowery was a lot more reminiscent of their first two albums, the self-titled and Home, so it wasn't a big departure in musical style, just a step backwards.

[jvandyck87]

I agree with you on Next and Alpha, but I feel that Hope & Sorrow explored new ground for Sevendust anyway with the title tracks with a more orchestral sound as well as the industrial elements of "Inside" and power balladry of "The Past". Their previous acoustic songs didn't really qualify as power ballads (they were too artistic to be power ballads, whereas "The Past" was schmaltzy and rock & roll enough). I felt H&S was more of a progression in their sound than CDM which feels like a heavier Seasons with CDM having more of a metal influence and slightly inferior songwriting than Seasons.

And don't look now, but after "Unraveling" was Sevendust's highest charting (lead) single in their career on active, it seems that "Forever" is going to be their highest ever follow-up single. Does anybody know where "Broken Down", "Face To Face", "Live Again", and "Waffle" peaked?

AND DON'T GIVE ME BILLBOARD PEAKS! I KNOW THEIR BILLBOARD MAINSTREAM ROCK PEAKS SO IF YOU SAY 20, 22, 21, AND 23, I WON'T BELIEVE YOU!

[rockmaniac]

Oct 8, 2010 1:36:58 GMT -5 jvandyck87 said:

I agree with you on Next and Alpha, but I feel that Hope & Sorrow explored new ground for Sevendust anyway with the title tracks with a more orchestral sound as well as the industrial elements of "Inside" and power balladry of "The Past". Their previous acoustic songs didn't really qualify as power ballads (they were too artistic to be power ballads, whereas "The Past" was schmaltzy and rock & roll enough). I felt H&S was more of a progression in their sound than CDM which feels like a heavier Seasons with CDM having more of a metal influence and slightly inferior songwriting than Seasons.

And don't look now, but after "Unraveling" was Sevendust's highest charting (lead) single in their career on active, it seems that "Forever" is going to be their highest ever follow-up single. Does anybody know where "Broken Down", "Face To Face", "Live Again", and "Waffle" peaked?

AND DON'T GIVE ME BILLBOARD PEAKS! I KNOW THEIR BILLBOARD MAINSTREAM ROCK PEAKS SO IF YOU SAY 20, 22, 21, AND 23, I WON'T BELIEVE YOU!

u forget Beg To Differ

[jvandyck87]

Oct 8, 2010 15:24:39 GMT -5 rockmaniac said:

Oct 8, 2010 1:36:58 GMT -5 jvandyck87 said:

I agree with you on Next and Alpha, but I feel that Hope & Sorrow explored new ground for Sevendust anyway with the title tracks with a more orchestral sound as well as the industrial elements of "Inside" and power balladry of "The Past". Their previous acoustic songs didn't really qualify as power ballads (they were too artistic to be power ballads, whereas "The Past" was schmaltzy and rock & roll enough). I felt H&S was more of a progression in their sound than CDM which feels like a heavier Seasons with CDM having more of a metal influence and slightly inferior songwriting than Seasons.

And don't look now, but after "Unraveling" was Sevendust's highest charting (lead) single in their career on active, it seems that "Forever" is going to be their highest ever follow-up single. Does anybody know where "Broken Down", "Face To Face", "Live Again", and "Waffle" peaked?

AND DON'T GIVE ME BILLBOARD PEAKS! I KNOW THEIR BILLBOARD MAINSTREAM ROCK PEAKS SO IF YOU SAY 20, 22, 21, AND 23, I WON'T BELIEVE YOU!

u forget Beg To Differ

No I actually didn't. I'm not going to tell you why I left it out because I want you to think about it because I don't feel like you did think the first time you posted. Why would I leave "Beg To Differ" out of this list? I'll give you a hint: I also left out "Bitch", "Failure", and "The Past" for the same reason.

EDIT: Given you never came back to reply to this, I'll just say it...it's because those songs didn't peak anywhere close to the top 20 on Billboard Mainstream Rock, so I know "Forever" out-peaked them on active.