The Beatles 1 and 1+

Maybe the reality is...the Beatles have passed into history at this point as far as still being mega sellers of product.
As big as Elvis was, about ten years before the Beatles, we probably wouldn't have been shocked if an Elvis video collection was released 1o years ago and the world's citizens didn't cause a stampede at stores to get those old videos. Now it's becoming the Beatles turn to become irrelevant commercially.

 

No in fact I said it wasn't a fair comparison for just those reasons. I said UMG & Apple must be looking on with envy. I posed the question, would rethinking their strategy & opening the vaults for unreleased material, & the checkbook for bigger advertising help them next time.

Low sales mean UMG can't get their billion dollars back, and jobs at Apple eventually go on the chopping block.

I think many of the 1+ songs, have been previously available 10-12 times or more

1 original single or album
2 past masters
3 20 grtst hits
4 62-66/67-70
5 87 CDs
6 Capitol albums
7 Rock nroll-ballads-reel music- Luv songs
8 Love 2006
9 remasters 2009
10 iTunes exclusive
11 1+

Just for example

 

As per Musicharts.net global album chart, three week sales for 1 total around 320K.

 

They've sold a billion records more or less. It could be that everyone who is going to buy their music already has for the most part, on whatever media for now. There has to be a new generation to rediscover them, I guess, years down the road maybe.

 

Yes, the core catalog has been fully exploited by now and only the folks like us here on the forum with personality disorders give a seconds thought to, or are even aware of the hidden GEMS like "Carnival of Light" and " Anything". Most "civilians" will have relatively full, happy lives without ever hearing these ...MASTERWORKS.

 

Perhaps but I wouldn't go that far based on reissue of an album that has already hold 31 million copies and was last reissued as recently as 2011. Yes, the videos are the new element but I wonder if that's lost on casual buyers based on the "1" packaging.

The last BIG sales splash The Beatles made was in 2009 selling 2.25 million albums within days of the remastered set release. That was huge back then, especially given the global recession at the time. Maybe that was the last big hurrah? Who knows.......but I certainly think there would be a market for deluxe reissues if Apple/Universal chose to go down that route. The 2009 remasters introduced a lot of new fans to the core UK catalog and so there would be appetite for expanded versions/remixes.

 

I still want the Let it Be film on Blu Ray or DVD, though! Then I'll be content with my collection.

 

I have yet to hear a good modern mix using The Beatles music, and I very doubt we will, its like trying to chase the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, it is not do able because the music has been put under the microscope so much... and I like what we got if it ain't broke why the need to keep trying to fix it, please give me an example of a modern Beatles mix that betters the original so far, Yellow Submarine Soundtrack was flawed and that had a Beatles on board (all it really gave us was Yellow Submarine in Stereo with John's response line returned like the mono but we had it on the mono), i suppose the Naked version of Don't Let Me Down was ok if a bit dishonest but nothing I have heard 2000+ beats the original mixes, every time i hear a new Beatles mix it is disappointing and after a few listens return to the original ??

 

That's the billion dollar question. Its also worth noting, as an aside, this sells for an average of 3x more say ($30) avg price. So the equivelant of nearly a million avg priced units. Ten million dollar gross in 1st 21 days. With all those inventory snafus at Amazon And Australia New Zealand.

Minimal advertising as you pointed out, no talk show appearances by Paul, Ringo, Dhani, Giles, Yoko, Olivia, no TV or Rolling Stone ads. For music being released for the 10th time.

Elvis was just number one in the UK far outselling the Beatles with old songs and a newly overdubbed orchestra. Making in theory, new mbudget
You may be right. But my theory is lack of new songs & lack of promotion. If they make a few cool new videos, spruce up whatever is left, Sour Milk Sea, Carnival of light, 3rd reunion song ? Alternate Helter Skelter, whatever they can whip into shape, along with some big hits, maybe classics that weren't singles, but should have been. Here from s the sun, Tomorrow Never knows, Back in USSR. New mixes, a few new videos, heavy advertising, one new radio friendly song. They've run out of tunes Glen.

Maybe it's over. I think Apple UMG intend to fight that idea.

A new animated movie with White album or Abbey Road as the soundtrack or Revolver, with a silly plot like YellowcSubmarine, or Help, on CD or bluray would sell a ton. A ton. If it was well done. Hire good sound alikes to do the dialogue, White album music, and some Geo Mary n guy, Danny Elfman to do the incidental film music a smash I tell ya, a smash... If done well... If on a reasonable budget

 

It's an interesting question, and as you mention...who knows? We don't.Only time will tell.
Just thinking out loud, I would think that possibly Sgt Pepper, White Album, and Abbey Road deluxes might create some buzz, but I don't think the general public would look much beyond those three, and I'm not sure the three I mention would create much buzz.

I have to admit though, the only interest I have regarding Beatles sales is how it relates to OTHER Beatles projects getting released.It's not my problem or much of a point of interest to me how much these things sell. They did the greatest of work and got the gold watch but I'm not offended at all if they aren't commercially huge anymore.

I've mentioned it before but... If that's the case let Apple create something similar to the Hendrix Dagger Records imprint. A boutique label with low key releases of material not commercial enough for mass marketing but enjoyable to we collectors.
The trouble is, at this point I don't think Apple is interested in something that isn't BIG.They aren't ready yet to mine the archives for the minor rarities that we fans would enjoy.

 

Surprised you can say that much!

 

Well my friend , we will see what Apple comes up with and what will or won't create a buzz.
Tomorrow Never Knows.

 

I guess I'm one of the few here who loves the YS Songtrack remixes. I play them regularly and think they are great.

 

Maybe the promotional materials should be focused on asylums.

 

Do you play them instead of the original mixes, have they replaced the originals for your 'to go's' ?

 

You know Glen recently, Robert Zemeckis, a big filmmaker was slated to do a huge Yellow Submarine remake. Motion picture. But Zemeckis last couple pictures bombed at the box office, & Disney pulled the plug.

If modern technology & animation techniques would allow for a brand new comedic Beatles film, on a reasonable budget, with a good script & good sound alike actors, capturing some of that Beatles charm. Using A Beatles album as the soundtrack, with additional incidental music, maybe McCartney ?

To coincide with a big remix box of Pepper White album or AbbeyRoad.. That could be Huge. The risk is enormous.

 

Add me to the list - its on my gym albums list for past few weeks (a playlist that's currently highly dominated by The Beatles 1+ and other remix projects).

 

Yeah, I remember that one. It would've been an interesting project to see what they could do with the "Yellow Submarine" concept using modern animation technology. Could've been a great way to reach out to the millenials....

 

I love the yellow sub 99 remixes. A bit harsh sounding, but good.

I'd like to see them redo it once more, eliminating a couple 65-66 songs, and adding Lady Madonna, Inner Light, Across The Universe (early mix), Christmas Time is here again.

In other words yes I like the modern mixes,& I'd like to see it redone so it has 8 new songs or 9 instead of four. Keeping only the title track ( Yellow submarine) the 8 new songs, & Geo. Martin's film music.

This would create an actual 'new' Beatles album of fresh material, instead of just 4 songs, with a bunch of older tunes. Baby you're A Rich Man originally belonged there as well. But that would leave Mystery Tour as too short.

 

Well no because it's a separate album but if all those 66-70 proper albums sounded like this I probably would play them more than the original stereos. I'd also play the mono sets a lot as I do now.

 

Now you're on to something Jim!

 

Maybe.

I just don't consider it my job or responsibility to worry about how the Beatles are perceived (or not)
by future generations.

Just because they were the biggest thing in my lifetime doesn't mean I expect them to be that for the kids of the future.

In his day, Bing Crosby was huge.Did his fans give a moments thought worrying about promoting his legacy?

 

chart info for Something/Come Together, US:

--in Billboard, they were first charted as separate entries. Something was higher the first 2 weeks, then Come Together was higher the next 3 weeks, then Something went higher the next week. Then they were merged into one chart position. Prior to the merger, Something was peaking at # 3, Come Together had peaked at # 2 and was dropping to # 7. Starting with the merger, the record was listed at # 1 as Come Together/Something, then the next week it dropped to # 3, then continued dropping the next 8 weeks.

--in Cashbox, both tracks were listed separately for their entire runs, Something was the earlier hit peaking at # 2, then Come Together was the latter hit peaking at # 1.

--in Record World, Something was first listed by itself, then on week 3 Come Together joined it for the entire chart run. It was # 1 for 5 weeks: for the 1st 2 weeks at # 1, it was listed as Something/Come Together, for the next 3 weeks at # 1 it was listed as Come Together/Something. I don't have Record World charts for the rest of the run outside the Top 10, but I would guess it remained as Come Together/Something for the rest of the chart run.

as for the UK:

--on the NME chart, the double sided record was listed as Something/Come Together.

--on the Melody Maker chart, the record was only listed as Something.

--on the BMRB chart used by Record Retailer/BBC, and later Guinness/Official Charts Co, the double sided record was listed as Something/Come Together for the entire chart run.

 

Its good to know you all like some of the remixes its still good, maybe I am just too old and so will remain with my original UK Vinyl and original Cd's and let you all know about the interesting little quirks, like the sneeze on Norwegian Wood etc which would be eliminated on any remixes, i worry that remixes will make The Beatles boring and future generations will miss out on all the interesting stuff due to autotune etc, still looking forward to the 'robotic hologram' live show like they did with Elvis:

"Ladies and Gentlemen please welcome to the stage for the first time since 1969 John, Paul, George and Ringo, The Beatles live on stage again bought to you with Apple Core Computers"