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[Howard Ballou]

Is that good? I don't follow music sales at all.

edit: How does iTunes and other DD services get into the billboard? What if someone just buys like 6 songs?

It's not too bad. D&A was just a bit under 200k, and that was four years ago. And just from taking a quick look at Runaways wiki page, it hasn't exactly been burning the charts up (as good as it is, wtf).

I'd imagine Miss Atomic Bomb will be released as the next single sometime soon, though.

No idea as to the iTunes stuff, though.

 

[lsslave]

113k? That's even worse than expected...jeeze.

According to the source (I read it) D&A was released during a busier week. Also I wouldn't put everything on first week sales, music has much MUCH better legs than video games or movies do.

It will still be selling at full price in 3 years, for example (in fact most music is cheaper day 1)

Most record labels will look at

First Week - First Month - Six Months - 1 Year

First week through first month = strength of first single

First month through six months = follow up singles, word of mouth

Six months through one year = Response to tour

 

[demosthenes]

FYI, Day and Age came out Thanksgiving week.

 

[TripOpt55]

Just finished my 4th listen of the album. At this point, I think I've decided that Hot Fuss = Sam's Town > Battle Born > Day And Age.

Also, it just occurred to me in response to some of the criticism the album has received for not being rock-y enough or too ballad-y that this happens EVERY Killers album.

In 2006, when Sam's Town hit - WTF, where did all the synth and new wave sounds go?
In 2008, when Day And Age hit- WTF, why is this so dancey?
In 2012, when Battle Born hit - WTF, why so many ballads?

And in 20XX, when Album 5 hits - WTF, _____________?

For better or for worse, these guys change up their style on every single album. Personally, I love it - I don't need The Killers to be like AC/DC and have 25 albums that all sound the same.

I'm a little confused by this post Solo. I imagine you aren't trying to shrug off criticism for the new album by saying people always find something to complain about with all Killers albums (though it kind of sounds like that a bit, but I imagine that isn't what you meant). Especially since you weren't a fan of Day and Age. I know I am personally not a fan of the direction they went with this album. I am not opposed to change or anything. I love the first three albums. Day and Age isn't quite as good as the first two but it felt like a logical direction for their next album. Personally this one feels a bit further out there (maybe the four year gap caused this a bit) and the ballads do become a bit much for me. I mean they are certainly welcome to go in this direction, but I am welcome to not particularly like it and voice some criticisms.

Also were you a big supporter of them changing things up when Day and Age released or have you come around on this idea since you enjoy Battle Born so much? There would be nothing wrong with either viewpoint, but I'm asking because I wasn't around here to discuss Day and Age on release. Hope I'm not coming off like a dick. I'm really just curious about your thoughts on this.

Anyway, for some general thoughts on the album after listening to it a lot. I really like the first half of the album except Here with Me which feels like it kills the pace of the first half. I'd much rather go from track 1-3 to 5-7. I rarely skip any track on Killers albums when I have the time to listen to the whole thing, but I have a few times skipped Here with Me. That song just isn't for me I guess. After Miss Atomic Bomb the album just isn't as strong which most seem to agree on. It's never really bad (though I'm not really fan of Here with Me and From Here on Out), it's just not as good as I'd like it to be.

I do absolutely love these four songs though and I'd rank them like this:

1. Flesh and Bone
2. Runaways
3. Deadlines and Commitments
4. Miss Atomic Bomb

There are some other good tracks and some mediocre ones as well. Plus a couple that like I said I wasn't really a fan of. I just don't think this is as good as the first three albums, though I do still enjoy it if not as much as the first three albums.

 

[Solo]

I'm a little confused by this post Solo. I imagine you aren't trying to shrug off criticism for the new album by saying people always find something to complain about with all Killers albums (though it kind of sounds like that a bit, but I imagine that isn't what you meant).

Not at all, and I actually just went over this with coldvein. But those points I mentioned ARE things I heard many people say when those albums released. In fact, to my ears, Hot Fuss was their only instantly-awesome album. Sam Town was a grower (even moreso than Battle Born for me), I've never fully come around on Day, and BB is another grower.

But no criticism is invalid, of course. Although I do think some are more upset at the fact they didn't get the album they expected than at the quality of the album itself.

Also were you a big supporter of them changing things up when Day and Age released or have you come around on this idea since you enjoy Battle Born so much?

Never came around on Day, simply because that style never clicked with me. I admire them for doing something different each album, but that also means not everyone will like every album. For me, that album was Day And Age. For some in here, its Battle Born.

But I do think Dustland Fairytale is one of the best songs they've ever done, so not even Day is a waste. And the good news for anyone who doesn't like/hates BB is that the next album will sound completely different anyway.

 

[TripOpt55]

Oh okay. Gotcha. In regards to the later question though. What I meant was were you critical of the stylistic change back when Day & Age released? Or did you have a similar attitude as you do now in that you could appreciate their desire to change things up, but just didn't care for it? I thought their general changing of styles might be something easier to get behind for you now, given that it resulted in an album that you love like Battle Born where back then it may have been something you were not okay with. (Edit: Sorry this is just a confusing question... it makes more sense in my head than when I type it).

 

[Solo]

I mean that:

- Sam's Town changed from a synth/new wave style to a more classic rock style - a style which I liked
- Day And Age changed from a classic rock sound to a more dancey sound - a style which I didn't like
- Battle Born changed from a dancey style to more of an arena/stadium rock album sound - a style which I like

EDIT: I've also heard Battle Born described as what Flowers' "Flamingo" would be with The Killers behind him. Take that for what you will.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

EDIT: I've also heard Battle Born described as what Flowers' "Flamingo" would be with The Killers behind him. Take that for what you will.

That's an odd thing for someone to say. If anything, Day and Age is what Flamingo would be with The Killers behind him, not Battle Born.

Have you listened to Flamingo yet, btw?

 

[Solo]

Just Crossfire and one other song I can't recall.

EDIT: now 100% certain that not having Carry Me Home on the album proper was a complete mistake

 

[NintendoFan]

That's an odd thing for someone to say. If anything, Day and Age is what Flamingo would be with The Killers behind him, not Battle Born.

Have you listened to Flamingo yet, btw?

Battle Born sounds much more like Flamingo than Day & Age. Especially songs like Deadlines And Commitments and The Rising Tide.

 

[Solo]

I do believe that Here With Me is the track that Flowers "held back" from Flamingo for BB.

 

[TripOpt55]

I mean that:

- Sam's Town changed from a synth/new wave style to a more classic rock style - a style which I liked
- Day And Age changed from a classic rock sound to a more dancey sound - a style which I didn't like
- Battle Born changed from a dancey style to more of an arena/stadium rock album sound - a style which I like

EDIT: I've also heard Battle Born described as what Flowers' "Flamingo" would be with The Killers behind him. Take that for what you will.

Yeah I see what you mean. I guess this new change didn't really mesh with me in the same way Day and Age didn't for you.

Not sure I get the Flamingo/Battle Born comparisons either. I did enjoy Flamingo, but my expectations were in a different place probably since it was a solo album. It is kind of inconsistent like Battle Born for me. It has some really good tracks though. Also really liked the last three bonus tracks. You should give it a listen some time.

Edit: I am going to take a day at work and try and listen to them all through again, Flamingo included. See what I think then. As much as I listened to the old stuff leading up to the new release, another full listen through would help give me some perspective.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

Just Crossfire and one other song I can't recall.

You should listen to it. I think that it's quite good. Though, I guess you might not dig it because it's pretty Day and Age-y.

Battle Born sounds much more like Flamingo than Day & Age. Especially songs like Deadlines And Commitments and The Rising Tide.

You think so? Cause I just don't hear it. Hm. I recently relistened to all 5 albums - Hot Fuss, Sam's Town, Day and Age, Battle Born, and Flamingo - and while Flamingo is certainly more similar to Battle Born than to Hot Fuss or Sam's Town, I think it sounds closer to Day and Age overall.

In terms of sound evolution it's like:

Hot Fuss->Sam's Town->Day and Age->Flamingo->Battle Born

But maybe I'm the only who thinks that?

Also really liked the last three bonus tracks.

Yeah me too. My favorite of the bonus track from Flamingo is "The Clock Was Tickin"

 

[PowderedToast]

carry me home wouldn't fit due to the production, it doesn't use any of the same techniques. BB is very cohesive in its sound and it'd stick out like a sore thumb if it was there, i reckon.

love the track tho

 

[Solo]

carry me home wouldn't fit due to the production, it doesn't use any of the same techniques.

How do you mean?

In terms of sound evolution it's like:

Hot Fuss->Sam's Town->Day and Age->Flamingo->Battle Born

So basically, chronological order? Makes sense.

 

[ultron87]

Aaah, I can't stop listening to A Matter of Time!

 

[PowderedToast]

How do you mean?

hm, just the way the instruments and voice sound, there's a harsh electronic sheen to it. the rest of BB sounds a lot warmer/more organic. or maybe i'm talking out my arse

now that we've had some time with BB, top 5 killers?

mine would be;

1. human
2. flesh + bone
3. spaceman
4. this is your life
5. carry me home

i love them all, dearly. they cut through my very being and caress my soul all over

 

[Solo]

Top 5 overall? Shiiiiiiiiit

I'll try:

1. When You Were Young - Sam's Town
2. Runaways - Battle Born
3. Read My Mind - Sam's Town
4. Mr. Brightside - Hot Fuss
5. Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine - Hot Fuss
6. For Reasons Unknown - Sam's Town
7. A Dustland Fairytale - Day And Age
8. Flesh And Bone - Battle Born
9. Somebody Told Me - Hot Fuss
10. Bling (Confessions Of A King) - Sam's Town




(couldn't do less than 10, sorry :lol Looks like 3 from Hot Fuss, 4 from Sam's Town, 1 from Day And Age and 2 from Battle Born)

 

[PowderedToast]

very interesting (and different)

if you considered solo flowers, would any of those tracks make it on there? i'm giving flamingo a spin now and i forgot how much i liked it. i'd have to seriously consider crossfire, only the young and jacksonville.

 

[Solo]

Crossfire would come in at 9, knocking Bling out. Crossfire is a fucking awesome track.

EDIT: in other news, of all the tracks on Day And Age, I'm really warming to freaking Joy Ride :lol

 

[TripOpt55]

very interesting (and different)

if you considered solo flowers, would any of those tracks make it on there? i'm giving flamingo a spin now and i forgot how much i liked it. i'd have to seriously consider crossfire, only the young and jacksonville.

I love Jacksonville. Great song.

 

[Fry]

1. Read My Mind
2. A Dustland Fairytale
3. Runaways
4. Spaceman (live)
5. Bling
6. Jenny Was A Friend of Mine
7. Flesh and Bone
8. Bones
9. Human
10. Mr. Brightside

More or less this.

 

[killertofu]

I love Jacksonville. Great song.

YES
I wonder why they made it a bonus track. So good

 

[Medalion]

I think for the time being, I am ranking Battle Born as the 2nd best Killers album for me

 

[The Outsider]

Haven't actually listened to the Killers much aside from the singles. Really enjoying this album though. Think it's only fair to go back and the earlier albums a shot.

 

[Solo]

YES
I wonder why they made it a bonus track. So good

Sam reason Carry Me Home was a bonus track on BB - Brandon seemingly occasionally can't tell a great track (ala Jacksonville or Carry Me Home) from a mediocre one, and the result is the mediocre one stays on the album proper while the better song gets relegated to a bonus or b-side track.

 

[Fry]

'Watch us perform Runaways on the Ellen Degeneres show today at 4PM ET on NBC.'

edit: well, duh

Runaways

Mr. Brightside

 

[ErasureAcer]

'Watch us perform Runaways on the Ellen Degeneres show today at 4PM ET on NBC.'

Ellen is on CBS at 4pm Central in my area. Dunno why they said the network/time if it's different everywhere.

 

[Meier]

Is that good? I don't follow music sales at all.

edit: How does iTunes and other DD services get into the billboard? What if someone just buys like 6 songs?

I think I read at some point that they use some mechanism where like 10 digital tracks = 1 album copy sold in the album sales list. I could be wrong on the conversion, but I'm pretty sure they do take it into account somehow.. I feel confident I read about that at some point.

113k is obviously a little disappointing, but the fact the album didn't go on sale at all digitally didn't help them. The Billboard article notes Pink's album was available for $5 from Amazon MP3.. The Killers have remained full price. I personally haven't bought it yet due to that fact -- just been streaming it on rdio. It is currently $8.99/$12.99 which is more than I'm willing to spend on a digital release.

 

[Fry]

Exclusive! The Killers Perform 'All These Things That I've Done'

 

[killertofu]

Exclusive! The Killers Perform 'All These Things That I've Done'

my favorite <3

 

[metareferential]

Top 5? Damn, not an easy task. I'd say this five:

1.Change your mind
2.Mr Brightside
3.Spaceman
4.read my mind
5.runaways

Some other songs might fit in as well. And I love Hot Fuss so much, there's no contest.

 

[killertofu]

Top 5

1. All These Things That I've Done
2. This River Is Wild
3. Don't Shoot Me Santa
4. Miss Atomic Bomb
5. Losing Touch

Notable Mentions
Jacksonville
Change Your Mind
Read My Mind
Bling
Under The Gun
Flesh and Bone
Runaways
Neon Tiger
Spaceman

I tried to spread it out...

 

[Revolver]

I kind of lost interest in the Killers after Day & Age but this album is growing on me. I like Runaways, Flesh and Bone, Miss Atomic Bomb and Deadlines and Commitments.

 

[Solo]

Battle Born sold 294,000 copies worldwide in its first week of release.

 

[ThatObviousUser]

Good? Bad?

That'd be considered great in game standards...

 

[Solo]

I'm no authority, but I don't think it falls under either "terrible sales" or "amazing sales". I think it's pretty middle of the road/average.

EDIT: I would imagine that a 4 year hiatus realllly didn't help with how flavour-of-the-month oriented pop music is these days.

 

[Deleted member 30609]

mediocre word of mouth can't have helped either, and a poor first single (not that there's anything on the album that's much better)

 

[ThatObviousUser]

mediocre word of mouth can't have helped either, and a poor first single (not that there's anything on the album that's much better)

I'm so sorry, but he's coming for you. And he's going to take you.

 

[Meier]

a poor first single (not that there's anything on the album that's much better)

Runaways is amazing and one of the best songs of the year. You're insane.

 

[Fry]

I don't think I've gone through a single day without listening to Runaways ever since it was released as a single.

 

[Deleted member 30609]

not instantly arousing enough to be a decent pop song, too shallow to be a decent long-term listen

much like the entire album

ka-pow

 

[Medalion]

He loves it

 

[Solo]

mediocre word of mouth can't have helped either, and a poor first single (not that there's anything on the album that's much better)

LO fucking L.

 

[Discotheque]

how much did it sell in US? that's decent sales though, albums aren't as big as they once were.

 

[Solo]

how much did it sell in US? that's decent sales though, albums aren't as big as they once were.

113,000 in the US in week one.

 

[PowderedToast]

not instantly arousing enough to be a decent pop song, too shallow to be a decent long-term listen

much like the entire album

ka-pow

well, it's no human that's 4 sure

flesh and bone should've been the first single i reckon

 

[Discotheque]

Runaways has way better lyrics than Human, but man I've really been digging the vibe of the latter a lot more.

Still Battle Born > Day and Age.

Also I've noticed the Mr. Brightside riff in Miss Atomic Bomb. But did anybody notice it in Human as well?

 

[PowderedToast]

Runaways has way better lyrics than Human, but man I've really been digging the vibe of the latter a lot more.

Still Battle Born > Day and Age.

Also I've noticed the Mr. Brightside riff in Miss Atomic Bomb. But did anybody notice it in Human as well?

yeah atomic bomb is a 'prequel' of sorts to brightside, so you have that little musical nod in there. human is close to my ~favourite song ever~

runaways is pretty cookie cutter in subject matter but the execution is off the charts. i don't agree with the shallow criticism of BB, tho. of course everyone takes something different from music to varying degrees, but at this point i see flowers approaching that springsteen craft of songwriting - that ability to communicate a lot through a little. his songs are never overwritten, and while they sometimes lack subtlety they still remain as highly affecting and insightful accounts of universal experience

and honestly, lyrical subtlety/ambiguity doesn't appeal to me much more. ill leave that to radiohed

 

[Fry]

They'll come to Brazil in 2013.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=tFObGyslF-0