News Extra: Tim McGraw Apologizes For Greatest Hits 3

Good for him!!

I agree; I give him a lot of credit for distancing himself from the project. It’s also interesting to note that he’s apparently not at the end of his contract with Curb, as some had previously speculated, since they’ve delayed the released of a studio album. It will be interesting to see if the label retaliates by not promoting that album if and when they eventually release it.

Occasional Hope,

That contract is gonna be hard to get out of for Tim but being that he’s a star, he’ll likely get out of it.

As for his announcement, he made a similar one back when the first compilation was released.

A stand up guy! Nice job Tim!

Yeah, good for Tim McGraw! ^.^

Scummy Curb Records lol

The cynic in me says that this statement is a great way for McGraw to have his cake and eat it too.

Timeo,

Most of the country music audience (that actually buys product) doesn’t own an iPod and even if they do, they buy their music when shopping at Wal-Mart. So they still have a ‘place.’

Why is Curb allowed to do this without getting the consent of the artist?

“He’s sure getting a lot of publicity out of this ‘apology’ for the release of this new album.”

Yep, because there’s no better publicity for a new album than to publicly disown it. I’m sure that’ll have fans scurrying to the record store.

I was actually surprised to find TM3 on iTunes just the other week because I didn’t think it made any sense for there to be a greatest hits just after one album. Talk about lame! I also applaud TM for his statement…it just proves once more on that “money hungry” label that’s been retaliated about these past few years. I also can’t believe that an artist won’t have a say in the matter, even though Jim had made a clear case of reason. Sounds like CURB needs a new direction, and it’s time for TM to move onto a different label.

“Yep, because there’s no better publicity for a new album than to publicly disown it. I’m sure that’ll have fans scurrying to the record store.”

Like Chris, I’ll admit to being baffled by that logic too, Rick.

I may actually be on Rick’s side here. McGraw isnt “disowning” a new record of untested songs that would be damned to the bargain bin had this happened, he is releasing a record that is full of songs his fans already love. I am sure he’ll have no problem cashing the checks that come in as the result of this cd’s sales, nor should he, but like Matt said, he may be trying to have it both ways…

Oops, I meant to say:

“In fact, it kind of gives his fans who already own all of this stuff permission to not buy the album…”

But how much of this is because Curb is a jerk and how much of this is because Tim McGraw is a high maintence star with a big budget career his album sales no longer support?

Stormy,

Tim McGraw is FAR from a ‘high maitenance’ artist. And, EVERYONE is seeing a decline in album sales.

I dount artists compounds at each tour stop come cheap:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/hitnail.asp

Stormy,

That sounds like standard-issue requirements for tour stops.

Ok lets remember who we are talking about here, this is the man who went against the grain with his album tim mcgraw and the dance hall doctors, recording most of in upstate ny and pulling off a #1hit album, video, and how many number one hits on the album, He has always stood by his work good bad or indifferent and stood by all his people, If his label could not respect him enough to go ahead with the studio project he was doing or had completed shame on them for just trying to make the money instead of giving the fans something new and perhaps a different take on his own stylings…..YOU GO TIM, KEEP STANDING UP FOR YOURSELF, i know i will be in your corner always along with the rest of the countryfannetwork.com fans………….GO TIM GO

While I dont see that this statement will benifit the sales of this greatest hits collection, it honestly makes me more likely to buy his next studio album.

Matt C,

I was simply referring to McGraw as not being high-maintenance in the way Blake spoke of; in concert and in person. He doesn’t come off as the ‘diva type.’ I wasn’t referencing his dealings with his label at all. But I WILL say this, Curb’s been notorious for the kind of iron-clad contracts they often have their artists sign.

Part of the reason that costs are so high is that songs like “If You’re Reading This” get shilled to mainstream radio for beaucoup bucks, get tacked onto an existing album and don’t sell enough to cover the airplay.

“Part of the reason that costs are so high is that songs like “If You’re Reading This” get shilled to mainstream radio for beaucoup bucks, get tacked onto an existing album and don’t sell enough to cover the airplay.”

That song got tacked on to the “Let It Go” album because it became popular after he performed it on the ACM awards show, and they needed a place to put it, so to speak, since there was no new album scheduled to be released to accommodate it. That sort of thing doesn’t happen every day. The audio from the awards show was already getting unsolicited airplay; I doubt that Curb had to spend as much money promoting it as they would normally expect to do. In fact, they probably didn’t spend enough on it, and that’s why it peaked at #3, instead of going all the way to #1. They probably thought it would get to #1 on its own without any extra help.

Why do you think costs to record an album are so high? Do you think it can change? Or should people help creating records ask for less money?

I’m not an industry insider and thus can’t answer specifically, but I know this: it costs the major labels (and big independents like Curb) much more to make an album than most notable regional/independent labels and expense doesn’t correlate well with quality. I suspect that this occurs for much the same reason that it costs the government much more to do something than that same thing costs the private sector: for years, the major labels have had poor incentive to tightly control costs, especially with big stars like Tim.

Now that record sales are down, adjustments have to be made. So far, the major labels seem to have responded by increasing their expectations of acceptable sales for (especially new) artists. Instead of cutting costs at the production and promotion level, they’re simply dumping artists who can’t meet the new break-even mark.

Now that record sales are down, adjustments have to be made. So far, the major labels seem to have responded by increasing their expectations of acceptable sales for (especially new) artists. Instead of cutting costs at the production and promotion level, they’re simply dumping artists who can’t meet the new break-even mark.

I blame alot of this on the people from L.A. and N.Y. who moved to Nashville during the 90s boom after seeing money can be made.

It’s turning around and biting them in the ass—which is a good thing. Hopefully quality stuff will eventually come out within 5 years.

Thank You Tim McGraw. It’s sad when even the artist is sad that they have their Greatest Hits 3 out right after their other Greatest Hits CD. Why doesn’t Curb put out a NEW – yes that’s shocking – Tim McGraw CD.

I agree with Rick, this is a case of Tim disowning the album so he can deflect from the issue of weak sales (and even blame the weak sales on his lack of promotion).

Its great that Tim opened at #1 but 44,000 sold sounds more like Kellie Pickler numbers than big-time superstar numbers.

The labels may not like it, but the days of superstars on their roster going gold and platinum on their first week releases are over. They only have themselves to blame.