(NOTE: no offense to Moby fans, but this guy gets way too much airtime on my local station, so I consider the following article good news) - Marc
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New York Daily News (linked at bottom)
Moby marketing muscle
turns to blubber
Moby's '18' fell to No. 103.
Bad news for Moby fans: His latest work has been flailing around like a beached whale.
Titled "18," the follically challenged electronica star's followup to multiplatinum hit "Play," began sinking soon after its strong debut (at No. 4). While "18" has moved a not insignificant 435,000 copies, sales have stagnated just 12 weeks after its debut - plunging the release to No. 103 on Billboard's Top 200 Album Chart.
That's a torpid showing for a star whose 1999-released disk moved 2.5 million copies. While it did take years for "Play" to mount those sales, it ought to be a different now that Moby's an established artist. Then again, the marketing innovation that pressed "Play" to the top is looking like a less reliable route to success than many had assumed.
"Play's" sales were fired by Moby's marketing brainstorm: He licensed most of its tracks to various advertisers. The move provided a revolutionary end-run around radio, which doesn't have Moby on many playlists. In the past few years, however, such ploys have become common. While scores of acts have linked their tracks to commercials since, only a few have realized major sales from the synergy. The most notable recent use of that tactic is by the British act Dirty Vegas, which slotted its song "Days Go By" in a Mitsubishi ad. The spot built such anticipation for the group's debut album that it opened in Billboard's Top 10.
At first, Moby didn't lend any of his newest songs to Madison Avenue, hoping to succeed by traditional means. Given electronica's relationship with radio, however, he clearly needed help.
Surprise, surprise: Moby has tiptoed back to his old strategy. He recently let Intel use his single "We Are All Made of Stars" for an ad and lent the song "Extreme Ways" to "The Bourne Identity" soundtrack. Unfortunately, that movie didn't become the huge hit many expected. Another track was given to Vin Diesel's "XXX," but it was a B side, not included on "18." Yet another number turns up in the new girlsurfer flick "Blue Crush."
Will Moby now seek out more tie-ins? With radio still dissing him, don't be surprised.
If you're trolling for bombs, consider Will Smith's latest release. After opening at a tepid No. 13, "Born to Reign" collapsed to No. 117 after only six weeks. So far, it has sold a little more than 175,000 copies. That's an appalling showing for a star who moved 2.1 million with his last work, 1999's "Willennium," and more than 6 million with the previous one, 1997's "Big Willie Style." "Reign" came out around the same time as "Men in Black II," which occupied all of Smith's PR time. But something of the buzz should have carried over to the album. That it hasn't suggests Smith's rap career itself may be ready for a wrap.
