Interscope, Geffen & Columbia make cuts in light of poor record sales

[Tha_Wood]

Interscope and Geffen are the latest record labels to hand out pink slips.

According to Billboard.biz, the two subsidiaries of Universal Music Group laid off about 15 employees yesterday (Dec. 13) in light of sluggish record sales. Among those given their walking papers were publicists Jim Merlis and Jycorri Robinson.

The Interscope cuts are likely the result of lackluster record releases, including will.i.am's unsuccessful Songs About Girls, and forthcoming albums from Eve and Nicole Scherzinger that failed to generate substantial buzz.

The cuts are the latest in a series of layoffs resulting from declining record sales. Earlier this week Columbia Records, home to artists including Three 6 Mafia, Bow Wow, Omarion, John Legend, Mariah Carey, Wyclef Jean, Beyonce and Lil' Flip, underwent a round of layoffs. Several employees in promotional departments were let go, incuding publicists Maggie Wang and Tom Muzquiz.

Prior to that, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Columbia's parent company, dismissed several staffers, including CeCe McClendon, senior VP of urban and rhythmic promotion.

source: sohh.com

 

[Snowman]

damm i figure that Eve Album would have got the hype.

 

[Casey]

I don't get what's so difficult about marketing a really good album.

After a certain amount of push, word-of-mouth does the rest of it, if the quality is there......and the quality is CERTAINLY there with will's album. Hell, it's the best hip-hop album of 2007.

They need to fire whoever is responsible for the poor marketing of will's CD.

Firstly, while the Daft Punk situation with "I Got It From My Momma" was a shame and they probably lost some money from that, the song still did pretty well.

Second single - supposedly "One More Chance". I say supposedly because I didn't even know this was a single until I just wiki'd it. There's no music video for it....why not? He performed the song live on Letterman and Jimmy Kimmel......yet no video? Come on now. This is one of the best fucking songs on the album and a hit for sure, it just needs some video exposure!

Too late now probably, but they need to fix up with the third single, which according to wikipedia (altho theres no references) is going to be "Heartbreaker". Another great track. It needs a good video guys.

Then that will push up sales. Then what they should do is BAM! release "The Donque Song" as the 4th single, with a video. The track is hot, I even heard it playing on "CSI" recently. And a video with will and snoop both trying to hook up with the chick would be hella sick. That would go down a storm.

This campaign should take till around April if you promote each song for 2 months. Then, re-release the album in May as a deluxe edition with bonus tracks, remixes, and a DVD with all the videos. During that time also try to sort out some sort of arrangement with Daft Punk to use the video on the DVD!

It really is that simple.

 

[S O F I]

I wouldn't even call his album hip-hop.