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Janet Jackson's No. 1 Album 'Unbreakable' Is Bringing an Ascendant BMG Along With It

(http://www.billboard.com/files/styles/promo_650/public/media/janet-jackson-unbreakable-tour-2015-billboard-650-promo.jpg)


Janet Jackson's Unbreakable not only debuted at No. 1, but also put BMG's recorded music division on the map... in a big way.

BMG's label operation has been on the come-up in recent months, thanks to hit releases from Alabama and Iron Maiden. But Jackson's Billboard 200-topping debut, with 121,000 units moved (including 109,000 in album sales) for the week ending Oct. 8, was indeed sweet for BMG.

"We always believed that if Janet and Rhythm Nation became a part of the BMG family, it would take BMG to the next level, and be a great success both financially and creatively," BMG executive vp of recorded music Jon Cohen said in a statement. "We could not be more pleased with the success of Unbreakable, especially with the album becoming Janet's seventh No. 1 record, and the initial song "No Sleep" spending eight weeks at the No. 1 position on the Adult R&B chart. It is our first No. 1 in the US... [which is] the definition of having the ability to play with the big boys."

While some reports have questioned whether Jackson?s sales were kosher, Unbreakable's No. 1 was accomplished in accordance with rules determined by Billboard's charts department, which insure that the consumer makes a deliberate action to purchase an album. It is common nowadays for artists to try and generate more revenue with each purchase, and one of the ways that is accomplished is through bundling merchandise or concert tickets with records/downloads/etc. But in order for those sales to count, the customer must choose to buy the album by opting-in -- in this case by choosing to pay $10 over the price of a concert ticket in order to receive a copy of Unbreakable.

That was but one component of the marketing plan put together by Rhythm Nation, which is managed by JDJ and Sterling Winters Company. Jackson management worked  in conjunction with partners Live Nation, Sales Force and My Music VIP to set up the album and tour.

The Jackson team "have created a music owners loyalty experience at each concert," Cohen said. "This is unique to the industry, and is truly a testament to the out-of-the-box concepts Janet and  her management team are capable of creating and implementing to perfection. The program fosters engagement and loyalty, resulting in the purchase of digital and physical music."

The success of the Jackson album is the culmination of a strategy launched after BMG parent Bertelsmann ended one chapter of its history in the music business. When BMG was revised by Bertelsmann in Octber 2008 -- right after it had sold its original music operations to Sony Corp in a two-stop process that began in 2004 and culminated on Sept. 30, 2008 -- the newly re-launched BMG company initially focused on building a music publishing business, even though it held out and retained ownership to some 180 albums from the sale of the original BMG assets. Over the last few years BMG has acquired the assets of Sanctuary and Mute and the labels Vagrant, Infectious Music, and Rise, as well as powering up a recorded music operation, signing artists in the process.

In September, BMG?s label operation began flexing its muscles when Iron Maiden?s Book of Souls hit No. 4 on the Billboard 200 with sales of about 74,000 units. It followed that up with Alabama?s Southern Drawl, which came in No. 2 on the Billboard country album chart with 21,000 scans (No. 14 on the Billboard 200) for the week ending Sept. 24, according to Nielsen Music.

With the success of those albums, sources say that BMG is projecting its recorded music operation will see sales approaching $50 million in the U.S. over the next 12 months, and global sales approaching $100 million. With its publishing operation added in, BMG will have total revenue over half a billion dollars, making it a company well on its way to major label status (again).

Alas, the label of "major" is one that BMG CEO Hartwig Masuch eschews, who considers it to carry negative connotations for many artists. Instead, Masuch insists that BMG will take a friendly approach to artists. That philosophy is visible it how its record labels deal with artists; while BMG owns the catalogs it has acquired, it provides new signings a range of options.

"We have tremendous flexibility, and will construct deals suited for how each artists wants to work," BMG U.S. president of creative and marketing Laurent Hubert tells Billboard. "We can do joint ventures, or split revenues 75/25 (in favor of the artists); or pay out in the traditional royalty structures. But typically we license the records for a period of time, and again that period depends on what kind of deal" the artist wants to construct.

In the case of Jackson, BMG reached out, knowing it could rely on "the genius of Janet, Jimmy [Jam] and Terry [Lewis]" to deliver a great record and the marketing might of her management team JDJ Entertainment and Sterling Winters, the latter a kathy ireland [sic] Worldwide company.

"We did not shop Janet?s project," according to a statement issued by Jackson?s management team (Jason Winters, Jaime Mendoza, Jessica Davenport and Stephen Roseberry). "There was only one meeting and it was with BMG."

Those executives add that a "tremendous amount" of research was conducted -- for several years -- to find the perfect home for Jackson and Rhythm Nation. "When we met with BMG, we knew this was going to be the right creative environment for Janet's future endeavors, including Unbreakable and her own company, Rhythm Nation."

Moreover, they add, "The deal was negotiated with Janet's management team, legal team and BMG executives only. Reports of Janet's husband being involved financially are fabrications, meant to distract from the couple's independent and successful global careers, as well as the beautiful love they share."

One of those future endeavors might include some holiday music from Jackson, according to sources. But Jackson isn?t the only thing BMG has on its upcoming release slate. They have a follow-up coming from Leela James, a Danny Gokey holiday music album. Next year, BMG executives say they will have a new album from Bad Suns, a priority developing artists; and they are hoping for a Blink 182 album, and its first big project in the new year will be a duets kind of album from Jakob Dylan.

"Its an event record, with Dylan collaborating with such artists as Eric Clapton, Regina Spektor, Neil Young, and Cat Power, centered around the California sound from 1965-68 and will feature music by the Turtles, Love, the Association, the Beach Boys and others," says Cohen.

Hubert adds that BMG also includes upcoming albums from Rise Records, which will have a pretty heavy schedule including a new release from Of Mice & Men. In all, BMG label operations will release about 40-60 new albums, while also managing a catalog of over 10,000 albums.

In order to handle its release schedule, the BMG team retains around 55 staffers between its Los Angeles operation and Rise Records. Currently, BMG has dozens of distribution deals around the globe, sources say, because of its philosophy of wanting to accommodate artists and allowing them to choose what distributor they want to work with; and due to deals that were in place when label acquisitions were made.

But sources say that its distribution set-up is proving to be unwieldy so BMG recently has put out a RFB -- request for bid -- to about four or five distributors, including INgrooves, Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Music Group, the latter is distributing the Janet Jackson album. Sources further say that the bids should include flexibility that would allow BMG to issue some albums through another distributor in the same market, if it should so choose.

Meanwhile, Rise BMG's label operation remain separate, but both label components can tap some BMG shared services. Moreover the creative functions, like A&R and synch staffers, are integrated and serving both the BMG label and publishing operations.

"I can?t underline the importance of having a really integrated publishing and recorded music team, just for the volume of business the synch team can generate," says Cohen. "But its also great to have arguably the biggest rock and pop writers in the business under our roof for those artist who want to collaborate with outside writers. That?s an incredible resource."

http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/6745220/janet-jackson-unbreakable-no-1-bmg-record-label-major

Quote from: throwintheTAL on October 28, 2015, 11:34:16 PM
no one is reading that v;

Quote from: BillboardMoreover, they add, "The deal was negotiated with Janet's management team, legal team and BMG executives only. Reports of Janet's husband being involved financially are fabrications, meant to distract from the couple's independent and successful global careers, as well as the beautiful love they share."

Quote from: BowDown on October 28, 2015, 11:36:09 PM

Quote from: throwintheTAL on October 28, 2015, 11:34:16 PM
no one is reading that v;

Don't worry bvy. I'm gonna sum it up really nicely for ya, mk?

Quote from: BillboardWhile some reports have questioned whether Jackson?s sales were kosher, Unbreakable's No. 1 was accomplished in accordance with rules determined by Billboard's charts department, which insure that the consumer makes a deliberate action to purchase an album. It is common nowadays for artists to try and generate more revenue with each purchase, and one of the ways that is accomplished is through bundling merchandise or concert tickets with records/downloads/etc. But in order for those sales to count, the customer must choose to buy the album by opting-in -- in this case by choosing to pay $10 over the price of a concert ticket in order to receive a copy of Unbreakable.

Quote from: BillboardIn the case of Jackson, BMG reached out, knowing it could rely on "the genius of Janet, Jimmy [Jam] and Terry [Lewis]" to deliver a great record and the marketing might of her management team JDJ Entertainment and Sterling Winters, the latter a kathy ireland [sic] Worldwide company.

"We did not shop Janet?s project," according to a statement issued by Jackson?s management team (Jason Winters, Jaime Mendoza, Jessica Davenport and Stephen Roseberry). "There was only one meeting and it was with BMG."

Quote from: MΛΥDΛΥ on October 29, 2015, 01:18:51 AM
But no ma'am at this Xmas mess tho Queen :helloimangie:

Quote from: RED on October 29, 2015, 05:44:18 AM
'Oh no label wanted!' 'Husband helped her!' 'Sent her to your!'


Jjjjj 'not reading this!'
BAM!

Right in ya ug' mugs
:feelinmyself: :feelinmyself:

Quote from: MΛΥDΛΥ on October 29, 2015, 01:18:51 AM
But no ma'am at this Xmas mess tho Queen :helloimangie:

Quote from: Jimmy Jam"Our partners in BMG did not know what the album would sound like till we finished. She's an indie artist with her own label, which is cool, because it allows her to make an album without pressure or expectations of sales. That was refreshing."/quote]

Quote from: BowDown on November 02, 2015, 09:58:55 AM
https://twitter.com/justlevy/status/661035634786631680


Another soldout show and the mayor of Minneapolis gave her her own day.
:dead: :dead: :dead: :dead: :dead:

Quote from: Pop on November 02, 2015, 12:56:48 PM
The more I listen the more I get in...

Quote from: Pop on November 04, 2015, 09:32:27 PM
WTF this is a sneaky ass album every fucking day another fucking song snatch me,,, Well Fucking Traveled ,, this album is dark but light at the same time

QuoteJanet Jackson has always been a leader in the music business. It was her much publicized $50 million recording contract with Virgin Records in 1991, that started a slew of big payday deals for artists in the music industry. Soon, Michael Jackson and Madonna would follow with their own $60 million recording contracts, only to be bested again by Janet when she resigned with Virgin records for an estimated $80 million in 1996.

That $80 million deal guaranteed Jackson a $35-million advance upon signing, along with an estimated $5-million per album, plus a 24% royalty rate on each record sold (about $2.50 per record). A landmark deal for artists in an industry known for handing out bad deals (See: TLC and Left Eye's explanation of how the group sold 10 million albums and ended up bankrupt)

​However, times have changed. Album sales are on a steady decline, and unless you are Adele, the days of selling over ten million copies of an album are over. Such is the decline, that the Billboard charts now include streaming from sites like Spotify and YouTube to represent the overall sales of singles and albums.

This sharp decline also means that record labels can no longer afford to hand out multi-million dollar contracts. Nor can they afford to pump millions of promo dollars into albums to generate sales. With less available money from the labels, dwindling sales, but more pressure than ever to have a hit record, how do commercial artists go about promoting their projects and making them profitable for all entities involved?

Look no further than Janet Jackson and Unbreakable.

Jackson's Unbreakable became her 7th number one album. Making her only the third artist in history (and the first African American) to have a number one album in four consecutive decades. With Unbreakable, Jackson again set the precedent and created a blueprint that the many artists can learn from.

Janet took control by cutting out the middle man: The traditional record label system

Rhythm Nation Records: Rewriting the rules

Jackson is among the first recording artists and the biggest worldwide superstar to quit the traditional record label system. Forming her own label, Rhythm Nation Records, she retains ownership of their recordings and full oversight of all costs and revenues.
​
Being the head of her own label, and controlling the amount of money spent on promotion, Jackson could have easily poured millions of her own dollars into a massive marketing campaign in support of this album. However, Jackson had to look no further than one of her contemporaries and biggest rival of the 80s to know this wouldn't work.

Madonna went on a massive worldwide promotional tour in support of her thirteenth studio album, Rebel Heart. She appeared on virtually every talk show and award show worldwide (most notably the Grammys, The Brit Awards, and a full week of appearances on the Ellen DeGeneres show). Not unlike the big budget label driven promo campaigns of the 90s.

The results? The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart with 121,000 units sold. To date, the album has moved 210,000 units in the US, and just over 800,000 copies worldwide.  ​

Decent numbers at first glance, especially considering the decline of sales overall. However, considering the extensive (and undoubtedly expensive) marketing campaign attached to the project, one wonders if Live Nation/Interscope have even reached the ?break even? point with the Rebel Heart album. In short, millions of dollars were spent pushing an album that hasn't even sold a million copies in total. 
​
Business 101: Orchestrating the Comeback

The traditional label system method of marketing albums simply doesn't work in an ever changing and declining market, and Janet Jackson understands this. Jackson has done little to no traditional promotion for the Unbreakable album thus far.

Her only public appearance, prior to the tour, was at the 2015 BET awards where she accepted the Ultimate Icon Award. A brilliant move as the BET tribute served as a 20 minute commercial for Jackson's return to the spotlight completely underwritten by the BET network. Meaning, not one dime was paid by Jackson or Rhythm Nation Records.
Picture
Janet Jackson receiving the Ultimate Icon Award at the 2015 BET Awards ​
Janet followed this with the 1st single from the project entitled ?No Sleeep?. A song that left many scratching their wigs. Why not return with the big splashy club banger? Why not teach these new girls how it's done?

Described by Pitchfork as evoking ?her richest and most breathtaking era: the mid-'90s stretch including 1993?s super-sensual janet., and especially 1997?s inimitable and deeply personal classic, The Velvet Rope?. Jackson understood that the public doesn't want to see her chasing trends, or trying to keep up with artists that are now attempting to follow her blueprint for pop stardom.

#ThatsHowIBurnItUp
Janet won by being the antithesis of everything currently on radio. Since it's release on June 22nd, No Sleeep has spent ten weeks at #1 on Urban AC radio stations, and is still in the top 3 heading into 2016 (The follow up single ?Unbreakable? is already top 10 on Urban AC stations, giving Jackson two top 10 hits).

Now an independent artist, Jackson took advantage of the unique opportunity that came with this. To equal the playing field for indie artists and those on major multi-billion dollar record labels, Billboard allows indie acts to sell albums at their shows (tied to other merchandise), which is counted toward their overall sales.

Janet Jackson playing before nearly 40,000 fans at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan. 
Janet Jackson could be called an indie act on steroids, as she's not playing and selling her CDs in small clubs each night, but in arenas all over the world with her sold out Unbreakable world tour. It's biggest date thus far being the nearly 40,000 seat Saitama Super Arena in Japan. Another reason Jackson was brilliant in choosing to go the independent route as opposed to signing with a major label.

Jackson's success with Unbreakable, and her unique approach in selling the album, may also have a role in changing the landscape of the Billboard charts, as it's rumored Billboard will soon allow all artists to sell albums at their shows tied to merchandise.

Janet Jackson has once again blazed the path for artists to win in the music business
To date, Unbreakable has sold about 220,000 copies in the US. More albums than any of her contemporaries in the states. With only a few weeks left in 2015, Unbreakable remains the biggest debut by a black female artist in 2015, along with one of the best selling albums by female artists overall.

With little to no promotional efforts, Janet has once again blazed the path for artists to win in the music business. She's done it by not playing by the rules of the game, and instead writing her own.

According to BMG executive Jon Cohen, it's also just the beginning of a three year plan for Jackson.

?Of course, everyone at BMG wants to be #1 and is always striving for that, but what she really wanted was a team that wasn?t committed to something for weeks one, two and three; She wanted a team for the next 18 months to two and three years. And we have a three-year plan with Janet. It?s not just about this record, and the plan goes well beyond music. Bertelsmann is a hugely diversified company, from books to media, and we?ve been talking since the get-go about multiple initiatives with Team Janet. So she wanted someone who was not going to look at this in the short-term, but really look at what Janet Jackson is in 2015, 2016, 2017, and how she wants to express herself. And she wanted a company with a broad enough canvas to paint that picture.?

Janet Jackson has once again proven why many fans continue to call her The Blueprint

Quote from: Boys Don't Cry on December 13, 2015, 03:31:59 PM
And she sold more than 28k copies in her first week!

Quote from: BowDown on October 28, 2015, 11:32:32 PM

One of those future endeavors might include some holiday music from Jackson, according to sources. But Jackson isn?t the only thing BMG has on its upcoming release slate. They have a follow-up coming from Leela James, a Danny Gokey holiday music album. Next year, BMG executives say they will have a new album from Bad Suns, a priority developing artists; and they are hoping for a Blink 182 album, and its first big project in the new year will be a duets kind of album from Jakob Dylan.

QuoteJanet Jackson has always been a leader in the music business. It was her much publicized $50 million recording contract with Virgin Records in 1991, that started a slew of big payday deals for artists in the music industry. Soon, Michael Jackson and Madonna would follow with their own $60 million recording contracts, only to be bested again by Janet when she resigned with Virgin records for an estimated $80 million in 1996.

That $80 million deal guaranteed Jackson a $35-million advance upon signing, along with an estimated $5-million per album, plus a 24% royalty rate on each record sold (about $2.50 per record). A landmark deal for artists in an industry known for handing out bad deals (See: TLC and Left Eye's explanation of how the group sold 10 million albums and ended up bankrupt)

Quote from: Marilyn on December 13, 2015, 03:40:52 PM

Quote from: BowDown on October 28, 2015, 11:32:32 PM

One of those future endeavors might include some holiday music from Jackson, according to sources. But Jackson isn?t the only thing BMG has on its upcoming release slate. They have a follow-up coming from Leela James, a Danny Gokey holiday music album. Next year, BMG executives say they will have a new album from Bad Suns, a priority developing artists; and they are hoping for a Blink 182 album, and its first big project in the new year will be a duets kind of album from Jakob Dylan.

what kind of flop roster. But at least Queen got the most priority and budget

:feelinmyself:

Quote from: Boys Don't Cry on December 13, 2015, 03:43:26 PM

QuoteJanet Jackson has always been a leader in the music business. It was her much publicized $50 million recording contract with Virgin Records in 1991, that started a slew of big payday deals for artists in the music industry. Soon, Michael Jackson and Madonna would follow with their own $60 million recording contracts, only to be bested again by Janet when she resigned with Virgin records for an estimated $80 million in 1996.

That $80 million deal guaranteed Jackson a $35-million advance upon signing, along with an estimated $5-million per album, plus a 24% royalty rate on each record sold (about $2.50 per record). A landmark deal for artists in an industry known for handing out bad deals (See: TLC and Left Eye's explanation of how the group sold 10 million albums and ended up bankrupt)

????

QuoteJanet Jackson playing before nearly 40,000 fans at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan.

Quote from: MΛΥDΛΥ on December 13, 2015, 04:16:31 PM

When a bitch is pushing out more tickets to ONE fuckin show than the amount of albums
your fave can sell in their opening week, then you KNOW she fuckin shits on their existence.

Learn from this

Quote from: MΛΥDΛΥ on December 13, 2015, 04:16:31 PM

QuoteJanet Jackson playing before nearly 40,000 fans at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan.

Another reason why these gorls could NEVER come for Queen. Bitch is almost 50 and STILL doing it.
While most of your faves are in their prime and can't even sell out a banquet hall at the fuckin Holiday Inn.

When a bitch is pushing out more tickets to ONE fuckin show than the amount of albums
your fave can sell in their opening week, then you KNOW she fuckin shits on their existence.

Learn from this

KII!

(http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view1/1136941/monica-attitude-o.gif)

Quote from: MΛΥDΛΥ on December 14, 2015, 02:16:51 AM
No major label needed.

Quote from: MΛΥDΛΥ on December 14, 2015, 02:19:35 AM
The failure is

Quote from: MΛΥDΛΥ on December 13, 2015, 04:16:31 PM

QuoteJanet Jackson playing before nearly 40,000 fans at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan.

Another reason why these gorls could NEVER come for Queen. Bitch is almost 50 and STILL doing it.
While most of your faves are in their prime and can't even sell out a banquet hall at the fuckin Holiday Inn.

When a bitch is pushing out more tickets to ONE fuckin show than the amount of albums
your fave can sell in their opening week, then you KNOW she fuckin shits on their existence.

Learn from this

KII!

(http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view1/1136941/monica-attitude-o.gif)

Quote from: FAM? on December 14, 2015, 09:52:27 PM
b

I'm over MANet and this forced comeback. This old bitch will never have another hit.

Quote from: BowDown on December 14, 2015, 10:10:07 PM

Quote from: FAM? on December 14, 2015, 09:52:27 PM
b

I'm over MANet and this forced comeback. This old bitch will never have another hit.

The fuck are you? :uhh:

Quote from: imaan. on December 24, 2015, 05:54:10 PM
I'm screaming

Comeback! The works!

106k, cancelled tour, and rejected for the 10th time ok
(http://i.imgur.com/Dqeyojs.gif)

Quote from: imaan. on December 24, 2015, 05:54:10 PM
I'm screaming

Comeback! The works!

106k, cancelled tour, and rejected for the 10th time ok
(http://i.imgur.com/Dqeyojs.gif)

Quote from: RIG on December 27, 2015, 03:14:20 AM
(http://i.imgur.com/Dqeyojs.gif)

Quote from: LiiVE on December 27, 2015, 05:32:53 PM
I still cant believe Janet came back so DRY