Ozzy Hates Downloaders

OZZY OSBOURNE BLAMES DOWNLOADERS FOR ALBUM FLOP:

November 1, 2007

Ozzy Osbourne has lashed out at illegal downloaders, blaming them for the poor sales of his new album Black Rain. The heavy rock icon claims he is "suffering terribly" from the effects of internet piracy, and his financial woes are such that he has been forced to perform 90 concerts in an effort to recoup his losses.

He tells Australia's Herald Sun newspaper, "If they don't find something to stop (this), people won't be able to make records. There won't be any new bands. How are they going to survive?"

Osbourne admits he's struggling to complete a grueling world tour he felt committed to after his new release took a hit in the record stores.

And he refuses to heed his manager/wife Sharon's advice and "just stand there" onstage.

He adds, "I ain't getting any younger. Sharon says to me 'Just stand there.' I can't just f---ing stand there! I'm a moving target. People would aim their can of beer at my head!"

As overly dramatic as this is coming from a guy that has plenty of cash, it's true. Downloading is ruining record sales. Bands are getting screwed.

I'm not gonna deny that downloading is a problem. However, if Ozzy truly is in such "financial woes" then maybe he and Sharon shoulda re-thought this past summer's "Free OzzFest" idea.

On the other hand, if he hadn't put all the money he made in the 70s and 80s (y'know, when he actually SOLD records) up his freakin' nose, maybe he wouldn't HAVE any financial woes.

Eyesore wrote:

As overly dramatic as this is coming from a guy that has plenty of cash, it's true. Downloading is ruining record sales. Bands are getting screwed.

The man has a point (even if it's what Sharon tells him what the point is), but is it helping that he (or the record company) releases 3 different version of the same album within the same year? Why should fans buy the same thing 3 times when they can buy it once, then download the extra tunes.

It's a vicious cycle. All these stupid reissues are because of the downloading. Of course, they're also pissing off those that would buy the CD, forcing them to download the extra tracks and such. In the end, we'll all lose.

I haven't even heard much off the new Ozzy album (I haven't liked anything he's done since NO MORE TEARS) but wasn't overly impressed with what I did hear. Do y'all think that another reason it didn't sell might be, perhaps, just MAYBE, that possibly it wasn't very GOOD??

Not hatin', since as I said, I haven't heard the album in question, just playing devil's advocate here. Seems like a lot of big bands, if their album tanks, are quick to point fingers at downloaders...when in fact they simply made a crappy album.

Fat Freddy wrote:

I haven't even heard much off the new Ozzy album (I haven't liked anything he's done since NO MORE TEARS) but wasn't overly impressed with what I did hear. Do y'all think that another reason it didn't sell might be, perhaps, just MAYBE, that possibly it wasn't very GOOD??

Just playing devil's advocate here.

Totally agree. His sales are bad because his albums lately have been very sub par. Sure, downloading is hurting sales, but making a bad record will do more to hurt sales than downloading ever would.

outofstep wrote:

Totally agree. His sales are bad because his albums lately have been very sub par. Sure, downloading is hurting sales, but making a bad record will do more to hurt sales than downloading ever would.

Just think, if Helloween released CHAMELEON, Celtic Frost released COLD LAKE or Kiss released THE ELDER today and they bombed as badly as they did back then, they'd be going "It wasn't us, it was those evil downloaders!"

Fat Freddy wrote:

outofstep wrote:

Totally agree. His sales are bad because his albums lately have been very sub par. Sure, downloading is hurting sales, but making a bad record will do more to hurt sales than downloading ever would.

Just think, if Helloween released CHAMELEON, Celtic Frost released COLD LAKE or Kiss released THE ELDER today and they bombed as badly as they did back then, they'd be going "It wasn't us, it was those evil downloaders!"

HA! No doubt metallica's record label already has a press release prepared blaming downloading for the sure to be slow sales of their next album.

Fat Freddy wrote:

I haven't even heard much off the new Ozzy album (I haven't liked anything he's done since NO MORE TEARS) but wasn't overly impressed with what I did hear. Do y'all think that the reason it didn't selling might be, perhaps, just MAYBE, that possibly it wasn't very GOOD??

Just playing devil's advocate here.

Possibly. Let's just say for instance, Ozzy's new cd sells 500,000 (a number I just made up, I have no real data). Most of those sales are from long-time fans that would buy it, no matter what. Another chunk is from newer "Ozz-Fest fans" that want to hear new Ozzy and then another portion that like the new album just for what it is. Anyone that's on the fence about it could down-load it, then decide if they want to by it. And that's where they're loosing sales. In the "olden days", aside from reading a review or possibly hearing a song or 2 on the radio, you had no way of hearing an album without purchasing.

Does that make any sense at all? I've re-read this a few times over and I know I had a point in there somewhere but I'm not sure if it's coming accross and I've already taken too much time typing it up to just delete it. You know, it's probably best to just ignore this response.

Downloading is an issue affecting low sales, but the biggest issue is the variety of entertainment options that people have nowadays as opposed to 20 years ago.

Case in point: the comics industry is way down too but downloading is not really an issue. It has been affected by the much larger variety of entertainment options the same way music has lost sales.

outofstep wrote:

Fat Freddy wrote:

I haven't even heard much off the new Ozzy album (I haven't liked anything he's done since NO MORE TEARS) but wasn't overly impressed with what I did hear. Do y'all think that another reason it didn't sell might be, perhaps, just MAYBE, that possibly it wasn't very GOOD??

Just playing devil's advocate here.

Totally agree. His sales are bad because his albums lately have been very sub par. Sure, downloading is hurting sales, but making a bad record will do more to hurt sales than downloading ever would.

I agree with that as well, but overall it's still a problem of downloading for free, getting something for nothing. If I see 2 plates of cupcakes sitting on the counter, one maked "free cupcakes" and the other "cupcakes-$18 each", which one do you think I'm reaching for?

That reminds me, I gotta ask my wife to make me some cupcakes this weekend.

Temple of Blood wrote:

Case in point: the comics industry is way down too but downloading is not really an issue. It has been affected by the much larger variety of entertainment options the same way music has lost sales.

Comics sales are down because teenage boys (the key demographic for comic books) are too busy downloading music and porn off the Internet. They don't have TIME to read anything!!

Comics require not only reading but a monthly dedication and the ability to try and put a story line together piece by piece. Kids just aren't into that type of thing anymore.

I have all the Ozzy studio albums except the newest and really don't have much desire to pick it up. I like the songs I have heard from it but it doesn't really seem like anything that I can hear done better on the previous couple of albums. I'll wait until I see it used and cheap to get it.

Ozzy's sales bad??? What? The album "Black Rain" has already went gold. What - is he expecting a platinum album like "No More Tears"? The album is well on the way of going platinum. It's already GONE GOLD in a few months!!!



This is taken from Wikipedia:

..........................................................................

Black Rain debuted at #3 on the U.S. Billboard 200, selling about 152,000 copies in its first week; making it Osbourne's highest debut to date. As of September 29, 2007, the album has sold 406,053 copies in the US, and has been declared Gold

............................................................................


So, this is a bit baffling to me. A gold album is quite successful. This makes no sense. Are you sure the source of this article is valid?

firestar wrote:

I'll wait until I see it used and cheap to get it.

I'm the exact same way with a lot of stuff. Only when I REALLY like a disc will I rush out and buy it for full price. I think this hurts album sales as well. When an album is sub par, you know there will be tons of used copies available for cheap, so why pay $15+ for an album you only will listen to occasionally when you can find it used in the cheap bin a couple of months after the release date?

I'd say in some instances it does hurt sales but there are those bands who want you to DL their cds just so they can get heard.

Ozzy hasn't put out a really kick a$$ album in ages and yes the free ozfest hurt, but he tends to wine alot anyway!

I really didn't like the cd as a whole their may have been a couple good songs and packaging was horid!

I'd say he hurt himself more than the general public did!

Wargod48

NP: Not Fragile - Scratch The Surface

Temple of Blood wrote:

Downloading is an issue affecting low sales,
but the biggest issue is the variety of entertainment options that
people have nowadays as opposed to 20 years ago.

Case in point:
the comics industry is way down too but downloading is not really an
issue. It has been affected by the much larger variety of entertainment
options the same way music has lost sales.

I think that's a
good point. Our world is SO different now than it was, even 10 years
ago. Not to mention the hay days.

But I would submit as well, just on the subject of OZZY, perhaps he
has...lost, embarrassed, run off and burned out his image or fans to
the point that, nobody cares about buying the mans crappy music
anymore!?! NOOO, I’ll just nuke some jiffy-pop and watch OZZY reruns on
MTV or HBO!

I hate downloaders too but i can understand people not buying OZZY´s new album.

I bought it and i liked it a lot so Ozzy got my dosh in the end. missed him in concert though which was gutting

The pinnacle of Ozzy's career post-Black Sabbath is his live rendition of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game".

Required Fields wrote:

The pinnacle of Ozzy's career post-Black Sabbath is his live rendition of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game".

I hate people who re-record bass lines on their previous albums to avoid paying someone his just royalties.

I hate musicians who have based their entire career based on their guitarists' talent only to diss them if they choose to leave.

I hate people who whine in monotone into a microphone and bounce around like a mentally challenged wombat.

There are alot of injustices in this world, but stiffing a talentless prick of his 20 cent royalty on a Crazy Train mp3 is not high on that list from my viewpoint.

spectrefate wrote:

I hate people who re-record bass lines on their previous albums to avoid paying someone his just royalties.

I hate musicians who have based their entire career based on their guitarists' talent only to diss them if they choose to leave.

I hate people who whine in monotone into a microphone and bounce around like a mentally challenged wombat.

There are alot of injustices in this world, but stiffing a talentless prick of his 20 cent royalty on a Crazy Train mp3 is not high on that list from my viewpoint.

I think Sharon ordered the thing with the re recording as isnt she ozzys manager

gotta dmit though the vocals on the new album are filtered like a smurf poo load

Everyone needs excuses - Ozzy (and Metallica) needs it too.