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Album: Hilary Duff - 'Breathe In. Breathe Out.'
Member Since: 9/10/2006
Posts: 19,790
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Quote:
Originally posted by never stop
That's not true. The low expectations went far beyond ATRL and her hardcore fans. All of the music forums were surprised with her numbers, RCA didn't send enough shipments to US Targets, Hilary herself said she didn't expect it to sell a lot, the international stores all had production issues and some stores like Tesco in the UK flat out refused to carry it. The music critics like Idolator didn't even bother reviewing it despite being sent early streams. Target admitted their buyers and analysts didn't think it would sell well. Nobody thought it would pull decent numbers.
Let me add:
D) Hilary dropped and subsequently didn't promote CTS, only did two US performances for AAY on GMA & Kelly and Michael, and then only did one US performance for Sparks on Ellen before release week happened. Of course fans thought it would flop.
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All I was referring too was the fans viewpoint, clearly, as I continued with why we assumed low sales which included no hype, no Top 40 radio, no promo from H's team themselves. Had the song been sent to Top 40 radio and gotten its chance there, had Hilary done more online promo for the single when it was released, then our expectations would have been higher. I was not referring to shipments or label expectations in that portion of the paragraph.
Quote:
Originally posted by never stop
The whole first half of this paragraph is speculation. Hilary has never said that she felt rushed or didn't like the Sweden songs. RCA does take up the costs on promo trips but the point is that it wouldn't make sense for them to spend major money on an artist who has admittedly said that motherhood is her first job, acting is where she mainly identities herself, & she has said that she will never have the energy to do promo like she did when she was a teenager. Let's not ignore that there are plenty of ways to do free promotion that Hilary didn't employ. A *music related* Twitter Q&A, behind the scenes Youtube videos, blogging, sneak peeks of lyrics via Instagram, online video chatting etc.. I'm sure she could have had an MTV doc again if she wanted to.
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Isn't it speculation that Hilary is lazy? Yeah we all agree to it (myself included to an extent). Isn't it also speculation that she flat out told RCA that she's a mother and actress first and refuses to promote, as you seem to infer here?
And you mean to tell me that Hilary is directly in charge of setting up most of these including editing videos, scheduling Q&A's? And doing another MTV doc? Her team is who sets up most of that. Hilary, of course, would have had to agree to any of that if it even came up.
Quote:
Originally posted by never stop
Those tweets were scheduled but I'll give you that one. My point is...things aren't going to go much further regardless. Sparks could become a hit but....
Hilary doesn't want to promote more than she has been. So there's no reason for RCA to throw their money at her.

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More speculation. Didn't Hilary, herself, say she was going to promote more in the coming weeks? Didn't she say in an interview that the reason why the album was coming out kind of quickly was so that she could have more time to spread the word about its release? I'm just repeating things she said in recent interviews. Are there not two radio interviews scheduled tomorrow?
I'm seeing lots of speculation coming from your side as well, so this discussion seems to have a lot of bias and no real way of moving forward.
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Member Since: 3/12/2011
Posts: 12,030
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Did Ed record a demo version of "Tattoo" cause some of his voice is heard during parts of the song.
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Member Since: 9/10/2006
Posts: 19,790
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Quote:
Originally posted by Josh
Did Ed record a demo version of "Tattoo" cause some of his voice is heard during parts of the song.
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Hilary once said he recorded all the background vocals for the song.
The current version of the song has Hilary's, Ed's, and another lady's background vocals but I don't think Ed is credited in the booklet for background vocals (I could be wrong).
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Member Since: 4/3/2014
Posts: 1,438
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Quote:
Originally posted by Right Now
Isn't it speculation that Hilary is lazy? Yeah we all agree to it (myself included to an extent). Isn't it also speculation that she flat out told RCA that she's a mother and actress first and refuses to promote, as you seem to infer here?
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The lazy comments coming from her fans are backed up by her lack of promotion and those few promotional appearances can be quickly lined up as facts to support the viewpoint that Hilary didn't promote well. Hilary disliking the Sweden songs or saying she was rushed can't be backed by any statements anywhere. Especially considering that she keeps referring to One In A Million as a favorite that she can't wait to perform live and she always talks about My Kind favorably as well. I re-read my comment and didn't say anything about her telling RCA that in it nor did I say she refused to promote. I was referring to her own quotes.
Hilary herself said, ""I'm so busy right now promoting this record and shooting the videos, and obviously being a mother is my number one job," she explains." Article here. Her identifying herself as an actress first and saying that she doesn't have the energy like she used to are also things that came from Hilary herself.
"I forget that I'm old now and I don't have energy that I used to... Article here.
Quote:
Originally posted by Right Now
And you mean to tell me that Hilary is directly in charge of setting up most of these including editing videos, scheduling Q&A's? And doing another MTV doc? Her team is who sets up most of that. Hilary, of course, would have had to agree to any of that if it even came up.
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Hilary is capable of running her own Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and setting up an account on Tumblr is free. If she wanted to interact with her fans more through Twitter she would; she doesn't need to be scheduled to tweet us. She already has assistants on her payroll that could help her if she wanted to do other things (like Tumblr) if she decided to. And who said anything about edited Youtube videos? The content of her podcasts never had quick cuts or edits. Nobody cares about the song intros they just want interaction with Hilary.
Quote:
Originally posted by Right Now
More speculation. Didn't Hilary, herself, say she was going to promote more in the coming weeks? Didn't she say in an interview that the reason why the album was coming out kind of quickly was so that she could have more time to spread the word about its release? I'm just repeating things she said in recent interviews. Are there not two radio interviews scheduled tomorrow?
I'm seeing lots of speculation coming from your side as well, so this discussion seems to have a lot of bias and no real way of moving forward.
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I would like the link if you have them to the first two points. The two radio interviews tomorrow hardly negate the whole promotional campaign thus far. Her past radio interviews, with the exception of her hometown Houston, have not done much for Sparks and as you yourself have pointed out, it is near pointless for her to go to Top 40 stations when Sparks has only been sent to HAC.
BTW I would hardly take Hilary's word as gospel considering how many times plans have changed or been dropped throughout this era. She didn't even know if Tattoo would be on the album with only a few weeks until the release.
Quote:
Originally posted by Right Now
You know this reads as a "I know something you don't know" right? And "only I'm privileged enough to know it.".
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Why didn't you respond to this? It's not cool to say things like that if you are simply going to make it known to other fans that you know a secret but aren't willing to share said secret.
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Member Since: 9/17/2011
Posts: 4,774
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Quote:
Originally posted by never stop
Hilary herself said, ""I'm so busy right now promoting this record and shooting the videos, and obviously being a mother is my number one job," she explains." Article here. Her identifying herself as an actress first and saying that she doesn't have the energy like she used to are also things that came from Hilary herself.
"I forget that I'm old now and I don't have energy that I used to... Article here.
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Basically summing up everything that I said concerning the Promotion talk. I think it's a good decision from her side.
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 68,548
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Lemme listen to this album for the second time so that I can review it on atrlcritic.
"Sparks" is a fun bop and great lead single. I thought it would do much better, it's really catchy with the whistles and the light sound!
"My Kind" has really generic lyrics, but it has such a catchy chorus!
"One in a Million" really reminds me of Demi Lovato. The chorus is simply fantastic, her voice stands out in all its beauty.
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 68,548
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"Confetti" is an amazing, memorable song and it definitely stands out, but I don't hear Katy Perry's influence as much as many other users do.
"Breathe In. Breathe Out." falls quite flat compared to the other tracks so far. Hilary's voice is too loud compared to the music.
"Lies" brings the old Hilary back somehow, I'm really into this track!
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 68,548
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"Arms Around a Memory" needed a hammering EDM breakdown. The one they used has nothing to do with the rest of the song. The song would've been one of my faves with a different breakdown.
"Stay in Love" has a powerful chorus and it's well-produced. Also, Hilary's voice delivers emotions more than in any other song on the album so far!
"Brave Heart" has a great chorus but they should've worked more on the music. It feels like the song is incomplete, imo it should've been more guitar-driven.
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 68,548
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"Tattoo" is the best song of the record. It's different from any other song on the album. I usually dislike Ed Sheeran's music, it's often just boring, but this song is fantastic and perfect for Hilary's voice.
"Picture This" features Hilary, singing with an emotional voice, over calm music, with whistles and hand claps. I love this track for this interesting contrast. Also, the chorus reminds me of One Direction's "Taken".
"Night Like This" is a cute duet, with cute lyrics, but nothing more.
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 68,548
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"Belong" has such a terrible production, the music base just sounds too weak and it makes the song easily forgettable.
"Rebel Hearts" sounds unique on the album, and I think it should've been on the standard edition instead of... half of the standard tracks.
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 68,548
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"Chasing the Sun" is the most relaxing song of 2014. I'll never understand the hate for it, it's such a cute bop.
"All About You" is a great song as well and I wish the album had had more folk-oriented songs.
"Outlaw" is a fun song, definitely one of my favorites on the album. It deserves to be on the standard edition.
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Member Since: 4/5/2014
Posts: 2,337
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This album
I'm happy for the 1 week, can't wait for 2 single news and performances.
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Member Since: 7/15/2012
Posts: 35,409
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is there anyone in Toronto who received their fanjoy boxset?
I know it's in Canada already because zach received it  how could PEI receive it sooner than Toronto? 
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Member Since: 4/5/2014
Posts: 2,337
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Member Since: 4/3/2014
Posts: 693
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I agree with everything Never Stop said
We can't put it all on her label, Hilary has a big part of responsibility in the lack of promotion. When I remember that she went shopping instead of attending the KCAs I want to cry....
Hilary isn't showing enough interest and devotion for her music career and that's why RCA didn't bother promoting the album. I actually think she's lucky to have an iTunes banner in the US store, Adam didn't have that chance.
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Member Since: 9/10/2006
Posts: 19,790
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Quote:
Originally posted by never stop
The lazy comments coming from her fans are backed up by her lack of promotion and those few promotional appearances can be quickly lined up as facts to support the viewpoint that Hilary didn't promote well. Hilary disliking the Sweden songs or saying she was rushed can't be backed by any statements anywhere. Especially considering that she keeps referring to One In A Million as a favorite that she can't wait to perform live and she always talks about My Kind favorably as well. I re-read my comment and didn't say anything about her telling RCA that in it nor did I say she refused to promote. I was referring to her own quotes.
Hilary herself said, ""I'm so busy right now promoting this record and shooting the videos, and obviously being a mother is my number one job," she explains." Article here. Her identifying herself as an actress first and saying that she doesn't have the energy like she used to are also things that came from Hilary herself.
"I forget that I'm old now and I don't have energy that I used to... Article here.
Hilary is capable of running her own Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and setting up an account on Tumblr is free. If she wanted to interact with her fans more through Twitter she would; she doesn't need to be scheduled to tweet us. She already has assistants on her payroll that could help her if she wanted to do other things (like Tumblr) if she decided to. And who said anything about edited Youtube videos? The content of her podcasts never had quick cuts or edits. Nobody cares about the song intros they just want interaction with Hilary.
I would like the link if you have them to the first two points. The two radio interviews tomorrow hardly negate the whole promotional campaign thus far. Her past radio interviews, with the exception of her hometown Houston, have not done much for Sparks and as you yourself have pointed out, it is near pointless for her to go to Top 40 stations when Sparks has only been sent to HAC.
BTW I would hardly take Hilary's word as gospel considering how many times plans have changed or been dropped throughout this era. She didn't even know if Tattoo would be on the album with only a few weeks until the release.
Why didn't you respond to this? It's not cool to say things like that if you are simply going to make it known to other fans that you know a secret but aren't willing to share said secret.
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Nope. The lazy comments still hold no ground. Hilary is in the middle of a DIVORCE. She asked for sole custody with visitation for Mike. She can't be galavanting around doing J. Lo or Beyoncé type promotion (not that she has the budget to do it) when she is supposed to be proving to the courts that she is capable of BEING a single mother without neglecting her child into the hands of a nanny 24/7.
Also has she not been rehearsing many days for her performances? Hilary is not a natural dancer, and any choreography that she has ever learned has had to be accustomed to her skills. You can see a vast improvement between the Ellen performance and the performances at the during the last promo cycle.
We assume that she's being lazy because we don't see all that, but she also had to finish an album in that time.
I love how you put all the blame on the so-called "free promo" with no real back up to as to how it's Hilary's fault? If this free promo is all in the hands of Hilary, why isn't she doing it? Is it cut-and-dry, point-blank that she's lazy? Think about that for just a minute.
Also, you DID infer that because of those comments she made to the press, mostly after the album had been completed, RCA lowered her promotional budget because they knew she didn't want to promote. And that is speculation. You don't know the conversations between them regarding all that. All we know is they had little-to-no expectations. Sorry no other way around it.
She's going to ONE top 40 station and ONE HAC station. The Dallas station has also given her a bit of airplay since her visit (nothing significant) and the Los Angeles HAC is giving her some too. Two stations that she promoted at more than once this entire era.
I really have nothing to say to that last part. You want to know exactly what she was doing during the KCA's? Recording the last song for the album. You want to know if she was happy that she had to miss out on the show that she HAD planned to take Luca to? She wasn't.
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Member Since: 9/10/2006
Posts: 19,790
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Oh and FYI, RCA had very large expectations for CTS and AAY, particularly in streaming, especially with the latter song that Hilary failed to meet.
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Banned
Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 24,153
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The 6 post combo. 
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Member Since: 4/3/2014
Posts: 693
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Billboard 200: #5(new) Hilary Duff, Breathe In. Breathe Out. 39,000 (33,000 pure album sales).
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Member Since: 6/7/2009
Posts: 15,638
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Sooooo close to #4!
Nevertheless, I am so glad she is in the Top 5 after almost 10 years.
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