Their audience has been growing because of the live shows. They play ballparks and have plenty of traction. They have a sirius channel. Dark Matter is all over apple. They are doing just fine.
Who is arguing that they're not doing fine? That's not the discussion here. It's about whether this single is gaining a new audience for them (or bringing back the old audience that is unaware they're still an active band). Evidence does not suggest that their audience is growing. They sold fewer copies of this record than the last record. They do not stream well and, with rare exceptions, they play arenas, not stadiums. The first two singles got a lot more attention from radio than we've seen with recent albums, but rock radio is a niche format in 2024, and Triple-A is even more niche. They have a Sirius channel because they are a well-known act among a demographic that Sirius targets. Bruce has a Sirius channel, too, but no one can reasonably argue that Bruce's audience is growing.
There are a lot of people here who feel strongly about this song because it tracks with their idea of the quintessential Pearl Jam sound, which they associate with "early Pearl Jam." The problems with this in terms of releasing a single with that sound are: 1) the segment of the listening audience that shares this affinity is mostly uninterested in new music-- to the extent they want to listen to songs that sound like this, they'll just keep listening to the same old early Pearl Jam songs; and 2) the segment of the listening audience that is open to new music is not attuned to rock music that sounds like this. There's a reason why this song has gotten little traction at radio thus far, failing to cross over from mainstream rock stations to alternative and Triple-A stations. (And it could never be a pop hit in 2024 barring some exogenous Kate Bush-in-Stranger Things-type event.) This radio edit is an attempt to salvage things by making it more palatable for more formats (and, of course, shorter).
The song has only been out for barely two weeks. Give it some time, it’s actually moving up the active rock chart.
It has moved up only six spots from its debut to its third week, from No. 33 to No. 27. "Dark Matter" and "Wreckage" both shot up 14 spots in the same span. And they were also shooting up the charts at other formats besides Mainstream Rock. "Waiting for Stevie" hasn't cracked any chart other Mainstream Rock Airplay.
Its the 4th single broseph…..going to take time and some actual promotion by the band (which probably won’t happen)
Broseph?
"Running" was not a radio single. The band did nothing specific to promote "Wreckage" and it hit number one at multiple formats. Sometimes, it's about the song.
I love when people try to educate me on the music business.
Ok bossman, but you don’t know the level of promotion to radio and marketing efforts behind the scenes to get radio to play it. My main point however is that a 4th single (3rd technically) isn’t going to be promoted as heavily as the earlier singles and will require more effort to get radio adds and plays
There are a lot of people here who feel strongly about this song because it tracks with their idea of the quintessential Pearl Jam sound, which they associate with "early Pearl Jam." The problems with this in terms of releasing a single with that sound are: 1) the segment of the listening audience that shares this affinity is mostly uninterested in new music-- to the extent they want to listen to songs that sound like this, they'll just keep listening to the same old early Pearl Jam songs; and 2) the segment of the listening audience that is open to new music is not attuned to rock music that sounds like this. There's a reason why this song has gotten little traction at radio thus far, failing to cross over from mainstream rock stations to alternative and Triple-A stations. (And it could never be a pop hit in 2024 barring some exogenous Kate Bush-in-Stranger Things-type event.) This radio edit is an attempt to salvage things by making it more palatable for more formats (and, of course, shorter).
The song has only been out for barely two weeks. Give it some time, it’s actually moving up the active rock chart.
It has moved up only six spots from its debut to its third week, from No. 33 to No. 27. "Dark Matter" and "Wreckage" both shot up 14 spots in the same span. And they were also shooting up the charts at other formats besides Mainstream Rock. "Waiting for Stevie" hasn't cracked any chart other Mainstream Rock Airplay.
Its the 4th single broseph…..going to take time and some actual promotion by the band (which probably won’t happen)
Broseph?
"Running" was not a radio single. The band did nothing specific to promote "Wreckage" and it hit number one at multiple formats. Sometimes, it's about the song.
I love when people try to educate me on the music business.
Ok bossman, but you don’t know the level of promotion to radio and marketing efforts behind the scenes to get radio to play it. My main point however is that a 4th single (3rd technically) isn’t going to be promoted as heavily as the earlier singles and will require more effort to get radio adds and plays
I know more than you realize about all of this. I'm trying to provide helpful perspective here based on actual knowledge and experience, not feelings or speculation. Obviously, you are free to continue to ignore it.
Their audience has been growing because of the live shows. They play ballparks and have plenty of traction. They have a sirius channel. Dark Matter is all over apple. They are doing just fine.
Who is arguing that they're not doing fine? That's not the discussion here. It's about whether this single is gaining a new audience for them (or bringing back the old audience that is unaware they're still an active band). Evidence does not suggest that their audience is growing. They sold fewer copies of this record than the last record. They do not stream well and, with rare exceptions, they play arenas, not stadiums. The first two singles got a lot more attention from radio than we've seen with recent albums, but rock radio is a niche format in 2024, and Triple-A is even more niche. They have a Sirius channel because they are a well-known act among a demographic that Sirius targets. Bruce has a Sirius channel, too, but no one can reasonably argue that Bruce's audience is growing.
I guess you can call it a niche format, but radio play has basically been irrelevant for a long time. I cannot remember the last time I put on the radio to hear music. Same with record sales, albums are basically free these days. They seem to be as popular as ever. I do not have any data analytics to support my position. I suppose it's a fair statement to say that Waiting for Stevie in a vacuum is not bringing in new fans. The tour is what does that. I would not call four ballpark dates just on this tour rare exceptions. And every rock festival wants to book them. The evidence is that tickets are harder to get, at least in the northeast.
Their audience has been growing because of the live shows. They play ballparks and have plenty of traction. They have a sirius channel. Dark Matter is all over apple. They are doing just fine.
Who is arguing that they're not doing fine? That's not the discussion here. It's about whether this single is gaining a new audience for them (or bringing back the old audience that is unaware they're still an active band). Evidence does not suggest that their audience is growing. They sold fewer copies of this record than the last record. They do not stream well and, with rare exceptions, they play arenas, not stadiums. The first two singles got a lot more attention from radio than we've seen with recent albums, but rock radio is a niche format in 2024, and Triple-A is even more niche. They have a Sirius channel because they are a well-known act among a demographic that Sirius targets. Bruce has a Sirius channel, too, but no one can reasonably argue that Bruce's audience is growing.
I guess you can call it a niche format, but radio play has basically been irrelevant for a long time. I cannot remember the last time I put on the radio to hear music. Same with record sales, albums are basically free these days. They seem to be as popular as ever. I do not have any data analytics to support my position. I suppose it's a fair statement to say that Waiting for Stevie in a vacuum is not bringing in new fans. The tour is what does that. I would not call four ballpark dates just on this tour rare exceptions. And every rock festival wants to book them. The evidence is that tickets are harder to get, at least in the northeast.
Just because it is irrelevant to you, don't assume that you are representative of the overall audience. The overall radio audience still dwarfs the streaming audience. Just to give you a data point, the current number one song in the country, Shaboozey's "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" was streamed 27.8 million times this week, but its radio airplay reached 78.2 million listeners. The difference is even more pronounced with respect to rock music, the audience for which skews older and does not stream music as much as younger listeners. Pearl Jam's streaming audience is paltry. When I say that rock radio is a niche format, I mean that it does not have the audience that CHR stations have, and the difference is greater than it was 20 or 30 years ago.
Radio is free and it is everywhere. People listen in their cars, their homes and their offices. Large portions of the country have poor wireless connectivity, but radio stations penetrate these areas. Radio is still very important, and there is a reason why record companies and artists give radio a lot of attention. Trust me on this.
Pearl Jam is a draw, but they're not a stadium-level draw anymore. If they could sell out stadiums other than two of the smallest MLB ballparks, they would play more shows at larger MLB stadiums and NFL stadiums. Those shows gross beaucoup bucks relative to the arena shows. The Chili Peppers sold out two shows at SoFi last year. Pearl Jam can't do that in 2024. They might not sell out one. Their tours do not bring in significant numbers of new fans. If they did, then you would see more streaming and more sales. Their tours attract their existing fans, overwhelmingly.
Their audience has been growing because of the live shows. They play ballparks and have plenty of traction. They have a sirius channel. Dark Matter is all over apple. They are doing just fine.
Who is arguing that they're not doing fine? That's not the discussion here. It's about whether this single is gaining a new audience for them (or bringing back the old audience that is unaware they're still an active band). Evidence does not suggest that their audience is growing. They sold fewer copies of this record than the last record. They do not stream well and, with rare exceptions, they play arenas, not stadiums. The first two singles got a lot more attention from radio than we've seen with recent albums, but rock radio is a niche format in 2024, and Triple-A is even more niche. They have a Sirius channel because they are a well-known act among a demographic that Sirius targets. Bruce has a Sirius channel, too, but no one can reasonably argue that Bruce's audience is growing.
I guess you can call it a niche format, but radio play has basically been irrelevant for a long time. I cannot remember the last time I put on the radio to hear music. Same with record sales, albums are basically free these days. They seem to be as popular as ever. I do not have any data analytics to support my position. I suppose it's a fair statement to say that Waiting for Stevie in a vacuum is not bringing in new fans. The tour is what does that. I would not call four ballpark dates just on this tour rare exceptions. And every rock festival wants to book them. The evidence is that tickets are harder to get, at least in the northeast.
Just because it is irrelevant to you, don't assume that you are representative of the overall audience. The overall radio audience still dwarfs the streaming audience. Just to give you a data point, the current number one song in the country, Shaboozey's "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" was streamed 27.8 million times this week, but its radio airplay reached 78.2 million listeners. The difference is even more pronounced with respect to rock music, the audience for which skews older and does not stream music as much as younger listeners. Pearl Jam's streaming audience is paltry. When I say that rock radio is a niche format, I mean that it does not have the audience that CHR stations have, and the difference is greater than it was 20 or 30 years ago.
Radio is free and it is everywhere. People listen in their cars, their homes and their offices. Large portions of the country have poor wireless connectivity, but radio stations penetrate these areas. Radio is still very important, and there is a reason why record companies and artists give radio a lot of attention. Trust me on this.
Pearl Jam is a draw, but they're not a stadium-level draw anymore. If they could sell out stadiums other than two of the smallest MLB ballparks, they would play more shows at larger MLB stadiums and NFL stadiums. Those shows gross beaucoup bucks relative to the arena shows. The Chili Peppers sold out two shows at SoFi last year. Pearl Jam can't do that in 2024. They might not sell out one. Their tours do not bring in significant numbers of new fans. If they did, then you would see more streaming and more sales. Their tours attract their existing fans, overwhelmingly.
I do not compare Pearl Jam to pop, electronic, country, or hip hop artists. Many of those artists have a larger audience, including younger listeners. My teenagers are not fans of Pearl Jam, but they do not listen to the radio ever. It is all streaming. Is that radio? That is not radio to me. Jelly Roll probably had more sales, streams, and ticket sales than Pearl Jam. I suppose it is true that parts of America cannot afford the internet or streaming services. Agree that us older fans are the core base of Pearl Jam. All I know is that the shows have been attracting more people and I hear "this is my first show" more than ever. You cannot compare Shaboozey to Pearl Jam, its apples and oranges.
Their audience has been growing because of the live shows. They play ballparks and have plenty of traction. They have a sirius channel. Dark Matter is all over apple. They are doing just fine.
Who is arguing that they're not doing fine? That's not the discussion here. It's about whether this single is gaining a new audience for them (or bringing back the old audience that is unaware they're still an active band). Evidence does not suggest that their audience is growing. They sold fewer copies of this record than the last record. They do not stream well and, with rare exceptions, they play arenas, not stadiums. The first two singles got a lot more attention from radio than we've seen with recent albums, but rock radio is a niche format in 2024, and Triple-A is even more niche. They have a Sirius channel because they are a well-known act among a demographic that Sirius targets. Bruce has a Sirius channel, too, but no one can reasonably argue that Bruce's audience is growing.
I guess you can call it a niche format, but radio play has basically been irrelevant for a long time. I cannot remember the last time I put on the radio to hear music. Same with record sales, albums are basically free these days. They seem to be as popular as ever. I do not have any data analytics to support my position. I suppose it's a fair statement to say that Waiting for Stevie in a vacuum is not bringing in new fans. The tour is what does that. I would not call four ballpark dates just on this tour rare exceptions. And every rock festival wants to book them. The evidence is that tickets are harder to get, at least in the northeast.
Just because it is irrelevant to you, don't assume that you are representative of the overall audience. The overall radio audience still dwarfs the streaming audience. Just to give you a data point, the current number one song in the country, Shaboozey's "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" was streamed 27.8 million times this week, but its radio airplay reached 78.2 million listeners. The difference is even more pronounced with respect to rock music, the audience for which skews older and does not stream music as much as younger listeners. Pearl Jam's streaming audience is paltry. When I say that rock radio is a niche format, I mean that it does not have the audience that CHR stations have, and the difference is greater than it was 20 or 30 years ago.
Radio is free and it is everywhere. People listen in their cars, their homes and their offices. Large portions of the country have poor wireless connectivity, but radio stations penetrate these areas. Radio is still very important, and there is a reason why record companies and artists give radio a lot of attention. Trust me on this.
Pearl Jam is a draw, but they're not a stadium-level draw anymore. If they could sell out stadiums other than two of the smallest MLB ballparks, they would play more shows at larger MLB stadiums and NFL stadiums. Those shows gross beaucoup bucks relative to the arena shows. The Chili Peppers sold out two shows at SoFi last year. Pearl Jam can't do that in 2024. They might not sell out one. Their tours do not bring in significant numbers of new fans. If they did, then you would see more streaming and more sales. Their tours attract their existing fans, overwhelmingly.
I do not compare Pearl Jam to pop, electronic, country, or hip hop artists. Many of those artists have a larger audience, including younger listeners. My teenagers are not fans of Pearl Jam, but they do not listen to the radio ever. It is all streaming. Is that radio? That is not radio to me. Jelly Roll probably had more sales, streams, and ticket sales than Pearl Jam. I suppose it is true that parts of America cannot afford the internet or streaming services. Agree that us older fans are the core base of Pearl Jam. All I know is that the shows have been attracting more people and I hear "this is my first show" more than ever. You cannot compare Shaboozey to Pearl Jam, its apples and oranges.
You seem to be engaged in a different discussion than the one that was taking place when you joined it. I don't really know how your posts are relevant to it. No one compared Shaboozey to Pearl Jam. The point was not about Shaboozey; it was an illustration of the fact that the radio audience is still substantial and, in fact, remains larger than the streaming audience. This is a fact that remains true whether you or your children listen to the radio or not. Pearl Jam plays fewer shows before fewer people than they did at earlier points in their career. "I hear 'this is my first show' more than ever" is anecdota. I guarantee you that more people saw their first Pearl Jam shows in 1994, 1996 and 1998 than are seeing their first Pearl Jam shows in 2024, and it isn't even close.
Whatever. This thread is about a song and not a market research thesis about free radio versus streaming. And you did compare Shaboozey to Pearl Jam. But they did not sell out Wrigley in the 90s. More people are going. And with their kids. Pearl Jam became trendy well after the 90s. Your premise about more people seeing them in the 90s is wrong, maybe for 2024, but Pearl Jam became much more popular after the 2006 tour.
PJ doesn't give two shits if they are gaining fans or gaining props for songs they write. They do their thing and they have a massive fan base that wants what they provide. That's it.
Remember the Thomas Nine !! (10/02/2018) The Golden Age is 2 months away. And guess what….. you’re gonna love it! (teskeinc 11.19.24)
1998: Noblesville; 2003: Noblesville; 2009: EV Nashville, Chicago, Chicago 2010: St Louis, Columbus, Noblesville; 2011: EV Chicago, East Troy, East Troy 2013: London ON, Wrigley; 2014: Cincy, St Louis, Moline (NO CODE) 2016: Lexington, Wrigley #1; 2018: Wrigley, Wrigley, Boston, Boston 2020: Oakland, Oakland:2021: EV Ohana, Ohana, Ohana, Ohana 2022: Oakland, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville; 2023: Chicago, Chicago, Noblesville 2024: Noblesville, Wrigley, Wrigley, Ohana, Ohana; 2025: Pitt1, Pitt2
PJ doesn't give two shits if they are gaining fans or gaining props for songs they write. They do their thing and they have a massive fan base that wants what they provide. That's it.
Or gaining radio or streaming plays. They still make good records and play sold out shows for a base of fans that want to see them live. It is that simple.
Whatever. This thread is about a song and not a market research thesis about free radio versus streaming. And you did compare Shaboozey to Pearl Jam. But they did not sell out Wrigley in the 90s. More people are going. And with their kids. Pearl Jam became trendy well after the 90s. Your premise about more people seeing them in the 90s is wrong, maybe for 2024, but Pearl Jam became much more popular after the 2006 tour.
PJ doesn't give two shits if they are gaining fans or gaining props for songs they write. They do their thing and they have a massive fan base that wants what they provide. That's it.
Eh.....I was at the show in Philly in 2013 when Ed bragged about fucking Lightning Bolt debuting at number 1. Granted this is ten years later but they have to know DM is waaaaaaaay better than LB. I'm sure there is a part of them that wishes it did better commercially.
Whatever. This thread is about a song and not a market research thesis about free radio versus streaming. And you did compare Shaboozey to Pearl Jam. But they did not sell out Wrigley in the 90s. More people are going. And with their kids. Pearl Jam became trendy well after the 90s. Your premise about more people seeing them in the 90s is wrong, maybe for 2024, but Pearl Jam became much more popular after the 2006 tour.
This statement is mind boggling to me.
They definitely played more shows in the 90s to more people. That is quantitatively true. Same with the Riot Act tour and maybe the Avocado tour. So if we are counting tickets and attendees there are absolutely fewer opportunities. They did not fill ballparks in the 90s or even the 2000s. People did not take their families to a show. It has grown and that is why every festival wants them as a headliner.
Their audience has been growing because of the live shows. They play ballparks and have plenty of traction. They have a sirius channel. Dark Matter is all over apple. They are doing just fine.
Who is arguing that they're not doing fine? That's not the discussion here. It's about whether this single is gaining a new audience for them (or bringing back the old audience that is unaware they're still an active band). Evidence does not suggest that their audience is growing. They sold fewer copies of this record than the last record. They do not stream well and, with rare exceptions, they play arenas, not stadiums. The first two singles got a lot more attention from radio than we've seen with recent albums, but rock radio is a niche format in 2024, and Triple-A is even more niche. They have a Sirius channel because they are a well-known act among a demographic that Sirius targets. Bruce has a Sirius channel, too, but no one can reasonably argue that Bruce's audience is growing.
Can’t compare record sales. This was the First PJ “record” I haven’t purchased, who purchases albums anymore? I can listen on Amazon Music whenever I want
Chicago 6/29/98, Alpine Valley(EV) 6/13/99, Alpine Valley 10/08/00, Chicago 10/09/00, Phoenix 10/20/00, Orlando 4/12/03, Tampa 4/13/03, San Diego 6/05/03, Vegas 6/06/03, Phoenix 6/07/03, Chicago 6/18/03, Alpine Valley 6/21/03, Orlando 10/08/04, D.C. 10/11/04, Chicago 5/16/06, Chicago 5/17/06, LA 7/12/08, Chicago 8/23/09, Chicago 8/24/09, LA 10/07/09, San Diego 10/09/09 (Front Row Center, Finally), Phoenix(EV) 11/4/11, Wrigley 7/19/13, Phoenix 11/19/13, Denver 10/22/14, Wrigley 8/20/16, Wrigley 8/22/16
Just released: an all-new video of “Waiting for Stevie” is out now. Captured at the band’s May 30 hometown show, watch as music merges with Dr. Frankenstein’s Laboratory in this transcendental performance.
Just released: an all-new video of “Waiting for Stevie” is out now. Captured at the band’s May 30 hometown show, watch as music merges with Dr. Frankenstein’s Laboratory in this transcendental performance.
Just released: an all-new video of “Waiting for Stevie” is out now. Captured at the band’s May 30 hometown show, watch as music merges with Dr. Frankenstein’s Laboratory in this transcendental performance.
Yes, these pro shot videos are great. Glad that they do them and hopefully we'll keep seeing more. Technology can be a blessing and a curse but sure is great for the modern day music listening (and viewing) experience. Got to give a shout out where due! Wasn't it Tim Bierman on a podcast that said he was kind of bummed about the lack of enthusiasm over the Wreckage live video earlier? Keep them coming. I think we all like them and appreciate, we just live in a world where there are a million videos of everything so it's always at everyone's fingertips and we're used to it. Still, a pro video beats any iphone fan video by a mile. Keep it up!
Comments
I guess you can call it a niche format, but radio play has basically been irrelevant for a long time. I cannot remember the last time I put on the radio to hear music. Same with record sales, albums are basically free these days. They seem to be as popular as ever. I do not have any data analytics to support my position. I suppose it's a fair statement to say that Waiting for Stevie in a vacuum is not bringing in new fans. The tour is what does that. I would not call four ballpark dates just on this tour rare exceptions. And every rock festival wants to book them. The evidence is that tickets are harder to get, at least in the northeast.
Radio is free and it is everywhere. People listen in their cars, their homes and their offices. Large portions of the country have poor wireless connectivity, but radio stations penetrate these areas. Radio is still very important, and there is a reason why record companies and artists give radio a lot of attention. Trust me on this.
Pearl Jam is a draw, but they're not a stadium-level draw anymore. If they could sell out stadiums other than two of the smallest MLB ballparks, they would play more shows at larger MLB stadiums and NFL stadiums. Those shows gross beaucoup bucks relative to the arena shows. The Chili Peppers sold out two shows at SoFi last year. Pearl Jam can't do that in 2024. They might not sell out one. Their tours do not bring in significant numbers of new fans. If they did, then you would see more streaming and more sales. Their tours attract their existing fans, overwhelmingly.
I wish they repeated this song instead of Wreckage.
I do not compare Pearl Jam to pop, electronic, country, or hip hop artists. Many of those artists have a larger audience, including younger listeners. My teenagers are not fans of Pearl Jam, but they do not listen to the radio ever. It is all streaming. Is that radio? That is not radio to me. Jelly Roll probably had more sales, streams, and ticket sales than Pearl Jam. I suppose it is true that parts of America cannot afford the internet or streaming services. Agree that us older fans are the core base of Pearl Jam. All I know is that the shows have been attracting more people and I hear "this is my first show" more than ever. You cannot compare Shaboozey to Pearl Jam, its apples and oranges.
https://www.spin.com/2024/10/pearl-jams-waiting-for-stevie-is-record-store-days-song-of-the-year/
The Golden Age is 2 months away. And guess what….. you’re gonna love it! (teskeinc 11.19.24)
1998: Noblesville; 2003: Noblesville; 2009: EV Nashville, Chicago, Chicago
2010: St Louis, Columbus, Noblesville; 2011: EV Chicago, East Troy, East Troy
2013: London ON, Wrigley; 2014: Cincy, St Louis, Moline (NO CODE)
2016: Lexington, Wrigley #1; 2018: Wrigley, Wrigley, Boston, Boston
2020: Oakland, Oakland: 2021: EV Ohana, Ohana, Ohana, Ohana
2022: Oakland, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville; 2023: Chicago, Chicago, Noblesville
2024: Noblesville, Wrigley, Wrigley, Ohana, Ohana; 2025: Pitt1, Pitt2
Or gaining radio or streaming plays. They still make good records and play sold out shows for a base of fans that want to see them live. It is that simple.
https://www.reddit.com/r/grunge/comments/151rt6y/was_pearl_jam_that_popular/
2010: Newark 5/18 MSG 5/20-21 2011: PJ20 9/3-4 2012: Made In America 9/2
2013: Brooklyn 10/18-19 Philly 10/21-22 Hartford 10/25 2014: ACL10/12
2015: NYC 9/23 2016: Tampa 4/11 Philly 4/28-29 MSG 5/1-2 Fenway 8/5+8/7
2017: RRHoF 4/7 2018: Fenway 9/2+9/4 2021: Sea Hear Now 9/18
2022: MSG 9/11 2024: MSG 9/3-4 Philly 9/7+9/9 Fenway 9/15+9/17
2025: Pittsburgh 5/16+5/18
Melbourne #2 '03
Melbourne #3 '03
Melbourne #1 '06
Melbourne #3 '06
Melbourne '09
Melbourne '14
"Waiting for Stevie" (Live in Seattle)
-Eddie Vedder, "Smile"
That would be great. Thanks!