Inescapable Canadian nu-heshers Nickelback have signed a long-rumored 360 deal with Live Nation, which gives the concert-promotion behemoth the rights to produce and profit from the band’s tours, recordings, merchandise, and other ventures. (The deal is for three albums, according to Reuters, and worth somewhere between $50 million and $70 million.) While there were rumors that the company was going to hold off on signing many more 360 deals, president and CEO Michael Rapino told Variety that his company will sign “up to six” artists in the inaugural year of Live Nation Artists; Nickelback is fourth, behind Madonna, Jay-Z, and Shakira. Last week, when the Shakira deal was signed, a major label executive told the New York Post that Live Nation was trying to “establish itself in a big way in each genre no matter what the loss leader is going to be on it,” and the company now has pop, hip-hop, Latin music, and rock all covered. So what’s next?
A few ideas:
Country. A huge draw in the States, but not so much outside of it. Unless, of course, Live Nation manages to snag Shania Twain, who’s been out of the recorded-music world since her 2005 song for the Desperate Housewives soundtrack and who’s been known to experiment with global sounds. If anything, now would be an opportune time for her to make a fresh start.
Indie. In the wake of the Fillmore rebranding disaster, Live Nation is trying to shore up its smaller-sized theaters, and an act that’s big, but more suited to its smaller-sized venues, could help. And as it happens, there is one life-changing act out there who’s open to working with a “label partner” for the independent release of its next album.
Hard rock/metal. Of course, this depends on how metal you think Motley Crue really is, particularly in comparison to Nickelback.
Some genre that is relatively unknown in these parts, since these deals are global. Just saying.
Also, did you know that Nickelback’s Mike Kroeger claims that his band’s name comes from him saying “Here’s your nickel back” during his coffee-jockey job at a Vancouver Starbucks, and not from the American football term for a secondary defensive back? Although I wonder if that’s just a backstory that’s been concocted for them to appeal beyond the jock crowd…
Nickelback signs with Live Nation [Variety]
Nickelback latest to join Live Nation in global deal [Reuters]
@Rob Murphy: You may be on to something…
I worked on a video shoot of theirs years ago in Toronto, before they exploded. I can’t begin to tell you what hodads Chad and his brother were. Chad kept calling “Cut! CUT!” when the camera angle lead him to believe that his profile was featured. The director had his hands full with this no-name primadonna. I used to be obesessed with trying to figure out what makes them so lame and clueless… but I sorted out an enlightening theory; take FANS of Nickleback. Then take MEMBERS of Nickleback. These are, simply, the same people. Kind of a satisfying truth.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t chime in and say that I think Nickelback is awful. Just awful.
Jazz. Herbie Hancock is ready to cash in on his big win at the Grammys back in February.
Clearly it will be Vampire Weekend and Taylor Swift.
…actually, Taylor Swift, if she weren’t under a decent contract already, would make sense.
Well, at least WMG still has Ben Brewer, Bronfman’s talented son…This just might be enuf to remove LYV off the shyte-y stock watch. Rapino is wise to keep the cost of the deal away from the media for as long as he can.
RE: the name thing. If that is the story, it’s even dumber than using the football term.
And wouldn’t the next (assuming they have fulfilled their current contract) three Nickleback albums be the definition of diminishing returns? Correct me if I’m wrong, but has radio even moved past their first album yet?
@Captain Wrong: You must mean their third album. All their big hits, save 2001’s “How You Remind Me,” came from the unkillable All the Right Reasons (not their third career album but their third after gaining major distribution), which is still riding the upper half of the Billboard charts two and a half years after its release.
@GhostOfDuane: They look like their moms shop for them at JC Penney.
I just can’t get over how cool these guys look in their press photo. I mean gawd - the ripped jeans, the belt buckles, the icy stares to nowhere, the all-with-hands-in-pockets-except-for-Chad bit. It’s just too much cool for one pic.
And let’s not forget the badass quotient. Taken at eye level, this pic would make them look like a bunch of normals. But the angle from the ground just makes them so damn cool. I just want to stare upwards at them forever.
Ooh ooh ooh!!!
Weird Al Yankovic.
@Chris Molanphy: I have learned more about Nickleback in your post than I ever wanted to know. LOL
I’d still hit it.