Who Charted?: Pretty Ricky Would Like To Thank All Their Sexy, Sexy Fans - Idolator Comments

Who Charted?: Pretty Ricky Would Like To Thank All Their Sexy, Sexy Fans

Chris Molanphy — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 15:01:51 EST

Two clarifying points:

• Black Love is a Sub Pop album the way Whip-Smart is a Matador album - the latter backed by Atlantic money, the former by Elektra money, but both co-branded. For Billboard/industry purposes, they both count toward the indie label in question, because as far as the industry is concerned the indie "worked" the record more than the major did. Anyway, it's all moot now, because Shins are Sub Pop's all the way.

• Sub Pop's two biggest-selling albums of all time, Bleach and Give Up, sold steadily and under the radar, hence neither charted very high on the Billboard 200. Bleach, whatever its buzz in indie circles in '89-'90, didn't chart at all till after Nevermind. And Give Up is remarkable for never having broken into the top 100 of the album chart yet selling over 500K, gradually, over more than two years. Both were tortoises; Wincing is a hare.

Chris Molanphy

Who Charted?: Pretty Ricky Would Like To Thank All Their Sexy, Sexy Fans

30f — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 14:54:30 EST

Before their first album dropped back in 2005, Atlantic was calling the group "Pretty Rickie & the Maverix" and one of the guys in the group was actually named Pretty Rickie. To avoid any country confusion, they then floated the name "305" for a while and then wisely realized that the area code named urban groups were already saturating the market (not even mentioning 112 which must be some kind of international dialing). Then Atlantic dropped the "Maverix," changed the "Rickie" to "Rickey" and gave them their current names - Baby Blue, Slick'Em, Spectacular, and Pleasure as well as the left-over uniforms.

My favorite lyric is "I'm a young man, but my d&%k grown up. /
I like to beat it open with your legs sho' up

Maverix, indeed.

30f

Who Charted?: Pretty Ricky Would Like To Thank All Their Sexy, Sexy Fans

Ned Raggett — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 14:45:26 EST

Might just be a points thing -- IIRC that was part of the deal with Nirvana signing to Geffen was that Sub Pop both had its logo appear on subsequent releases and got a cut of the cash, thus enabling them to survive bankruptcy. Maybe they figured they'd strike gold twice with the Afghan Whigs.

Ned Raggett

Who Charted?: Pretty Ricky Would Like To Thank All Their Sexy, Sexy Fans

Maura Johnston — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 14:37:00 EST

black love is actually a co-release. at least, both logos are on my copy.

Maura Johnston

Who Charted?: Pretty Ricky Would Like To Thank All Their Sexy, Sexy Fans

MikeBrownDelendaEst — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 14:31:18 EST

Black Love was on Elektra, as was the album prior to it, Gentlemen. The last whigs record on SubPop was Congregation, which debuted with 330 units, hardly chart worthy (though a great album regardless).

Bleach debuted pre-soundscan, so it's debut wouldn't have been counted.

The postal service just missed the top 200 in the debut of Give Up.

Highest I can find was Sleater-Kinney which debuted at 80th with Woods in 2005. Shins previous high was 86 for Chutes to Narrow.

Fact check much idolator?

MikeBrownDelendaEst

Who Charted?: Pretty Ricky Would Like To Thank All Their Sexy, Sexy Fans

Ned Raggett — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 13:54:29 EST

The previous record for the label had been set by The Afghan Whigs' Black Love, which entered the chart at No. 79

? Surely that was on Elektra/WEA. (Because by that standard then Sub Pop has topped the charts numerous times thanks to Nirvana.)

Ned Raggett

Who Charted?: Pretty Ricky Would Like To Thank All Their Sexy, Sexy Fans

katesilver — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 13:47:16 EST

If the band jacket and bare chest is an ode to Breakin's Turbo, I love 'em already.

katesilver