First singles that were relative duds

[aznsquirt]

I feel like we've had similar threads to this, but I was thinking about how "It's So Easy/Mr Brownstone" were co first singles on AFD.

What other albums had first (or more?) single(s) that were total flops compared to the hits released later?

The only other one off the top of my head is Never Before being the first single on Deep Purple's Machine Head.

[BernieTaupson]

Shout It Out Loud/Sweet Pain

Flaming Youth/God of Thunder

Detroit Rock City/Beth

[SW]

Don't want to say a total flop but comparing to next singles Def Leppard with Women on Hysteria.

[Love_Industry]

Livin' on the Edge - Aerosmith
So This Is Love? - Van Halen
Tease Me Please Me and Don't Believe Her - Scorpions
Get the Funk Out and Decadence Dance - Extreme
Rise to It - Kiss

[Bono Nettencourt]

Livin' on the Edge - Aerosmith

Yeah, a top 20 Grammy nominee, real crash-and-burn...

[Love_Industry]

Livin' on the Edge - Aerosmith

Yeah, a top 20 Grammy nominee, real crash-and-burn...

Oops. Remember I'm in Sweden and here it bombed and wasn't a huge hit in most of Europe. Had no idea it was huge in the US, always thought it was the ballad trilogy that sold the album.

[Gibsonite]

Livin' on the Edge - Aerosmith

Yeah, a top 20 Grammy nominee, real crash-and-burn...

Those Extreme songs were in heavy rotation before being overshadowed by that other POS single too

[dmbrocker]

"Cry Tough". Poison were pretty much DOA with that one until they finally went into full party mode with "Talk Dirty to Me" months later.

[Bono Nettencourt]

Livin' on the Edge - Aerosmith

Yeah, a top 20 Grammy nominee, real crash-and-burn...

Oops. Remember I'm in Sweden and here it bombed and wasn't a huge hit in most of Europe. Had no idea it was huge in the US, always thought it was the ballad trilogy that sold the album.

Don't get me wrong, I didn't care much for the song or the album, and the ballads were certainly bigger, but that song received saturation-bombing airplay on radio and MTV when it came out. It was inescapable.

[DemonFilth2001]

Kid Ego by Extreme. Sure, it was one of their only good songs. Sales / radio play? Really didn't do much.

[War_in_D]

I feel like we've had similar threads to this, but I was thinking about how "Think About You/Mr Brownstone" were co first singles on AFD.

What other albums had first (or more?) single(s) that were total flops compared to the hits released later?

The only other one off the top of my head is Never Before being the first single on Deep Purple's Machine Head.

I don't think Think About You was the first single. Wasn't it It's So Easy?

[Led By Force]

Don't want to say a total flop but comparing to next singles Def Leppard with Women on Hysteria.

Yup. Def Leppard broke out in a cold sweat when their expensive new highly anticipated album initially stiffed.

[aznsquirt]

I feel like we've had similar threads to this, but I was thinking about how "Think About You/Mr Brownstone" were co first singles on AFD.

What other albums had first (or more?) single(s) that were total flops compared to the hits released later?

The only other one off the top of my head is Never Before being the first single on Deep Purple's Machine Head.

I don't think Think About You was the first single. Wasn't it It's So Easy?

Yes! Hahaha. I always get those two tracks mixed up in my head.

[Turner Coates]

Come On by the Rolling Stones.

[metalmike76]

Poison - Cry Tough

[daveg]

Winger - Madalaine

[Wild Obsession]

Yeah, a top 20 Grammy nominee, real crash-and-burn...

Oops. Remember I'm in Sweden and here it bombed and wasn't a huge hit in most of Europe. Had no idea it was huge in the US, always thought it was the ballad trilogy that sold the album.

Don't get me wrong, I didn't care much for the song or the album, and the ballads were certainly bigger, but that song received saturation-bombing airplay on radio and MTV when it came out. It was inescapable.

"Living on the Edge" is a turd sandwich of a song.

[Bono Nettencourt]

Totally agree... never got into GAG at all. Best thing was the 2-year tour. The album was forgettable.

[Brainy Lane]

Keep the Faith - Bon Jovi
It peaked at 29 on Billboard 100

[Tommy2Tone84]

Winger - Madalaine

I remember it doing well enough. Same with Women by Def Leppard. I don’t remember Poison’s Cry Tough at all. I never knew it was the first single, Same with It’s So Easy. I remember WTTJ debuting on MTV in the fall of 1987.

[BDG135]

Poison's Stand didn't go top 40.

[Love_Industry]

Totally agree... never got into GAG at all. Best thing was the 2-year tour. The album was forgettable.

It says something that LotE was picked for the first single and it's close to the best song on the album. It wouldn’t be in the top 5 on Pump or PV.

[DemonFilth2001]

Winger - Madalaine

I remember it doing well enough. Same with Women by Def Leppard. I don’t remember Poison’s Cry Tough at all. I never knew it was the first single, Same with It’s So Easy. I remember WTTJ debuting on MTV in the fall of 1987.

Yeah. Never heard of Cry Tough until Sludge. Possibly heard it. If so, it never made any sort of impression

[Tommy2Tone84]

Winger - Madalaine

I remember it doing well enough. Same with Women by Def Leppard. I don’t remember Poison’s Cry Tough at all. I never knew it was the first single, Same with It’s So Easy. I remember WTTJ debuting on MTV in the fall of 1987.

Yeah. Never heard of Cry Tough until Sludge. Possibly heard it. If so, it never made any sort of impression

I heard Cry Tough after I bought the cassette but I don’t remember it as a single. I didn’t see the video until the 90s. It’s not a bad song or video.

[daveg]

VH - So this is Love

[Zabooka]

VH - So this is Love

The song is more fun with the Dinosaur Park video.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WfxG7BRn7xs

[jhenders]

The leadoff single from Cinderella's "Night Songs" album was "Shake Me" and it failed to chart.

The 2nd and 3rd singles fared much better: "Nobody's Fool" cracked the Billboard Top 20 going to #13. "Somebody Save Me" reached #66.

[daveg]

The leadoff single from Cinderella's "Night Songs" album was "Shake Me" and it failed to chart.

That is shocking to me. I looked it up cause I didn't believe it....but ya, failed to chart.

I remember radio and video playing the hell out of it. Guess it might have been after Nobody's fool, they started playing it again. Odd.

I'll also add TS - Leader of the pack. Not only a dud, but destroyed their career.

[Bono Nettencourt]

Cinderella's rise was mostly MTV-driven, as was the rest of the hair bands. The radio play followed after.

[Love_Industry]

I'll also add TS - Leader of the pack. Not only a dud, but destroyed their career.

We have a winner. It charted at #53 but it doesn't change anything.

Amazingly, Twisted believed so much in Leader they recorded it twice. The lack of success with the Ruff Cutts EP should have given them a hint.