Just looking at these two releases Promotion-wise.

Bear in mind Lenny is a. younger, b. "hipper" c. Starred in blockbuster movies, and d. has a very sexy video out.

His album was released a week before Prince's.

Lenny's release is on Kobalt (this could be us, guys)

As of now, according to metacritic, there are 4 reviews of Lenny's album from major sites or magazines, Prince got about 5 times the exposure (not counting yahoo event etc) with 18 reviews

http://www.metacritic.com/music/strut/lenny-kravitz

http://www.metacritic.com/music/art-official-age/prince

Lenny's album hardly cracked the US top 20 (no. 19) and missed the uk top 20 (no. 21).

Hopefully Prince will have 2 albums at the top 10 in both charts.

Just sayin.

Gotta give it to Lenny Kravitz. He releases generic album after generic album to staggering indifference to the entire record-buying and listening public. Kind of like somebody else we know (at times), except without any sort of actual built-in fanbase to snatch them up and support him during the creative lean years. His music is neither great, nor terrible, it's just there. He wears his mediocrity well. Which is a good thing, I guess, because he's rarely shown the ability to kick up to the next level, rarely living up to his potential or the expectations that he could have been the next great genius.

At this point you have to wonder who it is Lenny is releasing these albums for. And if he's going to keep doing it, why doesn't he put in a little more effort to make them take off, both commercially and creatively?

That said, "The Chamber" is pretty good. And it's not as bad as TTD, wandering off in his own wilderness with his head so far up his own ass that you can't even get ahold of his music and/or connect to it on any emotional level whatsoever.

I love both, and Strut is a excellent release.

Lenny's video for "The Chamber" is fantastic, but how much play a older artists video gets is debatable. I think even if P did spend a lot on a video like Lenny, it would get limited exposure on the modern music channels.

Lenny's album might not get the impact on release (he's always been on a lower tier) but it will sell a decent amount, possibly more than Prince over time.

Lenny is promoting, with TV appearences (last night on Graham Norton Show) and now a European tour for the next 3 months.

I saw Lenny live at the private Autism Rocks show at the Koko on Sunday and he was as good as ever. The tour will drive good promotion. He's also doing a good chunk of the new album in the set, coupled with the big hits.

Lenny's release is safer than P's, but its still very solid.

I was all over Lenny for his first three albums. I haven't followed him at all since, but I never believed he'd ever put out something as insipid as 'The Chamber'. That's one hell of a six-pack for a guy heading into his fifties, though. He held onto his body but, sadly, let his music go.

airth said:

I was all over Lenny for his first three albums. I haven't followed him at all since, but I never believed he'd ever put out something as insipid as 'The Chamber'. That's one hell of a six-pack for a guy heading into his fifties, though. He held onto his body but, sadly, let his music go.

The Chamber isn't reflective of the album. Its simply the most commercial.


If you only liked the first 3 albums, then Strut isn't your bag. Its more like his album "5".

Lenny has gotten better with age for me. His last 4 albums just keep getting better and better to me. Love Revolution is my favorite. Strut is an excellent release and is in my top 3 albums of the year so far. Billy Idol may have something to say about that soon though.

SquirrelMeat said:

I love both, and Strut is a excellent release.

Lenny's video for "The Chamber" is fantastic, but how much play a older artists video gets is debatable. I think even if P did spend a lot on a video like Lenny, it would get limited exposure on the modern music channels.

Lenny's album might not get the impact on release (he's always been on a lower tier) but it will sell a decent amount, possibly more than Prince over time.

Lenny is promoting, with TV appearences (last night on Graham Norton Show) and now a European tour for the next 3 months.

I saw Lenny live at the private Autism Rocks show at the Koko on Sunday and he was as good as ever. The tour will drive good promotion. He's also doing a good chunk of the new album in the set, coupled with the big hits.

Lenny's release is safer than P's, but its still very solid.

lenny hasn't had a top ten album in the uk since 1995...his last album barely made the top 75...i like lenny but you know what his albums are going to sound like nowadays...he doesn't really compare to prince either in creativity or sales..

I didnt even know he released an album

trax said:

Billy Idol may have something to say about that soon though.

I'm curious. Are you refering to the soon to be published autobiography?

Billy can be quite clear about things

SquirrelMeat said:

I love both, and Strut is a excellent release.

Lenny's video for "The Chamber" is fantastic, but how much play a older artists video gets is debatable. I think even if P did spend a lot on a video like Lenny, it would get limited exposure on the modern music channels.

Lenny's album might not get the impact on release (he's always been on a lower tier) but it will sell a decent amount, possibly more than Prince over time.

Lenny is promoting, with TV appearences (last night on Graham Norton Show) and now a European tour for the next 3 months.

I saw Lenny live at the private Autism Rocks show at the Koko on Sunday and he was as good as ever. The tour will drive good promotion. He's also doing a good chunk of the new album in the set, coupled with the big hits.

Lenny's release is safer than P's, but its still very solid.

Exactly people are STILL not getting the whole AGE thing with how things go now with this industry of music but its really all just one big MEDIA corporation now. So the older artists just do their thing, put out records, promote themselves, some have their own labels, sites etc...sell directly to consumers etc....WE have to get with the times not them. Im still hearing people talk SALES? In this and age, who really (not wishful thinking) but really thought PRINCE was gonna sell 100,000 week one? Show of hands please, and if you say yes you are lieing to yourself or just need to have that condition checked. The industry talks about "slow weeks for sales" etc...but come on ONCE in a blue moon or that one or two week span in the holiday rush does this industry have a week of big sales, its just a new generation now, people just dont get music like they used too. Some buy it direct from an artists site all of this does not count, they download it free from some site, they wait till they feel they have the cash flow to drop 10-15 on a cd or download, it can be many reasons but people have to adjust thinking now, and sorry to say people are still stuck in this 1992 soundscan period of week one gold albums, really?

Just to let evveryone know now, this cd overall MAY sell less than Chaos and Disorder which he did about 5 seconds of promo for, or it may not do "Rainbow Children"numbers which for a cd on his own with Best Buy as his distributor and no videos or singles did very well. People just need to lose the mentality that IF Prince did some talk shows or did a video etc...this week would have rained purple numbers GET OVER IT.

I dont generally Like his music (Lenny) but dude sure does makes some cool ass videos. lol.That video someone posted was kinda hot.

Much prefer Lenny's new album. Made me go yes! Whereas P's one made me go... hmmm.....

Love Chamber and Sex and New York!

Prince , everday , can't stand lenny too bland.

I love both albums but Lenny has had alot of more coverage in the uk, album of the week on Radio 2, on the radio playing live, video live shows. Prince has had virtually no coverage whatsoever

bigd74 said:

I love both albums but Lenny has had alot of more coverage in the uk, album of the week on Radio 2, on the radio playing live, video live shows. Prince has had virtually no coverage whatsoever

Surprising, as there are hardly any reviews out and he debuted at no. 21.

I really thought he is preceived as a more current, bankable artist than Prince. Glad to see it's not the case. I like him but he's definitely no prince.

Basically I guess Lenny's album release is simply to promote his Euro tour and not vice versa.

Askani, let's see your album.

2freaky4church1 said:

Askani, let's see your album.

That's the kind of thing people post when they don't actually have anything to say but think they need to say something any way.

SquirrelMeat said:

Lenny's release is safer than P's, but its still very solid.

Lenny's video has tits in it. Automatic win.

I like and respect Kravitz, have most of his albums, but I only like three songs on this new album. It just seems that Kravitz rarely tries anything new so, after a while, it all seems to blend together into the same song with a different title. But, again, dude can play, and he's written some songs that have given me years of pleasure so I'm glad he's doing what he's doing. I hope others like his new album 'cause I think he's good for music, in general.

1725topp said:

I like and respect Kravitz, have most of his albums, but I only like three songs on this new album. It just seems that Kravitz rarely tries anything new so, after a while, it all seems to blend together into the same song with a different title. But, again, dude can play, and he's written some songs that have given me years of pleasure so I'm glad he's doing what he's doing. I hope others like his new album 'cause I think he's good for music, in general.

Well said.

I bought Strut off itunes for the 2 bonus tracks but still haven't set aside time yet to really listen to the album. The brief listen gave me the usual impression that there weren't any surprises which is why I answer this threads question with an obvious nod to Prince.

-

Heaven Help is my goto LK song, though

I'm sorry. Lenny is sexy as hell but that song made ears hurt.

I really try hard to like Lenny Kravitz but his music never stood out except for a very few songs.

EroticDreamer said:

1725topp said:

I like and respect Kravitz, have most of his albums, but I only like three songs on this new album. It just seems that Kravitz rarely tries anything new so, after a while, it all seems to blend together into the same song with a different title. But, again, dude can play, and he's written some songs that have given me years of pleasure so I'm glad he's doing what he's doing. I hope others like his new album 'cause I think he's good for music, in general.

Well said.

I bought Strut off itunes for the 2 bonus tracks but still haven't set aside time yet to really listen to the album. The brief listen gave me the usual impression that there weren't any surprises which is why I answer this threads question with an obvious nod to Prince.

-

Heaven Help is my goto LK song, though

Mine's "Where Are We Runnin'"...absolutely love it!! My son and I get ready in the morning with 'Eww Wee Ooo We Ooooh! every day

He's almost five, my son, and he and I love dancing to Lenny, Aerosmith and Prince in the morning before school and work.

strawberrybubblegum said:

Much prefer Lenny's new album. Made me go yes! Whereas P's one made me go... hmmm.....

Love Chamber and Sex and New York!

I had so many expectation when Lenny turned up with his first album back in the day. But album after album it's like listening to my old rock collection. Don't get me wrong it is ok but never innovative never groundbreaking. He is always in his comfort zone playing the same easy licks tune after tune.

He is nowhere near interesting as Prince musically.

When P is releasing a crap album, Lenn's will be always better as he is always doing the same stuff in his comfort zone.

But with AOA and PE, Prince shows his musical skills and technical range are far superior than the one dimensional Lenny.

[Edited 10/6/14 10:16am]

Let's face it, Lenny is that dependable guy we often turn to when our real guy is trippin, but when the real guy is on point we shit on poor Lenny. Leave Lenny alone!! LOL, he aiiight

Quite a few years back I went to a Kravitz concert where Nikka Costa opened for him. Lenny had this King theme going and after every song he would raise his hands up over his head and throw his head back and forth over and over. He had this cape and dark shades on with a small afro and combined with his gestures after every song it struck me as kinda odd. Too self indulgent. And to do it after every song got corny real quick for me. The music wasn't that great live either. Every since that day I haven't gotten any more of his music. By the way, Nikka sounded ten times better live. The Chamber is empty for me.

Lenny?????

I have never understood Lenny Kravitz, he's a beatles wannabe, a copy cat...

Prince is the original artist of the two of them... imho....

ohYeeeeeah said:

I had so many expectation when Lenny turned up with his first album back in the day. But album after album it's like listening to my old rock collection. Don't get me wrong it is ok but never innovative never groundbreaking. He is always in his comfort zone playing the same easy licks tune after tune.

He is nowhere near interesting as Prince musically.

When P is releasing a crap album, Lenn's will be always better as he is always doing the same stuff in his comfort zone.

But with AOA and PE, Prince shows his musical skills and technical range are far superior than the one dimensional Lenny.

[Edited 10/6/14 10:16am]

Lenny takes absolutely no risks. He's a solid C+/B- student, whereas others might take the chance of getting a D or an F by experimenting and doing something different or interesting and failing. Lenny will never get an A+ because Lenny never veers out of his lane. Which is fine. But 10 albums in, it's pretty clear he either a) isn't going to live up to his potential or b) there actually wasn't all that much potential there to begin with.