April 28
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R&B singer John Legend is looking to take the route of the new age recording artist; find a brand to help market his music.

Legend recently stated in a listening session that he is currently meeting with several advertising firms to discuss new promotional strategies for his upcoming as-yet-untitled album, slated for September.

“I want to go beyond what the label machine always does and think of some cool ideas,” said Legend, who declined to name the ad agencies he's meeting with. “Labels get into a creative rut. I want an ad firm that launches other products to use their knowledge to launch my music. It'd be cool to get ideas from a firm that can still reach my marketplace. We're taking proposals now so as soon as we decide on one we can decide the launch date and direction.”

As for as music, Legend's new album is said to be more mainstream and radio friendly than his previous outing, 2006's "Once Again," and his 2004 debut, "Get Lifted." This time around, the Grammy-winner has replaced his usual live instruments with 808 drums and futuristic synthesizers.

“The last record was mellower,” says Legend. “The production this time is a little more up-tempo and more pop sounding than the last one.”

While Legend admits that he was a bit disappointed in the sales of “Once Again,” accumulating 1.2 million units to-date according to Nielsen SoundScan, he was not intentionally crafting radio-friendly songs this go-round. “Get Lifted” has sold 2.1 million units to-date.

“'Once Again' was difficult for people to digest because it wasn't any one radio format,” says Legend. “It was between formats and there wasn't an obvious place for everything to fit. I’ve been successful without a huge radio hit up until now so I don’t think about the radio when I make songs. Artistically, 'Once Again' was a great album, better than 'Get Lifted.' I had a bigger tour on the second album and it set me up to be an artist that's around for a long time so I just have to capitalize on that.”

Legend is putting the finishing touches on his first single, “Green Light,” featuring Outkast’s Andre 3000, and expects to shoot the video in May. “It’s Over” featuring Kanye West and produced by Pharrell Williams may be the second single but Legend isn’t sure.

Here is John Legend’s preliminary track list:

“Green Light” feat. Andre 3000
“Satisfaction”
“Everybody Knows”
“No Other Love”
“Cross The Line”
“This Time”
“Good Morning”
“Aim High”
“It’s Over” feat. Kanye West

Wow.....mainstream = more non-sense.

When was this hack ever NOT a mainstream artist?
[Edited 4/28/08 13:16pm]

Dance said:

That's what I was wondering.

Why does he need advertisers? He already makes jingle music

You guys are too hard on him.

His last album was pretty decent.

He is luke warm at best.

Boring and stale when I saw him at the Grammy's, I give sh*t hop a lot of flak but this dude takes it to the other extreme in the sense he has nothing that even resembles authentic.

Didn't Target use his song last year?

He is looking to get paid, pure and simple. Stop writing watered down versions of 70's soul music and do something new or even authentic sounding and you might have a shot to sell albums.

Marvin Gaye through muzak speakers in a crowded Target store is 100000% better than this wannabe hack singing ordinary people.

BORING!@@@@@

And yes he makes me that angry, the grammies embraced him and Alicia because they played the classical trained route and are decent image pieces. And yet Genius like Cody Chestnutt remains silent for several years.
[Edited 4/28/08 13:44pm]

BlaqueKnight said:

i am sitting across from my boss and you got me cracking up while he is dialing for dollars.

aalloca said:

Once Again was an excellent album. Cody Chestnutt? I'll admit that I have only heard 3 songs of his but he ain't no better than John Legend.

Perhaps he should go back 2 John Stephens.....cause legend he is NOT.

BlaqueKnight said:

Shiiiit!

This guy's a whore. He really seems bent on killing his career. Why doesn't he just get a job AT an ad firm or something? I'll admit, I've liked a few of his tunes, but it seems like he's pandering.

"While Legend admits that he was a bit disappointed in the sales of “Once Again,” accumulating 1.2 million units to-date according to Nielsen SoundScan, he was not intentionally crafting radio-friendly songs this go-round. “Get Lifted” has sold 2.1 million units to-date"

wtf.....a bit disappointed,,,,,shit.....greeeeed

BlaqueKnight said:

He's BEEN a POP tart.

This is the dude who called himself Legend? Music is bland, but the name is just fucking sad.

myloveis4ever said:

In the industry of today every mainstream artist is a HUGE investment.

Companies dump money into acts(their face and wack music are everywhere but your food)with the expectation that it'll pay off or at least make them a significant amount of money.

Where the artist is in all of this as far as money depends on what exactly they do in the studio, the nature of their contract, and how they do on the road.

A mil or two means nothing and most of the time the label buys half a mil to get folk on the radar.

And all his past involvement with ads most likely was something between his label and those companies rather than him and them.

So basically he's still trickin with Kanye Pest.

He must've heard that "Outback" jingle, which was FI-YUH.