While 2010 brought much joy for R&B star Ne-Yo (namely the birth of his daughter), the year alo carried with it commercial disappointment. Indeed, after countless delays and non-charting singles, the 31 year old’s ‘Libra Scale’ LP went on to become the worst-selling of his otherwise successful career.

Reflecting on the sales in a recent interview with the BBC, the singer-songwriter admitted that the album was not his best, why he felt it tanked, and what his immediate plans are following the project.

Full story after the jump…

Via Singers Room:

“It’s just there was so much going on in regards to this album,” says Ne-Yo. “Writing the script, making sure it was good, shooting videos and being too hands on with the director, the artwork and everything.

Released in November, Ne-Yo admitted the album is his “poorest selling album to date.”

“I just wasn’t paying attention to certain elements in making an album that I normally would. My fans deserve my best.”

With that said, Ne-Yo has already started working on material for his forthcoming fifth album.

“I’m already working on my next album. I took two years off in between Year Of The Gentlemen and Libra Scale. I’m just going to get back to the basics and do what I do. My fifth album needs to be about the songs, I don’t have a theme as such yet, it will be what life is, the black white and grey – what it is to be alive – that’s what this album is going to represent.”

You have to hand it to Shaffer. Where countless other acts would have seized the opportunity to blame the label or industry politics, Ne-Yo kept it real. ‘Libra Scale’ simply did not deliver (save for a few songs - ‘Cause I Said So’, ‘One In A Million’); a fact the countless promo slots vs the album’s actual sales really highlights. Still, every artist that album which just wasn’t the business. Here’s hoping Ne-Yo rediscovers his mojo next go round.

Yeah, I expected better considering the talk of him "keep it 100% R&B." But from the beginning I wasn't really feeling this new album. It took me a while but only "One In A Million" sparked a little interest. I think it had something to do with him wanting to tell a story of these black "gentlemen" superheroes with this album. He was so focused on this storytelling that the music itself was lacking.

I still like Champagne Life, One In A Million, and Beautiful Monster kinda grew on me, and 2 other snippets sounded alright, so I think he is being way harder on himself than he should. The whole MJ imitation was twerking my nerves though....

sorry but this is lame and shows how lame todays talent is, Stand behind your work, a few weeks this bitch was twittering all over about how the label let him down, now he is saying the album was shit and thats why it didnt sell, its all a game, now the HYPE on the next record is going to be a "basics" return and thats going to be its selling point, LAME, Ne-yo is not worth a dime.

lastdecember said:

sorry but this is lame and shows how lame todays talent is, Stand behind your work, a few weeks this bitch was twittering all over about how the label let him down, now he is saying the album was shit and thats why it didnt sell, its all a game, now the HYPE on the next record is going to be a "basics" return and thats going to be its selling point, LAME, Ne-yo is not worth a dime.

LOL, right. I bet if it sold, he wouldn't be sayin this.

HAPPYPERSON said:

While 2010 brought much joy for R&B star Ne-Yo (namely the birth of his daughter), the year alo carried with it commercial disappointment. Indeed, after countless delays and non-charting singles, the 31 year old’s ‘Libra Scale’ LP went on to become the worst-selling of his otherwise successful career.

Reflecting on the sales in a recent interview with the BBC, the singer-songwriter admitted that the album was not his best, why he felt it tanked, and what his immediate plans are following the project.

Full story after the jump…

Via Singers Room:

“It’s just there was so much going on in regards to this album,” says Ne-Yo. “Writing the script, making sure it was good, shooting videos and being too hands on with the director, the artwork and everything.

Released in November, Ne-Yo admitted the album is his “poorest selling album to date.”

“I just wasn’t paying attention to certain elements in making an album that I normally would. My fans deserve my best.”

With that said, Ne-Yo has already started working on material for his forthcoming fifth album.

“I’m already working on my next album. I took two years off in between Year Of The Gentlemen and Libra Scale. I’m just going to get back to the basics and do what I do. My fifth album needs to be about the songs, I don’t have a theme as such yet, it will be what life is, the black white and grey – what it is to be alive – that’s what this album is going to represent.”

You have to hand it to Shaffer. Where countless other acts would have seized the opportunity to blame the label or industry politics, Ne-Yo kept it real. ‘Libra Scale’ simply did not deliver (save for a few songs - ‘Cause I Said So’, ‘One In A Million’); a fact the countless promo slots vs the album’s actual sales really highlights. Still, every artist that album which just wasn’t the business. Here’s hoping Ne-Yo rediscovers his mojo next go round.

he blamed the label for leaks and bootleggers. It didnt sell like the others because his day is over, he had his "selling shelf time" NEXT

Being too hands on with the director?

He should tour and promote it instead of knocking it. Otherwise it's not in the best interest of the record company.

When you put something out stand behind it.

carlcranshaw said:

Being too hands on with the director?

He should tour and promote it instead of knocking it. Otherwise it's not in the best interest of the record company.

When you put something out stand behind it.

times a hundred. He's such a pussy.

This struck me as a terribly corny project. If he's realizing that all the conceptual bells and whistles were a distraction from the quality of the music -- and they were -- then good on him.

Lammastide said:

This struck me as a terribly corny project. If he's realizing that all the conceptual bells and whistles were a distraction from the quality of the music -- and they were -- then good on him.

His ass tried to make it too big of a deal on Twitter lol now he's trying to do damage control.

Timmy84 said:

Lammastide said:

This struck me as a terribly corny project. If he's realizing that all the conceptual bells and whistles were a distraction from the quality of the music -- and they were -- then good on him.

His ass tried to make it too big of a deal on Twitter lol now he's trying to do damage control.

He went all Twitter crazy, eh? That's too bad.

Lammastide said:

Timmy84 said:

His ass tried to make it too big of a deal on Twitter lol now he's trying to do damage control.

He went all Twitter crazy, eh? That's too bad.

"All hackers die slow!"

Lammastide said:

Timmy84 said:

His ass tried to make it too big of a deal on Twitter lol now he's trying to do damage control.

He went all Twitter crazy, eh? That's too bad.

As LBC pointed out, he threatened the "hackers".

Fans deserve better? The fans should be the judge of that, regardless of who's the artist.

Oh this is just shit blowing out of his ass. A nice little PR cleanup from his "die hackers die" comments and blaming internet leaking of his songs for his poor record sales bitch rants. Whatever Ne-Yo, The best thing you can do for your fans is go to a vocal coach.

[Edited 12/25/10 4:12am]

Someone talk to Ne-Yo and tell him he's not Michael Jackson..

Since Michael's gone, he thinks he is Michael.. Kinda like "Oh

no, this is my time to take over.. I am Michael now, I need to

be Michael.. the world needs me to be Michael now.. only I can

be Michael if Michael can't be Michael.."

Ok dear R&B "artists", we got it! Michael's dead, you're sad, you

paid tribute. But you seriously need to stop some day. Enough is enough.

What fans really don't deserve is NeYo at all All of his songs have sucked except the first album other than that it's a wrap.

Cinnie said:

He wouldn't be saying this if he created from his heart the CD didn't flop.

[Edited 12/25/10 21:37pm]

He has a following?

lastdecember said:

sorry but this is lame and shows how lame todays talent is, Stand behind your work, a few weeks this bitch was twittering all over about how the label let him down, now he is saying the album was shit and thats why it didnt sell, its all a game, now the HYPE on the next record is going to be a "basics" return and thats going to be its selling point, LAME, Ne-yo is not worth a dime.

Exactly. I have even less respect for him after apologizing for his so-called work. Stand by your lame shit; you made it.

trueiopian said:

He has a following?

They consist of just three girls, don't worry.

Ne-yo hurts his own sales when he devalues a project in public. This can't be pleasing to his label, Def-Sham.

What happens when u take minimum talent and s t r e t c h it 2 far?

i love the record

I just had to bump this dumb ass quote. This is the worst thing to say when stores are still stocked with your latest CD.