In the USA 2002’s ‘It Had to Be You … The Great American Songbook,’ has so far sold 2.6 million copies, while ‘As Time Goes By … The Great American Songbook, Vol. II,’ released last year, has moved 2.1 million units. These are Rod’s top sellers since 1993’s ‘Unplugged… and seated,’ which has sold 3.4 million copies.
Earlier this year, Rod told Billboard magazine that ‘As Time Goes By’ would definitely be the last in the series. But he now jokingly says “I’m a lying bastard” when asked why he said there wouldn’t be another standards collection.
“Sales were so compelling,” says Tom Corson, executive VP and general manager for J Records, adding that the two albums have sold 10 million copies worldwide. “Also, Rod has been on tour, and he’s hearing from his fans that they love the material… Vol. III is by popular demand.”
Rod’s new set features Dolly Parton, Bette Midler, Eric Clapton and Stevie Wonder, who plays harmonica on first single ‘What a Wonderful World.’ “The people (on my album) have been around as long as me; I didn’t want to do anything with anyone really young – except Gwen Stefani,” Rod told Billboard magazine.
Because a large part of the audience for the album do not listen to radio, TV has become a key driver in reaching album buyers. Rod’s show this week at London’s Royal Albert Hall will be broadcast in the UK on BBC1 on Saturday 23 October and at other times in different territories. It will air in March 2005 in the United States on PBS. He will also be the subject of a new episode of A&E’s “Biography” in the USA during the week of 25 October and will be featured in a specially recorded BBC Radio Two concert on Saturday 18 December.
In addition to the specials and appearances on morning shows, daily talk shows and late-night programs, ‘Stardust’ will be marketed through direct-response TV campaigns that start this month.
Rod, who starts yet another world tour in February in Australia that will reach the UK during the Summer, says he has noticed a small shift at his shows. “It’s basically the same audience, but we do have some much older people coming in, and I think they get their heads blown off for the first hour, which is very uptempo,” he says. “The second (standards) hour, everyone sits down and claps politely.”
Rod says, “You can rest assured there won’t be a fourth (volume of the Great American Songbook),” he quickly adds, “but you can’t guarantee it. I’m having too much fun doing these albums.”
Meanwhile, Rod has been officially named as the highest grossing British act in the United States – the world’s biggest music market! He was the leading Brit among the nine UK acts in the top 100 performers in the US, beating Elton John, according to Pollstar. He raked in £176 million at the box office – placing him seventh in the chart for tours in the first half of 2004. Prince and Madonna topped the list but Rod was such a smash that he easily beat his old rival Elton, who came 12th.