Kid Rock comes to Rhapsody

Truck stop rocker Kid Rock has been one of the poster boys for the "ignore downloads" crowd.

Bawitdaba da bang a dang diggy diggy.

His latest album, Rock and Roll Jesus has not only sold more than 2 million albums, but has continued to sell lots of copies long past its release date--this week, nearly a year after release, it's still at No. 7. That's almost unprecedented in this day and age, when top-selling pop artists (think Mariah Carey) sell hundreds of thousands of albums in their first week then plummet off the charts. Why the staying power? Some argue it's because the hit single from the album, All Summer Long (which is basically a reworking of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama") hasn't been available as a digital download on iTunes or anywhere else. If you want to own the song, the only way to get it has been to buy the full CD.

That changes today: you can now download the entire Rock and Roll Jesus album--and Kid Rock's entire catalog if you're so inclined--through the Rhapsody MP3 store. The albums are also available to Rhapsody subscribers. You still can't buy the single on its own, as Kid Rock considers himself an album artist and wants you to hear the full package. And still no iTunes, as Apple frowns on album-only sales. It'll be interesting to see if digital availability has any impact on sales, or whether fans keep preferring the CD.

[M C]

The first sentence has really atrocious grammar and may be easily misinterpreted. Allow me to edit for accuracy:

"His latest album, Rock and Roll Jesus, has only sold more than 2 million albums, nearly a year after release."

The real story here is how much money has been left on the table for the sake of "artistic integrity" (read: "That'll be $15 for the one single you like").

Happy to help.

[plasticities]

It's always so depressing to see what albums are the current top-sellers. Maybe other entertainment industries have equally vapid top-sellers, but it just seems like the music industry has the biggest disconnect between what's selling and what's innovative.

[Lemon5]

Kid Rock sucks. Period. I don't get why people keep buying his crap, he isn't very talented... This really isn't news. When The Beatles go on iTunes, then that is news.

[IowaNinersFan]

I'll be ecstatic when radio stations stop playing that cheap, stupid knockoff Kid Rock song called Summer or whatever it is.

[ksustarling]

Lemon5: I agree with you! Who cares about Kid Rock anyway. His music is not very good. I guess bad news is better than no news at all... I haven't bought music on iTunes in a while anyway. I've been using Amazon with better quality and cheaper price.

[JwL3394]

I was watching this on some country station on TV.
He was saying how you could only buy the whole album on Rhapsody and that he wants everybody to hear the full album and "get the whole experience."
This guy is ridiculous. Seriously. Ridiculous. I laughed when I heard that. I mean, really? Really?

[johnb6597]

When you Kid Rock haters have produced and sold more albums than Kid Rock, then you will have earned the right to have an opinion on his success. Until then, please, by all means, don't buy his music and keep your negativity to yourselves.

[johnb6597]

When you Kid Rock haters have produced and sold more albums than Kid Rock, then you will have earned the right to have an opinion on his success. Until then, please, by all means, don't buy his music and keep your negativity to yourselves.

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