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- Thread starter ullalume
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Portlander
Well-Known Member
As a teenager growing up during the Carpenters heyday I never remember any TV commercials promoting theirs or any other artist's albums. Most visual advertising was displayed at your local record store which was a constantly changing musical utopia and A&M records always represented the Carpenters very well in this department. Radio stations provided the other marketing tools to promote new releases along with upcoming concerts in the local area.
Myself and a lot of my friends would listen to Casey Kasem's American Top 40 every weekend to catch up on the latest chart movement along with watching American Bandstand and Soul Train to see the artists up close. There were also a plethora of evening family oriented variety shows and the Carpenters benefited greatly from these and would on occasion mention the latest single or album on the show. The simpler times of three network TV channels and PBS with the National Anthem signing off at midnight!
Myself and a lot of my friends would listen to Casey Kasem's American Top 40 every weekend to catch up on the latest chart movement along with watching American Bandstand and Soul Train to see the artists up close. There were also a plethora of evening family oriented variety shows and the Carpenters benefited greatly from these and would on occasion mention the latest single or album on the show. The simpler times of three network TV channels and PBS with the National Anthem signing off at midnight!
Yeah the only ads on TV for music albums in the '70s/'80s were for those "K-Tel" or other brand collections of 40 top 10 hits for only $9.99, but wait, there's more! Order today and get a SECOND album with 40 MORE top ten hits!
The biggest way music was advertised then was in print ads, and of course radio play and store displays.
The biggest way music was advertised then was in print ads, and of course radio play and store displays.
GDBY2LV
Well-Known Member
Only great Billboards in Los Angeles. The big one facing Sunset Blvd next to the A&M Studios always had a fresh album cover of a new A&M release on it. The Tower Records store down the street had many huge billboards on the building exterior, advertising several new releases. I’m sure the labels paid plenty for space there. I loved driving by A&M on the way to Tower in the 70’s and 80’s, to see what new album they were featuring each month. We made the 100 mile drive about 2-3 times a month back then. Never saw any Carpenters ads on tv. Sometimes nice displays in record stores. The neon light for Horizon was the best, in 1975. Most of the Tower Records stores had one in California. Billboard magazine always had a full page color ad for new single and album releases too.
Matthew S
Well-Known Member
Neon light for Horizon? Would love to see that! Wonder if any still exist?
ChrisCarpenterCollecter
Well-Known Member
Mark-T
Well-Known Member
I lived in Southern California (Orange County) during the peak sales period of 1970-1975. Rarely did I see anything Carpenters related unless I was in a music store. On a related note, when Horizon was released, the albums were front and center at the mall music store. A year later with Hush, they were down under the display table in the front of the same store. Something had clearly changed.
GDBY2LV
Well-Known Member
Even the K-Mart type discount store called Zodys, they had a huge 3 foot cardboard poster from the ASFY era hanging from the ceilings in the music department, in 72-73. You could see it from all over the store.
I really wanted that for my wall! But it was already claimed. Another independent music store in San Francisco had it too, on their wall behind their register for years it seemed. It covered the whole space. It was right in your face when you walked in the door. Richard in red shirt, Karen in white. My favorite Carpenters picture. Luckily the fan club sold a regular sized version of it for fans. A friend gave me a similar large cardboard poster from Carpenters, with the same picture from inside the envelope. I got a very large mobile from AKOH, that is the same as the cover, with their picture behind clear plastic. Kind of 3-D. There was also a large 8-track mobile for AKOH, with an arrow at the bottom that could be hung over their section. About a foot long. For Passage and Christmas Portrait, it was mainly posters, and mugs or t-shirts, money cube, etc. I never saw any mobiles for those titles. Same for MIA and VOTH.
I really wanted that for my wall! But it was already claimed. Another independent music store in San Francisco had it too, on their wall behind their register for years it seemed. It covered the whole space. It was right in your face when you walked in the door. Richard in red shirt, Karen in white. My favorite Carpenters picture. Luckily the fan club sold a regular sized version of it for fans. A friend gave me a similar large cardboard poster from Carpenters, with the same picture from inside the envelope. I got a very large mobile from AKOH, that is the same as the cover, with their picture behind clear plastic. Kind of 3-D. There was also a large 8-track mobile for AKOH, with an arrow at the bottom that could be hung over their section. About a foot long. For Passage and Christmas Portrait, it was mainly posters, and mugs or t-shirts, money cube, etc. I never saw any mobiles for those titles. Same for MIA and VOTH.
tomswift2002
Well-Known Member
I remember in June 2000 seeing a music news show on MuchMusic (when the station was actually a music video TV station) and that was how I found out about The Singles 1969-1981 CD being released. Of course they used the video for Little Girl Blue that made no sense since the song wasn’t on the CD.
Carpenters Gold Woolworths UK TV Advert (2000)
Carpenters "Love Songs" Commercial (1998)
Carpenters - TIME Life TV Commercial
'Christmas In Disneyland'/'The Carpenters' TV Promo (1976)
Of course on ad I’d like to find is the 1978 Canadian ad for “The Carpenters Collection” by Arc Sound since the cover announces that it was “TV ADVERTISED”.
GaryAlan
Well-Known Member
Mark writes: "when Horizon was released, the albums were front and center at the mall music store. A year later with Hush, they were down under the display table in the front of the same store. Something had clearly changed."
Mark, it seems to me that firing Neil Sedaka was more damaging to their career than anyone could have foresaw.
Of course, musical tastes had changed in 1976, but even that does not explain how fast the duo dropped out of radio play and sales.
Where were all of the existing fans-- who apparently did not purchase the Hush album ? Even if I had not heard the duo
over the radio in 1976, there was no way I was going to let a Carpenters' album get away from my purchase !
Though LP Hush is (imho) a nice album, I never did think it got the respect it deserves.
Goofus is a great album cut, surely a bold step for the times. Who else would have tackled that ?
I Need To Be In Love should have charted much higher, also. Nearly, a perfect pop love song.
Mark, it seems to me that firing Neil Sedaka was more damaging to their career than anyone could have foresaw.
Of course, musical tastes had changed in 1976, but even that does not explain how fast the duo dropped out of radio play and sales.
Where were all of the existing fans-- who apparently did not purchase the Hush album ? Even if I had not heard the duo
over the radio in 1976, there was no way I was going to let a Carpenters' album get away from my purchase !
Though LP Hush is (imho) a nice album, I never did think it got the respect it deserves.
Goofus is a great album cut, surely a bold step for the times. Who else would have tackled that ?
I Need To Be In Love should have charted much higher, also. Nearly, a perfect pop love song.
__michael__
Well-Known Member
I remember back in the early 70's driving on the Santa Ana Freeway southbound from LA. As I neared Downey, there on the side of the freeway was a huge billboard for Carpenters. If my memory is correct, it was the Now And Then album cover.
Jorge
Well-Known Member
Gary, I think that to understand what went wrong with Hush, we should pay close attention to the charts in '76. "Don't go breaking my heart", "Love Hangover", "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Play that Funky Music", "More, More, More", were some of the top 20 hits that year.
I am just speculating but I think the release of Singles 69-73 marked Carpenters peak in their careers. Later Richard became the producer, Jerry Weintraub came into the picture, and since then things were never the same.
A Song for You 3,000,000 on sales
Now & Then 2,000,000 on sales
Horizon 1,000,000 on sales
AKOH 500,000 on sales
I've always thought that SINGLES 69-73 was the ultimate dividing line after which Carpenters declined in popularity. It was such a superb Greatest Hits album that many casual fans thought that was all they'd ever need in the way of Carpenters records.
tomswift2002
Well-Known Member
I think “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do” should’ve been released as a Single here in North America. Aside from the title track & “Goofus” it was really the only other upbeat song on the LP, and had more hit potential than the other tracks.
MorningOpensQuietly
Well-Known Member
Plus, not releasing a new studio album in 1974 probably didn't help either. I believe the time gap from "Singles" to "Horizon" in mid-1975 was a pretty long time back then for the pop music world.
GDBY2LV
Well-Known Member
Too many ballads in late 75-76. The trends were changing. Radio was changing. The Singles album was all any casual fan would buy. As great as Only Yesterday is, it didn’t connect the way previous hits did. It disappeared from the top 40 soon after it peaked. The radio stations and record companies were very aggressive and split on format changes. Disco, alternative, rock, ez listening etc. Top 40 was starting to split between rock stations and dance stations. Carpenters ended up on easy listening stations for the most part. The older listeners were faithful for tuning in, but not music consumers. Not until CDs came along in the mid eighties. By then, we all know the story. Radio is still splintered to this day. I mostly listen to oldies stations on the I
Radio app. Most of what’s on today isn’t for my taste. I live in a city of 500,000 people, and we don’t have 1 station that plays oldies, nostalgia, or easy listening formats for the last 10 years. It’s a shame. The only time Carpenters get any air play here, is when 2 of the stations switch to all Christmas formats in November. I’m grateful for my CDs and vinyl to get my Carpenters fix, any time I need it.
Radio app. Most of what’s on today isn’t for my taste. I live in a city of 500,000 people, and we don’t have 1 station that plays oldies, nostalgia, or easy listening formats for the last 10 years. It’s a shame. The only time Carpenters get any air play here, is when 2 of the stations switch to all Christmas formats in November. I’m grateful for my CDs and vinyl to get my Carpenters fix, any time I need it.
GaryAlan
Well-Known Member
It is interesting that The Singles 1969-1973 album became the demarcation point between the early and later albums.
What I find more interesting is that the sophistication of later albums is more appealing to me.
1975's Horizon, as noted by many, is too short an album. But, so is the self-titled Tan album of 1971 !
And, as many around these parts know, I much prefer the Horizon album to the grammy-winning tan album.
Great as The Singles 1969-1973 album is....I prefer the diversity of the later (import comp) Singles 1974-1978,
which deserved the same treatment by Richard that the former album had gotten.
In any event, the maturity and sophistication of the later-- period albums appeals to me, but that still does
not explain where all of those earlier record buyers went....after all, Karen was still all over the later albums.
Why were folks willing to go without those later albums ?
Why deprive oneself of that voice ?
What I find more interesting is that the sophistication of later albums is more appealing to me.
1975's Horizon, as noted by many, is too short an album. But, so is the self-titled Tan album of 1971 !
And, as many around these parts know, I much prefer the Horizon album to the grammy-winning tan album.
Great as The Singles 1969-1973 album is....I prefer the diversity of the later (import comp) Singles 1974-1978,
which deserved the same treatment by Richard that the former album had gotten.
In any event, the maturity and sophistication of the later-- period albums appeals to me, but that still does
not explain where all of those earlier record buyers went....after all, Karen was still all over the later albums.
Why were folks willing to go without those later albums ?
Why deprive oneself of that voice ?
tomswift2002
Well-Known Member
Well there was Live In Japan, but that was only in international markets. Otherwise only 2 singles in 1974, and I think they were both released on November 1st of 74, so pretty late, although in time for Christmas.
Simon KC1950
Well-Known Member
While we are on the topic of spotting things in the background... I've always noticed behind Richard in this interview is what appears to be a gold record for Lovelines???? This has always confused me. There's no record of it being certified by the RIAA or BPI and the UK is the only place the album charted. What is this???
Jorge
Well-Known Member
Interesting...why didn't A&M Records decide to release either Live in Japan or At The Palladium for the US market back in '74 and '76? Wasn't profitable for them to release any of those in the domestic market? Why Carpenters never released a live album from a US concert? It blows my mind.
It wasn't just Carpenters. A&M also had live concerts available from Sergio Mendes and Burt Bacharach than only saw release overseas, typically Japan and the UK. My suspicions are that music union rules may have made US releases prohibitively expensive.
tomswift2002
Well-Known Member
Richard has also said that he’s blocked US releases of Japan & Palladium because he doesn’t like LIVE albums.
