Andre Rieu Going Pop In The Classical Sense
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| ANDRE RIEU is the unlikely success story of 2008. He's the license to print money no record company or tour promoter wanted to touch. With more than two million DVDs and CDs entering the Australian homes in the past 18 months, and ticket sales of more than half a million on his November Australian tour, Rieu out-sold "cool" artists such as Madonna, Pink, Kylie and King of Leon. His Live In Australia DVD has sold almost 300,000 copies in three weeks, becoming the No. 1 music purchase for Christmas. Rieu is the face of the older demographic the music industry forgot or ignored. They don't illegally download music and buy CDs, DVDs and concert tickets. What's the secret to his success? It's simple, says record store owner Brian Harris, who championed Rieu years ago. "He makes people happy. The media is full of negative stories of doom and gloom. When you watch an Andre Rieu performance you get wonderful music but you also see people being genuinely happy." "There's very little pretentiousness in his shows..people who go to them are not classical music fans. Indeed, the classical music fraternity doesn't like the guy. But.. he has added colour and vitality to classical music." Mr. Harris, who runs Canberra's Songland Records, saw Rieu's potential three years ago. He called him "the most important act the music industry has seen in the past 10 years". "People laughed at me, but I think I'm having the last laugh," he says. Cable channel Ovation was first to give Rieu exposure. It played his live concerts, which led to DVD sales. It was word-of-mouth marketing in a time of hi-tech, expensive promotion aimed at people buying less and less music. "That older demographic is so poorly serviced by record companies and the media," Mr. Harris says. "There are people in that demographic who still love music and are still inspired by it." But Mr. Harris says Rieu's audience is getting younger. "Are there 18-year-olds buying Andre Rieu? No. But over the holiday season you hear about families watching his DVDs, perhaps reluctantly, but going. 'That's actually pretty good'. So there's a trickle-down effect." Not bad for a man who was so spurned by record companies he embarked on a DIY operation. "Nobody wanted to make a record with me," Rieu says. "I was ringing record companies, and they'd say, 'You play waltzes? Go home and play for your grandmother'." I always said, "When you make a record for me, it will explode." And I was right. Nobody expects in a time of heavy metal and rock, there comes a violinist from Holland who sells a lot of music." He not only pays for his music, he runs his touring company. Rieu financed his Australian tour, making up the $5.6 million he spent on each show with pricey tickets, paid meet-and-greets, merchandise, a pay-for-view special and CD and DVD sales. He pays for the recording of his own albums and DVDs bypassing the method by which record companies usually make money. Rieu has a licensing arrangement with Universal in Australia; he provides it with finished CDs and DVDs, it produces, markets and promotes them. It's a lucrative setup. Most artists make about $4 from the $25 or $30 price of each music DVD. Sources suggest he is pocketing at least $10. Record companies have a habit of chasing trends; the search for the next Andre Rieu is already on -- Helmut Lotti is being groomed for a Rieu-style push next year. And Universal will release three more Rieu CDs before April. "It's simple," Rieu said. "There are millions of people out there who love this sort of music and love the way I play it." |
| by: Cameron Adams The Herald Sun Page Adopted By & Special Thank You to : Norma Akers |
Great story Brian, and so very true about older people being ignored, it is as if we have become invisible and tone deaf as we get older,if you don't like that awful racket they call "music" it is tough luck as far as the music companies are concerned, they are slow learners at realizing the older generation also spend money on DVD's,CD's and concerts.
At Andre Rieu concerts one does not need booze or drugs to have a fantastic time and come away singing and dancing. I have never seen so many happy, smiling faces as there was leaving Andre Rieu's concert at Subiaco, some were literally singing and dancing on the way out, It was truly a magic night
Isn't that true Margaret ! Sometimes the "record industry" forgets there is such a thing as a concert we can all enjoy, and that yes, we DO buy the CDs and DVDs.
Thank goodness we have Andre and a few others to bring us Quality Music.