This Is Not Your Average Platinum Certification for Eric Church’s “Mr. Misunderstood”
It’s hard enough to have an album go platinum these days. Even when you’re a superstar with smash hits and spend a million+ on an advertising campaign, put in six weeks ahead of the release splashing your name all over entertainment media with interviews, features, and exclusives, release big budget videos and tour the major radio stations to help spread the word, there’s still no guarantee you’ll receive any precious metal in the streaming era when nobody’s buying records, and the streaming equivalents the RIAA uses to compensate for the continued deterioration of physical sales only add up for the elite.
Now take into consideration not just forgoing all of those pre-release formalities, but starting off your release cycle by outright giving your record away in limited-release vinyl to 2,500 of your most devoted fans, allowing another 15,000 to digitally download it, and giving an additional 65,000 the ability to listen to it, meaning the foundation of your sales base just got handed your record for free.
That is what Eric Church did with Mr. Misunderstood, and the result was still Certified Platinum status.
Confirmed on Monday (1-22), the 2016 CMA Album of the Year has now sold over 1 million copies when factoring in physical sales and streaming equivalents, which is pretty incredible when you consider all that went into it, or more accurately, what didn’t. Beyond giving away so many copies initially, Eric Church really didn’t promote the release even after the surprise debut on the day of the 2015 CMA Awards.
And remember what else happened on November 3rd, 2015? It was the night Chris Stapleton shocked the world by winning New Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, and Male Vocalist of the year, and then turned in the marquee performance of the night with Justin Timberlake. Make no mistake, part of the calculus for Eric Church must have been to create more buzz than anyone else heading into the 2015 CMAs, and hoping to have an opportunity at the podium to help promote the release. But Eric Church was locked out of the major awards like most everyone else, and by the time the local news started, Church and his surprise album were an afterthought.
And still, the long game paid off for Eric Church. He bet on the fact that showing loyalty to his notoriously loyal fans base would be reciprocated and rewarded. And it was. He bet that if he released a more stripped-down, songwriting-centered effort, it would be appreciated even more than some big production. And he was right. Eric Church achieved critical acclaim with an Album of the Year win at the 2016 CMAs. And now he’s received certified commercial success. And most importantly, he reached a level of maturity with his music where both were possible.
I’m not sure the lesson of the Mr. Misunderstood release is to keep your record a secret. That won’t work for many artists not named Eric Church. But it does prove you can still side step the hoopla, put out the record you want with a limited recording schedule, a skeleton crew for studio personnel and co-songwriters, give it away to your most loyal customers, and still make a mint. Or maybe Eric Church and Mr. Misunderstood‘s success wasn’t in lieu of these things, it was because of them.
January 22, 2018 @ 8:34 pm
Nice little read Trig, where do you think he’ll go from here album wise. It’s been around 2 years and nothing new, I think when he does put something new out i think it’ll be heavily Springsteen influenced, along the lines of “knives of New Orleans”
January 22, 2018 @ 9:04 pm
Well his current single is just now peaking, and with the release of his “61 Days in Church” project, I’m not sure he’s in a hurry to release a new studio record. One side-product of the surprise release is it means your album cycle is a bit elongated after your release, instead of releasing a single a few months before the album itself. We’ll see.
January 22, 2018 @ 9:09 pm
Yeah I agree, it seems like it can be a wild card. Considering his tour just wrapped up a few months ago, id be surprised if anything drops in the first half of the year.
January 22, 2018 @ 8:38 pm
Between Church and Stapleton, keeping your album a secret with little to no promotion sure seems to work out well for them. You think we can convince all of these metro-bro-country-rap artists to follow suit so we never have to hear from them again?
January 22, 2018 @ 8:45 pm
Is this the album he paid to advertise on this site?
January 23, 2018 @ 10:21 am
“The next album you’ll hate.”
January 22, 2018 @ 9:00 pm
What’s with the shades? All the damn time with the shades, this guy. Did he fall off of his high horse at some point and mangle his face or something? I don’t know, I never thought much of this guy but I guess lots of people dig his stuff. I always thought he was a bit full of himself and to tell the truth I always found his whole shtick annoying as hell.
January 22, 2018 @ 10:18 pm
I read somewhere that the stage lighting used fry his contacts so he started wearing the shades. His music is hit and miss with me. It seemed like he tried too hard to be an “outlaw” when he first came out.
January 23, 2018 @ 7:28 am
It’s obvious you DONT know Eric Church or his music! Move along nothing to see here.
January 23, 2018 @ 3:38 pm
Exactly. His loyal fans know his music, love his music, and crave his music.
January 24, 2018 @ 10:44 am
He wears contact lenses and when performing the lights dry the contacts out, they fall out and he can’t see. Really Eric Church cares about his fans and his fans care about him. Does he follow the “rules”, no, but I think that makes his fans love him all the more. He really is quite humble and his songs speak to his fans.
January 22, 2018 @ 9:12 pm
I bought this album and am happy for this accomplishment, but he does at least get radio support to help sell his albums. Radio is not my primary source of music anymore, but it certainly helps.
January 22, 2018 @ 9:47 pm
My loyalty to Eric Church was circling the drain after the relative disaster that was The Outsiders. In the hands of less talented artists, The Outsiders might have been the album of their career, but for Eric Church it was a serious misstep. I feared he’d double down and release another forgettable chest-thumper. Instead he pretty much released a really good Will Hoge album, and that vein of artistry seems to suit him well, and I really hope he stays that course. I would also like to hear him release a bluegrass-tinged country record at some point. I think his voice would do well with dobro and mandolin, and there is plenty of evidence on that on his earlier releases.
January 22, 2018 @ 11:16 pm
Eric Church achieved critical acclaim with an Album of the Year win at the 2017 CMAs.
small typo … 2016 CMAs
January 23, 2018 @ 12:05 am
I have been to six Eric Church concerts in the last 10 years, best live act in music if you ask me. I saw him in Las Vegas once at an intimate show at the The Chelsea in The Cosmopolitan, I also seen him last year in Nashville when Church broke the record attendance at the Bridgestone. Church gives you every penny worth when he plays live, and I really believe that is one staple (of many) of a true real COUNTRY artist. If you havent see Church live I would say its something every music fan should see.
January 23, 2018 @ 4:01 am
Church is relatable.
Trig, here are two guys hearing Merle’s “Big City” for the first time: https://youtu.be/LTC7rmeIXaM
Worth a post?
January 23, 2018 @ 9:21 am
love these guys ….so funny ….so ‘from the gut’ honest .
January 23, 2018 @ 11:37 am
I love Lost in Vegas
January 23, 2018 @ 5:49 am
Great album period.
January 23, 2018 @ 6:30 am
Eric Church is the Country Music prodigal son, in a lot of ways (my opinion)
Sinners like me was an astounding album with some excellent songs, and while the rest of his albums have veered off (sometimes drastically) he never abandons a Country Music foundation and there’s a sense that he does deeply understand and love this music even though he wants to stretch his wings a bit.
Outsiders was… “interesting.” I’ve never been sure what to make of it. but there sure are some nifty moments.
I haven’t heard this one yet.
January 23, 2018 @ 7:50 am
I agree Fuzzy. Say what you want about CHIEF but Sinners like me is a hell of a country record. In my opinion These Boots is one of the best written country songs in the last 15 years or so. And his live shows are good.
January 23, 2018 @ 3:48 pm
Eric Church is not like most singers. He does not fit in any one niche in music. When he has a hit, he does not follow it up with something just like it. He goes off in a new direction. Its one of the things I love about his music. I honestly can say I really like Outsiders, but then I find something in each of his albums to pull me in. No matter my mood, there is always an Eric Church song to match it.
January 23, 2018 @ 7:31 pm
Agreed about the Sinners Like Me being a good album, and I also agree 100% about These Boots. Great tune in my opinion. Overall his first two albums were pretty good in general imo.
January 23, 2018 @ 6:50 am
Seen Eric church 3 times. The last 2 times in SLC Ut the first of the two shows his entire band had the flu. He came out told us that he would come back and those of us that had tickets would get a full band show he then went on and did a 2.5 hour acoustic show and just killed it. There is no way in h%$# one of the pop-country jackwagons would ever do that.
January 23, 2018 @ 7:02 am
That picture reminds me of Ringo from years ago….. my 5 year old grand son likes his music.
January 23, 2018 @ 7:43 am
Glad to see this album get the distinction, it deserves this. Hopefully he will keep the maturity level up with his next project. For mainstream country, i really thought Mr. Misunderstood was as good as it gets.
January 23, 2018 @ 9:04 am
It was just a damn good record, which helps a lot.
January 23, 2018 @ 10:11 am
I love Church but he needs to return to his “Sinners Like Me” roots.
January 23, 2018 @ 7:32 pm
Yes I absolutely agree. Personally would enjoy another album in that vein.
January 23, 2018 @ 10:12 am
I have nothing but positive regards for Mr Church and his music.
I think he is a pretty talented song writer and performer.
I believe he has writing credits on ever song on all his studio albums but one..
I’ve seen him a number of times live and he always delivers.
There is something heart-felt with him and that is nothing but a positive.
He has been a proponent for indie artists.
I think there is a negative feeling sometimes with him because he is so successful.
Some of the good guys need to make the money too!
January 23, 2018 @ 11:49 am
Small typo Trig, …the reigning CMA Album of the Year…
Chris Stapleton’s From A Room, Vol 1 has this honor
January 23, 2018 @ 12:24 pm
One of the greatest country albums of the last 25 years.
One of the greatest country artists of the last 25 years.
While definitely more Skynyrd than Stuart in his approach to the music and production, he is still legitimately 100% country to me. And in this day and age where anything goes and anyone can be part of the club,I feel Eric Church is one of the last true representatives of the genre.
I really wished that he would have pushed “Mixed Drinks About Feelings” (w/Susan Tedeschi) to radio.
It is one of his absolute greatest compositions..and for what it’s worth, I don’t think he has ever sounded more heartbroken or convincing as an artist than he does on “Round Here Buzz”.
He managed to create a cinematic landscape on that one that fucking floors me…everytime I hear it…a pinnacle of his career.
Eric Church had a clear vision for the “Mr. Misunderstood” project that he executed flawlessly.
A modern masterpiece.
January 25, 2018 @ 6:47 pm
Truth be told, Susan Tedeschi’s entrance in “Mixed Drinks About Feelings” was flat out the highlight of that song.
January 25, 2018 @ 6:50 pm
“Turn off the bedroom light…”
January 23, 2018 @ 1:10 pm
I am very excited for Church’s next album. He seems to have really taken his songwriting to the next level with some of the “unreleased” live stuff he has done, including “Old Testament Me,” and “Why Not Me.”
In his prime, Church has also pushed hard for quality acts like Brothers Osborne and Ashley McBryde. He toured with Chris Stapleton and Jon Pardi before they hit big. Sure, he also toured with Justin Moore and Brantley Gilbert, but no one is perfect.
I think we can all agree that Eric Church isn’t Alan Jackson or George Strait, but I hope we can also agree that Church is doing his best to keep country music from completely losing its mind.
Congrats and put out new music.
January 23, 2018 @ 6:18 pm
I am not a huge country music fan – barely a casual one, but Eric outstanding. My wife has taken me to several country music concerts over the past few years and as an outsider looking in, Church is hands down the best act I’ve ever seen.
It took me a while to pinpoint exactly why. Best way to sum it up….most of these other current acts are very good performers; Eric is an artist. And it shows.
Huge new fan of his music. Bought every album of his shortly after watching his Mr. Misunderstood tour stop near me. Can’t wait to see what he puts out next.
January 23, 2018 @ 8:40 pm
Excellent. I think he’s great and a very talented performer. He also seems to legitimitely care about his fans, especially make sure that ticket prices are fair, etc. He has a bad boy image and I like that. I don’t think it’s put on or fake. Every star has a persona or used to anyway. Congrats on the achievement, which he deserved, IMO.
January 23, 2018 @ 8:40 pm
And especially make sure, I meant.
January 27, 2018 @ 12:24 pm
I don’t really listen to top 40 country but figure that if Ryannann Giddens and Susan Tedeski will record with him he can’t be a bad guy. I thought that Springsteen song was better than most anything else I heard on the radio when my wife insists that I put on the car radio. Oh and being a graduate of Appalachian State is a plus too. (I’m class of 83)