[Chapter 27: Album Release]
Thanks to the hard work of the entire crew, all the music videos had surprisingly wrapped up three days ahead of schedule. Of course, the last two music videos were still in post-production, but the finished products for the first eight songs had already come in, and Linton felt very satisfied after watching them.
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Meanwhile, Mira shared some good news from the UK. She had successfully secured the film adaptation rights for The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit from the Tolkien estate for $4 million plus a 5% share of the box office profits. Additionally, she acquired the remaining adaptation rights for $1 million from the publisher.
After signing the contract, they paid a 30% down payment, with the remaining balance to be settled in six months. With that, Linton had secured the complete film adaptation rights for The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.
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Universal showed unprecedented emphasis on Linton's first album release, offering a promotion budget of up to $12 million.
All operations were progressing smoothly, and the official release date was set for November 9 (Saturday).
The ten newly shot music videos would start airing on MTV beginning November 6, and they had proactively contacted numerous local TV stations for free licensing to broadcast them.
The first batch of 10 million records had been produced and was being shipped worldwide. Among them, 5 million records were allocated for the North American market, ensuring they would hit shelves at eye-catching locations by the evening of November 8.
All posters were ready to be put up in every corner of cities by November 6. Promoting articles were prepared for TV, radio, newspapers, and magazines, all set to begin airing (publishing) starting November 6.
Even more exciting was the outcome of Universal's PR efforts. With Linton's rising popularity and great personal image, Vogue had agreed to feature him on the cover in November.
To cooperate, Linton had taken half a day off from filming the music videos to shoot the cover for Vogue, which was published on the 10th of every month, perfectly timed for the promotion of his album.
...
On October 28, just ten days before the album release, Universal arranged a plethora of exposure opportunities for Linton. His schedule included various talk shows on TV, media interviews, magazine features, and appearances at NFL and NBA games to maximize exposure. He utilized all available resources and had been busier than ever.
...
On November 6, the three songs You're Beautiful, Natural, and Free Loop premiered on MTV, receiving an immediate and explosive response.
That evening, almost all radio stations had people requesting these songs, since the album wasn't officially on sale yet, and fans had to rely on radio requests to enjoy them.
...
On November 7 and 8, the remaining seven music videos aired, each garnering enthusiastic audience reactions, prompting many local TV stations to follow suit.
At the same time, television and radio stations, as well as newspapers and magazines previously aligned with Universal's PR, rapidly joined in.
Suddenly, news covering Linton himself and his album flooded the media, igniting fan excitement. Due to the official sales starting on November 9, the last few days on radio had turned into a showcase for Linton's new album, whetting fans' appetites.
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At the meeting on the evening of the 8th, the marketing director gleefully announced, "The album hasn't even gone on sale yet, and there are already many channels requesting emergency restocks. Many stores have run out of inventory, and the initial 10 million is expected to sell out quickly. I recommend the company initiate production on the second batch of discs as soon as possible."
...
On November 9, during the halftime show at the Los Angeles Rams home game, Linton excitedly rubbed his hands. This was going to be the official live performance of his first album, and he had chosen the song Natural.
"Check the earpiece," he instructed as they reached the player tunnel, turning to his teammates who would join him for the performance and asking, "Guys, are we good?"
"Hey, don't worry about us."
Seeing the Universal band members possessing strong nerves, Linton felt a slight sense of calm.
"Remember what we discussed in the meeting? Don't be nervous, avoid unnecessary movements, and stay serious," Duke reminded loudly from the side.
"Don't worry, we're all set," Linton reassured, patting his shoulder.
"We might sell over two million copies in the first week! We're going to create a legend," Duke exclaimed excitedly.
"That's my debut album," Linton replied proudly.
"Get ready, 30, 20, 10, 9..." The stadium lights dimmed, and a spotlight beamed down to the player tunnel exit.
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As the countdown reached one, Linton stepped forward. He sensed the band trailing behind him but didn't look back. Instead, he raised a hand and flashed a confident smile at the audience, greeting them.
Upon receiving an enthusiastic response from the crowd, the spotlight stopped at the center of the field. Linton halted, lowered his head, and as Natural began, he lifted his head and brought the microphone to his lips.
♫ Will you hold the line ♫♫ When every one of them has given up and given in? Tell me ♫♫ In this house of mine ♫♫ Nothing ever comes without a consequence or cost, tell me ♫♫ Will the stars align? ♫♫ Will heaven step in? Will it save us from our sin, will it? ♫The stadium erupted, with fans jumping to their feet and moving to the rhythm.
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After a thrilling performance, as Linton returned to his seat, Duke, the PR head sitting next to him, shouted and embraced him.
"Linton, look! The entire crowd has been captivated by your voice; today's result is simply perfect."
The game continued with both teams closely matched, making for an intense battle.
"Now, no one can stop you. Just wait and see the sales results," Duke said confidently.
...
"Let's head out," Linton said as soon as the game concluded. Universal's promotion schedule was packed, leaving no time for delays, as the promo team needed to head to New York right away.
While waiting at a red light downtown, Linton looked out the window and spotted a record store. His promotional posters alongside Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Mariah Carey were prominently displayed in the store, occupying the best spots.
Rolling down the window, he heard that Free Loop was playing inside. A long line formed at the checkout, with most people holding his debut album Grow Up.
"It's completely sold out! Universal has already kicked off the second batch of production," Duke reported excitedly after receiving a call.
"What's the reaction been so far?" Linton casually asked.
"The response is overwhelmingly positive. But brace yourself; in a few days, your rivals will start their smear campaigns. This is unavoidable. Just look at the requests on the radio since November 6; most of them are yours. Can you imagine how many people you have blocked? Will these people simply remain silent? Even if they don't say anything, what about the record companies and stakeholders behind them?" Duke chuckled.
After the previous media battle, Linton had grown much calmer. Indeed, business could be as fierce as a battlefield, but he was ready to adapt.
This North American promotional tour still covered those 50 cities, aiming to finish in a month. Next month, Universal planned for Linton to kick off overseas promotions.
To maximize impact, this time promotions thought to advance one city at a time, starting with New York as the first stop.
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