[chanel]

gotta be a little of both

[Benjamin]

Sales. Critical Acclaim is only used by people on here as stan war ammunition, no normal person gives a **** about what critics say or think, as long as they personally like the music.

Why would I care if someone sitting at a desk in New York with ****** taste likes the album or not? If people are buying the album that's a good enough reception for me.

[jqnetto]

Huge Sales.
Critical Acclaim doesn't warrant a label contract.

[chilicheese01]

Acclaim.

Ya'll are ****s.

[Invader]

Sales

[Moonage Daydream]

Critical reviews doesn't always align with public perception of an album (and I don't just mean in terms of sales). You guys would be surprised at how many albums that are now widely regarded as classics received mixed to poor reviews by critics when they were initially released.

So I'll go with sales. At least you can pay the bills even if the critics don't love you.

[Konichiwa]

Critical acclaim

[Beautiful Sinner]

Originally posted by Kworb

Huge sales. I'd rather have the public like it than a bunch of article writing snobs.

.

[Ramcoro]

Originally posted by Kworb

Huge sales. I'd rather have the public like it than a bunch of article writing snobs.

+1

[Ramcoro]

Originally posted by Moonage Daydream

You guys would be surprised at how many albums that are now widely regarded as classics received mixed to poor reviews by critics when they were initially released.

Oh please list some.

[Kworb]

Originally posted by Moonage Daydream

Critical reviews doesn't always align with public perception of an album (and I don't just mean in terms of sales). You guys would be surprised at how many albums that are now widely regarded as classics received mixed to poor reviews by critics when they were initially released.

So I'll go with sales. At least you can pay the bills even if the critics don't love you.

Exactly. Even a band like the Beatles often got mixed reviews, as at the time they were just a boyband. The sales did the talking for them, and the crazy critical acclaim didn't start until after their eight year reign.

[Moonage Daydream]

Originally posted by Ramcoro

Oh please list some.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/News_of...bum)#Reception

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jazz_(Q...bum)#Reception Rolling Stone dragged this album for filth in a way I've NEVER seen a critic do.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Led_Zep...bum)#Reception

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houses_...tical_reaction

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Led_Zep...tical_reaction

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinkert...bum)#Reception

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dreaming_(album)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_S...ical_reception

[Golowhore]

Originally posted by Moonage Daydream

Critical reviews doesn't always align with public perception of an album (and I don't just mean in terms of sales). You guys would be surprised at how many albums that are now widely regarded as classics received mixed to poor reviews by critics when they were initially released.

So I'll go with sales. At least you can pay the bills even if the critics don't love you.

I agree with this.

But, from an artist's perspective this poll isn't accurate. Artists that don't place sales as their #1 priority aren't necessarily looking for critical acclaim - it's more personal acclaim by taking risks and/or making the music that they want to make rather than selling out for sales and £. Often those are the singers who get critical acclaim, but others may only get acclaim retrospectively after months and/or years go by, or none at all yet are still happy and satisfied.

[madonnas]

Originally posted by Moonage Daydream

Critical reviews doesn't always align with public perception of an album (and I don't just mean in terms of sales). You guys would be surprised at how many albums that are now widely regarded as classics received mixed to poor reviews by critics when they were initially released.

So I'll go with sales. At least you can pay the bills even if the critics don't love you.

You are right, but mass critical acclaim can assure that it's a classic rather than just a high selling album.

[Albany Guest]

Critical Acclaim, for a few reasons.

1. Given that my fave Florence is never going to be a huge superstar (her albums don't flop, but she ain't going to win billboard awards), getting the acclaim and validation of critics would be fine.

2. The public is fickle. Hootie and the Blowfish sold 7M units in 1995, thus solidifying their place in the music pantheon and .... sorry, couldn't continue making **** up. Yes, its true a lot of albums got panned and then are remembered as classic, but conversely there are lots of bands though of as classics that NEVER had a single top 40 hit and never came even close to being blockbuster album sellers. Its true that acclaim doesn't pay the bills by itself, but it gives you chances to convince people to give you chances again and most human beings could "pay the bills" if they sold 250k units and added tour earnings - unless you need your daily bath in the milk of sacred Llamas or such.

[Lately 1814]

Janet and Stevie already have acclaim, so huge sales.

[alkralkra]

Originally posted by Lately 1814

Janet and Stevie already have acclaim, so huge sales.

They have huge sales too?

[Brooklyn]

Huge sales...

[JM4ever]

Both but I pick acclaim since the purpose of making music is to let the listeners they are listening to quality music, not getting those money in their pockets.

[apple]

Critical acclaim