Released on October 28, 2016, ‘The Stage’ was an ambitious record that delved into complex themes such as artificial intelligence, space exploration, and the future of humanity. Avenged Sevenfold took an equally ambitious approach in its rollout, foregoing the conventional marketing build-up that typically includes multiple singles, teaser campaigns, and press tours. Instead, they dropped the album unannounced, hoping to capitalize on the excitement of an immediate release.
M. Shadows explained their reasoning to Rolling Stone, stating, “Everyone else is dropping the breadcrumbs, having four or five singles before their record comes out. It completely takes away the mystique of the record.” But things didn’t go as planned.
The Commercial Fallout
Despite its critical acclaim, ‘The Stage’ struggled commercially compared to its predecessors. The album debuted at number four on the Billboard 200, selling around 76,000 copies in its first week. While these numbers would be respectable for many bands, they marked a significant decline from Avenged Sevenfold’s previous two releases. ‘Nightmare’ (2010) and ‘Hail to the King’ (2013) had both debuted at number one, selling over 150,000 copies in their respective opening weeks.
The surprise element that the band had hoped would generate buzz instead left many fans unaware of the album’s release. Shadows later reflected on this miscalculation in an interview with ABC Radio, admitting the unintended consequences: “Do I think it was a good strategy for the casual fan? No, it was horrible for the casual fan. Most casual fans don’t even know about it, or they’ve written it off as… ‘Why would you release a record secretly? It must not be good.’ And we weren’t expecting that at all.”
Lessons Learned From The Failure
In an era where rock music no longer commands the mainstream dominance it once did, the band’s strategy relied heavily on die-hard fans spreading the word. Unlike mainstream pop artists who have extensive media reach and instant access to millions through streaming and social media algorithms, rock bands often need more traditional marketing to maximize visibility. Avenged Sevenfold’s approach failed to bridge that gap, leaving many fans in the dark, according to Revolver Mag.
Since ‘The Stage,’ Avenged Sevenfold has been more calculated in their promotional efforts. Their 2023 album, ‘Life Is But a Dream…,’ saw a return to a more structured release plan, with singles and promotional content leading up to the full album drop.
