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AVENGED SEVENFOLD’s M. SHADOWS Believes ‘The Stage’ Has Become ‘The Crown Jewel’ In The Band’s Catalog A Decade After Its Surprise Release
Avenged Sevenfold frontman M. Shadows says the band’s 2016 surprise album “The Stage” has grown into the “crown jewel” of its catalogue, despite a difficult launch. Looking back on its tenth anniversary, he said the band’s eagerness to try new ideas brought artistic satisfaction but the release strategy failed to build enough awareness.
The album was announced on the night it went on sale, alongside a surprise rooftop performance at Capitol Records in Hollywood. It sold 76,000 copies in its first week, including 73,000 physical copies, the band’s lowest first-week sales in 11 years. Shadows said radio stations felt excluded by the lack of advance notice, while the band had expected the record to gain momentum after release; he has since described it as one of the group’s most ambitious works, centred on artificial intelligence and its possible effects on society.
In short
- “The Stage” has become a catalogue favourite for M. Shadows.
- Its surprise launch sold 76,000 copies in the first week.
- The band underestimated the need for a longer promotional build-up.
Explained simply
Avenged Sevenfold are an American heavy metal band, with M. Shadows as their lead singer. The Stage, released in 2016, marked a shift towards new musical ideas and explored artificial intelligence and its possible effects on society.
The band released the album with little warning, announcing it on the day it went on sale and staging a rooftop performance in Hollywood. That surprise approach left radio stations feeling excluded, and the album’s first-week sales were lower than the band had seen in more than a decade.
The story reflects a tension between artistic ambition and how music reaches listeners: a release can satisfy its creators while struggling to build awareness at first. Shadows says the album’s standing in the band’s catalogue has grown over time.
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