Ever since switching styles from gravelly rock to electro pop, former Soundgarden/Audioslave front-man Chris Cornell has received universally terrible reviews and sold a measly number of his latest album, Scream. Thanks to a new partnership with Virgin America, however, a number of people will be forced fortunate to hear the record on upcoming flights.
According to a press release, Cornell has inked a deal with Sir Richard Branson's airline that will see "the entire Virgin America fleet feature Chris Cornell music on all flights. His latest LP, Scream, has been added to the airline's music library and select songs will be a part of a collection of music that plays as passengers are boarding. Beginning in November, passengers will also have the opportunity to experience various Chris Cornell music videos and albums throughout their flight."
The project kicks off in October and will be preceded by an appearance by Cornell at L.A.'s Sunset Strip Music Festival on September 12. The festival is sponsored by the airline.
The whole thing echoes Nine Inch Nails front-man Trent Reznor's assessment of Cornell's pop direction as a quick cash grab. Reznor has had words for Cornell before and recently had a few more in an interview with Eye Weekly. "I really have no personal issue with Chris [Cornell] at all," he said. "We were on [Interscope]. And I have had Jimmy Iovine, the president of that label, come up to me on every record from With Teeth onwards saying I should do some sort of urban thing - it was Timbaland for a while, then it was Pharrell for a while - because 'that's how you sell records.' The idea seemed so preposterous and insulting."
According to a press release, Cornell has inked a deal with Sir Richard Branson's airline that will see "the entire Virgin America fleet feature Chris Cornell music on all flights. His latest LP, Scream, has been added to the airline's music library and select songs will be a part of a collection of music that plays as passengers are boarding. Beginning in November, passengers will also have the opportunity to experience various Chris Cornell music videos and albums throughout their flight."
The project kicks off in October and will be preceded by an appearance by Cornell at L.A.'s Sunset Strip Music Festival on September 12. The festival is sponsored by the airline.
The whole thing echoes Nine Inch Nails front-man Trent Reznor's assessment of Cornell's pop direction as a quick cash grab. Reznor has had words for Cornell before and recently had a few more in an interview with Eye Weekly. "I really have no personal issue with Chris [Cornell] at all," he said. "We were on [Interscope]. And I have had Jimmy Iovine, the president of that label, come up to me on every record from With Teeth onwards saying I should do some sort of urban thing - it was Timbaland for a while, then it was Pharrell for a while - because 'that's how you sell records.' The idea seemed so preposterous and insulting."
