Because I can get CDs for 1$-3$ (at Goodwill and ARC thrift stores) I often find myself purchasing CDs because of the engineer and producer.

Last night I bought Chris Daughtry's original CD - not because I like Chris Daughtry, but because I saw it was mixed by Chris Lord Alge - that credit was on the back of the CD. So I was out 1$ and listened through and got what I expected; tight rock/pop music. Perhaps guilty of Loudness War levels, but gotta admit- mostly excellent arrangement through mixing/production.

Then track 9 came on and ugh! Take a listen - what do you think was bugging me?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRqfRCL73Es

FYI Chris Lord Alge and Tom Lord Alge were all over rock hits of the 2000's up to today. Like their production or not, it is something to study for a certain reason. These guys are both blamed for Loudness wars and then also held up by some as bucking that trend.

That point aside, I think a huge mistake was made on the production of this particular song and probably kept it from being a megahit like several other tracks on this CD.

What do you hear that just sticks out like a sore thumb?

I have about 20 or so selections from 10 CD's that I like the sound of that I added to a Sonar project that I call "reference_tracks". The main purpose is too judge the overall volume of the references versus my tracks' volume levels. I'll never get it as loud as the pro tracks (and still sound good), but I continue to look for that master compression buss setting that gets me as loud as I can be -- without going "over". I use wave's SSLCompStereo (mild settings), followed by S1 shuffler (stereo enhancement) followed by the L2 or L3 series limiter. I think using SSL and Limiters at lower settings seems to sound a little better, than just cranking the limiter!

The CD's are Counting Crows, jj cale, jimmy buffet, joni mitchell, natalie merchant, nelly furtado, reba mcentire, ricky skaggs & bruce hornsby, shwan colvin, and tracy chapman. Seems like an varied enough selection to me. The older CD's, like Jimmy and jj, are at much lower volumes than the newer ones. I think the loudest is the ricky skaggs/bruce hornsby CD.

EDIT: I never answered your question! No I don't buy CD's just for the engineers involved -- but that is a pretty good idea.

Without hearing a track that you consider to be properly mastered.... it's hard to say. The snare sounds over compressed on these cheap speakers... but I'm curious what you think the issue is that kept it from being a huge hit song. Aside from maybe the song itself wasn't a hit.

I don't intentionally go out buying CD's because of the mastering engineer or the recording/production engineer. Although I do have a few outstanding examples of engineers who have their proverbial ducks in a row..... Steely Dan has superb everything.... Mutt Lange is an engineer's engineer, some of his work is simply amazing. These are only 2 examples as there are many more outstanding and amazing engineers... Most of the ones who are producing and mastering the big artists are normally pretty proficient with their craft or else they wouldn't be on the desk.

To me the vibrato/tremelo on the guitar on the opening riff and where it appears through the rest of the song is REALLY irritating to my ear. However, since this didn't sound apparent to the other respondents, perhaps it just bugs me.

I tried to find some live versions of this song and the only ones I found, did not have this over the top vibrato.

I'm guessing that when the radio gods heard the first 10 seconds of this song they went 'nope'. Fortunately for Chris, many of the others were selected and they became huge hits.

I think they could have introduced this sound later in the song, and it would have probably got airplay if they had chosen a less sore thumb for the intro. Or even a less fast, less deep effect would have sufficed.

I may be the odd man out but if I don't like the artist I can't attend to the mix. To prep I typically listen to a great mix by an artist I like in the same genre as what I'm about to mix.

The effect on the guitar I guess is personal taste. I thought it was appropriate. Flanged guitar....

I certainly don't think it was the reason this song didn't become a smash hit.... that would go back to the song itself and the promotional direction of the record company.

Now days, they try to get as many hits off a given CD/release as possible....maximize the profits.... but that also depends on the star power of the artist..... for example Kenny Chesney or Taylor Swift may have 5 to 6 singles released off a new album over the course of a year.... whereas someone like Chris Daughtry will only have one perhaps two if the first one climbs the charts.... no star power = no clout = you're lucky to get one radio tune played.