Columbia/Epic Label Group Chairman Rob Stringer recently gave an interview with Billboard.com, addressing the multiple rumors regarding the label response to Beyonce’s release of “4.”  “The story about us being unhappy with the record and stuff is just not true…We’re really, really happy with it…the numbers are very good everywhere. We thought the record was great from the beginning, and some of the stuff that is happening now is vindication of it.” Since April, rumors have swirled that executives from Columbia Records (Beyonce’s home label) were concerned about the poor chart and sales performance of “4’s” debut single, “Run the World” and desired a new release date and reconstruction of the entire album, particularly after its 3-week early online leak.  “We didn’t want the leaks to happen,” Stringer says, “but there was never any discussion of this album moving. It has always been that date (June 28)…there was never conversation about pushing it back, bringing it forward, changing the songs-none of it. Those conversations never existed.”

Looking at the multidimensional and massive marketing of other 2011
album releases, like Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way,” fans assumed that“4” would be packaged with loads of bonus features and other related products to retain sales. Stringer discussed the long-term promotional plans. “The main concentration for the next few months is to get this record working everywhere. The touring plan is extensive. The promo plan is extensive. We also know we’re going to put out a lot of singles and shoot a lot of videos from the record. There’s enough positive information that we think we can work the record for another 18 months, and hopefully over that period we’ll all be proved right that this is an important record and a commercially successful record.” “4”sold 310,000 copies its 1st week and debuted at #1 on the U.S. chart. Hopefully Stringer’s comments will put the rumors to rest.