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Not Commercial
Studio album by
Cher
ReleasedNovember 8, 2000 (2000-11-08)
Recorded1994
GenreFolk rock
Length40:47
Label
Producer
Cher chronology
The Greatest Hits
(1999) 		Not Commercial
(2000) 		Living Proof
(2001)

Not Commercial (stylized as not.com.mercial) is the twenty-third studio album by American singer-actress Cher. It was released on November 8, 2000, exclusively through Cher.com, Isis Records and Artist Direct. Cher wrote the album in 1994 while attending a semiannual songwriters' workshop hosted by entertainment executive Miles Copeland III in his castle in France. Upon returning to the United States, Cher enlisted members of David Letterman's CBS Orchestra to record the album. After completing it, she presented the album to her recording company, which declined the material for being "not commercial". Cher kept the album for six years before deciding to release it through the Internet only.

The album's content was deemed "very un-Cher like" and dark, with the singer elaborating she did not have any expectations for the album, explaining she was releasing it for those who might be interested. Not Commercial was well received by music critics. Controversy arose when the lyrics of the song "Sisters of Mercy", which refers to nuns as "daughters of Hell" and "masters of pain", flustered religious groups. A contest was set for those who bought the album, and received the chance to win a trip to meet Cher in London or win her doll.

Background

[edit]

In 1994, Cher attended a semiannual songwriters' workshop hosted by entertainment executive Miles Copeland III in his castle in France. "I'd been writing poetry for years and years, but never thought of it to be used as music. But I'd just written a poem about Kurt Cobain and took it with me and a couple of other things", she said about being inspired to write songs. There, she met singer and songwriter Bruce Roberts, and together they wrote 10 songs in five days. After the workshop, Cher enlisted members of David Letterman's CBS Orchestra and recorded an album within a week in New York, doing her 10 songs plus two others.[1] However, after presenting them to the head of her company, Rob Dickens of Warner Music UK, he refused to release the material, as he felt it was "nice, but not commercial" enough. She then went on to release her twenty-first studio album It's a Man's World a year after under the label.[2]

After the commercial success of Believe (1998), Cher decided to release Not Commercial through the Internet. She explained her idea saying, "I don't know that [the album] belongs any place else. [...] I think that the Internet is a place that at least it doesn't infringe on anyone else's life and if you want to go there you can go there and check it out, and if you don't want to be bothered by it you don't even have to know it's in the universe".[3] The singer described the content of the album as being "personal" and "very un-Cher like. But if people really knew me, it is very Cher. But it's so [expletive] dark". However, she did not have any expectations for the album, explaining she did it for herself, and wanted to share the material with people who might be interested.[1] A contest was set for those who bought the album. Three copies included a "golden ticket" and five copies a "silver ticket", inspired by the film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. Winners of the golden ticket were awarded a trip for two to meet Cher in London, while the silver ticket holders received a Cher doll from Mattel.[4]

Composition

[edit]

"We put that song out in 1970 and no one would play it because they said it was un-American, because I'm singing the part of a soldier that's in Vietnam dying and those are his last words. So no one ever got to hear it, so I just thought that would be a good thing [to include], because that wasn't commercial either".

—Cher taking about "Classified 1A".[3]

The album opens with a "yearning ballad" called "Still", in which the singer sings about an "anguished relationship with a married man".[2] The second song, "Sisters of Mercy", was written inspired by the time Cher lived in a Catholic orphanage surrounded by nuns, and its lyrics refer to them as "daughters of hell", "masters of pain" and "a cruel and heartless mob".[5][6] The following track "Runnin'" is described by the singer as her "in a nutshell, isn't it!". Fourth track "Born With the Hunger" is one of the two songs not composed by Cher; it was written instead by her friend Shirley Eikhard around the time of the album's recording sessions, and features slide guitar sounds.[7][8] The fifth song, "(The Fall) Kurt's Blues", was based on a poem written after singer Kurt Cobain committed suicide. During the song, Cher sings "The good news, if there's any/that you ever lived at all/But our country kills its heroes/we just raise them for the fall".[9]

The following track "With or Without You" was described as a "simple, soulful ballad" with Cher's "distinctive" timbre, while seventh song "Fit to Fly" was thought to recall "late-'80s, Heart of Stone-era" Cher and lyrically salutes soldiers.[8] The eighth track "Disaster Cake" was written by the singer about one of her daughter's former girlfriends.[10] "Our Lady of San Francisco", the following track, is about feeling "self-recrimination for thoughtlessly stepping over a homeless woman on a sidewalk".[1] The closing song on the album "Classified 1A" was written by Sonny Bono in 1971. It is about a dying soldier in Vietnam and was included on UK editions of Cher's eponymous 1971 album but was not released elsewhere because it was deemed "un-American".[11]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStar[10]
Entertainment WeeklyB−[12]
The Daily Vaultpositive[8]

Not Commercial received positive reviews from music critics. AllMusic's Jose F. Promis commented that the songs "prove effective, and the album is a must for the singer's legions of fans", despite being "tad muddled", and noting its "1970s singer/songwriter feel" and its "somewhat country and twangy, other times somewhat bluesy, but always completely different from her previous effort Believe" sound.[10] David Browne from Entertainment Weekly magazine rated the album as B−, saying "whether telling us she's 'always pushed it to the limit', spewing the F-word, or castigating our 'heartless, godless culture' in her Kurt Cobain tribute(!), she is, not surprisingly, neither Bono nor (Sonny) Bono", and called the song as "sullen, mid-tempo bunch, modestly hooky at best".[12] Mark Millan also gave Not Commercial a positive review, calling it as "fantastic album and one that Cher should have received far more credit for than she did", noting that none of the eight songs she co-wrote were "corny or cliché" and that her voice "has never sounded more soulful and versatile than it did during the mid to late '90s, and it is in glorious form throughout this collection of songs". He finished the review saying "there really is no end to her talents", and he hoped "there will be more songs from Cher's pen in the future".[8]

Track listing

[edit]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Still"
6:15
2."Sisters of Mercy"
5:01
3."Runnin'"
  • Cher
  • MacDonald
  • Roberts
3:56
4."Born with the Hunger"Shirley Eikhard4:05
5."(The Fall) Kurt's Blues"
  • Cher
  • MacDonald
  • Roberts
5:17
6."With or Without You"Cher3:45
7."Fit to Fly"
  • Cher
  • Doug Millett
  • Kevin Savigar
3:53
8."Disaster Cake"
  • Cher
  • MacDonald
  • Roberts
3:25
9."Our Lady of San Francisco"
  • Cher
  • Michael Garvin
  • Rich Wayland
2:15
10."Classified 1A" (bonus track)Sonny Bono2:55
Total length:40:47

Personnel

[edit]

Credits and personnel adapted from AllMusic.[10]

  • Cher – vocals, composer, producer
  • Bruce Roberts – producer
  • Sonny Bono – composer
  • Michael Garvin – composer
  • Pat McDonald – composer
  • Doug Millett – composer
  • Bruce Roberts – composer
  • Kevin Savigar – composer
  • Bob Thiele – composer
  • Rich Wayland – composer

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Not Commercial

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Not.com.mercial (stylized as not.com.mercial) is the twenty-third studio album by American singer and actress , released on , 2000. The album consists entirely of original songs written by , marking the first time in her career she composed all the material herself, a departure from her previous works dominated by covers and collaborations. Intended as a non-commercial project, it features introspective rock and alternative influences rather than the hits that defined her resurgence with albums like Believe, reflecting Cher's desire to explore personal expression over chart success. Initially distributed directly through her website via Artist Direct/Isis Records, the release underscored its limited mainstream promotion and niche appeal, achieving modest sales without significant radio play or video singles.

Background and Development

Conception and Context

Following the blockbuster success of her 1998 single "Believe," which topped charts in over 20 countries and sold more than 11 million copies worldwide, entered a phase of career and transition in the late . The track's use of marked a technological milestone in pop production, but expressed a desire to move beyond formulaic hits toward material more aligned with her personal artistic vision, amid growing fatigue from decades in the industry. By 1999, she had announced plans for a farewell tour, signaling intentions to scale back major commercial commitments while exploring independent creative outlets. Cher's frustrations with major label oversight intensified during this period, as she presented original songs co-written with producer Bruce Roberts to executives who dismissed them as insufficiently marketable. This rejection directly inspired the album's title and prompted her to bypass traditional distribution channels entirely, opting for a direct-to-fan model through her , Cher.com, in partnership with ArtistDirect Records. Released on November 8, 2000, the project represented her first fully self-directed studio album of original material, emphasizing artistic autonomy over radio-friendly constraints and executive interference. The album's conception drew from Cher's foundational influences in rock and blues, echoing her pre-Sonny & Cher era experimentation with raw, emotive songcraft before pop stardom dominated her output. Co-produced with Roberts, a collaborator since her disco phase, it prioritized introspective themes over polished production, allowing Cher to reclaim songwriting agency after years of reliance on external hits. This approach aligned with her broader post-"Believe" pivot toward legacy preservation, unburdened by the commercial imperatives that had defined her 1990s resurgence.

Recording Process

The recording sessions for not.com.mercial occurred in over the course of approximately one week, immediately following Cher's songwriting workshop collaboration with Bruce Roberts. Cher enlisted musicians from David Letterman's Late Show band, led by , to provide the instrumental backing, enabling a swift assembly of the album's core tracks. Cher co-produced the project alongside Bruce Roberts, who also co-wrote the majority of the songs with her during their intensive workshop sessions, where they completed ten tracks in five days. The production credited on the release lists Cher and Roberts as primary producers, with engineering handled by a team including Doug Millett and recording at multiple facilities to accommodate the rapid timeline. This band-centric approach facilitated capturing performances with minimal post-production delays, prioritizing ensemble cohesion over layered studio enhancements. The sessions expanded the initial ten workshop songs with two additional tracks, resulting in a twelve-song completed efficiently before its exclusive digital release on November 8, 2000. Technical credits indicate straightforward vocal and instrumental tracking, with handling lead vocals and backing contributions from Roberts, reflecting a deliberate shift toward unadorned recording practices compared to the experimentation on her 1998 Believe.

Musical Content

Genres and Styles

not.com.mercial primarily encompasses and genres, characterized by structures and elements that marked a departure from Cher's prevailing sound of the late 1990s, such as on Believe (1998). The album draws on 1970s singer-songwriter aesthetics, incorporating mid-tempo rhythms and personal lyrical introspection, with tracks featuring acoustic-leaning arrangements and occasional twangy, blues-inflected tones. Folk influences emerge through the cover of Leonard Cohen's "Sisters of Mercy," rendered with stripped-back vocal delivery, while originals like "Runnin'" and "The Fall (Kurt's Blues)" integrate bluesy undertones and gritty, emotive phrasing, reflecting Cher's intent for unpolished expression amid industry pressures to maintain commercial viability. Production emphasizes organic instrumentation, including acoustic guitars for intimacy and organ accents driving atmospheric builds, as Cher co-wrote and co-produced all material during a 1994 songwriting workshop, prioritizing artistic autonomy over market-driven formulas. This shift stemmed from label rejection of the demos as insufficiently commercial, leading to independent release in 2000 exclusively via her website.

Track Listing and Song Analysis

The album not.com.mercial consists of ten original tracks, recorded from material Cher developed during a 1994 songwriters' workshop at Miles Copeland III's castle in France, with primary production by Cher and Bruce Roberts. All songs were co-written by Cher except two, emphasizing personal themes over commercial appeal.
No.TitleDuration
1Still6:15
2Sisters of Mercy5:01
3Runnin'3:56
4Born with the Hunger4:05
5The Fall (Kurt's Blues)5:17
6With or Without You3:45
7Fit to Fly3:53
8Disaster Cake3:25
9Our Lady of San Francisco2:15
10Classified 1A2:55
Track listing and durations per standard CD release. "Still" opens the album as a lengthy co-written by , Bruce Roberts, and , structured around anguished relationship themes with extended runtime suggesting introspective verses and choruses. "", co-written by , Bruce Roberts, and Pat MacDonald, explores institutional cruelty through narrative lyrics, building from verse-driven storytelling. "Runnin'", another Cher-Roberts-MacDonald collaboration, adopts a mid-tempo structure suited to themes of escape, clocking in under four minutes. "Born with the Hunger" stands as the sole external composition by Sharon Eikhard, integrated into Cher's vision with a concise rock-leaning form. "The Fall (Kurt's Blues)", co-written by and Bruce Roberts, originated as a direct response to Cobain's April 1994 suicide, employing guitar elements and reflective verses critiquing societal pressures on icons, such as "our country kills its heroes". "" maintains a framework focused on relational dependency, while "Fit to Fly" and "Disaster Cake" deliver shorter, pop-inflected structures highlighting resilience and chaos motifs, respectively. "Our Lady of San Francisco" features a brief, poetic form addressing personal loss tied to institutional rejection, with lyrics referencing a church's refusal to release the singer despite maternal pleas. Closing track "Classified 1A", written by in the early , reworks a from a dying soldier's viewpoint into a compact spoken-sung hybrid, evoking war's futility without verse-chorus repetition typical of pop. Overall, the songs prioritize raw, workshop-honed origins over polished hooks, incorporating varied lengths and experimental intros to convey unfiltered introspection.

Release and Distribution

Non-Commercial Strategy

The album not.com.mercial was released on November 8, 2000, exclusively through 's official website (Cher.com) in partnership with Artist Direct Records and Isis Records, eschewing traditional retail distribution channels and major label involvement. This approach involved shipping physical CDs ordered online, with no accompanying radio promotion, print advertisements, or placement in stores, thereby restricting accessibility primarily to her existing fanbase. The strategy stemmed from Warner Music UK's rejection of the material in the mid-1990s, which the label classified as insufficiently commercial for mainstream viability, prompting Cher to retain and bypass intermediaries to capture full revenue from sales while preserving her artistic vision uncompromised by executive alterations. articulated this as a personal endeavor, stating, "I did it for myself, so I'm just sharing it with people who might be interested," emphasizing over broad market pursuit. This model empirically eliminated label cuts—typically 80-90% of profits in standard deals—but inherently constrained reach, as penetration in 2000 limited non-fan discovery absent viral mechanisms or paid media. In contrast to Believe (1998), which leveraged ' infrastructure for over 10 million global sales and ubiquitous radio dominance, not.com.mercial prioritized introspective songwriting reflective of Cher's unfiltered persona over , though she retained copyrights enabling potential licensing or reissues for later value extraction. This release prefigured artist-led digital independence but underscored causal trade-offs: direct empowered the creator yet forfeited the amplification effects of label marketing, aligning with Cher's expressed disillusionment with industry profiteering dynamics.

Promotion and Availability

The promotion for not.com.mercial emphasized direct-to-fan outreach over traditional media campaigns, with announcements disseminated via Cher's official website and associated fan communications rather than advertisements, radio , or television spots. No official music videos were created to support the tracks, and the release did not coincide with a ; instead, physical copies were sporadically available as part of merchandise bundles at select concerts during Cher's ongoing live engagements in late 2000. Exclusively distributed as a physical through mail-order sales on Cher.com starting November 8, 2000, the album bypassed retail stores and major digital platforms, restricting initial access to online purchasers. This direct-sales model precluded inclusion in standard industry tracking systems reliant on point-of-sale data from physical and digital retailers, resulting in no charting despite reported fan interest. Over subsequent years, digital streaming has remained limited, with tracks occasionally surfacing in compilations or fan-curated playlists, while unauthorized bootlegs and secondary-market imports have circulated among collectors. Physical editions have grown scarce, commanding elevated prices—often $50 to $200 for near-mint copies—on resale sites, underscoring the album's niche, cult appeal among dedicated followers.

Reception and Performance

Critical Reviews

AllMusic critic Jose F. Promis characterized not.com.mercial as evoking a aesthetic with occasional country twang and bluesy undertones, marking a stark departure from the of Cher's prior album Believe. He praised Cher's original songwriting for its engaging lyrics and narrative depth, spotlighting tracks such as "(The Fall) Kurt's Blues" for its tribute to , "Disaster Cake" for its wit, and "Fit to Fly" for emotional resonance. However, Promis noted weaknesses including a sometimes muddled production and overly melodramatic phrasing, particularly in "," which diluted the album's cohesion. The Hartford Courant review echoed this ambivalence, observing that while the record offers a raw, personal glimpse into Cher's psyche—far removed from her commercial gloss—it lacks the refinement expected from her vocal strengths, rendering it "not nearly as bad" as its obscurity might suggest but uneven in appeal. Rolling Stone framed the as an indulgent, self-directed endeavor, with Cher opting for intimate introspection over exploiting Believe's momentum, a move deemed "odd" post-comeback yet authentic for core fans. Later analyses, such as in Instinct Magazine, countered with acclaim for its darker, message-laden songs like "Still," viewing them as refreshingly unpolished and true to Cher's spirit, though acknowledging the release's niche positioning limited broader hooks suited to her pop . Aggregate user scores, including 3.4 out of 5 on and 6.4 out of 10 on , reflect this divide: vocal grit and authenticity earn praise, but song selection's inconsistency draws skepticism as a detour from Cher's hitmaking formula.

Commercial Outcomes

Not.com.mercial failed to enter official music charts, as its distribution was confined to direct sales through Cher's website and ArtistDirect Records, bypassing traditional retail and promotional infrastructure. This approach yielded no verifiable industry-tracked sales data, with units sold estimated in the low tens of thousands based on the album's niche availability and lack of widespread promotion. In contrast, Cher's preceding album Believe achieved global sales exceeding 11 million copies and received quadruple certification from the RIAA for 4 million units shipped in the United States alone. The absence of RIAA certification for Not.com.mercial underscores its divergence from standard commercial benchmarks, resulting in negligible royalties from streaming or licensing post-release. Long-term financial outcomes emphasized retained ownership and control for , who co-wrote and co-produced the , avoiding label recoupment obligations that typically diminish earnings in major releases. However, this model's relied on Cher's pre-existing status, cultivated through blockbuster successes like Believe, which generated a dedicated online fanbase capable of supporting limited direct purchases. Secondary market activity for physical copies remains sporadic, with resale values ranging from $20 to $75 as of 2025, indicative of collector demand rather than broad commercial viability. The non-commercial framing thus highlights a causal : artistic at the expense of scalable revenue, enabled not by alone but by fame's residual leverage in channels.

Fan and Retrospective Perspectives

Fans initially embraced not.com.mercial for its intimate, release model, which allowed dedicated listeners to access material rejected by major labels as insufficiently marketable, fostering a sense of exclusivity among Cher's core audience. Enthusiasm centered on the album's raw, autobiographical elements, with many appreciating tracks like "," inspired by Cher's experiences, as deeply personal expressions seldom found in her more polished commercial work. However, some fans expressed disappointment over its inaccessibility, limited to online purchase via Cher.com without physical distribution or streaming availability, which restricted broader uptake and left casual supporters unable to engage. Retrospective analyses in the 2020s have repositioned the album as an underrated artifact of early digital music experimentation, praised for its unfiltered songwriting and collaboration with David Letterman's band, yielding a gritty adult contemporary sound that contrasted Cher's contemporaneous pop output. Fan forums and communities, such as Cher enthusiast groups, frequently highlight it during anniversaries—e.g., 19th in 2019 and approaching 25th in 2025—as a "" of , with user ratings averaging 3.4 out of 5 on platforms aggregating listener feedback from over 100 reviews. This view attributes enduring appeal to its anti-commercial ethos, enabling organic discovery through fan-shared rips and , despite no official streaming presence until select tracks appeared on the 2024 digital edition of the compilation Forever. Criticisms from within the fanbase persist, particularly regarding perceived self-indulgence and a deliberate eschewal of mainstream polish, which some interpret as elitist posturing that prioritized artistic purity over , alienating listeners seeking Cher's hooks. Conservative-leaning admirers, though a minority in her typically progressive fan demographic, have occasionally dismissed the project as pretentious defiance against industry norms, echoing the label's original rejection without yielding commensurate innovation. These views underscore a divide: while core fans value its uncompromised intimacy, others lament the missed potential for wider cultural impact, evidenced by stalled reissue attempts like a proposed 2012 remastered edition that never materialized commercially. Overall, the album's legacy reflects sustained niche loyalty, with recent fan-led remasters signaling persistent, if contained, growth in appreciation.

Personnel and Production

Key Contributors

Cher performed lead vocals on all tracks and co-wrote eight of the ten songs, including "Still," "Sisters of Mercy," "Runnin'," and "Born with the Hunger." The instrumental arrangements were contributed by members of David Letterman's CBS Orchestra during a two-day recording session in .
ContributorRole
Lead vocals, primary songwriter
David Letterman's CBS Orchestra (session members)Instrumentation (guitars, drums, bass, keyboards, etc.)
Detailed per-track instrumental credits, such as specific guitarists or guest harmonica players, are not listed in or verified releases, reflecting the album's independent, low-budget production approach. Prior collaborations between and elements of the CBS Orchestra stem from her appearances on , though no returning session players from her earlier tours are explicitly noted for this project.

Technical Credits

The album not.com.mercial was produced by and Bruce Roberts, marking a self-directed effort where handled writing and co-production following a 1994 songwriting workshop. Recording took place at The Power Station in , with sessions dated to July 24, 1994, reflecting an analog-era approach before the project's delayed release. enlisted musicians from David Letterman's CBS Orchestra for the sessions, emphasizing live instrumentation over polished pop production. Technical mastering details are limited in available credits, but the CD pressing includes a mastering SID code of IFPI L903, consistent with standard digital preparation for early 2000s releases by facilities like Manufacturing. for the album is held under 2000 by Artist Direct Records and Isis Productions, Inc., with publishing administered through Cher's associated entities rather than major labels. No specific engineers or mixing personnel are credited in primary discographies, underscoring the album's independent, non-commercial ethos that prioritized artistic control over extensive studio documentation.

Legacy and Impact

Long-Term Influence

The release of Not Commercial in November 2000 represented an early instance of a major recording artist bypassing traditional label distribution to sell via an official website, predating broader adoption of digital models by established acts. Although sales figures were modest—limited to orders without physical retail support—the project demonstrated feasibility for high-profile performers to monetize personal work amid emerging infrastructure, influencing subsequent experiments like Prince's direct distributions, which expanded in the early . Empirical data from the era shows such models achieved viability primarily for artists with pre-existing fanbases, as Cher's established audience from prior hits like "Believe" (1998) provided a built-in market absent for newcomers. In Cher's career trajectory, the album's raw, self-penned tracks—originating from songwriting sessions—fostered a template for unfiltered artistic output that echoed in her post-2000 live performances, where high-energy residencies and tours emphasized improvisational vigor over polished production. Following Not Commercial, Cher secured a deal for Living Proof (), which debuted at number nine on the and sold over 1 million copies worldwide, suggesting the independent venture preserved her negotiating leverage without exposing major-label efforts to rejection risk. This strategic sidestep debunked portrayals of the release as solely altruistic; rather, it capitalized on low-overhead digital to sustain amid industry consolidation, avoiding potential flops that could have dented her momentum after Believe's 11 million global units. Viewpoints on its broader implications diverge along ideological lines: progressive commentators have lauded it as a disruption to corporate gatekeeping, enabling in an analog-to-digital transition, while skeptics from conservative perspectives highlight its unsustainability for non-celebrities lacking Cher's draw, as direct-to-fan viability hinges on fame-derived loyalty rather than scalable . Source credibility varies, with mainstream outlets like ABC News emphasizing novelty over systemic change, potentially overlooking biases toward sensationalizing celebrity moves; peer-reviewed analyses of digital music economics, however, confirm that pre-Napster (1999) experiments like this yielded marginal precedents, with true industry shifts accelerating post-2007 via platforms like . Ultimately, Not Commercial's legacy resides in affirming veteran artists' adaptability, though without catalyzing widespread causal shifts in distribution paradigms dominated by later tech giants.

Reissues and Anniversaries

In the years following its 2000 release, not.com.mercial experienced minimal official reissues, reflecting its initial direct-to-fan distribution model without major label backing. A limited CD digisleeve pressing dated 2000/2013 emerged through Productions, available primarily via collector markets and Cher's website channels, though it was not a full-scale commercial relaunch. This edition maintained the original tracklist but saw restricted circulation, appealing to dedicated fans rather than broader audiences. Digital reuploads gained traction in the , with fan-curated versions appearing on platforms like and early streaming services, bypassing traditional remastering. By the mid-, the album achieved availability on , enabling wider niche access without altering the source material significantly. No official vinyl reissues materialized, though bootleg variants and unauthorized pressings circulated in underground markets, often with variable audio quality and no endorsement from or associated rights holders. Marking the 25th anniversary on November 8, 2025, fan initiatives announced a remastered edition for channels, featuring improved audio fidelity through digital enhancement techniques applied to original masters. Uploads commenced in late October 2025 via enthusiast accounts, such as Lunar New, positioning the effort as a community-driven preservation project rather than a commercial venture. Sales metrics for these reissues remain undocumented in , consistent with the album's persistent but confined appeal among Cher's core followers, unamplified by promotional campaigns or mainstream distribution.

References

  1. https://www.cherfanclub.com/album/not-com-mercial
  2. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-sep-24-ca-25856-story.html
  3. https://www.discogs.com/release/1741527-Cher-Notcommercial
  4. https://www.discogs.com/master/522010-Cher-Notcommercial
  5. https://instinctmagazine.com/chers-hidden-not-commercial-album-is-an-early-2000s-revelation/
  6. https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/cher/not_com_mercial/
  7. https://www.albumoftheyear.org/album/60994-cher-notcommercial.php
  8. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/oct/18/chers-30-greatest-songs-ranked
  9. https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-story-of-not-commercial-cher/
  10. https://www.cherscholar.com/recordreview/
  11. https://genius.com/albums/Cher/Not-com-mercial
  12. https://www.nydailynews.com/2000/10/17/cher-tries-a-not-so-sunny-cd-divas-dark-songs-go-online/
  13. https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=113621&page=1
  14. https://www.thehistoryofworldmusic.com/cher/
  15. https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/cher-offers-living-proof-77247/
  16. https://www.amazon.com/Not-com-mercial-Cher/dp/B0006U7WZ0
  17. https://www.ebay.com/p/1100216269
  18. https://www.allmusic.com/album/notcommercial-mw0000968870
  19. https://www.courant.com/2001/01/18/cd-reviews-34/
  20. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/believe-in-a-very-different-cher-255293/
  21. https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/cher/not_com_mercial/reviews/1/
  22. https://chartmasters.org/cspc-cher-popularity-analysis/
  23. https://www.last.fm/music/Cher/Believe/%2Bwiki
  24. https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/
  25. https://www.reddit.com/r/popheads/comments/15k07ek/does_cher_have_a_classic_album/
  26. https://www.edgemedianetwork.com/story/304845
  27. https://www.facebook.com/groups/chercrew/posts/2420549598157717/
  28. https://www.facebook.com/groups/chercrew/posts/2323231224556222/
  29. https://theseconddisc.com/2024/08/01/turn-back-time-cher-collects-hits-on-forever-adds-rarities-to-digital-edition/
  30. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/00PEodjHk2KmfoWYmaJ2bH
  31. http://chernews.blogspot.com/2012/10/notcommercial-cd-re-release-remastered.html
  32. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/qAHe2yWL3dw
  33. https://dailyvault.com/toc.php5?review=6831
  34. https://cherscholar.com/cherblog/2025/03/the-recording-studios-of-cher/
  35. https://www.theaudiodb.com/album/2284985-Cher-not.com.mercial
  36. https://www.biography.com/musicians/cher
  37. https://cherscholar.com/cherblog/2025/03/cher-songs-on-rolling-stones-list-of-greatest-songs/
  38. https://www.the97.net/then/retrospectives/chers-living-proof-turns-20-retrospective/
  39. https://pridesource.com/article/qa-cher-on-knowing-when-she-was-a-gay-icon-hope-gleaned-from-lgbtq-community-breadcrumbs-of-her-legacy
  40. https://www.ebay.com/itm/356327805658
  41. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRpNzDwjllk
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