Then the follow up in the summer was the wonderful Waterfalls, another top ten single which is often overlooked nowadays.
Yes - I loved Waterfalls by Paul McCartney - very underrated! In fact all of his hits around this time (Coming Up, Take It Away) I enjoyed - a lot more than John Lennon's!
In fact - I forgot we get a surge of Lennon hits after his tragic death - I was never keen on any of those songs at the time I remember!
Love 'Wombling Merry Christmas'. You certainly don't hear it much. It does, however, pop up on some of those TOTP's 2 Christmas specials.
We also don't get enough of Showaddywaddy's 'Hey Mister Christmas' or the sublime 'December Will Be Magic Again' by Kate Bush.
i would have to disagree about not hearing wombling merry christmas much, my wife goes totally xmas nuts from november onwards and it's had heavy plays on countless video compilations believe me! i'll add this one to the list of tunes you don't hear these days though (or at all since it was a hit!?), gilbert o'sullivan's 'christmas song' - not one of his best but still made no.12 in dec '74
When do we get the wonderful 'Please Don't Go' by KC & The Sunshine Band? I'm not usually into them - but it's a great song! - I thought that it was 1979 - but it must be 1980 I guess..
Good grief, your obviously a stickler for precision DtS. Your username is utterly substantiated! I stand corrected, was just using the scenario/analogy to make a cheap point though.
:D
Just thought I'd bung in an interesting fact - it wasn't meant to be pedantic. I have this habit of thinking - hmmm that's interesting, didn't know that, then wandering off to find out more about it.
So it's for me to say ta for that one ;-)
1980 really builds on the new developments in 1979, 2 Tone, the mod revival, NWOBHM and synth pop. Also the tail end of the disco scene sees that glorious cheese It Feels Like I'm In Love top the charts.
Yes, Kelly Marie's ''Feels Like I'm In Love'' was one of my favourites too. However, and despite those developments you mention, i sense that the charts, by mid 1980 were not quite as memorable as the charts were a few months previously. Of course, it is hard to generalise when there are so many songs at hand, but i did have a distinct sense at some point later in that year, that after the wonderful run of brilliant singles like ''Brass In Pocket'', ''Too Much Too Young'', ''Mirror In The Bathroom'', ''Going Underground'', ''Food For Thought'' - (the UB40 version!), and ''Geno'', from earlier in 1980, that the freshess and vitality, was beginning just a little to ebb away, and especially by those who had been previously big a year or so before. That's not to say the charts were not good, mind, they were but i wouldn't quite go as far as to say they were as insanely good as they had been. For the meantime they had already peaked, and the quality was beginning to level off somewhat. I liked Blondie's no 1 ''The Tide Is High'', as i did The Police with ''Don't Stand So Close To Me'' (and ''De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da''), but i would find it difficult to claim those singles were of the quality of ''Heart Of Glass'', ''Message In A Bottle'' and ''Walking On The Moon''. The great thing for me about the later half of 1980, was the introduction of Adam And The Ants, Spandau Ballet, and OMD, who really did give the charts a more edgy and contemporary relevance, and i'd argue released some of their best work in the process (before things started to get very bland as the eighties progressed). Shakin' Stevens also made his debut, as did Ultravox, and Bad Manners. Disco pretty much carried on as before, although a song like Ottawan's ''D.I.S.C.O'' didn't necessarily spell a rosy picture for the future of that genre.
1980 not such a poor year I agree for McCartney. This rather aptly titled single Coming Up had the distinction at the time of having the biggest ever chart rise within the Top 75, a rise in one week from No62 to No7 before landing at No2. We were only a few days ago talking about big rises within the Top 40 funnily enough.
Then the follow up in the summer was the wonderful Waterfalls, another top ten single which is often overlooked nowadays. Both these singles came from McCartney II which was a No1 album late May, early June 1980, so a decent year by my reckoning for most artists, although in the context of McCartney's musical pedigree I suppose it was average for him.
Regards John Lennon in 1980 and the chart run for Double Fantasy before he was shot, I was really interested in your chart run for the album Robbie. Never noticed that it suddenly had a violent volte face from dropping away to hugging the top positions for many weeks instantaneously. I'd always presumed it was received as a very popular album from the outset and had a popular trajectory. I always liked it. I suppose what it proved is that people don't realise what they've got until they lose it, or him in this case. My faves on it are Woman and Watching The Wheels.
One stat I love is that Lennon's 3 posthumous No1's, Starting Over, Imagine and Woman can be counted as both the fastest hatrick of No1 singles ever, or the slowest, depending on how you class Imagine as entering the chart from originally or re-issue.
The third single from the McCartney II album was the excellent 'Temporary Secretary'. For some bizarre reason it was released as both a 12" only single and in a limited pressing of 15,000 copies. Consequently it failed to reach the top 75 - it was reported by Alan Jones in Record Mirror at the time that its chart run in its first two weeks was 76-121.
I can remember 'Double Fantasy' struggling in the charts prior to the death of John Lennon. It did look like it was going to fall off the charts very quickly and had John Lennon not died I imagine that record shops would have been left with a lot of unsold stock. Of course it is possible that the release of 'Woman' (which I assume was always planned as the next single) may have brought the album back into / up the charts. Two years later another massive selling album got off to a less than stellar start before suddenly bursting into life. The album? 'Thriller'. This time it wasn't a death that kickstarted its success but rather the release of 'Billie Jean'. The first three months of the chart run for 'Thriller':
Chart entry: 11/12/83
29-15-19-19-36-31-30-19-13-11-5-2-1
It then stayed inside the top 5 for the next 4 months!
Re: the fastest / slowest hat-trick stat. I can remember the Guinness Book Of Hit Singles mentioning this but I would go for the fastest as 'Imagine' fell off the chart (for 5 years!) between its initial chart entry and it reaching the top. And then there's the intriguing possibility that 'Happy Xmas (War Is Over)' could also have been a number 1 had a chart been compiled between the Christmas and New Year in 1980. Instead the chart for that week was "frozen" from the week before and the single remained at number 4 before climbing to number 2 in the first chart of 1981.
Trivia: the first single to reach number 1 that was also available to buy as a cassette single was 'Woman' by John Lennon.
One stat I love is that Lennon's 3 posthumous No1's, Starting Over, Imagine and Woman can be counted as both the fastest hatrick of No1 singles ever, or the slowest, depending on how you class Imagine as entering the chart from originally or re-issue.
This actually had a lot to do with the failure of Ultravox's 'Vienna' to reach number 1. All this time the single was selling steadily and climbing the charts, in the way that was usual then. By the time the notorious Joe Dolce record came along, the sales of 'Vienna' had peaked. Without the Lennon trio, it would probably have sold faster and got to the top. Either way, this did change the way the charts developed over those weeks.
Unfortunately there wasn't a TOTP 1970s review show. There would have been a problem with compiling such a show in that a large amount of shows from the first half of the decade had been wiped and performances were therefore unavailable.
If they had made it chances are Savile would've been at the helm, Glitter would've heavily featured and Legs & Co would've been dressed as naughty short skirted school girls doing their "interpretation" of the last No.1 of the decade.
Made the mistake of watching X Factor last night. Another winner that we won't remember in a year's time! I actually detest the X Factor and everything it has done to mainstream music! The only guests they have on there is commercial artists trying to promote their next bull**** single. Dermot O Leary was saying they have had the best of British music on this weekend and British music is in a really good place at the moment. Seriously? Who are they trying to kid? One Direction, Olly Murs, Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith...is this really the best we have to offer? Who cares what next forgettable song Olly Murs is gonna bring out next? All of it is completely commercial and the chart of 79 looks outstanding in comparison. What's different about the 70s/80s music is was the diversity in the music. Pretty much anything could get into the charts, Day Trip To Bangor for example...I'd love to see that on X Factor! And artists were allowed to be different and create their own personal style, whether it be commercial or non-commercial. These days artists have to conform to a certain way and all of them sound the same, I hate it!
If they had made it chances are Savile would've been at the helm, Glitter would've heavily featured and Legs & Co would've been dressed as naughty short skirted school girls doing their "interpretation" of the last No.1 of the decade.
So that's your ''interpretation'' of the seventies, then, LittleGirl ?
You would make a rather interesting case study, i believe !
Made the mistake of watching X Factor last night. Another winner that we won't remember in a year's time! I actually detest the X Factor and everything it has done to mainstream music! The only guests they have on there is commercial artists trying to promote their next bull**** single. Dermot O Leary was saying they have had the best of British music on this weekend and British music is in a really good place at the moment. Seriously? Who are they trying to kid? One Direction, Olly Murs, Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith...is this really the best we have to offer? Who cares what next forgettable song Olly Murs is gonna bring out next? All of it is completely commercial and the chart of 79 looks outstanding in comparison. What's different about the 70s/80s music is was the diversity in the music. Pretty much anything could get into the charts, Day Trip To Bangor for example...I'd love to see that on X Factor! And artists were allowed to be different and create their own personal style, whether it be commercial or non-commercial. These days artists have to conform to a certain way and all of them sound the same, I hate it!
I agree that The X Factor has been detrimental to certain aspects of the music industry (in terms of a TV entertainment show having an over reaching influence on chart trends specifically over the thousand weeks it's broadcast) but learning that last night's final was its lowest rated suggests it's finally catching up to the fact it actually died as a concept some time ago. Although, I would say things such as downloading, internet streaming and a shift in how people access their favourite music are probably bigger influences on the difference to the music industry now and how it was years ago.
Also, I would actually defend Olly Murs. He is actually one of maybe 2 or 3 acts to go through The X Factor process to actually deserve their subsequent success (the others being Little Mix and Stacy Soloman). He may not be your cup of tea but Olly is a very decent all round entertainer who just happened to get his break on that show. He's in it for the right reasons, and while I don't have any of his albums, I'd always defend him on that level if I ever see him lumped in with other X Factor acts.
Funnily enough, for a few years now, I've amused myself on what song choice I would have if I ever made it to the live shows. They include...
Three Minute Hero - The Selecter
Underdog - Turin Brakes
Goody Two Shoes - Adam & The Ants
Pulling Rabbits Out Of A Hat - Sparks (Plagiarism version)
Jackie - Scott Walker
One Hit - The Knife.
I would never apply so you'll just have to imagine how fantastically wonderful I might have been on the show.
When do we get the wonderful 'Please Don't Go' by KC & The Sunshine Band? I'm not usually into them - but it's a great song! - I thought that it was 1979 - but it must be 1980 I guess..
The video's on the December 20th edition Ursula which is Yewtree'd but here's the link: You get The Greedies (A cut down Thin Lizzy/Sex Pistols collaboration) only performance! I love it!
Funnily enough, for a few years now, I've amused myself on what song choice I would have if I ever made it to the live shows. They include...
Three Minute Hero - The Selecter
Underdog - Turin Brakes
Goody Two Shoes - Adam & The Ants
Pulling Rabbits Out Of A Hat - Sparks (Plagiarism version)
Jackie - Scott Walker
One Hit by The Knife.
I would never apply so you'll just have to imagine how fantastically wonderful I might have been on the show.
I know it's hypothetical, but part of what is so wrong with the XF is that you almost certainly would not be allowed to choose all your songs.
I preferred it when it was Pop Idol, it was like a good old-fashioned talent show. Once they introduced the "judges" being in competition as mentors, it ruined it for me. I watched for a few series because there was always a contestant or two who reeled me in, but I finally stopped when the cheating became so blatant to the point of outright dishonesty. Haven't watched any of it since.
Also, I would actually defend Olly Murs. He is actually one of maybe 2 or 3 acts to go through The X Factor process to actually deserve their subsequent success (the others being Little Mix and Stacy Soloman). He may not be your cup of tea but Olly is a very decent all round entertainer who just happened to get his break on that show. He's in it for the right reasons, and while I don't have any of his albums, I'd always defend him on that level if I ever see him lumped in with other X Factor acts.
i'd go along with that, in fact i also defended him not so long back (on totp '78 thread i think), people on here were firing into him for being useless with no talent like most music today, while raving about how wonderful showaddywaddy were with whatever song they had covered that week, to me his song 'dance with me tonight' sounds like it could have been tailor made for showaddywaddy and murs had at least co-written it himself, as he does a lot of his material so give the guy a break....x factor as a process though has become very stale indeed and needs to be axed >:(
Rich Tea, i was a huge Beatles fan around the time of John's death, and upon the release of ''(Just Like) Starting Over'', i used to listen intently to the radio, waiting for the song to be played, and looking out for nuggets of information/trivia etc. on what John was up to, and his future plans, or really anything, but the DJs just seemed rather indifferent towards him, and his music, and aside from mentioning his name at the introduction, and the end of the track, that was pretty much all they had to say. I liked ''(Just Like) Starting Over'', a great deal, and found it very exciting to hear John's voice again. However, i knew that if John really wanted to win the critics and fans over, he was going to have to offer them something a great deal more inspiring. Back in 1980, and despite the wonderful legacy of The Beatles, nostalgia was never going to be enough to win over a contemporary audience, or even many of The Beatles former fans, like perhaps the nostalgia driven present day. Pop in 1980 was still considered to be moving onwards and upwards, and dare i say, even many of those awe inspiring Beatles songs, were considered rather outdated at that time. I believe those born after John's death, especially, i think would find it rather surprising with just how little reverance John was treated before the time of his death. Of course all that changed within an instant on December 8th 1980.
The one true classic for me on ''Double Fantasy'' was undoubtedly ''Watching The Wheels'', which, like maybe ''Beautiful Boy'' was autobigraphical. However, i don't think ''Beautiful Boy'' and ''Woman'' are really among John's best work, and certainly not if put in the context of what he was recording a decade earlier. The best thing about those songs was hearing John's voice again, and his unique way of phrasing etc. which was still pretty much intact. Actually the true strength of ''Woman'' for me was the beauty of John's multi tracked voice and vocal harmonies, which carried the song along rather irresistably. If you listen to Yoko and Jack Douglas' more recent rather flat, stripped down version of the song, with John's single vocal, without all the embelishments, i think you realise, how great the original truly was, and that John's original vision of the song was always the one to go with. It's a pity John's legacy with regards to the original mixes/production of the ''Double Fantasy'' album could not have been left alone. People will do anything for money, and that includes Yoko. Yoko's contemporary new wave songs were more interesting than John's overall on ''Double Fantasy'', i would say, although i would hasten to add that they are better. The album would have been a rather bland offering from John though, if Yoko's contributions hadn't been included. According to John's housekeeper Fred Seaman, John was opposed to Yoko appearing on the album at all initially. However ''Double Fantasy'' overall, is a far more well rounded effort than Paul McCartney's ''McCartney II'' , although i think John could have done with a large helping of the best of the more contemporary sounds that ''McCartney II'' had to offer, to give his contributions a bit more of an edge. I agree though that Paul McCartney' ''Waterfalls'' was a fine track, and a definite stand out on that album.
Wow Jedikiah, you kind of said it all in one post.
I preferred it when it was Pop Idol, it was like a good old-fashioned talent show. Once they introduced the "judges" being in competition as mentors, it ruined it for me. I watched for a few series because there was always a contestant or two who reeled me in, but I finally stopped when the cheating became so blatant to the point of outright dishonesty. Haven't watched any of it since.
I agree. The idea of having the judges as mentors is simply a vanity trip, so they can continually hog the limelight in a way of demonstating their own self importance and inflated egos. The idea of the contestants traveling to their luxury homes in the caribbean etc, and almost pleading to be allowed to stay in the competition while the judge in question relaxes on their sunbed by their luxury pool, is another exercise in 'look how big i am' etc. to you - it's one step short of those contestants actually having to kneel in their presence, as is the hesitation in the judges giving their verdicts by stringing the contestant along etc. This, in a sense, is a form of bullying, and makes for very unpleasant viewing.
The first series of Pop Idol was very good, because it was not contrived like what has come since, because no-one really knew what to expect etc. No staged bust ups or intentional scandals, merely to keep the viewers watching, like today.
Also, I would actually defend Olly Murs. He is actually one of maybe 2 or 3 acts to go through The X Factor process to actually deserve their subsequent success (the others being Little Mix and Stacy Soloman). He may not be your cup of tea but Olly is a very decent all round entertainer who just happened to get his break on that show. He's in it for the right reasons, and while I don't have any of his albums, I'd always defend him on that level if I ever see him lumped in with other X Factor acts.
What about Rebecca Ferguson ? I thought her debut album was pretty good.
I'd also liked to suggest that Ella Henderson is a terrific talent.
She is very good but it's a bit too early to assess how successful she's been, or more accurately will be. She may join the particularly small list in time, though.
Made the mistake of watching X Factor last night. Another winner that we won't remember in a year's time! I actually detest the X Factor and everything it has done to mainstream music! The only guests they have on there is commercial artists trying to promote their next bull**** single. Dermot O Leary was saying they have had the best of British music on this weekend and British music is in a really good place at the moment. Seriously? Who are they trying to kid? One Direction, Olly Murs, Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith...is this really the best we have to offer? Who cares what next forgettable song Olly Murs is gonna bring out next? All of it is completely commercial and the chart of 79 looks outstanding in comparison. What's different about the 70s/80s music is was the diversity in the music. Pretty much anything could get into the charts, Day Trip To Bangor for example...I'd love to see that on X Factor! And artists were allowed to be different and create their own personal style, whether it be commercial or non-commercial. These days artists have to conform to a certain way and all of them sound the same, I hate it!
While I agree with every single word of your post Tele addict, it also makes me so MAD! >:(
DON'T WATCH IT THEN, it only encourages them to keep going with it. No viewers, no show.
Two years later another massive selling album got off to a less than stellar start before suddenly bursting into life. The album? 'Thriller'. This time it wasn't a death that kickstarted its success but rather the release of 'Billie Jean'. The first three months of the chart run for 'Thriller':
Chart entry: 11/12/83
29-15-19-19-36-31-30-19-13-11-5-2-1
It then stayed inside the top 5 for the next 4 months!
Wow, never knew that and always assumed that 'Thriller' was instantly huge, straight in at number 1 and so on. That's one thing I like about this thread it often both entertains and educates in equal measure.
Oh god, Sam Smith... It seems all you have to do to be popular these days is shriek "I've got Money On My Mind" in an irritaingly high pitched voice...
Wow, never knew that and always assumed that 'Thriller' was instantly huge, straight in at number 1 and so on. That's one thing I like about this thread it often both entertains and educates in equal measure.
Absolutely Torch. Also,the single, 'Billie Jean' had a strange run of 20-17-5-2-1.
I remember listening to the Tuesday afternoon chart and couldn't believe it had climbed from 17-5! Happy days!
Comments
Yes - I loved Waterfalls by Paul McCartney - very underrated! In fact all of his hits around this time (Coming Up, Take It Away) I enjoyed - a lot more than John Lennon's!
In fact - I forgot we get a surge of Lennon hits after his tragic death - I was never keen on any of those songs at the time I remember!
i would have to disagree about not hearing wombling merry christmas much, my wife goes totally xmas nuts from november onwards and it's had heavy plays on countless video compilations believe me! i'll add this one to the list of tunes you don't hear these days though (or at all since it was a hit!?), gilbert o'sullivan's 'christmas song' - not one of his best but still made no.12 in dec '74
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDX_jRTvl5o
Just thought I'd bung in an interesting fact - it wasn't meant to be pedantic. I have this habit of thinking - hmmm that's interesting, didn't know that, then wandering off to find out more about it.
So it's for me to say ta for that one ;-)
Yes, Kelly Marie's ''Feels Like I'm In Love'' was one of my favourites too. However, and despite those developments you mention, i sense that the charts, by mid 1980 were not quite as memorable as the charts were a few months previously. Of course, it is hard to generalise when there are so many songs at hand, but i did have a distinct sense at some point later in that year, that after the wonderful run of brilliant singles like ''Brass In Pocket'', ''Too Much Too Young'', ''Mirror In The Bathroom'', ''Going Underground'', ''Food For Thought'' - (the UB40 version!), and ''Geno'', from earlier in 1980, that the freshess and vitality, was beginning just a little to ebb away, and especially by those who had been previously big a year or so before. That's not to say the charts were not good, mind, they were but i wouldn't quite go as far as to say they were as insanely good as they had been. For the meantime they had already peaked, and the quality was beginning to level off somewhat. I liked Blondie's no 1 ''The Tide Is High'', as i did The Police with ''Don't Stand So Close To Me'' (and ''De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da''), but i would find it difficult to claim those singles were of the quality of ''Heart Of Glass'', ''Message In A Bottle'' and ''Walking On The Moon''. The great thing for me about the later half of 1980, was the introduction of Adam And The Ants, Spandau Ballet, and OMD, who really did give the charts a more edgy and contemporary relevance, and i'd argue released some of their best work in the process (before things started to get very bland as the eighties progressed). Shakin' Stevens also made his debut, as did Ultravox, and Bad Manners. Disco pretty much carried on as before, although a song like Ottawan's ''D.I.S.C.O'' didn't necessarily spell a rosy picture for the future of that genre.
I can remember 'Double Fantasy' struggling in the charts prior to the death of John Lennon. It did look like it was going to fall off the charts very quickly and had John Lennon not died I imagine that record shops would have been left with a lot of unsold stock. Of course it is possible that the release of 'Woman' (which I assume was always planned as the next single) may have brought the album back into / up the charts. Two years later another massive selling album got off to a less than stellar start before suddenly bursting into life. The album? 'Thriller'. This time it wasn't a death that kickstarted its success but rather the release of 'Billie Jean'. The first three months of the chart run for 'Thriller':
Chart entry: 11/12/83
29-15-19-19-36-31-30-19-13-11-5-2-1
It then stayed inside the top 5 for the next 4 months!
Re: the fastest / slowest hat-trick stat. I can remember the Guinness Book Of Hit Singles mentioning this but I would go for the fastest as 'Imagine' fell off the chart (for 5 years!) between its initial chart entry and it reaching the top. And then there's the intriguing possibility that 'Happy Xmas (War Is Over)' could also have been a number 1 had a chart been compiled between the Christmas and New Year in 1980. Instead the chart for that week was "frozen" from the week before and the single remained at number 4 before climbing to number 2 in the first chart of 1981.
Trivia: the first single to reach number 1 that was also available to buy as a cassette single was 'Woman' by John Lennon.
This actually had a lot to do with the failure of Ultravox's 'Vienna' to reach number 1. All this time the single was selling steadily and climbing the charts, in the way that was usual then. By the time the notorious Joe Dolce record came along, the sales of 'Vienna' had peaked. Without the Lennon trio, it would probably have sold faster and got to the top. Either way, this did change the way the charts developed over those weeks.
If they had made it chances are Savile would've been at the helm, Glitter would've heavily featured and Legs & Co would've been dressed as naughty short skirted school girls doing their "interpretation" of the last No.1 of the decade.
So that's your ''interpretation'' of the seventies, then, LittleGirl ?
You would make a rather interesting case study, i believe !
I agree that The X Factor has been detrimental to certain aspects of the music industry (in terms of a TV entertainment show having an over reaching influence on chart trends specifically over the thousand weeks it's broadcast) but learning that last night's final was its lowest rated suggests it's finally catching up to the fact it actually died as a concept some time ago. Although, I would say things such as downloading, internet streaming and a shift in how people access their favourite music are probably bigger influences on the difference to the music industry now and how it was years ago.
Also, I would actually defend Olly Murs. He is actually one of maybe 2 or 3 acts to go through The X Factor process to actually deserve their subsequent success (the others being Little Mix and Stacy Soloman). He may not be your cup of tea but Olly is a very decent all round entertainer who just happened to get his break on that show. He's in it for the right reasons, and while I don't have any of his albums, I'd always defend him on that level if I ever see him lumped in with other X Factor acts.
Funnily enough, for a few years now, I've amused myself on what song choice I would have if I ever made it to the live shows. They include...
Three Minute Hero - The Selecter
Underdog - Turin Brakes
Goody Two Shoes - Adam & The Ants
Pulling Rabbits Out Of A Hat - Sparks (Plagiarism version)
Jackie - Scott Walker
One Hit - The Knife.
I would never apply so you'll just have to imagine how fantastically wonderful I might have been on the show.
You think Jimmy Savile, Gary Glitter and Legs & Co wouldn't have appeared on a Top Of The Pops show reviewing the 70s?
Do divulge. Why would I be an interesting case study?
The video's on the December 20th edition Ursula which is Yewtree'd but here's the link: You get The Greedies (A cut down Thin Lizzy/Sex Pistols collaboration) only performance!
http://www.4shared.com/video/wHgU8m1aba/TOTP_201279.html
'Please Don't Go' pops up again in early 1980 to Legs & Co.
I know it's hypothetical, but part of what is so wrong with the XF is that you almost certainly would not be allowed to choose all your songs.
I preferred it when it was Pop Idol, it was like a good old-fashioned talent show. Once they introduced the "judges" being in competition as mentors, it ruined it for me. I watched for a few series because there was always a contestant or two who reeled me in, but I finally stopped when the cheating became so blatant to the point of outright dishonesty. Haven't watched any of it since.
i'd go along with that, in fact i also defended him not so long back (on totp '78 thread i think), people on here were firing into him for being useless with no talent like most music today, while raving about how wonderful showaddywaddy were with whatever song they had covered that week, to me his song 'dance with me tonight' sounds like it could have been tailor made for showaddywaddy and murs had at least co-written it himself, as he does a lot of his material so give the guy a break....x factor as a process though has become very stale indeed and needs to be axed >:(
Wow Jedikiah, you kind of said it all in one post.
I agree. The idea of having the judges as mentors is simply a vanity trip, so they can continually hog the limelight in a way of demonstating their own self importance and inflated egos. The idea of the contestants traveling to their luxury homes in the caribbean etc, and almost pleading to be allowed to stay in the competition while the judge in question relaxes on their sunbed by their luxury pool, is another exercise in 'look how big i am' etc. to you - it's one step short of those contestants actually having to kneel in their presence, as is the hesitation in the judges giving their verdicts by stringing the contestant along etc. This, in a sense, is a form of bullying, and makes for very unpleasant viewing.
The first series of Pop Idol was very good, because it was not contrived like what has come since, because no-one really knew what to expect etc. No staged bust ups or intentional scandals, merely to keep the viewers watching, like today.
What about Rebecca Ferguson ? I thought her debut album was pretty good.
I'd also liked to suggest that Ella Henderson is a terrific talent.
Can't comment as I've literally never heard any of her releases. I don't know how popular she is compared to who I mentioned.
By the way, me being an interesting case study. You still haven't elaborated what you meant.
She is very good but it's a bit too early to assess how successful she's been, or more accurately will be. She may join the particularly small list in time, though.
DON'T WATCH IT THEN, it only encourages them to keep going with it. No viewers, no show.
Wow, never knew that and always assumed that 'Thriller' was instantly huge, straight in at number 1 and so on. That's one thing I like about this thread it often both entertains and educates in equal measure.
Oh god, Sam Smith... It seems all you have to do to be popular these days is shriek "I've got Money On My Mind" in an irritaingly high pitched voice...
Absolutely Torch. Also,the single, 'Billie Jean' had a strange run of 20-17-5-2-1.
I remember listening to the Tuesday afternoon chart and couldn't believe it had climbed from 17-5! Happy days!