Will One Direction score 4th UK number one ?
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well their new single (Drag Me Down) is number on the iTunes charts, do you think it will also reach number one on the UK singles chart ?
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Also doing well in USA so should chart there as well although no chance of number 1
I don't think they've added video plays to the chart yet but I'm sure I read it's coming.
They probably will make #1
It's gonna be another low sales week (Black Magic sold 59k last week and those sales will only continue to decrease). So 1D might benefit from the low sales period.
Is the song on Spotify yet? If the song shoots up on Spotify then that will definitely help the song get to #1. Right now, it's selling 60% more than Sigma but again, that's before streaming is factored in.
Still can't believe Story Of My Life never made it to #1 in the UK. It remains by far their best single to date.
I know it's only Sunday, but it's holding on to the number one spot on iTunes.
Yeah, the song really is average at best - it sounds so rushed and it just looks like a desperate attempt from Syco to release it just 1 day after Zayn announced solo deal. Plus, the lyrics are just weak, I find it strange that some say they improved lyrically and that it is commendable - Well, I don't find a song with the same verses and chorus without a bridge amazing, just lazy.
Agree with the "lazy" argument regarding the lyrics. Doesn't bother me too much though... There's sooooo many pop songs out there with weak lyrics, even if they have 3 different verses and a bridge
Don't think however that it's an attempt to steal Zayn's spotlight. After all, they are going to perform on GMA in New York tomorrow, before a New Jersey concert on Wednesday. So it looks like it's been well planned ahead.
Sure, I know there are a lot of songs out there that are like that but I'm not just used to hear them from a boyband. Heck, even Will.I:Am who writes gibberish makes sure he doesn't repeat the lyrics
Put what is more off putting to me is the not so great production and that fact that it sounds like too Maroon 5. When it comes to 1D I always have a feeling that they are still kind of channelling others without having a real sound which is strange after 5 years. When you heard BSB or Nsync on the radio you just know its them, 1D are still a bit over the place.
By the way, I didn't imply that they wanted to steal Zayn's thunder but it does look like Simon wanted to make a statement that 1D are still here. Not to mention that Zayn tweet #real music that I'm sure pissed off some people. It is awfully convenient that they released it just a day after Zayn, a week afterwords wouldn't be this suspicious. And just because they do have a TV performance doesn't mean it was planned that much ahead, Simon has connections ll over the place, it is a breeze for him to arrange a promo even at a last minute. Plus, the song does sound like it is rushed, not that polished.
My God DS already went overboard and the new album isn't even announced - there are currently FIVE news involving 1D on the front of music news:o I forgot how nice it was without those "news" that 90% has nothing to do with their music:(
Haha, I know you don't like them
Isn't that exactly the reason? It's been 5 years, which is a long time for boybands and, apparently, people are still interested in their music AND everything around them. From the media's point of view, this justifies writing all those articles; they must be getting lots of clicks and views.
1 One Direction (41.5k)
2 Little Mix (16.4k)
3 Sigma feat. Ella Henderson (16k)
4 Calvin Harris & Disciples (15k)
5 Years & Years (14.1k)
Race for #2 looks very tight and exciting
Interesting point which got me thinking.
Take That were considered the biggest boyband of the 90s. Started out in 1991, got their first #1 in 1993 and split up in 1996 = 5 years.
Westlife had been around for 5 years when Brian quit. They continued as a four piece and had one of their biggest singles in their career (You Raise Me Up) and were still having top 10 singles up until 2010.
So maybe is it testament to the success of 1D that five years on, they can still release a new single and see it become an instant hit on iTunes all over the world - even if the song doesn't officially make #1 in some of those countries.
Drag Me Down sold another 9k yesterday taking their sales up to 50k. Spotify's streaming chart appears to have crashed. The last time Spotify crashed for a good number of days was when See You Again hit #1 all over the world back in May.
Once Spotify submit their stream sales for the week, there's a good chance of 1D adding a further 10-15k to their total sales for the week. Apparently 1D debuted at #1 on Spotify's global chart which seems extraordinary. Nearly every global #1 on Spotify has gradually climbed its way to the top.
Exactly! Maybe getting another #1 this Friday (5 years after being put together) makes it "official" that we have to put them into the same category as Take That and Westlife (in terms of being the biggest boyband in the UK of their decade). We'll probably never be able to say who was really more successful, because One Direction will never be able to repeat Westlife's singles success, but are unmatched in newer categories (social media, itunes records etc.). It's like comparing sporting legends of different eras, you can never agree there...
One thing is certain though: One Direction are WAY more successful globally than TT and WL combined
And even though BSB or NSYNC sold loads more albums than One Direction did (and probably ever will?), I'd say One Direction is even more popular than the others were. Their individual members (while still in the band) were never as popular and well known as One Direction's members. That's at least how I remember it from the 90s and early 00s, when I was a teenager. My students today would almost ALL be able to name the members of One Direction!
I have to say I don't live in the English speaking world, maybe it was different in the UK and the US and everybody could name and recognise BSB's and NSYNC's members
While I do agree with you that it is hard to compare these boybands you mentioned with 1D but I don't necessarily agree 1D are bigger globally than them. You just can't know that as there wasn't any social media, iTunes or even Youtube at the time when Take That or Westlife dominated. In fact, it is safe to say that in the 90's/early 00's, the amount of album and single sales were the real measure of your success. You can't possibly know how different would all be if social media and iTunes were present during Westlife's and Take That's time - looking at how huge their sales were, they would have probably been just as big as 1D are now. It is just that, back than you had album signings, newspaper interviews, fan mail and sales - you simply couldn't exactly see the whole hoopla now that it is easily present with the VEVO breaking records, Twitter trends and whatnot.
Westlife were huge everywhere, especially in Asia, except in the US. It is safe to say they would have dominated iTunes and Spotify if there was one in the early 00's when they were in their heydays. In fact, here is a little story how big of an impact Westlife still had in Africa even after so many years: when 1D came there for Comic Relief in 2013. 1D were mistaken for Westlife,
And I don't agree it is such a huge deal that maybe 1D members as individuals are also popular - I much prefer that the band as a whole is recognized, who cares about their private lives. Thats the one thing I actually loved about Westlife, that they always came as a band, as one, there were no major scandals or gossip around them, it was about their success.
You only have to look at the chart positions of One Direction's albums to see that they are bigger worldwide than Westlife and Take That. Neither of them has had several albums hit number one in most countries around the world nor did they break the U.S. market (Take That have had one top 10 hit on the BB Hot 100). Westlife and Take That were/are more popular in the UK than One Direction, but they're not worldwide, not a chance.
Westlife has sold 50 million records worldwide in 16 years, but One Direction has sold the same amount of records in four years and when album sales are a lot lower than the 1990s/early 2000s. Westlife have also released a lot more albums and singles than One Direction. Take That has sold 45 million records in 23 years.
Take That and Westlife's worldwide sales are relatively small compared to the Backstreet Boys. They were a true global boyband. Take That's highest selling studio album (Nobody Else, 1995) has sold six million copies worldwide whereas Backstreet Boy's highest selling studio album (Millennium, 1999) has sold 30 million copies worldwide.
One Direction's highest selling album (Up All Night, 2011) has sold five million copies worldwide. The fact that One Direction's debut album has sold nearly as many copies as Take That's highest selling album - and at time when album sales are lower than the 1990s - is proof that Take That were not as big worldwide as you think they are.
One Direction has record sales to back up their online popularity. I understand that people in the 1990s/early 2000s couldn't download one track on iTunes or Amazon like people can now, but One Direction has sold 50 million records worldwide, that's a great achievement in 2015 just like it was 15/20 years ago. Their tours are huge all around the world, their current one grossed over $100m in its first four months.
If One Direction were around in the late 1990s when the popularity of teen pop music went through the roof, I bet they would have sold triple the number of albums they are selling now.
One Direction has social media and the internet to battle with nowadays. The media world and music industry are different compared to the 1990s and early 2000s. A story about One Direction can make the news all around the world in a matter of seconds. Take That and Westlife didn't have to deal with that when they were at their peak.
Mark Owen has said that it's a good thing Take That were at their peak in the 1990s when Facebook, Instagram and Twitter weren't around. He said the band were able to experiment with drugs and sleep around without any of it getting out. Westlife are as boring as their music. The only scandal was when Brian left the band. Pensioners adore them and their stools.
No one can't deny that social media is a huge asset for 1D, their fans did half of the promo for them tweeting and sharing videos about them. Because of such spread they don't have to promo to death, say in Norway or Island, Older boybands had to travel all the time, do countless promo.
Plus, I bet half of those 50 million sales do come from US market which again is one market that UK boybands couldn't crack. So again, right there it is hard to compare.
And I didn't really mean Take That were big worldwide, because they weren't, I was merely talking about them as their period of time. But Westlife were big worldwide, as much as you think their music is boring, and for pensioners - that is such a stereotype and quite untrue because people of all ages loved Westlife.
I actually agree with 99% of what you wrote here
Just a quick addition to social media being an asset: I'd say it's not just a huge asset for them, it probably makes life hell for them on some days...
I'm glad someone agrees then
Of course it is a huge burden for them as people but as a boyband promo is a hell of a lot easier now. Also, iTunes made music available everywhere with just 1 click of a mouse and 24/7 - you don't actually have to go into the store and buy a physical copy which all those devoted fans of older boybands had to do.
There are just so many factors that have to be considered before anyone jumps the gun saying 1D are the biggest boyband ever.
Drag Me Down has sold nearly 62.000 copies from Friday until yesterday; Black Magic (this week's number 1) has been sold over 33.000 times.
Unless Adele drops a new song tomorrow or someone hugely popular dies, it's going to be their fourth number 1 song!
(Technically, it's their fifth, as they are credited on the X Factor charity single 2011: "Wishing On A Star" - X Factor Finalists feat. JLS and One Direction)
Yep, they have no. 1 in the bag for sure. Though I did kind of expect bigger sales in UK - I mean, could it really be that they won't match 1st week sales of Little Mix 111K? It remains to be seen I guess. It is just that, a person would assume that a boyband that constantly is hyped as the biggest boyband ever would have a bit bigger sales than this, precisely because they released it without warning. It will be a tad embarrassing if they won't even match Little Mix, let alone beat them.
Yes I know that they haven't released a video and all but the fact that they have a surprise factor should have achieved bigger sales, AND they are even performing that song live on the tour. So I don't know, I'm sure devoted 1D fans will as always find some excuse, but from my point of view, this looks slightly disappointing.
Like I keep saying, they aren't as big as the media portrays them they are - all the media jumped on the bragging wagon to say they topped 90 countries on iTunes but now its Wednesday and they are no. 1 in 20 countries.
I will never say they aren't huge because I'm not blind or stupid, they achieved some impressive things - but I do think media loves to exaggerate their success sometimes when it comes to 1D.