Question for fans of Pop music (particularly Australian Idol related).

WKB

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Now I'm a champion for good pop tunes, most dismiss it but a good pop tune (and there are vast differences between good and bad) is fantastic.

But I have one question for fans of Australian Idol or in particular Ricki-lee fans.

Her 1st single "Hell No" was an ordinary piece of pop music, and no stage did I like it, I think even the most ardent pop fans would admit it was tuneless.

However it debuted in the top 5 (i know that is tiny sales in this country but I have a point, I think). Which leads me to believe that she has fans and there is obvious carry-over of Idol fans.

Yet her next single which is an undeniable pop gem, how pop music should be done, it only debuts in the top 20 and then actually falls this week.

My question to the Idol/Ricki-lee fans is what the hell is going on that her first single does so well but the same artist releases an even better single (better times a million) that even the biggest pop music haters would have to agree is a fairly decent pop tune (if some people are willing to put aside their Idol hatred and just listen to the track) and it is completely ignored.

If she had no fanbase and didn't have Idol behind her and her 1st single went sh*thouse I could understand this type of response. But for the life of me I get confused when an artist has all this and then follows it up with a pop song like "Sunshine" and is completely ignored by these same people who bought the first single.

It's a rant and I know I'll get the "Idol sucks", "They only get released because of Idol", "She can't sing anyway" type of responses. But the truth is she has released a fantastic pop song and I know she won't get a lump of new fans buying it but for gods sake the people who bought the 1st crappy single surely would go and get it.

I mean this is barely top 20 and Nickelback debut in the top 5, something isn't right. The idea that they have any credibility is absurd.
 

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bass_drum

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#2
Any number of reasons. Ignoring the validity or otherwise of the act in question, there are a raft of reasons.

Was there support at radio?
Was there support at TV?
Was there support at retail? And if so, were there any dodgy dealings done to prop up a chart posistion first time round that weren't this time?
What else is out that the original purchasers may be spending money on this time? Not just music - but PSPs, mp3 players, Green Day/Coldplay tickets?

Don't ever look fo justice in the charts. If music charted as deserved why was Crazy Frog ever # 1?

Love what you love and forget the charts, they'll totally do your head in.
 

WKB

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I"m incredibly fimiliar with the foibles of reading the charts and the behind the scenes chicanery that goes on to get songs to certain places in charts.

eg pre-sales as compared to actual sales.

But you do make some good points as to radio, don't listen to radio at all so not sure of how much its played but if I"m flicking through the music channels on Foxtel it is played a fair amount.

Usually this stuff doesn't bother me and records that I think are great sell nothing (such as Blur only ever having one top ten hit) and the aforementioned piece of sh*t that is the Crazy Frog hits number one.

I just think her new song is a fantastic pop tune and how the same people who bought her last single are ignoring this one.

It's a completely irrelevant and silly rant on my behalf but in my 29 years of listening to music I can't remember the being confused between the huge gap between the success of a crap first single and a largly ignored excellent second single.

(Though I did have a friend who was convinced that the second single from The Escape Club was better than "Wild Wild West")
 

Borgsta

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#4
Another factor could be that she had her fans and lost them with the first crap single

* I havent listened to either, just guessing.
 

TigerFan

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#6
I'd be willing to hazard a guess that she didn't hit the publicity trail this time, and her sales are reflective of this.

I find her to be a pretty likeable identity and I also think she has talent, but I didn't know she had another single out - and I'm guessing it might be the same for a lot of other people.
 

oxx

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#9
Kids can buy better stuff from OS artists so why would u listen to d grade produced crap songs that didn't make it onto the Kelly Clarkson album when u can have Kelly Clarkson.

Not one performer.for wantof a better word,on idol has any MUSICAL talent or international flare....any flare actually.

Dont even bother asking about retail or radio support.
Of course they think it's crap.
As if Lee Simon would rest his reputation on a continual playlist featuring Aussie Idol acts singing songs co-written ny Mark Holden - LMAO

It's like Disney Channel for desperate egos untapped.

The real talent in Australia is in the pubs and rehursal rooms of suburbia
not on f u k k e n Austarlia Idol.

*See Johnny Young*

Idol is the Young Talent Time of the now,but with lesser talented people .
 

WKB

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Not one performer.for wantof a better word,on idol has any MUSICAL talent
I'm sure of the validity of this. Some of them are downright ********e, others are boring, others are simply no better than karaoke singers but some do have musical talent.

(Though I do agree about the internation flare part)

But that is all irrelevant. If heard the single without seeing a video or told who it was, most people would have to admit to themselves it is a great pop tune.

But at least I'm getting some answers as to why.

Admittingly I'm not ever going to buy the song but just wondering why fans of hers would ignore it. But there are a now at least a few (obvious if I had opened my eyes) reasons to its inability to be a success.
 

Jabso

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#11
I'm no pop fan but traditionally the first single sells higher than any other.
Also the first single is often out before the album. Or the masses will buy the single and buy the album but have no need to buy the 2nd single.
You often hear people say "this should of been the first single" so thats what I base it on.
 

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