Earlier this year, I wondered if the concept of the novelty hit was completely dead. It’s been years since a cartoon or puppet had a no.1, charity singles are now sung by choirs of mums or awkward groups of UK urban acts, and there has not (yet!) been an attempt to turn The Inbetweeners into… Continue reading Popping the Question: Does 2012 herald the return of the novelty hit?
Category: Popping the Question
Popping the Question: Will the UK ever win Eurovision again?
Every time the UK does badly in Eurovision, it seems to bring out the worst in the British public, and 2012 was no exception. Commenters on Twitter and tabloid journalists suggested that it was time to quit Eurovision, simply because we didn’t win. Talk about sore losers! They also used the same old “political voting”… Continue reading Popping the Question: Will the UK ever win Eurovision again?
Popping the Question: Is it time for Europe to reclaim Europop?
Five years ago I was obsessed with European pop music. Mainland Europe was excelling at both the traditional Europop (or more accurately Eurodance) sound and all the other genres that make up pop. But nowadays I’m as likely to find my new favourite song in the UK or US as in the Swedish, Dutch or… Continue reading Popping the Question: Is it time for Europe to reclaim Europop?
Popping The Question: How Much Control Should An Artist Have Over Their Own Career?
Inspired by Alexander Bard’s comments that only the “genetically chosen few” have the talent to write a great pop song, I have been thinking about the never-ending tug of war between artists and record labels over how much control the performer should have over their own music and career decisions. It’s a complex question because… Continue reading Popping The Question: How Much Control Should An Artist Have Over Their Own Career?
Popping The Question: Is Bad Pop Better Than No Pop?
Something I often think about is whether it’s better to have bad pop music in the charts or no pop music at all. While it would be awful to see no pop acts in the top ten (as was regularly the case in the early/mid-’00s) I think it’s even worse if the chart is full… Continue reading Popping The Question: Is Bad Pop Better Than No Pop?
The Impossible Has Been Achieved!
Last week I wrote about how the major labels are still managing to block independent and unsigned artists from success, even with the amazing promotional opportunities the internet provides. By total coincidence just a few days later I opened up iTunes to find out who was in contention for the Christmas no.1… to discover an… Continue reading The Impossible Has Been Achieved!
Popping The Question: Can The Major Labels Survive In The Internet Age? (Part Two)
Click here for part one of this discussion, where I talk about the effect illegal downloading has had on the music industry and how the major labels have responded. Illegal downloading is a problem that all record labels and artists have had to face, but what has really challenged the major labels’ dominance is the… Continue reading Popping The Question: Can The Major Labels Survive In The Internet Age? (Part Two)
Popping The Question: Can The Major Labels Survive In The Internet Age? (Part One)
It’s amazing to think about how the music industry has transformed in my lifetime. I first got into music at around the age of ten. I bought cassette singles from Our Price, was a religious reader of Smash Hits and watched Top of the Pops every week. Thirteen years later none of those things exist,… Continue reading Popping The Question: Can The Major Labels Survive In The Internet Age? (Part One)
Popping the Question: Is There Room For a New Girlband on Planet Pop?
Girls Aloud are on hiatus, the Sugababes are on the verge of being dropped (for the third time) and The Saturdays aren’t even getting no.2s anymore, let alone the no.1 that’s always eluded them. Evidence would suggest that now is the perfect time for an amazing new girl group to step in and take over… Continue reading Popping the Question: Is There Room For a New Girlband on Planet Pop?
Popping The Question: Can a British Boyband Make It In The USA?
Take That, Westlife, Five, Busted, McFly, JLS. They all tried to replicate their British success in the USA and not one of them succeeded. I’ve decided to investigate why the Yanks don’t care for British boys, and why the Brits keep trying regardless. Last night I chanced upon some clips from the TV series America… Continue reading Popping The Question: Can a British Boyband Make It In The USA?