sad sad day...it seems

MadameChaos said:
I agree, his marketing team need to think outside the box a bit more. There are loads more ways to promote a new single other than interviews. Even the Rolling Stones give away tickets and mechandise on the radio, there must be literally hundreds of ways to create a buzz with no extra pressure on the artist.
Click to expand...

They have been completely lacking in creativity.

Johan de Witt said:
Yes, but surely it's difficult to create such a buzz 4 times a year?
Let's not forget that there will be 2 more Morrissey-singles out this year, and it will be much more important to promote them well, so I think they made a very wise decision in pulling this one. If only they hadn't made the very wrong decision to go ahead with this release first...
Click to expand...

Nonsense. It's much easier to keep momentum going than to have to rebuild it every time. There are dozens of people I know who would like and download Morrissey songs if they even heard them- but they don't. They can't leave it solely up to the fanbase to evangelize. Even his lesser songs are better than nearly all of what's out there. Maybe he is unofficially blacklisted in the US, I don't know. He's certainly been pigeonholed as an "alternative" artist, and the "alternative" market that he was a part of doesn't exist anymore. There is no reason that he shouldn't be played on "adult contemporary" stations, or whatever they're called.
 
It seems there is a chance the single will be released, simply delayed. If it has been cancelled, then it’s not inconceivable that “All You Need Is Me” could make its way on the new album too. If Decca wants to get on with it and release the new album sooner rather than later, then I’ll gladly wait a couple extra months for an entire album than a couple of new b-sides (which we’ll still get when the first single from the new album anyway).

What I find troubling is the apparent lack of strategy regarding how they are marketing Morrissey. Decca releases the weaker single first (THPGU), with poor b-sides and a lame video. They then stagger the release date in the U.K. and the U.S. for “Greatest Hits.” Now we have a single announced, artwork displayed, and a video shot only to be told at the eleventh hour that it’s all for not because the new album is ready. Which makes sense: release the new album and tour off it this summer. Don’t release a single with A-list backing material and continue to try to revive a chart dead “Greatest Hits” album. Keep the strong songs for the new album and accompanying b-sides. Have a lovely summer touring Europe and playing festivals, rather than releasing a single now and postponing the new album until Fall.
 
PregnantForTheLastTime said:
Nonsense. It's much easier to keep momentum going than to have to rebuild it every time. There are dozens of people I know who would like and download Morrissey songs if they even heard them- but they don't. They can't leave it solely up to the fanbase to evangelize. Even his lesser songs are better than nearly all of what's out there. Maybe he is unofficially blacklisted in the US, I don't know. He's certainly been pigeonholed as an "alternative" artist, and the "alternative" market that he was a part of doesn't exist anymore. There is no reason that he shouldn't be played on "adult contemporary" stations, or whatever they're called.
Click to expand...

Just so we know what we're dealing with, here's "what's out there", the artists in the UK Top Twenty:

TING TINGS
RIHANNA
MADONNA FT JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE
WILL I AM FT CHERYL COLE
WILEY
SAM SPARRO
USHER FT YOUNG JEEZY
COLDPLAY
ESTELLE FT KANYE WEST
SEPTEMBER

FLORIDA FT T-PAIN
PENDULUM
DUFFY
PIGEON DETECTIVES
KELLY ROWLAND FT TRAVIS MCCOY
NELLY FT FERGIE
KYLIE MINOGUE
DUFFY
GABRIELLA CILMI
SCOUTING FOR GIRLS​

It's a different world now. He's not going to place well in charts dominated by artists like Estelle or "T-Pain", whatever that is. Most artists of his age and stature won't-- unless they force their fanbase to buy three or four versions of the same single in order to inflate their chart position.

I feel for him if the single was, indeed, canceled because of a perceived lack of chart potential; I really feel for him if he still genuinely cares about this. The charts were always nonsense anyway, and now they've slid into a bizarre kind of sub-nonsense, down alongside tabloid horoscopes and Russian election results.
 
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Worm said:
Just so we know what we're dealing with, here's "what's out there", the artists in the UK Top Twenty:

TING TINGS
RIHANNA
MADONNA FT JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE
WILL I AM FT CHERYL COLE
WILEY
SAM SPARRO
USHER FT YOUNG JEEZY
COLDPLAY
ESTELLE FT KANYE WEST
SEPTEMBER

FLORIDA FT T-PAIN
PENDULUM
DUFFY
PIGEON DETECTIVES
KELLY ROWLAND FT TRAVIS MCCOY
NELLY FT FERGIE
KYLIE MINOGUE
DUFFY
GABRIELLA CILMI
SCOUTING FOR GIRLS​
Click to expand...

This list says to me that Morrissey needs to do a duet with Justin Timberlake or Fergie in order to have any chance at relevance to today's market.

Oh, lord, please let it be so!
 
Worm said:
Just so we know what we're dealing with, here's "what's out there", the artists in the UK Top Twenty:

TING TINGS
RIHANNA
MADONNA FT JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE
WILL I AM FT CHERYL COLE
WILEY
SAM SPARRO
USHER FT YOUNG JEEZY
COLDPLAY
ESTELLE FT KANYE WEST
SEPTEMBER

FLORIDA FT T-PAIN
PENDULUM
DUFFY
PIGEON DETECTIVES
KELLY ROWLAND FT TRAVIS MCCOY
NELLY FT FERGIE
KYLIE MINOGUE
DUFFY
GABRIELLA CILMI
SCOUTING FOR GIRLS​

It's a different world now. He's not going to place well in charts dominated by artists like Estelle or "T-Pain", whatever that is. Most artists of his age and stature won't-- unless they force their fanbase to buy three or four versions of the same single in order to inflate their chart position.

I feel for him if the single was, indeed, canceled because of a perceived lack of chart potential; I really feel for him if he still genuinely cares about this. The charts were always nonsense anyway, and now they've slid into a bizarre kind of sub-nonsense, down alongside tabloid horoscopes and Russian election results.
Click to expand...

Madonna is on the list. She's his contemporary and is even slightly older than he is. Now, I'll save the 10 pages on why I am disappointed with Madonna working with Justin Timberlake for some other time. She doesn't have to do it. And I seriously thought that she had hit rock bottom when she recorded with Britney. But she can have hits on her own and so can he.

Still, the mainstrea, has changed a lot, and some of the biggest stars on that list are feeling the pinch, even if they have a current sound. You can see it by all of the duets. I can't see a duet working for Morrissey.

I guess he is most like Coldplay of the artists on that list. Maybe he should get Brian Eno? But they aren't having hits because of Eno anyway. That's just an attempt to get some critical love and respect. And the guy does have a track record. He's not the worst person they could have chosen.

But what's Morrissey have to do to have a hit record? I see two ways to do it. Either make a song that is completely about himself and plays on his image, as he seems to have done with the last two singles, or make a hook-filled song that anyone could sing, that everyone can sing along with, that uses his band and his vocals, and his ability to write great lyrics to best advantage, but that tones down the personality. Something like "Let Me Kiss You", which of course had the "you see someone you despise" line and so isn't the perfect example, but which was still a great pop hit, that you didn't have to be a Morrissey fan to appreciate.

I'm sure that more than a few people that bought a Morrissey record based on liking that single were bewildered by what they found.

In the end, no, he doesn't need hit singles, and in some ways you might even think that wanting them is beneath him, but this is what he does. His career appears to be his reason for being as far as I can see, and he's been in show business for a long long time. It's had to have affected his ideas about success.
 
f*** the charts, what about the fans, surely thats more important. Morrissey what has happened to you?
 
spinelessswine said:
I think that's a trifle harsh.
I just honestly think it may well be a genuine email.
Click to expand...

I'm just being concise. Surely there are many many reasons why someone would fake an email, and even if it was real it doesn't necessarily have any baring on the current situation.
 
Dave said:
Madonna is on the list. She's his contemporary and is even slightly older than he is. Now, I'll save the 10 pages on why I am disappointed with Madonna working with Justin Timberlake for some other time. She doesn't have to do it. And I seriously thought that she had hit rock bottom when she recorded with Britney. But she can have hits on her own and so can he.

Still, the mainstrea, has changed a lot, and some of the biggest stars on that list are feeling the pinch, even if they have a current sound. You can see it by all of the duets. I can't see a duet working for Morrissey.

I guess he is most like Coldplay of the artists on that list. Maybe he should get Brian Eno? But they aren't having hits because of Eno anyway. That's just an attempt to get some critical love and respect. And the guy does have a track record. He's not the worst person they could have chosen.

But what's Morrissey have to do to have a hit record? I see two ways to do it. Either make a song that is completely about himself and plays on his image, as he seems to have done with the last two singles, or make a hook-filled song that anyone could sing, that everyone can sing along with, that uses his band and his vocals, and his ability to write great lyrics to best advantage, but that tones down the personality. Something like "Let Me Kiss You", which of course had the "you see someone you despise" line and so isn't the perfect example, but which was still a great pop hit, that you didn't have to be a Morrissey fan to appreciate.

I'm sure that more than a few people that bought a Morrissey record based on liking that single were bewildered by what they found.

In the end, no, he doesn't need hit singles, and in some ways you might even think that wanting them is beneath him, but this is what he does. His career appears to be his reason for being as far as I can see, and he's been in show business for a long long time. It's had to have affected his ideas about success.
Click to expand...

I think you're reading too much into the importance of lyrics when it comes to 'hit' records. The average person listening to the radio doesn't give a hoot about lyrics! The most successful Morrissey singles (or the ones that got played most on the radio) simply have a great choon e.g. First of the Gang, Suedehead, Everyday and Alma.

For instance, I can't stand Radiohead or Oasis, lyrically at least. But if their songs have a fantastic melody e.g. I'm Free or Big Plastic Trees, I'll go out and buy the single. I think that's how it is for normal people who aren't heavily into music, and for a single to do well, it needs these people to buy it...
 
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Vauxhall95 said:
What I find troubling is the apparent lack of strategy regarding how they are marketing Morrissey. Decca releases the weaker single first (THPGU), with poor b-sides and a lame video. They then stagger the release date in the U.K. and the U.S. for “Greatest Hits.” Now we have a single announced, artwork displayed, and a video shot only to be told at the eleventh hour that it’s all for not because the new album is ready. Which makes sense: release the new album and tour off it this summer. Don’t release a single with A-list backing material and continue to try to revive a chart dead “Greatest Hits” album. Keep the strong songs for the new album and accompanying b-sides. Have a lovely summer touring Europe and playing festivals, rather than releasing a single now and postponing the new album until Fall.
Click to expand...

I have a feeling that the things you're mentioning here has more to do with Morrissey himself, and his own choices, than it has to do with Decca.
 
This was like playing "Telephone."

I want Moz to be happy. I want him to have the type of success he wants - but I think the type of success he already has is more important and more valuable.
 
Maurice E said:
e.g. I'm Free or Big Plastic Trees, I'll go out and buy the single. I think that's how it for normal people who aren't heavily into music, and for a single to do well, it needs these people to buy it...
Click to expand...

it's Fake Plastic Trees.


sorry. :o
 
It IS.

Read front page people. :p


yaaaay.
 
Dave said:
Madonna is on the list. She's his contemporary and is even slightly older than he is. Now, I'll save the 10 pages on why I am disappointed with Madonna working with Justin Timberlake for some other time. She doesn't have to do it. And I seriously thought that she had hit rock bottom when she recorded with Britney. But she can have hits on her own and so can he.

Still, the mainstrea, has changed a lot, and some of the biggest stars on that list are feeling the pinch, even if they have a current sound. You can see it by all of the duets. I can't see a duet working for Morrissey.

I guess he is most like Coldplay of the artists on that list. Maybe he should get Brian Eno? But they aren't having hits because of Eno anyway. That's just an attempt to get some critical love and respect. And the guy does have a track record. He's not the worst person they could have chosen.

But what's Morrissey have to do to have a hit record? I see two ways to do it. Either make a song that is completely about himself and plays on his image, as he seems to have done with the last two singles, or make a hook-filled song that anyone could sing, that everyone can sing along with, that uses his band and his vocals, and his ability to write great lyrics to best advantage, but that tones down the personality. Something like "Let Me Kiss You", which of course had the "you see someone you despise" line and so isn't the perfect example, but which was still a great pop hit, that you didn't have to be a Morrissey fan to appreciate.

I'm sure that more than a few people that bought a Morrissey record based on liking that single were bewildered by what they found.

In the end, no, he doesn't need hit singles, and in some ways you might even think that wanting them is beneath him, but this is what he does. His career appears to be his reason for being as far as I can see, and he's been in show business for a long long time. It's had to have affected his ideas about success.
Click to expand...

Maurice is right. It's mainly the catchiness of the song-- as simple as that and as mysterious as that. (And he said "choon", which made me giggle.)

Morrissey is having problems with the charts because, as you said, his songs are mainly Moz-oriented-- they have been for awhile-- but moreso because they are not strong musically. I'm not saying they're bad, only that the backing tracks are little better than adequate. "That's How People Grow Up" is a better song than, for instance, "Mute Witness", but the latter is so much more interesting musically that if I had to pick the hit single I'd choose 'Witness'. He wants to foreground his voice, which is understandable considering he's never sounded better, but that's not going to result in the kind of choons (...heh...) needed to turn heads when kids hear it on the radio.

Barring my suggested collaboration with Timbaland (or Mark Ronson), under his present template I think Morrissey should do another "character" song with a killer backing track like "The Last Of The Famous International Playboys". If he had written and released that single in 2008 I believe he'd have an easy Number One (maybe even without the need to release three formats). Not hinting for a moment he's dried up and should repeat himself, just illustrating what I think is the blueprint. What's the missing ingredient? A beat. Danceability. Most of his solo career he's lacked it for some reason or another. Most of his best songs have a shuffle and a skip to them-- in many, though, the rhythm section is AWOL. In today's charts you've got to make music for the hips as well as the head.

Oh, wait. I've heard that phrase somewhere before...

P.S. Madonna is on the list with Justin Timberlake. Vampirism, not contemporary relevance.
 
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