Printable version of thread

Posted by: SKepner 15th July 2018, 09:59 AM

Simple discussion question - should 808 have been the lead single over "What Are You Waiting For?" during the Greatest Hits campaign?

Vote and discuss.

Posted by: Tawdry Hepburn 15th July 2018, 10:27 AM

Maybe it should have been, but I don't think at that point it would have made any noticeable difference. They were toast.

Posted by: LeeWallace 15th July 2018, 10:38 AM

Their best bet would have been to not a have a half arsed campaign and returned with a strong lead for greatest hits with a possible feature, I’m guessing radio might have had a better intention of supporting it had that been the case and they could have ended things with a possible top 10 single?

Posted by: NellyEverySundae 15th July 2018, 04:01 PM

808 probably would’ve peaked at #38 too and we would probably be discussing if ‘What Are You Waiting For?’ should’ve been made the single instead.

Posted by: Jay ☆ 15th July 2018, 04:48 PM

Definitely agree with Aly & Nelly - they were in a bad position in 2014 with having lost radio support, and I really don't think any song regardless of how strong it was would have been given a fair chance at that stage.

Posted by: Andrew. 15th July 2018, 04:57 PM

It's a shame the album flopping essentially killed their radio support as up until then they weren't doing TOO badly in the campaign, Gentleman aside. 'Disco Love' did well considering the low airplay so I'm not sure why radio almost completely abandoned them for 'Not Giving Up'.

On topic, 'What Are You Waiting For' is a BOP but definitely not something to get a hit single with in 2014. Despite what they said though, I'm pretty sure they already knew they were splitting up by that point.

Posted by: Juliano 16th July 2018, 03:16 AM

I Definately think 808 would have faired better.

Posted by: JSG 16th July 2018, 07:23 AM

I actually really loved What Are You Waiting For at the time and personally would have kept it as the lead single but I would have followed it up with 808.

It's a shame the girls have split up though because they definitely were my favourite girl band ever.

Posted by: Juliano 16th July 2018, 10:46 AM

Likewise.

Posted by: Cameron 16th July 2018, 11:02 AM

I think 808 could have had an amazing tv performance with lots of dancers. I think with streaming it probably would have only gotten to like #29 or something lmao

Posted by: Tawdry Hepburn 18th July 2018, 01:58 PM

If '808' had been released and performed roughly similar to how WWYF did, I'm sure we'd all be saying "why wasn't WWYF the single instead?"

Posted by: SKepner 18th July 2018, 06:47 PM

Probably would. I think among the hardcore fans 808 is held in higher regard as the most liked out the three GH tracks.

Posted by: Martyn 19th July 2018, 04:13 PM

So many fans act like 808 is up there with the greatest things they’ve recorded.

I don’t think 808 had a crossover appeal for streaming. So I suspect it would have faired in a similar way to Whar Are You Waiting For. Give or take a place.

I think a single would have faired better if not released the same week as the album.

Posted by: SKepner 19th July 2018, 05:15 PM

It definitely is more of a bop than some of their stuff but it most certainly isn't up there with Notorious, All Fired Up, Higher, What About Us, etc.

I think the last bit goes without saying, whose idea even was that?

Posted by: LeeWallace 19th July 2018, 08:18 PM

Bitches didn’t want two weeks of promo

Posted by: Tawdry Hepburn 19th July 2018, 08:59 PM

I don't feel like that really made any difference. It was around the time streaming came in which already cost it 13 places in the chart, but no radio station would play it whatsoever and it was getting very minimal at best plays on the music channels. There was no hope.

It's a chain of events which can be linked back to 'Gentleman', then Radio 1 refusing to playlist them from 'Not Giving Up' onwards because of the album bombing.

Posted by: Juliano 19th July 2018, 09:31 PM

I don't know y'all, at the time the sound of 808 definitely had more appeal than WAYWF, also radios wanted to hear a proper What About Us follow up for the GH era and that was more it. Definitely feel it would have done stronger in streaming as well to make it at least top 20, the longevity of it's popularity on Spotify speaks volumes. Not hating on WAYWF, I feel like it was robbed, I just can imagine basic white chav girls dancing around more merrily to 808.

Posted by: Tawdry Hepburn 19th July 2018, 10:19 PM

Isn't '808' having higher streaming numbers pretty much entirely down to it being a random mainstay on a popular Spotify playlist?

Correct me if I'm wrong on that though.

Posted by: Juliano 19th July 2018, 11:40 PM

Which playlist other than being one of the girls highest streamed? That's what doesn't make sense to me.

Posted by: (Zach) 18th March 2019, 01:37 AM

At the time I felt WAYWF was the right choice but hindsight is 20/20 and I now realize that 808 would've been the better choice commercially. It's similar to What About Us in some ways so it might've gone Top 20 based off that alone.

Posted by: Tawdry Hepburn 18th March 2019, 11:21 AM

A playlist on Spotify.

Posted by: Wall 18th March 2019, 02:22 PM

The 808 streams in comparison to What Are You Waiting For? is shocking.