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[rhys1212]

I just don't understand why there is so much hype over One Direction. They have probably one of the biggest fan bases in the world yet they never really manage to make a crazy amount of sales in the UK with their singles. For a band with so many fans you'll expect number 1's every time they release a single. What Makes You Beautiful a song that every teenage girl in the world went crazy about still has only sold under 900,000. Don't get me wrong that amount of sales is really good but for a band with so many fans, it seems to be a bit rubbish.

Am I being stupid or do you agree that they are very overrated?

[Eric_Blob]

Most teenage girls don't (or can't) legally download though. There's lots of songs loved by millions of people that sell hardly anything. So I don't find One Direction's sales to be low, to be honest I'd say they're very good, especially since it's quite a select audience they appeal to.

[JosephBoone]

they make me want to get sick

[Soy Adrián]

The fact that they don't have an album nearing a million says one of two things - either their fanbase is far weaker than the hype would have you believe, or they attract virtually no casual purchasers. Looking at the sales of Take That in particular, but Boyzone and Westlife at their peak as well, they're not even in the same league.

[JosephBoone]

The fact that they don't have an album nearing a million says one of two things - either their fanbase is far weaker than the hype would have you believe, or they attract virtually no casual purchasers. Looking at the sales of Take That in particular, but Boyzone and Westlife at their peak as well, they're not even in the same league.

22 - 22 - 173,800 - One Direction - Take Me Home - 789,500 - 24/11/12 - 6
37 - 37 - 96,600 - One Direction - Up All Night - 937,100 - 03/12/11 - 26

I don't think that's too shoddy, especially in this climate.

[Mart!n]

Topic on the move, wrong forum

[zeze88]

I keep saying they are overrated for a while now so yes, I agree with this.

I mean, just this recent example shows this: their new single was no.1 on iTunes in 60 countries and today it is no. 1 in just 7 countries. It was reported they will probably sell 300K in the US which is less than what they sold with Live While We're Young (340K). And again, they won't be no. 1 in the UK as Avicii is leading by a huge margin - he sold 100K by Friday, while 1D sold 50K.

I know that the sales have decreased in the last few years, but many artists prove that the sales can be high if the public is interested in the music: Michael Buble and Emeli Sande for example had no problem selling million copies in the UK with their last albums, Bruno Mars as well. Look at Robin Thicke's and Daft Punk's singles... It is still possible to have high sales.

So yes, I think they aren't very successful in the UK since their albums still haven't reach 1 million mark despite such a huge media exposure. And even if the worldwide sales are not bad, you would think they would be much higher with such huge popularity and media coverage. Especially if they cracked America - Westlife for example sold 5 million copies of their debut and 7 million copies of 2nd album without the american market.

I agree that young people don't buy music these days, bu then again... they are a boyband after all, so you would think they would support their lovely act in every possible way - I know diehard fans sometimes buy 5-6 copies just so they would make sure their artist gets a high charting.

It is certainly more about the hype and popularity than the actual success.

This post has been edited by zeze88: 28th July 2013, 09:42 AM

[truly talented]

Depends on your definition of over-rated?

By my understanding they are probably one of the most overrated acts of all time.

[Scene]

The truth is if One Direction were made up of five ugly boys singing and releasing the same songs with the same voices, they wouldn't have that many fans at all.

[Rooney]

It always amazes me how people use sales figures as the hallmark of success.

Let's be honest they're absolutely massive. I'm not sure how, but they are. I can only think of a handful of acts/artists that are more well known and popular than them currently at the moment. Their albums have sold pretty well. They have no widespread appeal like a lot of the other acts mentioned in the topic already. They have a market which is somewhere between 10-25 and they're not the type of act who will pick up sales from your Mum's and Granny's like Westlife, Boyzone and Take That did because they're music is so different.

[Soy Adrián]

It always amazes me how people use sales figures as the hallmark of success.

Let's be honest they're absolutely massive. I'm not sure how, but they are. I can only think of a handful of acts/artists that are more well known and popular than them currently at the moment. Their albums have sold pretty well. They have no widespread appeal like a lot of the other acts mentioned in the topic already. They have a market which is somewhere between 10-25 and they're not the type of act who will pick up sales from your Mum's and Granny's like Westlife, Boyzone and Take That did because they're music is so different.

Take That were aimed at the teen market just as much for the majority of their career, and they managed to attract a wider audience anyway.

I was referring to sales because when I first saw the topic it was in the Sales Vault - and no matter which way you look at it, not having a million selling album when you're supposedly the biggest group in the world is atrocious.

[danG]

I know that the sales have decreased in the last few years, but many artists prove that the sales can be high if the public is interested in the music: Michael Buble and Emeli Sande for example had no problem selling million copies in the UK with their last albums, Bruno Mars as well. Look at Robin Thicke's and Daft Punk's singles... It is still possible to have high sales.

The reason for this being that they appeal to an adult market who are more likely to buy albums than teenagers. I'd say 1D have very high sales for a teen act, remember that sales isn't just about singles and albums, they've also sold a lot more merchandise and tickets for their tours than the likes of JLS and The Wanted.

[G𝓪𝓻y]

One Direction are massive worldwide. They may not be the biggest band at selling records etc but there tours, from what I know, are always sold out.

[zeze88]

The reason for this being that they appeal to an adult market who are more likely to buy albums than teenagers. I'd say 1D have very high sales for a teen act, remember that sales isn't just about singles and albums, they've also sold a lot more merchandise and tickets for their tours than the likes of JLS and The Wanted.

Just so you know, I only mentioned Mars and Sande as an example that it is possible to sell millions of records - because many people blame the decreased sales for some act not having high sales. All I'm saying is that, if someone truly loves your music, you could have high sales.

And of course that it isn't JUST about the sales, but I wouldn't actually put merchandise as an example of success - every boyband has had that (JLS had even condoms ), it is just that Simon is clever to expand that even more with toothpaste and make-up. That is not success, that is more about popularity.

And again, like ¿ DESPEDIDO ? said before - ALL boybands are targeted at teen audience, but many of the older boybands managed to appeal to the wider audience.

This post has been edited by zeze88: 28th July 2013, 11:27 AM

[Hayzayy]

I think they are very underrated for what they are tbh.

This.

[zeze88]

This.

How exactly are they underrated though? They are no different than any other boyband that ever existed or will exist in the future. Also, many artists would KILL to have that kind of media exposure and hype that 1D do.

I simply can't see that they are underrated... the media in fact are sometimes exaggerating their success and are overly praising them, you should be very grateful as they used to mock boybands very harshly in the past.

This post has been edited by zeze88: 28th July 2013, 12:28 PM

[James1987]

22 - 22 - 173,800 - One Direction - Take Me Home - 789,500 - 24/11/12 - 6
37 - 37 - 96,600 - One Direction - Up All Night - 937,100 - 03/12/11 - 26

I don't think that's too shoddy, especially in this climate.

I agree, those sales aren't bad by any means but with the hype and the constant media presence I would have expected a million seller by now especially as the debut album was released 3 years ago.

What really bugs me is how other artists seem to use 1D as a platform for their own promo, stories about how Gabrielle Aplin, John Newman (don't do it John we beg you!!), some American I can't remember all saying how they would write for them and those silly stories about Harry asking a hotel maid to record a groan sound and The Wanted going on about their hand bag 'feud it's' all too much and I think they are easily the most over rated group in history given that their music is awful, they were lucky just a case of right place right time!

And radio 1 don't help, force feeding us 1D and Justin Bieber just to get a younger audience! I listened to the end if Matt Edmondson's show and he asked Huw Stephens what he thought would be number 1 and he said 'it has to be 1D, they're 1D'. Maybe Huw should listen to the chart update more often...idiot!

At least when I listen to the Vodafone top 40 it'll be hilarious hearing the DJ's announce they are new at number 3/4!
But I respect the fact they have fans, no matter how deluded and wrong I think they are this is just my opinion which I'm entitled to have!!

[Hitstastic]

Rooney makes a good point about the sales thing. The fact is most artists make most of their money through tours/merchandise than they do from selling singles/albums (especially albums) on iTunes, or any online music store.

They clearly are the biggest boyband in the world right now whether you love or loathe them (step aside The Wanted, you don't even come close to 1D).

Also 1D have got the biggest music mogul behind them; Simon Cowell. The same could be said about Justin Bieber - another megastar (who is going to self destruct within the next 12 months if he isn't careful ) but again, he doesn't have massive single/album sales but his tours/merchandise is certainly where the money is coming from.

[seven.]

The truth is if One Direction were made up of five ugly boys singing and releasing the same songs with the same voices, they wouldn't have that many fans at all.

^ Quoted for truth.

[JosephBoone]

Rooney makes a good point about the sales thing. The fact is most artists make most of their money through tours/merchandise than they do from selling singles/albums (especially albums) on iTunes, or any online music store.

They clearly are the biggest boyband in the world right now whether you love or loathe them (step aside The Wanted, you don't even come close to 1D).

Also 1D have got the biggest music mogul behind them; Simon Cowell. The same could be said about Justin Bieber - another megastar (who is going to self destruct within the next 12 months if he isn't careful ) but again, he doesn't have massive single/album sales but his tours/merchandise is certainly where the money is coming from.

Yeah this is totally right. Justin and 1D's tours sell out REALLY quickly (I was lucky to get tickets to see Justin) and the merchandise there is certainly overpriced but they clearly make a lot of money from it.

Besides, "overrated" is surely an opinion? It's different for everyone depending on how much you like them. Personally I wish a lot of their songs had sold more than they did and would even go as far as to say that sales-wise, they are underrated. However, I can see why people may think they are overrated, they're in the media a lot (too much) and their songs don't appeal to everyone. I don't get though, how this is different to say, Lady Gaga (except she's sold more records).