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> Songs that sound like desperate attempts to get a hit, Whether they worked or not!
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BillyH
post 16th October 2014, 01:04 AM
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What songs, whether in their subject matter or composition etc smack an ugly amount of desperation to get a "hit" charting as highly as possible? It doesn't matter if they ended up genuinely being huge or sank into obscurity, and can be from new acts or previously more credible acts selling out to the mainstream.

First two that come to mind are both by the much-missed (laugh.gif) The Wanted, who did actually produce some fun songs over their brief career but things went horribly wrong last year, first with 'Walks Like Rihanna' which a) name-checked a megastar, b) ripped off the title of million-seller 'Moves Like Jagger' and not even starting on their attempt-at-a-viral-hit video, and then with 'Show Me Love (America)' the reason is already in the title!
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buzz_person
post 16th October 2014, 01:46 AM
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QUOTE(BillyH @ Oct 16 2014, 02:04 PM) *
First two that come to mind are both by the much-missed (laugh.gif) The Wanted, who did actually produce some fun songs over their brief career but things went horribly wrong last year, first with 'Walks Like Rihanna' which a) name-checked a megastar, b) ripped off the title of million-seller 'Moves Like Jagger' and not even starting on their attempt-at-a-viral-hit video, and then with 'Show Me Love (America)' the reason is already in the title!


The Wanted really shot themselves in the foot last year ever since Walks Like Rihanna. I eye-rolled as soon as I saw the title. The song was crap as well as their video. Their subsequent single releases were really terrible after that. Wasn't surprised that their album tanked. Desperation was such an understatement for The Wanted in 2013. Although, Glow in the Dark (their final single) was quite a decent song but the label were too lazy to promote or even try anymore at that point (the song's video was just a montage and not a very good one).

John Legend's All of Me sounded pretty desperate to me. Not necessarily to get a hit, but a desperation to get a Grammy for Song of The Year or Record of the Year.


This post has been edited by buzz_person: 16th October 2014, 01:50 AM
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Jessie Where
post 16th October 2014, 01:49 AM
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It really went wrong for The Wanted as soon as they released 'I Found You', after that pretty much blew the tyres of their career they couldn't get radio support, the only decent thing they did since was 'We Own The Night'.

The most obvious recent example is Jessie J getting on board Ariana and Nicki for her recent single following the second album's underperformance, it was obviously a smart move but reeks of sheer desperation.
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fchd
post 16th October 2014, 06:56 AM
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The dozens of slightly different versions of Alex Day's "Forever Yours"
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Eric_Blob
post 16th October 2014, 08:02 AM
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I don't think Bang Bang was that desperate. It's the female version of New Flame, both songs just two poppy-R&B singers featuring a rapper.
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Mangų
post 16th October 2014, 08:30 AM
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As much as it pains me to say it, it does feel like Professor Green's people all got together after his flop last year and said "We need another hit, let's do another Read All About It" when they came up with 'Lullaby'.

Completely agree with the above posts about The Wanted, their last few singles reeked of desperation (though as Aly said 'We Own The Night' was pretty decent, despite again sounding like a desperate attempt at a hit).

Add to the list Union J with 'Tonight (We Live Forever)' - another song that is desperately trying to sound like a hit but doesn't quite manage it.


This post has been edited by Mango: 16th October 2014, 08:32 AM
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ML Hammer95
post 16th October 2014, 08:55 AM
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A good recent example would be Dizzee Rascal's last album. Collabs with Robbie Williams, Jessie J, will.I.am and Dizzee himself said it was aimed at America! Luckily it flopped, and the most memorable (and best) song was Baseline Junkie laugh.gif

Other songs you could include:

Tinie Tempah- Children of the Sun
Dappy- No Regrets
50 Cent- My Life
Wiley- Heatwave, Can you Hear Me etc
Sam Smith- Money on my Mind
Naughty Boy- Lifted
Tinchy Stryder- Spaceship
Ed Sheeran- Sing


This post has been edited by ML Hammer95: 16th October 2014, 09:13 AM
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diva thin muffin
post 16th October 2014, 08:56 AM
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Wholeheartedly agree with you all about The Wanted and "Walks Like Rihanna". I also rolled my eyes as soon as I saw the title and hated the song from the very first listen because it's quite possibly the most desperate attempt at a hit I have ever seen. Also, since when did Rihanna have a signature walk? Did I miss something?

I also think "We Own The Night" was desperate, though maybe not as desperate as WLR, but mostly because of how the song is just about partying 'til you die which sounds like a seriously cringeworthy and desperate attempt to get young people to download it.

"Show Me Love (America)" has desperation written all over it in the title but the song itself would be so much better if they had just cut off the word (America) from the title because they never actually sing "Show Me Love America" in the song, but rather "Show Me Love" and "Could Have Shown You America" as two different lines.
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Dark Horse
post 16th October 2014, 12:16 PM
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i think The Wanted are being treated very badly by the UK public, most of their songs are instant pop classics, even 'Walks like rihanna' even if the lyrics were corny , 'Show me love ', 'We own the night' and 'Glow in the dark' all sound great, and way better than most 1D or 5SOS songs which are both far more popular.... 'Glad you came' and 'I found you' are absolute classics and 'Chasing the sun' should've become their second top 10 single in the US...
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JackTheeStallion
post 16th October 2014, 12:18 PM
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The Saturdays - All Fired Up
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Dobbo
post 16th October 2014, 12:21 PM
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Cheryl Cole - Crazy Stupid Love
Jessie J - Bang Bang
Ellie Goulding - Burn
Armin Van Buuren - This Is What It Feels Like
Wiley - Heatwave
Ne-Yo - Let Me Love You
Taylor Swift - We Are Never etc...
Chris Brown - Turn Up The Music
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Jessie Where
post 16th October 2014, 12:29 PM
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QUOTE(Dobbo @ Oct 16 2014, 01:21 PM) *
Armin Van Buuren - This Is What It Feels Like


That reminds me in a roundabout way... everything from Tiėsto's recent album.
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Colm
post 16th October 2014, 02:48 PM
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Marina's Primadonna.
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Brer
post 16th October 2014, 03:02 PM
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QUOTE(ML Hammer95 @ Oct 16 2014, 09:55 AM) *
Ed Sheeran- Sing


Completely disagree with this, I actually think that was a fairly risky first single from him considering his biggest successes from the first album were the MOR ballads and his previous attempt at an upbeat rap-singy single was pretty much his least successful single (only 'Give Me Love' spent fewer weeks in the top 40 than 'You Need Me, I Don't Need You' and that was released a good year after the album). If 'Thinking Out Loud' was the lead single then maybe.

Besides, Ed Sheeran going into his second album is pretty far removed from a situation where the artist 'desperately' needs a hit laugh.gif
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Chez Wombat
post 16th October 2014, 03:07 PM
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Enrique Iglesias - I'm a Freak, I Like It AND Dirty Dancer all sounded like equally horrible attempts to get commercial success.
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Brer
post 16th October 2014, 03:07 PM
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To answer the actual question, pretty much all of Skepta's top 40 hits (apart from 'That's Not Me' but it's telling that he waited until after 'German Whip' before properly pushing a grime single again), Lethal Bizzle's 'Party Right'/'The Drop' and Devlin's 'Runaway'/'Rewind' spring to mind, in addition to the likes of Wiley and Dizzee Rascal with various songs already mentioned (grime artists seem quite prone to this).
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Colm
post 16th October 2014, 03:10 PM
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Remember wheb Tina Turner followed Cher's dance make over template in 1999.
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365
post 16th October 2014, 03:13 PM
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Ellie Goulding - Burn 100%


(she doesn't even like it)
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Jessie Where
post 16th October 2014, 03:14 PM
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QUOTE(Chez Wombat @ Oct 16 2014, 04:07 PM) *
Enrique Iglesias - I'm a Freak, I Like It AND Dirty Dancer all sounded like equally horrible attempts to get commercial success.


Oh, and that 'Tonight' monstrosity too.
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Cremey
post 16th October 2014, 03:15 PM
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All of Jennifer Lopez's recent output.
Not that it's worked for her at all..
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