Phenomenon of washed-up Artist getting boost in Album Chart

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Phenomenon of washed-up Artist getting boost in Album Chart

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timjimlee View member profile	12th June 2016, 09:36 AM Post #1
BuzzJack Enthusiast Joined: 27 January 2015 Posts: 1,518 User: 21,564	With Rick Astley looking like he will return to the Album Top 10 this week it is clear there is a Phenomenon this year of washed-up Artists getting back to the Album chart peaks that they had in their heyday. We understand the reasons - lower Album sales in the market overall, newer music-buyers don't buy Albums as much as Singles and older fans do still buy Albums ("the completists"). The evidence: All Saints - "Red Flag" peaked at number 3 in April (previous Studio Album peaked at number 40) ABC - "Lexicon Of Love II" peaked at number 5 (previous Studio Album remains uncharted) Richard Ashcroft - "These People" peaked at number 3 (previous 20) For some other Artists big in the 80's and 90's the decline has been halted, Duran Duran back up to 5 (from 11), The Cult back up to 19 (after peaking at 72 in 2007), Kula Shaker back up to 32 (from 117) etc. So the questions on this thread are 1. Who do you think will be able to take advantage of this Phenomenon? 2. Who do you want to comeback from the depths of the outer reaches of the Top 100? Based on the Release Schedule for August (ie nothing much at all) surely some Artists can really take advantage of this Phenomenon?


Sour Candy View member profile	12th June 2016, 10:08 AM Post #2
BuzzJack Legend Joined: 22 December 2009 Posts: 30,355 User: 10,275	Your examples here are pretty bad, sorry. All Saints have some fanbase left and their album dropped like a stone ABC have a sequel to their best selling album and a classic -> people are interested Richard Ashcroft is a britpop icon from the 90s who sold platinum last decade Rick Astley hadn't released an album in 11 years and last one (a Q4 release) sold more in its first week than this one will even though this one will start higher Wonder what you will think when Stone Roses top the chart But mostly it's a case of low sales obviously (which is mostly down to the album streaming ratio being different to singles ratio. There's lots of music consumption that doesn't properly show on the album chart. The current system basically excludes people like me who don't listen to whole album on Spotify, only 5-6 songs) This post has been edited by SKOB: 12th June 2016, 10:17 AM


Jake. View member profile	12th June 2016, 10:17 AM Post #3
BuzzJack Regular Joined: 4 February 2015 Posts: 212 User: 21,580	QUOTE(timjimlee @ Jun 12 2016, 10:36 AM) The Cult back up to 19 (after peaking at 72 in 2007) They had an album in 2012, 'Choice of Weapon', which reached #20. Not sure how you overlooked that one, but the 2007 album you refer to received some very poor reviews which may have been a contributing factor to why that album failed commercially.


timjimlee View member profile	12th June 2016, 10:26 AM Post #4
BuzzJack Enthusiast Joined: 27 January 2015 Posts: 1,518 User: 21,564	QUOTE(SKOB @ Jun 12 2016, 11:08 AM) Your examples here are pretty bad, sorry. Thanks for your feedback but you are missing the point of the thread - these are all examples of Artists that have improved Chart position back to their heyday. We don't care how they have done it but the fact is there has been a significant improvement for all of these Artists.


Sour Candy View member profile	12th June 2016, 10:45 AM Post #5
BuzzJack Legend Joined: 22 December 2009 Posts: 30,355 User: 10,275	Yea but again, that's more due to low sales, not really to the fact that they are hugely popular. Even though some might be more popular now than they were in the 90s or 00s. (ABC and Rick Astley perhaps) PJ Harvey getting her first #1 with her lowest selling album is the highlight of this imo This post has been edited by SKOB: 12th June 2016, 10:47 AM


timjimlee View member profile	12th June 2016, 10:57 AM Post #6
BuzzJack Enthusiast Joined: 27 January 2015 Posts: 1,518 User: 21,564	QUOTE(SKOB @ Jun 12 2016, 11:45 AM) Yea but again, that's more due to low sales, not really to the fact that they are hugely popular. Even though some might be more popular now than they were in the 90s or 00s. (ABC and Rick Astley perhaps) PJ Harvey getting her first #1 with her lowest selling album is the highlight of this imo Good to see you are getting there ( the original post mentions the lower Sales in the Album market as one of the reasons for these improvements in Chart positions). PJ Harvey is indeed an example of an improvement in a Chart position because of the current chart climate ( even though previous Album was a bigger success in terms of Sales & critical reaction).


JCM20 View member profile	12th June 2016, 01:39 PM Post #7
BuzzJack Enthusiast Joined: 1 January 2016 Posts: 907 User: 22,819	Busted I hope


___∆___ View member profile	12th June 2016, 03:20 PM Post #8
BuzzJack Legend Joined: 25 March 2007 Posts: 21,305 User: 3,155	It's not a phenomenon - It's just a tragic sales market that is allowing these boosts. All Saints sold less to enter at #3 than they did to reach #40 with their last album and had a 3 week Top 75 chart run. We've seen this happening for years now as the market has declined - Acts releasing 'fan funded' albums and achieving a 12-84 chart run and 7k sales. If the market recovered these would all disappear without a trace. These acts haven't gained in popularity but been lucky to chart highly due to multiple format releases and 5k being enough to go Top 10. A real measure of their return to glory would be a sales chart hit to back up the albums 'success' but acts mentioned above have not troubled the Top 100. This post has been edited by ___∆___: 12th June 2016, 03:21 PM


mdh View member profile	12th June 2016, 03:23 PM Post #9
BuzzJack Legend Joined: 19 December 2015 Posts: 20,102 User: 22,776	Who the hell is PJ Harvey, is the real question I genuinely have never heard her and was so confused when she got to number one.


Ethan View member profile	12th June 2016, 03:34 PM Post #10
3:23 Joined: 18 January 2008 Posts: 10,781 User: 5,269	this thread gives me slithery vibez ~ are 'timjimlee' and 'thesnake' the same person? the extremely low sales environment means relatively small fan-bases can get their chosen artist(s) into the upper reaches, if only for a week!


timjimlee View member profile	12th June 2016, 03:50 PM Post #11
BuzzJack Enthusiast Joined: 27 January 2015 Posts: 1,518 User: 21,564	QUOTE(Mdh @ Jun 12 2016, 04:23 PM) Who the hell is PJ Harvey, is the real question I genuinely have never heard her and was so confused when she got to number one. She has been a critically rated artist since 1992 with a Mercury prize from an Album released in 2011 ( Album selling 130k+ ), regularly appears in the Critics year end charts so surprised you are not aware. This post has been edited by timjimlee: 12th June 2016, 04:57 PM


J00prstar View member profile	12th June 2016, 04:05 PM Post #12
there's nothing straight about plump Elvis Pronouns: they/any Joined: 21 January 2016 Posts: 13,144 User: 22,895	Lack of competition seems to be what's doing it. Plus acts with an older fanbase, that fanbase are more likely to default to actually buying the new album (especially in the first week) in general; younger fans are more likely to not care about buying it so much or not have the money to spend to do so. When you can consume an album essentially for free and its always been that way since you started listening to music, the arguments of why you should buy an album are less compelling. I know I myself would only buy an album as an act of charity/goodwill towards the artist, rather than as my default way of consuming music.


timjimlee View member profile	12th June 2016, 04:23 PM Post #13
BuzzJack Enthusiast Joined: 27 January 2015 Posts: 1,518 User: 21,564	QUOTE(___∆___ @ Jun 12 2016, 04:20 PM) It's not a phenomenon - It's just a tragic sales market that is allowing these boosts. All Saints sold less to enter at #3 than they did to reach #40 with their last album and had a 3 week Top 75 chart run. We've seen this happening for years now as the market has declined - Acts releasing 'fan funded' albums and achieving a 12-84 chart run and 7k sales. If the market recovered these would all disappear without a trace. These acts haven't gained in popularity but been lucky to chart highly due to multiple format releases and 5k being enough to go Top 10. A real measure of their return to glory would be a sales chart hit to back up the albums 'success' but acts mentioned above have not troubled the Top 100. Agree with your analysis apart from my belief it is a Phenomenon (definition: an occurrence, an event, a happening). Look at Rick Astley, he had an Album ready to go in 2013 ("My Red Book") but was quietly shelved. However, given the current low sales climate Record company takes view they can take some of the tracks from shelved Album and a few new tracks. After an appearance on "Lorraine" (or such like) they have a Top 10 Album with chances of further promotion. It does all stem from low Sales market but it does give these older Artists a chance to improve their Chart position back to their glory days.


Bjork View member profile	12th June 2016, 04:30 PM Post #14
BuzzJack Legend Joined: 13 November 2015 Posts: 33,254 User: 22,665	man, you should hide the fact that you don't know who PJ Harvey is, instead of bragging about it like if it's a good thing, you're just showing ignorance rather than being funny


JosephBoone View member profile	12th June 2016, 04:31 PM Post #15
you never forget your first time... Pronouns: he/him Joined: 19 April 2011 Posts: 121,693 User: 13,530	QUOTE(Bjork @ Jun 12 2016, 05:30 PM) man, you should hide the fact that you don't know who PJ Harvey is, instead of bragging about it like if it's a good thing, you're just showing ignorance rather than being funny It's not a crime to not know who she is I've never actually heard any of her songs, couldn't name one.


timjimlee View member profile	12th June 2016, 04:43 PM Post #16
BuzzJack Enthusiast Joined: 27 January 2015 Posts: 1,518 User: 21,564	QUOTE(JosephOdell @ Jun 12 2016, 05:31 PM) It's not a crime to not know who she is I've never actually heard any of her songs, couldn't name one. Seems quite ironic at this point she had a song in 2004 called "Who The F***". 17 Top 75 singles in the UK does imply she should be more widely known.


jaynesangel View member profile	12th June 2016, 05:02 PM Post #17
BuzzJack Climber Joined: 13 May 2006 Posts: 134 User: 562	Falling sales has contributed but good airplay helps. For example, Rick Astley's 'Keep Singing' (track 1 on his album) was playlisted on Radio 2 (I believe A-Listed). If Radio 2 is the most listened to music station it follows that an A-listing will help sales and chart position of the album. The single reached number 40 on the sales only chart- streaming seems to hinder 'heritage' acts. It was the same for the All Saints in regards to their singles ... playlisted on Radio 2 and an appearance on Chris Evans's Breakfast Show (the most listened to breakfast show in the UK). As for who I would love to see back in the album charts ... Shakin' Stevens, please.


timjimlee View member profile	12th June 2016, 05:10 PM Post #18
BuzzJack Enthusiast Joined: 27 January 2015 Posts: 1,518 User: 21,564	QUOTE(jaynesangel @ Jun 12 2016, 06:02 PM) Falling sales has contributed but good airplay helps. For example, Rick Astley's 'Keep Singing' (track 1 on his album) was playlisted on Radio 2 (I believe A-Listed). If Radio 2 is the most listened to music station it follows that an A-listing will help sales and chart position of the album. The single reached number 40 on the sales only chart- streaming seems to hinder 'heritage' acts. It was the same for the All Saints in regards to their singles ... playlisted on Radio 2 and an appearance on Chris Evans's Breakfast Show (the most listened to breakfast show in the UK). As for who I would love to see back in the album charts ... Shakin' Stevens, please. Good post - until the last bit Never been a big Shaky fan but maybe time is ready for an Album called "This Ole Shaky"


jaynesangel View member profile	12th June 2016, 05:21 PM Post #19
BuzzJack Climber Joined: 13 May 2006 Posts: 134 User: 562	Ah, I was huge a Shaky fan in the '80s .... bought a lot of singles of his. Though I was only a child then! I did buy his 2005 double A-side on CD as well (it was due to a reality TV show he was on and won). 'This ole Shaky' is a perfect album title for him


timjimlee View member profile	12th June 2016, 05:38 PM Post #20
BuzzJack Enthusiast Joined: 27 January 2015 Posts: 1,518 User: 21,564	Personally I would like to see one of the Synthpop acts from the 80's get this type of boost, The Human League (last couple of Albums at 44), Heaven 17 (uncharted for a while now), OMD or (ahem) A Flock Of Seagulls (another series of Bands Reunited may be required).