Posted October 16, 201410 yr 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 (:lol:) 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!
October 16, 201410 yr First two that come to mind are both by the much-missed (:lol:) 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. Edited October 16, 201410 yr by buzz_person
October 16, 201410 yr 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.
October 16, 201410 yr 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.
October 16, 201410 yr 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. Edited October 16, 201410 yr by Mango
October 16, 201410 yr 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 :lol: 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 Edited October 16, 201410 yr by ML Hammer95
October 16, 201410 yr 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.
October 16, 201410 yr 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...
October 16, 201410 yr 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
October 16, 201410 yr Armin Van Buuren - This Is What It Feels Like That reminds me in a roundabout way... everything from Tiësto's recent album.
October 16, 201410 yr 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 :lol:
October 16, 201410 yr Enrique Iglesias - I'm a Freak, I Like It AND Dirty Dancer all sounded like equally horrible attempts to get commercial success.
October 16, 201410 yr 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).
October 16, 201410 yr 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.
October 16, 201410 yr All of Jennifer Lopez's recent output. Not that it's worked for her at all.. http://r25.imgfast.net/users/2514/26/97/85/smiles/534932.png
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