Ballads often get the boring tag these days. Remember when Reggie had to play a ballad on the chart and he'd always moan about it?

 

Comments in every Buzzjack Sunday Chart thread nowadays:

 

Ballad on chart

"This is so boring!"

"Can this please go away from the chart?"

"Argh! Can't believe this dirge is climbing again!"

" *mutes radio* "

"I hope this tasteless saccarine doesn't get any higher"

 

Mid/uptempo song on chart

"Love this!"

"This never gets old for me"

"Ouch! Why is this dropping so fast?"

"TUNE :yahoo: "

"Best song on the chart for me"

 

Crying For No Reason definitely stands out as a successful ballad. So does OLCHLT.

Edited October 29, 201410 yr by Neil. S

Crying For No Reason definitely stands out as a successful ballad. So does OLCHLT.

CFNR has a dance beat to it, I wouldn't count it as a ballad. OLCHLT is borderline whether it's a ballad or not.

'Only Love...' is without a doubt a ballad I'd say.

Probably because they're increasingly seen by many younger consumers as outmoded and old-fashioned, and the older residual market that kept the style alive in the 1980s and '90s are either no longer with us, or at least are no longer buying singles, likely due to them not being so able or willing to adapt to the predominantly digital way we've been led.

 

All will have noticed the way that studio production, danceable rhythms and their attendant genres have steadily taken over the commercial singles market over the last few years replacing arguably more merited concerns, such as quality or originality of composition, melody and lyrical literacy etc. Programmed rather than performed music has taken over hugely and has left even the uptempo and traditionally-teen-friendly guitar and rock-driven acts out in the cold, seldom with a Top 100 or even 200 placing. MOBO is also king now, which leaves the sort of Celine Dion-ish type of hit similarly-stranded.

 

It seems it has simply become less and less 'cool' among the modern singles buyer/streamer to favour slower, traditionally-performed and composed romantic love songs. Perhaps for the few fans left, there is some hope on the horizon as the trusty ballad hasn't quite lost its appeal chart-wise; John Legend's 'All Of Me' was a really notable recent example that bucked the trend, along with Passenger's 'Let Her Go', Christina Perri's 'Jar Of Hearts' and Idina Menzel's 'Let It Go' which I think qualify under the balladic banner. But these aren't enough to necessarily suggest a trend.

 

And let's face it, none are really reminiscent of the 'big productions' routinely troubling the charts in previous decades. I never thought I would miss them I must say, but amongst all this processed dross a decent power ballad is just the tonic we need!

That's actually the best explanation I've read in the whole thread! I pretty much agree with all of that.

...you're not Paul Gambaccini, are you? :lol:

 

I think it's a major falsehood to suggest that the dominance of electronic music is a recent thing, as you could have said this any year since about 1981 whether you're referring to synthpop/acid house/rave/Eurodance/trance etc. What is true is that, a decade or two ago, you'd have an older 35+ customer strolling through their local supermarket and see that new Celine Dion/Wet Wet Wet/Bryan Adams etc song they heard on the radio or saw on that film the other day and pop it in their trolley, either for themselves or as a present for their granny/kids/dog etc. The loss of physical singles has completely put an end to the impulse single buy and concentrated things more on your usual teen/twentysomething buyers who know how to operate iTunes or Spotify.

 

When a ballad does chart today, it'll generally be by a young late teen/early twentysomething star a similar age to most of those who buy it, not an established act who've been around for years anymore. Ok, 'Let It Go' somewhat flies in the face of that - sung by a 43 year old Broadway star - but most who buy it probably aren't picturing Idina Menzel, they're picturing Queen Elsa from Frozen. The only recent one I can think of that genuinely does stand out is All Of Me, which has become John Legend's biggest ever hit all over the world and he's been releasing stuff for over a decade.