Being busy with the global topic I was wondering..Step one and it’s singles were successful on a global scale. After the first era the band mainly scored in the UK (and some hits in Belgium Flanders and Australia). This lead me to the next questions:

• Why did their global success declined after Step one?

• Which song could have gave them a successful comeback?

Edited May 4, 20232 yr by Lee_his_cheeks

• I find it interesting that the decline started with Steptacular while they didn’t change the ‘formula’. Maybe they were too poppy for some countries in the end?

• I really think that Summer of love could’ve been a nice hit in Europe/Australia.

Great thread idea as I think it’s well worth discussing. I’ve got a few thoughts that I’ll share over the weekend.

 

(Not busy now, just feeling rather exhausted).

Curious to read your thoughts! I always wondered why the decline happened because there wasn’t something specific that started it?

 

And hopefully you’ll feel better soon :heart:

Many years ago I compiled top 40 chartruns list for my favourite acts.

 

Not only Steps lost their worldwide popularity after some big (or minor) hits, you can watch on other British acts (Dido, Sophie Ellis Bextor, Girls Aloud, Geri Halliwell)

 

The best opposite sample is Amy Macdonald, who was much more successful in European charts, than in UK.

Edited May 4, 20232 yr by Last Dreamer

Not only Steps lost their worldwide popularity after some big (or minor) hits, you can watch on other British acts (Dido, Sophie Ellis Bextor, Girls Aloud, Geri Halliwell)

 

To be fair, two of those acts had very steep declines in their home territory for the second album eras!

To be fair, two of those acts had very steep declines in their home territory for the second album eras!

 

True and one was an established act from the worlds biggest girl band at the time. So the profile was there for a massive first era.

Thanks Cheeks!!

 

From an Australian point of view I put it down to a couple of things.

 

- No promo: Steps visited Australia way back at the start when 5,6,7,8 and Last Thing On My Mind were in the charts and it showed, they got to #1 and #5 respectively. After that they'd only trouble the top 10 once and the top 50 just another 5 times. (2 & 6 if you count Thank ABBA For The Music) So maybe it was a little out of sight, out of mind. It's not like they could just jump on a flight for a few hours spend a few days doing promo then fly back to the UK. I know not all acts do promo but I believe it played a part.

 

- Radio support dropped: I'm not sure why this is but I can only ever remember hearing 5,6,7,8, Last Thing On My Mind & Tragedy being played on the radio here in Australia. No Heartbeat, One For Sorrow, Say You'll Be Mine etc. So it seems like radio just went off them, music video shows still played them though. I can vividly remember taping One For Sorrow off the TV as well as Tragedy, Loves Got A Hold On My Heart & After The Love Has Gone. I think after that the only one I remember seeing was Chain Reaction, I had to get my Steps fix from Hitlist UK on MTV.

 

- The youth didn't seem into them: Small sample size I know but from my whole primary school I think my sister and I were the only ones that liked Steps. People knew 5,6,7,8 & Tragedy but they just weren't seen as cool. The Offspring, Destiny's Child, Back Street Boys, TLC & Five were the popular ones from memory. Oh and Britney Spears & the Spice Girls. I think people just saw them as naff or cheesy. Not sure why really. 11 year old me didn't ask. :lol:

 

- I think they were a little to poppy but they actually did well considering in the against their counterparts (or at least who I'd consider to be their counterpart). (more on that later).

 

- In terms of singles that might've worked. Deeper Shade of Blue and Summer of Love are the obvious two for me. Bother I think could've got top 30 at least here, top 20 or even 10 if they came here for promo and did a few tv shows and radio stuff. I actually also would've probably also released Better Best Forgotten, but that may have been overkill.

 

- When you go back and look at how other similar UK/Irish acts performed at the time Steps actually didn't drop off as much as the others:

 

B*Witched - C'est La Vie #6, Rollercoaster #1, To You I Belong #25, Blame It On The Weatherman #48, Jessie Hold On #59 & Jump Down #88. (I Shall Be There wasn't released here).

 

B*Witched #5 & Awake and Breathe #70

 

S Club 7 - Bring It All Back #3, S Club Party, #2, Two In A Million #25, Reach #38, Natural #45, Don't Stop Movin #2, Have You Ever #49, You #71, Alive #30 & Say Goodbye #75. (You're My Number One & Never Had A Dream Come True weren't released here).

 

S Club #17, 7 #56, Sunshine #62

 

B*Witched dropped away completely and Don't Stop Movin for S Club 7 seems more like a luck then anything. (It's a great song and I love it but they didn't build the fanbase back up after it). They also couldn't get their debut album into the top 10 despite 2 top 3 hits.

 

Full disclosure I like them both and love S Club 7. This was just more of a comparison exercise to show Steps actually did ok all things considered.

Great Post one for sorrow, the drop off for the acts you mentioned was interesting to read, it's a shame aussies went off these acts so quickly.

I guess they were an act that the audience needed to see regularly. Same as Girls Aloud really. They did okay when they were in the countries promoting - Australia being the prime example.

I guess they were an act that the audience needed to see regularly. Same as Girls Aloud really. They did okay when they were in the countries promoting - Australia being the prime example.

 

Yeah I think so. Off topic, but imagine how well Sugababes would’ve done in Australia with promo. Push The Button might’ve hit #1. (It got to #3).

I guess they were an act that the audience needed to see regularly. Same as Girls Aloud really. They did okay when they were in the countries promoting - Australia being the prime example.

 

This!

 

And great explanation OFS! I hope you are feeling better? And I think they became too poppy for the general public in the Netherlands as well. I do remember them promoting the Buzz album/It’s the way but that didn’t help sadly.

The regular promo does help, i must look further into this but i don't ever remember Steps promoting on any Irish tv show, back in the day many of the UK shows could be seen here on bcc/itv but i really don't have any memories of them appearing on an actual Irish tv show, some promo might have helped getting some of the singles higher in the charts here.

Definitely!

 

I remember promoting It’s the way here in the Netherlands with zero effect sadly :(

Back in the day if a group performed on the Late Late Show here in Ireland it would have a decent effect chartwise, pespecially albums.

Shame they didn’t do some promo (like that) in Ireland.

It is as I think it would have benefited them although they probably thought it was to small of a market.

I guess so?