ThePensmith

Zoe Ball will take the first play of "Postcard" tomorrow on Radio 2 at 7:45am: @1457682519206289410

The Sun have noted and spoken on the fact that Ed's opening last week was way down on that of 'Divide': https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/16665...ty-mystery-man/ I think - and this is just my take on it - the absence of mass appeal music being available in the places you were used to seeing them in in the last 10 years now not being there with the effects of COVID etc has a lot to do with why numbers are smaller. Yes Tesco have a display for ABBA this week and will probably likewise have one for Adele, but that's a one off. Since they and the other supermarkets got rid of their CD aisles (Sainsbury's are still doing vinyl in their larger stores but again, that's the exception rather than the rule) it has had a marked effect on things. On the flipside of that though, it means HMV and independent record stores arguably now have more of a share of the physical market then they've probably had any time in the last 20 years, even though the market for it is now smaller. The album as a format is hardly in crisis though. And I also believe Adele will probably do more than the figure being quoted there. Scrap that: she'll easily do more.

I must admit I got a bit emotional hearing why she picked "One Sweet Day" because her dad passed away recently and they played it at his funeral :cry: I'm the same though, when my uncle passed away a couple of years ago they played "Songbird" by Fleetwood Mac and whilst I love that song it reminds me of him.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001142v Just had this on this afternoon, really lovely listen and interview. Her choices were as follows: - SWV - Right Here - Brandy and Monica - The Boy Is Mine - Sugababes - Overload - Destiny's Child - Survivor - Girls Aloud - The Promise - Ms. Dynamite - Dy-Na-Mi-Tee - Stevie Wonder - Isn't She Lovely - Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men - One Sweet Day - Britney Spears - Stronger - Mary Mary - Shackles (Praise You)

Truly wonderful news for Tom and for his family 💙 I'm tempted by that vinyl it has to be said!

Second single is "Postcard" and is out on Tuesday next week - they confirmed it in a quite genius way at their O2 show last night: @1456543164362334245 They've all collectively said that this is their favourite song on the album and it's the one that stood out from the snippets on their teaser sampler so look forward to hearing it.

Acoustic video for "Day One" now out on YouTube: kBovd-rtLdE Also confirmed for Day 2 of Capital FM Jingle Bell Ball which is back on this year: @1456192964221353984

Not sure if it's been mentioned yet but they were at the Pride of Britain Awards last night. It airs on ITV this Thursday evening (4th November) and they will be performing "My Hero" from the new album as an exclusive.

I loved Rizzle Kicks! I had the pleasure of seeing them live a couple of times around the time of their first album (once at my Students Union, the other as surprise guests with Olly Murs on his first arena tour when they came on to do "Heart Skips A Beat" at Wembley Arena), they were such fun when they first came out. Loved their first album as well, although I've not listened to it in ages. Also I feel like they were very much one of those bands who never quite lived up to how great their first album was, I wasn't that keen on the singles from the second album so I never bothered getting it. Not sure how they'd work again in 2021 but I'm happy to be proved wrong. I also had no idea until quite recently that Jordan was dating Jade from Little Mix!

Will Young is releasing his new greatest hits album "20 Years: The Greatest Hits" on 27th May next year.

The Supremes - Where Did Our Love Go / Ace of Base - Always Have, Always Will / Mero - It Must Be Love / S Club Juniors - Automatic High. All have that same "clip clop" Motown intro on them!

Now added to the playlist at Capital: @1453398749993132038

Some great songs in that list! These are my favourites I could see: 1960: Roy Orbison - Only The Lonely 1961: Helen Shapiro - Walking Back To Happiness 1963: Gerry And The Pacemakers - You’ll Never Walk Alone 1964: Sandie Shaw - (There’s) Always Something There To Remind Me 1966: The Four Tops - Reach Out I’ll Be There 1967: The Bee Gees - Massachusetts 1968: Mary Hopkin - Those Were The Days 1977: ABBA - The Name Of The Game 1978: John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John - Summer Nights 1980: Barbra Streisand - Woman In Love 1981: Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin - It’s My Party 1982: Culture Club - Do You Really Want To Hurt Me 1983: Billy Joel - Uptown Girl 1984: Wham! - Freedom 1987: The Bee Gees - You Win Again 1988: Enya - Orinoco Flow 1992: Boyz II Men - End Of The Road 1993: Meat Loaf - I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That) 1994: Pato Banton - Baby Come Back 1995: Coolio ft. LV - Gangsta’s Paradise 1996: Spice Girls - Say You’ll Be There 1997: Aqua - Barbie Girl 1998: Cher - Believe 1999: Five - Keep On Movin’ 2000: Spice Girls - Holler/Let Love Lead The Way 2002: Nelly ft. Kelly Rowland - Dilemma 2006: McFly - Star Girl 2007: Leona Lewis - Bleeding Love 2008: Girls Aloud - The Promise 2009: Cheryl Cole - Fight For This Love 2010: Cheryl Cole - Promise This 2011: Professor Green ft. Emeli Sandé - Read All About It 2012: Labrinth ft. Emeli Sandé - Beneath Your Beautiful 2016: Little Mix - Shout Out To My Ex 2018: Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper - Shallow

I have a copy of the "Remember You're A Womble" album on vinyl I inherited from my parents' collection. I have to say there's more musicality to it then you get in most kid's music these days from what I recall of it! Just given this a listen. It's very much an ABBA song that could have fitted into one of their peak era albums. Maybe by their standards it is not as impactful as the two previous singles but broadly speaking, it is miles ahead of anything anyone else is doing for sure. EDIT: OK. 2 hours later and over 20 plays later who am I actually kidding? It's a thing of beauty

My copy arrived this morning, had a little thumb through it over lunch. Very well put together and a nice thing to have as a reference point for quiz nights ☺️

Whilst I don't disagree with the points raised re: his last best of (I think I'm right in saying Sony released that to round off his contract after he went to Island for "85% Proof"), played in the right way I reckon this could do rather well for him. Kylie's "Step Back In Time: Definitive Collection" and how they drove the campaign for that is a perfect example. Plus having the original hits on vinyl and the 20th anniversary of Pop Idol will make it all a major selling point. (Just incidentally, they should do a reunion show for that like they did with Friends this year. I'd watch it!)

This looks exciting. Can't believe it's 20 years since Pop Idol, I feel so old!

Craig's 8th studio album (and first for BMG) is coming out May next year. More details to follow tomorrow I guess as he said on his Instagram Live with MNEK tonight that he's making an announcement at 10am tomorrow.

There's a couple I can think of which were probably lesser starred - bizarrely so given the acts in question and how big they were at the time. Busted released "She Wants To Be Me" as the last single from their "A Present For Everyone" album in November 2004. It was only available on a 3" pocket CD (which was a new format Universal Music had been trying to push with other acts - McFly, Girls Aloud - that year to total resistance from the industry) so it was ineligible to chart. Had it been that would have been their last single before they split, although I can't find any indication anywhere of how much they sold. Another one was Blue. They released their version of "Get Down On It" with Kool and the Gang in what was meant to be their last single before they split at the start of January 2005. I think it was challenging for low top 10 when released but was then disqualified because one of the formats was over the maximum running time allowed under chart rules, so their label Innocent just pulled the single entirely. Bit of an overreaction but still!

We can add Craig David to the original list too, his new single is coming out on signed CD as well: https://craigdavid.tmstor.es/ I'm personally for the revival, however small it is. Played in the right way as Elton John and Dua Lipa have shown this week really can make all the difference especially if you already had a substantial hit under its own steam anyway!

He's releasing signed limited CD singles for this: https://craigdavid.tmstor.es/ Sounds good, can't wait to hear it in full 😊

Moves up to A List at Radio 2.

They were interviewed on Capital Breakfast this morning. Not seen Tom's documentary yet but I'd like to, I imagine will be quite emotional to watch.

The artwork for this is absolutely stunning. Hats off to whoever shot the photos and designed it all! Hope they do a vinyl as well.