Bond Bug

Woolworths collapse leave shelves empty of Take That http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbys...-Take-That.html The collapse of Woolworths had a severe knock-on effect yesterday when Zavvi, the UK's second biggest record chain, was left with no copies of highly-anticipated new albums from Take That and Britney Spears. The failure to sell two of the year's biggest albums on their first day of release is likely to have cost Zavvi hundreds of thousands of pounds in lost sales. Take That's The Circus album was expected to sell 80,000 copies alone on its first day of release yesterday. Last night supermarket Asda said that it sold around 20,000 copies of The Circus yesterday, its fastest-selling first-day release ever.

No he is not a pop star. He should be a new Michael Buble, a new Connick Jnr - with his own identity. his own niche. At the moment he's hanging onto the coat tails of a huge TV show with poor material and he's heading for obscurity. The thing is, crooners sing songs that are memorable, that have a simplicity in their structure - that allow the music and lyrics to resonate emotionally in a very easy and simple way. Leon would have been better doing an album of standards rather than what he's been given, which is over-structured and forgettable. It is c**p. He needs at least one song to form part of his trademark if he is going to retain a high profile. He hasn't got that. None of the new material he's singing will be remembered in 2 years, let alone 30, 40 or 50 or 60 years as are the standards by the great vocalists of the last century. He needed one killer song and he would have nailed it. Yes he has been on X-factor etc and what a wasted opportunity. I saw him on X-factor and it was not a performance to win many new fans. I think his problem is he never really sang in public until not long before he entered x-factor. The whole thing came to him out of the blue. He is not somebody who has been the centre of attention and full of himself and his talent like most performers. He is just Mr Average Bloke thrown under the spotlight and he doesn't have the confidence to say what he wants. That's only my opinion. He isn't a natural celebrity with an ego that demands things on his terms. Everything about his body language shows it. He came from obscurity and is out of his comfort zone and is heading back to obscurity - perhaps a manifestation of a sub-conscious desire to return to a life he knew before. This is where management should have guided him, because you don't need to be a big record producer to see his career will go into freefall. Yes he can always have a career in singing but not as a major artist. IMO he has been badly let down by Simon Cowell. Sorry if this makes little sense - had a few beverages!

Guys, I think we are about to see chart history this week. This album is going to sell by the truck load. Half a million in a week? Three quarters of a million? Don't mock until we see the sales figures. This is going to break all records! Reminder: Asda alone sold 300,000 copies of Mamma Mia DVD for £7 each last week in ONE day. http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/...icle1989794.ece

Thanks FTF! But after seeing the price war story I am now upping my prediction to over half a million in week one and 2 million by new year. This album is going to shatter records!

OMG > This album is going to sell like over half a million a week! maybe more like a million! This is chart history in the making! http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/...icle1989794.ece ASDA triggers a price war today by selling Take That’s new CD for just £6 — as the cut in VAT comes into force.

I think it will be close with Take That. With the number of albums TT are going to shift, records could be broken and it may keep their single sales at a high level.

So maybe only one week for Greatest Day at number one! But the album surely has to be number one to Christmas. We've got massive week one sales, 350k, the highest of the year, then a boost with Take That Come to Town, 400k, then the next week and a half getting near Christmas, 600k. They will be selling in the hundreds of thousands each week to Christmas. I would say around 1.5 million new albums sold by end of year. Always the optimist!

I think he is very talented and could have been the next best thing in crooning, but I don't think his new material is strong enough to launch his post-X-factor career in a long lasting way. And the title of his album is too much like Will Young's Leave Right Now- not good when he is trying to establish his own identity. I get the feeling that Simon Cowell did not want him to win as he is not an easy sell and he isn't getting the support he could have had.

He needs to get on X-factor as a guest to raise his profile again.

I'd be surprised if he can sing!

Not heard it yet. I will have to start waking up to Wogan!

Wogan has an audience on Wake up To Wogan of nearly 8 million. Assuming around 80% of people who buy his single are loyal Wogan listeners and 20% others, if 1 in 100 of his audience buy it in week 1, that would give total sales of 100,000 and probably a number 1.

Currently number 2 on Amazon

Hi! Thanks for your replies. Yes McFly is the only fly in the ointment! Maybe I should have defined my band definition better. As Sasha said McFly played instruments too. So my observation would apply to the biggest boy bands who do not actually play as a "band" with instruments! That would therefore not include Radiohead or Oasis. Other boy bands mentioned (Blue, 911, A1 East 17) would not count as this is about the "biggest".boy bands and I think Blue had the most number ones, but even that was "only" three.

Anyone notice that as soon as the biggest boy band disappears from the top of the charts a new one emerges? It is as if there is only space for one at a time: Take That (until the breakup): all 8 number one singles: July 93 - March 96 (band disbanded!) Boyzone: all 6 number one singles: Oct 96 - May 99 (highest charting single since number 3) Westlife: all 14 number one singles: May 99 - Nov 2006 (highest charting single since number 3) Take That comeback: all 3 number ones and counting: Nov 2006 - ???

Woolies is dying - but it aint dead yet. It has run up huge debts and will be taken over. That doesn't mean it will cease trading. I'm sure some stores will be closed but the bulk will remain. I hope somebody who understands retail can turn it around. I think it is salvageable. Most stores are on prime sites and it is a matter of doing less things very well rather than doing too much not so well.

Oh come on! I can't believe you lot think Greatest Day won't be number one! It will be number one by a big margin. We are talking about the biggest boy band since the Beatles. The band with the biggest comeback in pop history. Last album - one of the biggest UK albums of the 21st century. The band with the fastest selling tour in history Then we are also talking about an extremely radio friendly new single. It is a huge radio and TV airplay hit. And let's not forget the X-factor. The top prime-time show that will be dedicated to Take That and feature the new single, two days before it is released. The stars are all aligned to sell this single by the truckload. Get ready for Take That's 11th number one. It won't even be a contest with whatever else is released.

It was inevitable. Woolworths has been directionless for years. Not so long ago they were the market leaders in core areas: music, confectionery, children's toys, children's clothing. Their response to the specialist stores, internet and supermarkets in each area has been to run away from the competition and reduce their range. Big mistake. Stock is more limited and very poorly presented. They should have built on and defended their existing strengths, rather than retreating. The stores lack focus and identity. They lack inspiration and any feeling of quality. The directors are entirely to blame.

Thanks for your replies. I'm surprised at the low expectations. I would say Greatest Day 4 weeks, The Circus 6 weeks in total and the album becomes the biggest selling this year.

I'm surprised. Why not?

Daily Mail: "There's nothing Take That fans would love more than to see the return of ex-member Robbie Williams." Of course! not!

Three questions: How many weeks for Greatest Day at number one in UK? How many weeks for The Circus at number one in UK? Will The Circus be the best selling album released in UK in 2008?

Beam them up Scotty! I knew he'd be back before UFO expert, Robbie, releases his new album. The discs will be flying off the shelfs!

I like it. This song has number one written all over it. Perfect upbeat song for radio. Yes safe and not too adventurous, nothing new, but ideal to launch the new album. But here's to Take That's 11th number one and 13th in Gary Barlow's career!

I don't know how accurate this is: I got info on BFI certification from Wikipedia Comeback sales from Buzzjack chart pages. STUDIO ALBUMS Take That and Party * BPI certification: 2× platinum Everything Changes * BPI certification: 3× platinum Nobody Else * BPI certification: 2× platinum That's 7 x platinum total shipped or 2.1 million COMEBACK STUDIO ALBUM Beautiful World has sold over 2.2 million 'BEST OF' ALBUMS Take That: Greatest Hits * BPI certification: 3× platinum COMEBACK 'BEST OF' ALBUM Never Forget has sold just under 1.5 million Total comeback sales: 3.7 million Pre-comeback BPI certification: 3 million