Bond Bug

Am I right in thinking that Take That have outsold more albums in the UK since their comeback than all their previous albums put together.

I expect Eva Cassidy and Katie Melua sales to rise next week to over 100k, after a mini wave of publicity including being mentioned on ITN News tonight. Leon will still get to number one but his sales will be lower than expected.

They don't and not all singles sold in Supermarkets will be a runaway hit, but they would have more chance of a hit than stocking all the top 40 or all the top 20. But how does Tesco know if a set of paint brushes for 1.99 will sell well? What Tesco and Asda etc does know is that most of the top 40 don't sell well as a widget and they are not worth stocking. Tesco shows with the Melua/Cassidy song they can market a single that is a hit that nobody here predicted. As has been said, if they only have one single being promoted in a merchandising stand, they have a single that has no competition. That gives it a head start. Look at Prince. An exclusive deal to give his last album away with a newspaper. I don't see why a supermarket cannot do an exclusive deal with an estabished act. It may not sell, but in some instances it will have a better chance in Tesco than everywhere else. A novelty record may create PR opportunities, media reports that would be worth more than the cost of stocking the item.

I voted for Stronger. Love the video too!

I also think Lie to me is great! We need a campaign to have it released as a single!

It is simply stupid that singles that sell extremely well are not available at supermarkets. I mean stupid for the supermarkets. How many customers have gone through the doors of Virgin or HMV instead of Asda or Tesco to buy Leona Lewis? Customers who might have bought a lot more. The success of the Tesco exclusive Katie Melua & Eva Cassidy single is a first and I believe it will change the dynamic of how singles are sold. Supermarkets will be falling over themselves to get exclusive deals. The attraction is not so much the actual sales generated from the CDs (zero if it is a charity single) but the publicity an exclusive deal can bring. But some of those customers who go out of their way to buy an exclusive CD in Tesco might be regular Asda or Morrisons customers, who could discover Tesco for the first time and make the switch. Now supermarkets have given up stocking the top 40, one-off deals that could sell well and be a useful PR tool could be a way forward for charity singles, novelty records, TV tie-ins, or new performers hotly tipped for success. Established singers could get exclusive deals. There could be a solitary 'single of the week' or of the month in a supermarket chain. Supermarkets could line up their own festive singles to compete against each other for the number one slot. If this happened, there would even be good reason to create supermarket own-brand music lables. You could have a TV reality show (not X-factor as it is so successful) sponsored by a supermarket with an exclusive marketing deal for the winner. All a little fanciful? Or a serious possibility?

It Only Takes A Minute 8 A Million Love Songs 9 Love Aint Here Anymore 45- Rule The World 46+

Forever Love 12 Love Wont Wait 9 So help me girl 31+ Open Road 11 Stronger 6 For All That You Want 11 Child 28- Clementine 10 I Am What I Am 9 Four Minute Warning 13

Forever Love 12 Love Wont Wait 9 So help me girl 31+ Open Road 11 Stronger 6 For All That You Want 11 Child 28- Clementine 10 I Am What I Am 9 Four Minute Warning 13

I was never a Take That fan, but then was impressed with Gary Barlow's first Solo single, Forever Love. It was exactly the song I would like to write (if I had any talent). From then I followed the Take That solo careers. Liked what Mark Owen did and classic Robbie including his swing album, but not his later stuff. Obviously disappointed Gary Barlow lost his way, but would never have imagined there would be a Take That comeback and it would so so successful.

I agree Feel the Fever. I wish Lie to Me was turned into a Take That single. It would have to go number one. I couldn't believe it was not released for Gary's second album. They could have had a short radio cut. After Stronger, he never released anything that shouldn't have been no more than a B side and that killed his album that was already cursed and banned by Woolworth for being too bland.

After the dreary last single, this has all the ingredients to be a major hit. It is a SENSATIONAL and exciting song. Gary's vocals are his best and the way the chorus builds to a climax each time makes it a perfect song for radio. I wouldn't be surprised if it outsells Patience.

At least he should get to number one releasing it in February. Good luck to him. Hope it is better than Rudebox. Time the old Robbie came back.

Stardust is not expected to be a big hit. Early USA weekend predictions by BoxOfficeReport.com 1/ Rush Hour $67.0 m NEW RELEASE 2/ Bourne Ultimatum $29.0 m -58% 3/ Stardust $13.0 m NEW RELEASE 4/ Simpsons Movie $12.0 m -52% 5/ Underdog $6.7 m -42%

Robbie should go for it. I think he would be a great Captain Kirk. Chances like this don't come too often. This is his big chance to prove himself in a big franchise. When Daniel Craig retires from Bond, I want Robbie Williams as the new 007. Here is his chance to prove himself in a big Franchise. Rumour has it that Tom Cruise wants a cameo in the new Star Trek movie.

Nice bit of extra airplay for Take That! Will the single go back up the UK charts? (currently a non-mover at number 49).

9.30pm. Should be fun!

Well that's a great tracklisting and not all natural Swing songs. I'm pleased he's doing this because he has such a great voice and it is not appreciated as widely in his recent stuff. Here are some songs where he can really show off his voice, plus his first Swing Album was a huge success. If he can do another BBC Albert Hall show, this will fly out the shops like the first one did. I hope he does another duet with Nicole Kidman again! IMO he is under-rated as a singer, when he is actually Britain's most gifted male singer of his generation. Despite all his publicity antics, he doesn't need to do anything else but sing great songs.

It was a waste of time releasing I'd Wait for Life. I think they could have got another number one with the right song, with promotion and after the Princess Di concert. The thing about Take That's comeback is that people who were once ashamed to say they like Take That were willing to say they liked them. That could all change if they aren't careful. May Gary Barlow's solo career be a lesson to them. 2 number one singles, a number one album, next thing after releasing mediocre middle-of-the-road songs he has been effectively banned from radio for being boring and Woolworths would not even stock his second album. Take That shouldn't take anything for granted.

I don't believe Take That have enough die hard fans to get this into the top three. Public awareness of this single is very low. Shine and Patience in comparison were massive radio play hits. This should be around top ten or better a week before the physical release, not the lower depths of the top 200. I'm looking at outside top 20.

Well it has climbed from 190 to 170 in the midweeks. This single is a serious FLOP unless they either pull the physical release or make a last minute media blitz.

What it means is somebody important in their managment chain has woken up to the possibility this single will flop, so they have stopped making downloads available, ordering companies to stop selling them. Not sure how practicable that is in reality. So more download sales will be made next week to boost their chart position. Maybe they will be forced to do some last minute promotion. GMTV and other shows maybe? Just guessing.

I am thinking outside top 20. Very little airplay, not best song choice, song too slow for radio, no promotion, no Asda. They are asking for a flop. And when Take That do well Robbie does bad. When Take That do bad, Robbie does well. It is the Yin and Yang of Robbie Williams and the rest of Take That. Prepare for Robbie to hit the top of the charts again.

A big climb on the Amazon chart: Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 1,259 in Music