The Official " The Origin of Love " Charts & Sales around the World Thread

[Yuna]

This is why I've come to the conclusion that Mika needs to stop being a popstar and become a composer like Andrew Lloyd Webber.

While he's at the mercy of DJs and radio stations he's never going to get the airplay. I like Adele well enough, but I deffinately prefer Lady Gaga to her. Gaga's songs are more Like Mika's songs in the sense that they are more interesting and tell more of a story. The tunes are good too. Always catchy even if they are slow ones. But if LG can't get her tunes on the radio, what hope is there for Mika anymore?

So its time for a rethink Mika.

 

are you serious? he should step back from the stage and write songs just for others? No Way! I won't imagine that at least for 10 years from now!

[cathouzouf]

are you serious? he should step back from the stage and write songs just for others? No Way! I won't imagine that at least for 10 years from now!

 

Totally agree with you!

[tiibet]

are you serious? he should step back from the stage and write songs just for others? No Way! I won't imagine that at least for 10 years from now!

 

Totally agree with you!

 

[Christine]

True, but if Adele wouldn't have get airplay no one would have bought her cd's in the first place.

 

That is true for every pop artist but it doesn't explain why Adele is selling literally 10 or 20 times as many albums as other pop singers who are just as famous as she is and whose songs are also on the radio non stop.

 

Even if Adele is on the radio every single hour there is a reason for that. Because her music is in high demand. Maybe you're sick of it but other people are not because they are still buying 50,000 to 80,000 albums a week. If Gaga is not getting as much airplay, that is the reason. It's not because Adele is luckier and DJs have decided to play her music every day for 2 years for no particular reason.

 

And I agree with Lady Gaga there is a recession, people are actually starting to forget her since she isn't the hot topic any more and her songs isn't played on the radio, but the same will happen to Adele eventually if she can't get a new big hit single, so far neither 'Skyfall' nor 'Rumour Has It' have got the same succes as her other songs, at least not here.

 

But Adele doesn't need a hit single. People love her entire album and that's why it has broken Michael Jackson's Thriller record for number of weeks on the top 10 in the US charts. That's the problem with the music industry today. They have shifted their entire focus from developing their artists into real artists who can produce masterpiece albums and instead are focused on making hit songs whose star burns out in a couple of months at best.

 

Look at this Mika and Ariana song. Even if it becomes a smash hit what's it going to do for their respectiive album sales in the long run? You would hope there is going to be some crossover but I think for the most part Mika's album would be lost on fans of this song because it's so different. And obviously Ariana's album is going to be totally different too because Mika didn't write it.

 

People are trading in long term gain to try to get a hit single but the end result is that people only buy the hit single and nothing else. So instead of selling 10 songs they only sell one. If Adele's phenomenal success is not proof of that I don't know what is. All the record label's excuses have gone out the window. People can illegally download her album just as easily as they can anyone else's but they go out and buy it. Just like they all went out and bought Thriller and other great albums 30 years ago. Many of the top selling albums of all time were rock and only produced one top 40 song, if at all. AC/DC, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, Dire Straits, Guns N Roses. They didn't have 10 hit songs like Madonna and Michael Jackson but they sold just as many records.

 

Gaga's songs are more Like Mika's songs in the sense that they are more interesting and tell more of a story. The tunes are good too. Always catchy even if they are slow ones.

 

This is where I disagree, at least for the last album. I feel like she had all this potential and she's squandered it. She is obsessed with her image - all of which is completely fake IMO - and the music seems to be an afterthought.

 

I don't think the solution for this is for everyone to retire from pop music and go write musicals but to focus on their music and stop worrying about hit singles and getting attention by any means necessary. Rufus Wainwright has never had a hit single so he's never sold as many songs as Grace Kelly or Poker Face but he is extremely well respected - by critics, by fellow songwriters and by music fans. There's nothing wrong with that IMO.

[tiibet]

Rufus Wainwright has never had a hit single so he's never sold as many songs as Grace Kelly or Poker Face but he is extremely well respected - by critics, by fellow songwriters and by music fans. There's nothing wrong with that IMO.

 

Totally agree

[suzie]

I don't think the solution for this is for everyone to retire from pop music and go write musicals but to focus on their music and stop worrying about hit singles and getting attention by any means necessary. Rufus Wainwright has never had a hit single so he's never sold as many songs as Grace Kelly or Poker Face but he is extremely well respected - by critics, by fellow songwriters and by music fans. There's nothing wrong with that IMO.

Yes, and this is the area where Mika is missing out on. His talent is totally played down in the media and his songwriting is undervalued in the music business. In other words, he has no credibility and it is very difficult to build a long term career without that. Some of his latest releases have certainly not helped that. In a way I agree with what Marilyn posted earlier (not sure where I saw it) that Mika needs to re-invent himself. I don't think that reinvention needs to mean him hiding in the background since he is a great performer. However, he needs to decide what he wants. If he wants to appeal to kids he should play a different game in the media, whilst if he wants to open his heart with any release he needs to look and sound honest and act professional.

 

 

But Adele doesn't need a hit single. People love her entire album and that's why it has broken Michael Jackson's Thriller record for number of weeks on the top 10 in the US charts. That's the problem with the music industry today. They have shifted their entire focus from developing their artists into real artists who can produce masterpiece albums and instead are focused on making hit songs whose star burns out in a couple of months at best.

...........

People are trading in long term gain to try to get a hit single but the end result is that people only buy the hit single and nothing else. So instead of selling 10 songs they only sell one. If Adele's phenomenal success is not proof of that I don't know what is.

 

This argument also comes back to the point of performers who manage to establish themselves as credible artists for whatever reason - whether that be for songwriting, such as for Rufus Wainwright, or for singing, like in Adele's case -, have no reason to fear what is happening to their coming releases as they will keep having their audience. I think this is what Mika is trying to make his record company / people or himself believe when he keeps talking about his loyal fans. He surely has some, like any popstars do, but not sure if it is enough. I really think he should go back to point 0, when he won BBC Sound of 2007 and see how he sounded and presented himself back then and start anew. And by that I don't mean sounding the same, but forgetting all that happened after January 2007. Approaching his career differently may help him. He is pretty creative to figure out how to.

Edited January 8, 2013 by suzie

[Marilyn Mastin]

are you serious? he should step back from the stage and write songs just for others? No Way! I won't imagine that at least for 10 years from now!

I'm not saying he shouldn't still sing and perform. But he needs something else to give him the edge. If he carries on like this without a hit single (that's not his fault) but he might disappear, and we wouldn't want that. I also wouldn't want to see him eating kangaroo's dangly-bits in the jungle or falling on his bum on the ice-rink to get exposure. He's better than any of that.

so why not use his tremendous talent and write a hit musical? This could kick-start a comeback for him.

[Yuna]

I got the 2012 annual report of SNEP (France - Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique) today. Sorry it's kinda restricted information so I post just numbers here.

 

Elle Me Dit is on Single chart this year.

Elle Me Dit the single is sold 38,000 copies in 2012, and cumul 205,000 copies total (2011-2012). And 38,000 copies sold is ranked on 100th. wow 205,000 copies in total - that's really amazing record.

 

The Origin of Love is on Album chart. on 66th. 74,100 copies sold.

 

 

and I could see annual FIMI report as well (Italy - federazione industria musicale italiana), but TOOL was not on the chart. The last number of the chart was 13,000 copies so that means TOOL is less than that..

[Ellie13]

Yes, and this is the area where Mika is missing out on. His talent is totally played down in the media and his songwriting is undervalued in the music business. In other words, he has no credibility and it is very difficult to build a long term career without that. Some of his latest releases have certainly not helped that. In a way I agree with what Marilyn posted earlier (not sure where I saw it) that Mika needs to re-invent himself. I don't think that reinvention needs to mean him hiding in the background since he is a great performer. However, he needs to decide what he wants. If he wants to appeal to kids he should play a different game in the media, whilst if he wants to open his heart with any release he needs to look and sound honest and act professional.

 

 

 

 

This argument also comes back to the point of performers who manage to establish themselves as credible artists for whatever reason - whether that be for songwriting, such as for Rufus Wainwright, or for singing, like in Adele's case -, have no reason to fear what is happening to their coming releases as they will keep having their audience. I think this is what Mika is trying to make his record company / people or himself believe when he keeps talking about his loyal fans. He surely has some, like any popstars do, but not sure if it is enough. I really think he should go back to point 0, when he won BBC Sound of 2007 and see how he sounded and presented himself back then and start anew. And by that I don't mean sounding the same, but forgetting all that happened after January 2007. Approaching his career differently may help him. He is pretty creative to figure out how to.

 

I don't think its the music, but how he presents himself - but that's so much a part of how he wants to be that I don't think he will change that, and fair play to him. I do think the way he came over in 2007 was distinctive and himself, but relate-able and inclusive. Think of how he looked in the Grace Kelly video and the content of that - he looked like any boy next door, and he was creating a party that looked so much fun, but was really different in including all types of people not the super cool. At that time it was quite a radical statement. I think personally that he kind of lost his inclusivity with TBWKTM - I'm a fan and I couldn't get half of it. Don't think the videos helped either, notably Rain. I felt he was really hiding in that album - to me it lacked the integrity of the other 2 and was just a bunch of stories that might or might not relate in some way to him. I think he's got his relate-ability and integrity back in the music now, but his videos still aren't helping massively.

 

Maybe we should just accept he's not ever going to be a major star in the UK or US, and not worry about it anymore. I really can't see him giving up performing or not being able to sell tickets to gigs, he is so brilliant live...

 

Please don't kill me, is just my thoughts!

[Ellie13]

I just thought - what we need is something like Live Aid where he could perform live to millions of viewers and grab the audience like Queen (sorry) did at that event! And subsequently they had a career renaissance.

Who should we pester to put something on, I wonder?? And which cause?

[Ellie13]

But you can also hear Adele's songs in MANY movies/Tv shows/ads I knew half of her songs before buying the CD but I didn't know she was the one singing them

 

You can hear Mika practically every day on the Pantene advert...

[RAK1]

I just thought - what we need is something like Live Aid where he could perform live to millions of viewers and grab the audience like Queen (sorry) did at that event! And subsequently they had a career renaissance.

Who should we pester to put something on, I wonder?? And which cause?

 

Last year at the Olympic opening or closing ceremonies, or that Queens Jubilee concert would have been perfect. But he was overlooked in favour of all the X Factor garbage, Emile Sande and Coldplay.

[Ellie13]

Last year at the Olympic opening or closing ceremonies, or that Queens Jubilee concert would have been perfect. But he was overlooked in favour of all the X Factor garbage, Emile Sande and Coldplay.

 

They would have been ideal... Celebrate would have fit there too. I did wonder if it was actually written with those events in mind.

[Marilyn Mastin]

Last year at the Olympic opening or closing ceremonies, or that Queens Jubilee concert would have been perfect. But he was overlooked in favour of all the X Factor garbage, Emile Sande and Coldplay.

Don't forget Gary B's bezzie-mate Robbie Williams.

This is what is so frustrating. RW has been invited onto every concert Gary Barlow has organised, even when he didn't have a new song or album to promote. This is why he's stayed current, and despite Radio One not playing his songs, he got to be #1 in the UK.

Mika doesn't have anyone of influence on his side. Gary doesn't invite him onto any big concerts and he SHOULD have invited him onto the Olympic one really, but he didn't. It really is very sad.

I know I'm not a "popular chick" for wanting the rumours to be true, regarding Eurovision, but this is the reason why I want it to be true. Mika really does need an international platform to perform on. This could be it.

[suzie]

I don't think its the music, but how he presents himself - but that's so much a part of how he wants to be that I don't think he will change that, and fair play to him. I do think the way he came over in 2007 was distinctive and himself, but relate-able and inclusive. Think of how he looked in the Grace Kelly video and the content of that - he looked like any boy next door, and he was creating a party that looked so much fun, but was really different in including all types of people not the super cool. At that time it was quite a radical statement. I think personally that he kind of lost his inclusivity with TBWKTM - I'm a fan and I couldn't get half of it. Don't think the videos helped either, notably Rain. I felt he was really hiding in that album - to me it lacked the integrity of the other 2 and was just a bunch of stories that might or might not relate in some way to him. I think he's got his relate-ability and integrity back in the music now, but his videos still aren't helping massively.

 

Maybe we should just accept he's not ever going to be a major star in the UK or US, and not worry about it anymore. I really can't see him giving up performing or not being able to sell tickets to gigs, he is so brilliant live...

 

I don't normally post short comments like this but all I can say is that I totally agree with all that you wrote!

[suzie]

Mika doesn't have anyone of influence on his side. Gary doesn't invite him onto any big concerts and he SHOULD have invited him onto the Olympic one really, but he didn't. It really is very sad.

 

What I find said is that Gary Barlow has been considered as the new Bono or Elton in recent years in the UK whilst as far as I am concerned he is one of the least charismatic pop stars ever and even comes across as more of an accountant than a musician.

[Christine]

What I find said is that Gary Barlow has been considered as the new Bono or Elton in recent years in the UK whilst as far as I am concerned he is one of the least charismatic pop stars ever and even comes across as more of an accountant than a musician.

 

Yes I don't get it either, especially since no one in North America has ever heard of Gary Barlow or Take That. Of course it's my own NA bias but I just can't compare someone who is unknown here to the likes of Elton or Bono who are megastars by anyone's standards. Even Bob Geldof is more well known here.

[Marilyn Mastin]

What I find said is that Gary Barlow has been considered as the new Bono or Elton in recent years in the UK whilst as far as I am concerned he is one of the least charismatic pop stars ever and even comes across as more of an accountant than a musician.

He's become really influencial and powerful though. But for many years he wasn't even in the frame. When RW was the biggest male popstar (about the time of Angels) Gary had disappeared. But it was his his presence on X Factor that started his domination, and I agree, he has the personality of dishwater. But he makes certain the X FActor rubbish, and his best mate Robbie, get plenty of attention in the UK, while no one gives a flying-fig about Mika!

[Gatagordinha]

I honestly don't know what the answer to the Mika conundrum is but I like to read other people's differing views on what his next career move ought to be.

 

There's just no obvious solution is there. I'm past the point of caring now about chart positions and even radio play. I'm not yet past the point of caring about Mika though, despite not being the fan I used to be.

 

I would love to see him relaunch himself as an independent artist and release everything online to fans as he writes and records, a drip-feed approach, backed up by regular small shows here in the UK (and not just London ) I'd like to see him have the freedom to do what he wants without the pressure of third party promo. He doesn't need the money, he is rich for heaven's sake, he is not some working-class, broke busker on the street trying to scrape a living. He can afford to do this. If he is serious about creating long term credibility for himself then I think this is the way forward.

 

I say this from the viewpoint of the UK. I know it has always been the plan to conquer the world in one fell swoop (in retrospect, a foolish plan IMO) but I still see him as a UK artist and still think there is a market, however modest, here for his music, but that he hasn't approached it in the right way since his early days.

[silver]

Maybe we should just accept he's not ever going to be a major star in the UK or US, and not worry about it anymore. I really can't see him giving up performing or not being able to sell tickets to gigs, he is so brilliant live...

 

When we know how brilliant he is, it is hard for us to accept that most of the rest of the world don't see him the same way. But there are plenty of acts who go on successfully touring without big hit records (though they do get good album sales).

 

I would love to see him relaunch himself as an independent artist and release everything online to fans as he writes and records, a drip-feed approach, backed up by regular small shows here in the UK (and not just London ) I'd like to see him have the freedom to do what he wants without the pressure of third party promo. He doesn't need the money, he is rich for heaven's sake, he is not some working-class, broke busker on the street trying to scrape a living. He can afford to do this. If he is serious about creating long term credibility for himself then I think this is the way forward.

 

I say this from the viewpoint of the UK. I know it has always been the plan to conquer the world in one fell swoop (in retrospect, a foolish plan IMO) but I still see him as a UK artist and still think there is a market, however modest, here for his music, but that he hasn't approached it in the right way since his early days.

 

Well his record company don't seem to do much to promote him (at least in the UK) so he couldn't do any worse on his own. And at least he wouldn't disappear off the radar for months.

 

It would be nice to see a return to the days of the blogs, this time interspersed with the odd new track

 

But I hope there would still be album releases with some interesting artwork.

[Marilyn Mastin]

I honestly don't know what the answer to the Mika conundrum is but I like to read other people's differing views on what his next career move ought to be.

 

There's just no obvious solution is there. I'm past the point of caring now about chart positions and even radio play. I'm not yet past the point of caring about Mika though, despite not being the fan I used to be.

 

I would love to see him relaunch himself as an independent artist and release everything online to fans as he writes and records, a drip-feed approach, backed up by regular small shows here in the UK (and not just London ) I'd like to see him have the freedom to do what he wants without the pressure of third party promo. He doesn't need the money, he is rich for heaven's sake, he is not some working-class, broke busker on the street trying to scrape a living. He can afford to do this. If he is serious about creating long term credibility for himself then I think this is the way forward.

 

I say this from the viewpoint of the UK. I know it has always been the plan to conquer the world in one fell swoop (in retrospect, a foolish plan IMO) but I still see him as a UK artist and still think there is a market, however modest, here for his music, but that he hasn't approached it in the right way since his early days.

That makes a lot of sense. Tbh, when he released the singles from Origin I didn't even check the UK charts as I knew he wouldn't be there.

Rach have you been watching The Big Reunion on itv2? The music business is as precarious as a crumbling cliff edge. Bands and singers (not just Mika) can be big one minute, gone the next.

If Mika concentrated on the internet, what might be a good idea is for him to get all his independant contacts who've been doing things like, those short films, and make really great music videos. they needn't be really expensive, they just shouldn't have things that are too rediculous (like blue sheets for the sea or people dressed in daft animal costumes running round a forest) He should also star in them himself.

If he wants to be serious, then that's what he (maybe) should do. It would only take one vid to go global and he'd be okay again. Maybe not as he was before, but perhaps in a better way.

[mamiam]

That makes a lot of sense. Tbh, when he released the singles from Origin I didn't even check the UK charts as I knew he wouldn't be there.

Rach have you been watching The Big Reunion on itv2? The music business is as precarious as a crumbling cliff edge. Bands and singers (not just Mika) can be big one minute, gone the next.

If Mika concentrated on the internet, what might be a good idea is for him to get all his independant contacts who've been doing things like, those short films, and make really great music videos. they needn't be really expensive, they just shouldn't have things that are too rediculous (like blue sheets for the sea or people dressed in daft animal costumes running round a forest) He should also star in them himself.

If he wants to be serious, then that's what he (maybe) should do. It would only take one vid to go global and he'd be okay again. Maybe not as he was before, but perhaps in a better way.

 

I agree in everything you say and suggest here!

 

Love,love

me

[Gatagordinha]

That makes a lot of sense. Tbh, when he released the singles from Origin I didn't even check the UK charts as I knew he wouldn't be there.

Rach have you been watching The Big Reunion on itv2? The music business is as precarious as a crumbling cliff edge. Bands and singers (not just Mika) can be big one minute, gone the next.

If Mika concentrated on the internet, what might be a good idea is for him to get all his independant contacts who've been doing things like, those short films, and make really great music videos. they needn't be really expensive, they just shouldn't have things that are too rediculous (like blue sheets for the sea or people dressed in daft animal costumes running round a forest) He should also star in them himself.

If he wants to be serious, then that's what he (maybe) should do. It would only take one vid to go global and he'd be okay again. Maybe not as he was before, but perhaps in a better way.

 

I haven't watched the Big Reunion but I'm aware of it, and I do know just how precarious and fickle the music biz is these days. That's why I think it is even more important than ever for an artist to retain control over what they do. These days you can do one of two things: sell your soul to a big record company and go with the flow and all that that entails, and yes a talented few will be lucky (eg Adele) and will take off globally, but many more will have their fifteen minutes and then fall by the wayside; or, you can do it the indie way and release your stuff - music, videos, merch, CDs etc - yourself, with the help of small record labels and distributors, utilizing the internet wisely and building a fanbase by word of mouth. Either way, success is never guaranteed. At least with the latter option, though, an artist has more freedom to innovate and take risks as they don't have to answer to the corporate machine. I've had the impression at times over the past three or four years that Mika doesn't enjoy making his music as much as he used to in his early days, perhaps because of the pressure he feels he is under to 'produce the goods'. I could be wrong but it's how it seems to me. What I would love to see most of all is for him to get his passion for music back. I don't care if he never charts again in this country now - to me that is all irrelevant now (I mean have you seen the charts these days?? )

 

 

 

Well his record company don't seem to do much to promote him (at least in the UK) so he couldn't do any worse on his own. And at least he wouldn't disappear off the radar for months.

 

It would be nice to see a return to the days of the blogs, this time interspersed with the odd new track

 

But I hope there would still be album releases with some interesting artwork.

 

Yep. What happened to those? He just never seemed to have the enthusiasm to keep it up did he. I wonder why?? I don't think he is a natural blogger actually, certainly not a natural writer. He would do better sharing his ideas online in another way - visually maybe or just by releasing music online more frequently and keeping the fan connection alive in that way.

[mamiam]

I haven't watched the Big Reunion but I'm aware of it, and I do know just how precarious and fickle the music biz is these days. That's why I think it is even more important than ever for an artist to retain control over what they do. These days you can do one of two things: sell your soul to a big record company and go with the flow and all that that entails, and yes a talented few will be lucky (eg Adele) and will take off globally, but many more will have their fifteen minutes and then fall by the wayside; or, you can do it the indie way and release your stuff - music, videos, merch, CDs etc - yourself, with the help of small record labels and distributors, utilizing the internet wisely and building a fanbase by word of mouth. Either way, success is never guaranteed. At least with the latter option, though, an artist has more freedom to innovate and take risks as they don't have to answer to the corporate machine. I've had the impression at times over the past three or four years that Mika doesn't enjoy making his music as much as he used to in his early days, perhaps because of the pressure he feels he is under to 'produce the goods'. I could be wrong but it's how it seems to me. What I would love to see most of all is for him to get his passion for music back. I don't care if he never charts again in this country now - to me that is all irrelevant now (I mean have you seen the charts these days?? )

 

 

 

 

 

Yep. What happened to those? He just never seemed to have the enthusiasm to keep it up did he. I wonder why?? I don't think he is a natural blogger actually, certainly not a natural writer. He would do better sharing his ideas online in another way - visually maybe or just by releasing music online more frequently and keeping the fan connection alive in that way.

 

You really are into something here!! If you read the interview the Danish blogger made with him at Nibe Festival last July, he answers this to her question about his long silence: " I've had to find a reason to make an album". He also tells about pressure from the record co. etc....

 

Love,love

me

[Gatagordinha]

You really are into something here!! If you read the interview the Danish blogger made with him at Nibe Festival last July, he answers this to her question about his long silence: " I've had to find a reason to make an album". He also tells about pressure from the record co. etc....

 

Love,love

me

 

Did he really say that? I missed that interview.

Well that says all you need to know doesn't it. He needs to find his passion again (and I don't mean for his bf )