Uk charts: Mika disappoints

[kath]

I can't understand this either. It almost seems that he has his finger in so many pies that something has got to give. In this case it's the UK promo.

 

I was banking on there being a proper tour - or at least more UK dates for this tour after Christmas - as I can't go to the Manchester gig in December without some serious hassle and upheaval. Now I'm thinking it might be my only chance and I'm stressing about it now. I just never thought it would come to this, with this album. Perhaps we are jumping the gun a bit in worrying about a lack of further dates, but I do still worry! I want to see him again and I'm just not able to travel all over Europe to where he chooses to tour..

.

 

I can ceratinly understand your worries.

 

I know he has hinted about a 'proper tour' but seriously...if these dates aren't selling, why would they risk anymore......unless there is a serious about face in the fortunes of TOOL.

 

There was no TOOL in the early days either- it was LICM.

 

I love it though.

 

OK....so I will admit to being biased......but I wasn't convinced that I WAS going to love it on the early offerings. But I do and I think it is a fantatsic album.

[A. Clay]

It's just a matter of time . . .

 

[kath]

It's just a matter of time . . .

 

 

 

I will think about that as I lay there tonight!

[Soaring Simpson]

I can ceratinly understand your worries.

 

I know he has hinted about a 'proper tour' but seriously...if these dates aren't selling, why would they risk anymore......unless there is a serious about face in the fortunes of TOOL. I love it though. OK....so I will admit to being biased......but I wasn't convinced that I WAS going to love it on the early offerings. But I do and I think it is a fantatsic album.

 

I think it's best hope is that it'll be a grower- word of mouth, hearing at a friend's- and keep quietly selling. I really do think it's best appreciated as an album rather than as a bunch of individual songs. An album quietly celebrating different facets of love, rather than a couple of strong singles focussing on one

[Soaring Simpson]

It's just a matter of time . . .

 

 

Awwww

[kath]

I think it's best hope is that it'll be a grower- word of mouth, hearing at a friend's- and keep quietly selling. I really do think it's best appreciated as an album rather than as a bunch of individual songs. An album quietly celebrating different facets of love, rather than a couple of strong singles focussing on one

 

Yes.....it's almost a concept album....with a few loose cannons thrown in.

[Christine]

Here being Canada? I'm afraid it'll happen in the UK. People simply don't want to know, p*ssing into the wind, like Kath said.

 

By "here" I meant this circumstance of the album flopping in the UK, as did Duffy's. She literally disappeared when it happened (cancelled all TV appearances and tours, etc.) and there were reports that her record label was folding. Mika is lucky that the UK is not his bread and butter as it is with other UK artists who can't afford an album with poor sales.

 

I think he is going to start to focus more and more of his time on other pursuits like writing and producing for other artists and TV/movies. I don't know if he can afford to invest 3 years in an album that doesn't sell and can only justify one full-scale European tour. I mean it's only going to take 2 months to tour mainland Europe in 2013.

 

But... is it my imagination, or are even UK MFCers less enthusiastic on average than the rest of the MFC?

 

He neglected the UK for too long IMO. The writing was on the wall (when I was moaning so much ) last summer and likely before that. People seemed to think a great album was going to change everything but it doesn't work like that.

 

Even for the hardcore fans - the one gig he did in London in 2011 the Brits were not invited. There are people I know who have not even bothered to listen to the new album since they have been off him for so long because of things like that.

 

Now I'm thinking it might be my only chance and I'm stressing about it now. I just never thought it would come to this, with this album. Perhaps we are jumping the gun a bit in worrying about a lack of further dates, but I do still worry!

 

I don't blame you for worrying. I am not convinced he's coming back to the US either but I hope he gives it a shot.

[Marilyn Mastin]

I think it's best hope is that it'll be a grower- word of mouth, hearing at a friend's- and keep quietly selling. I really do think it's best appreciated as an album rather than as a bunch of individual songs. An album quietly celebrating different facets of love, rather than a couple of strong singles focussing on one

It wouldn't worry me if he wasn't in the singles charts, as long as the album does well. I didn't realise the two UK venues wern't selling out! I'm shocked!

When I tried to book for Manchester in 2007, the tickets were sold out and were going on Ebay for about £100.

I can't understand how those people who went to a Mika show in the early days, don't still want to see him.

But I agree with what some of you have been saying about the USA. He should keep going with that success. Hopefully Uw will help him there, but I am confused. If Stardust is for the UK, he should be doing a vid for that by now. But if his label arn't thinking of releasing it yet, they should have a re-think. He needs another song in the UK. Celebrate was never going to cut it anyway.

Tbh, I'd be perfectly happy with Uw, if it has a great video that will help it a lot. Possibly get him back onto the music channels.

[nas]

By "here" I meant this circumstance of the album flopping in the UK, as did Duffy's. She literally disappeared when it happened (cancelled all TV appearances and tours, etc.) and there were reports that her record label was folding. Mika is lucky that the UK is not his bread and butter as it is with other UK artists who can't afford an album with poor sales.

 

I think he is going to start to focus more and more of his time on other pursuits like writing and producing for other artists and TV/movies. I don't know if he can afford to invest 3 years in an album that doesn't sell and can only justify one full-scale European tour. I mean it's only going to take 2 months to tour mainland Europe in 2013.

 

 

 

He neglected the UK for too long IMO. The writing was on the wall (when I was moaning so much ) last summer and likely before that. People seemed to think a great album was going to change everything but it doesn't work like that.

 

Even for the hardcore fans - the one gig he did in London in 2011 the Brits were not invited. There are people I know who have not even bothered to listen to the new album since they have been off him for so long because of things like that.

 

 

 

I don't blame you for worrying. I am not convinced he's coming back to the US either but I hope he gives it a shot.

 

i think you're right but the thought of that makes me incredibly sad...i want the full package - songs written/co-written by him and sung by him...

all isn't lost yet though, let's give it a year and see - maybe like ellie goulding - who is only now catching on in the US and her 'lights' charting like a year after its release- he can be a slow burn..

 

[Soaring Simpson]

i think you're right but the thought of that makes me incredibly sad...i want the full package - songs written/co-written by him and sung by him...

all isn't lost yet though, let's give it a year and see - maybe like ellie goulding - who is only now catching on in the US and her 'lights' charting like a year after its release- he can be a slow burn..

 

 

That's encouraging- because she was the Hot New Thing a few years back so far as I can remember. Then a gap, then a grower

[Christine]

i think you're right but the thought of that makes me incredibly sad...i want the full package - songs written/co-written by him and sung by him...

 

Yeah that's why I've gone to as many shows as I can these past years. Nothing lasts forever.

 

I've already written off Adele. She hated touring at the best of times and now that she has a baby and can sell a billion albums from the comfort of her living room, we can forget about her touring the world for years at a time. She will probably just turn up in LA every few years to collect her Grammys.

 

all isn't lost yet though, let's give it a year and see - maybe like ellie goulding - who is only now catching on in the US and her 'lights' charting like a year after its release- he can be a slow burn..

 

I fully believe that potential is there but it has to be capitalized on. Overnight success is never going to happen in the US and if he just goes there every couple of years with a new album hoping it is going to spontaneously burst into flames, then nothing is ever going to happen.

 

Again that's where I think his early success is a curse. He is not willing to open for other artists and do all the other things necessary for most people to break into the US. As long as he's being immortalized in wax and given knighthoods by the French he's never going to make those sacrifices.

 

And well I can't blame him if he'd rather do other things like writing movie scores anyway.

[Marilyn Mastin]

Yeah that's why I've gone to as many shows as I can these past years. Nothing lasts forever.

 

I've already written off Adele. She hated touring at the best of times and now that she has a baby and can sell a billion albums from the comfort of her living room, we can forget about her touring the world for years at a time. She will probably just turn up in LA every few years to collect her Grammys.

 

 

 

I fully believe that potential is there but it has to be capitalized on. Overnight success is never going to happen in the US and if he just goes there every couple of years with a new album hoping it is going to spontaneously burst into flames, then nothing is ever going to happen.

 

Again that's where I think his early success is a curse. He is not willing to open for other artists and do all the other things necessary for most people to break into the US. As long as he's being immortalized in wax and given knighthoods by the French he's never going to make those sacrifices.

 

And well I can't blame him if he'd rather do other things like writing movie scores anyway.

That would be good. Writing a movie score. Maybe he'll do that. He could do a movie score, a show or even an opera. He has the background and skills to do it. He could be the new (and much better than) Andrew Lloyd Webber. I'd be happy with that.

[kath]

Yeah - I think that's it.......he is never going to open for other artists...never in a million years.... he is probably never going to do anything that he doesn't want to do - just to be a commercial success. He does what he wants to do.

[kath]

That would be good. Writing a movie score. Maybe he'll do that. He could do a movie score, a show or even an opera. He has the background and skills to do it. He could be the new (and much better than) Andrew Lloyd Webber. I'd be happy with that.

 

Yes, me too.

[Christine]

Well we're going to have to be happy with whatever. Because as Kath said Mika just does whatever he wants.

[katydid1994]

I think he needs to spend a month in the US doing lots of promo and gigs around the country not just 3 places.

 

If he could get on SNL, Dancing with the Stars, something primetime and well viewed.

 

Why why why why why was he not on Ellen this week?

[A. Clay]

I think he needs to spend a month in the US doing lots of promo and gigs around the country not just 3 places.

 

If he could get on SNL, Dancing with the Stars, something primetime and well viewed.

 

Why why why why why was he not on Ellen this week?

 

[YouTube]0HUg1sQcgss[/YouTube]

 

Ellen went to Washington, DC to receive

the Mark Twain Award for Comedy

at the Kennedy Center.

 

[YouTube]z8R_C5Q8lZE[/YouTube]

 

STORY:

CBS/AP/ October 23, 2012, 9:53 AM

Ellen DeGeneres receives Mark Twain humor prize in Washington

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-207_162-57537968/ellen-degeneres-receives-mark-twain-humor-prize-in-washington/

Edited October 24, 2012 by A. Clay

[chimacuito]

This is all so sad :/ as Christine said nothing lasts forever but i was hoping that he will last at least 3 more years! I wouldnt actually care if he started doing really commercial stuff to ge in the USA and continue with his career. The problem arent his music or style, the problem is not many poeple know about him, he needs promo much more, in the USA and UK not just in europe. I guess i will just sit and wait with my fingers crossed hoping the album does well somehow and maybe he will decide to do something about the low sales. Him and his manager totally have to change their game

Edited October 24, 2012 by chimacuito

[katydid1994]

 

Ellen went to Washington, DC to receive

the Mark Twain Award for Comedy

at the Kennedy Center.

 

That's great for Ellen, but also she's had new shows on all week. No Doubt on today's show and tonight on Leno with Obama.

[kath]

This is all so sad :/ as Christine said nothing lasts forever but i was hoping that he will last at least 3 more years! I wouldnt actually care if he started doing really commercial stuff to ge in the USA and continue with his career. The problem arent his music or style, the problem is not many poeple know about him, he needs promo much more, in the USA and UK not just in europe. I guess i will just sit and wait with my fingers crossed hoping the album does well somehow and maybe he will decide to do something about the low sales. Him and his manager totally have to change their game

 

Bolded part - this may be true in some places but it certainly isn't the case in the UK

[enigma]

I was very late listening to the album as I was on holiday when it was delivered and have only recently got back and spent a lot of time listening many times. I'm not remotely surprised it didn't chart well (not that the charts are any indication of what's good, just of what's popular, and those two things are often a million miles apart!). But... IMO he has completely lost his direction, and it really ISN'T a very good album. I was so hoping I'd like it more when I heard the whole album (as opposed to odd songs and snippets) but I don't, and TBH I simply wouldn't have bothered getting it had I not been a massive fan of his previous work. I'm hopeful that this is just a blip and in future he will get back to writing glorious music once more.

[Marilyn Mastin]

I was very late listening to the album as I was on holiday when it was delivered and have only recently got back and spent a lot of time listening many times. I'm not remotely surprised it didn't chart well (not that the charts are any indication of what's good, just of what's popular, and those two things are often a million miles apart!). But... IMO he has completely lost his direction, and it really ISN'T a very good album. I was so hoping I'd like it more when I heard the whole album (as opposed to odd songs and snippets) but I don't, and TBH I simply wouldn't have bothered getting it had I not been a massive fan of his previous work. I'm hopeful that this is just a blip and in future he will get back to writing glorious music once more.

I think the new album is brilliant! In my opinion its the best he's done so far. I think he really made an effort with this opus, to make it more radio friendly and less cartoony and childlike. As a 29 year old man, he couldn't get away with that now anyway.

So he presented a more grown-up Mika, and I do think you can still tell its him on the record. His new physical image, with the shorter hairstyle and more tailored clothes, was, I think, the right way to go.

So he did everything right. But I blame the record company for messing things up. They have never been good at picking singles. Even with the 1st album, Big Girl was a bad choice. Even though it charted, a lot of people hated it, especially DJs. At one point Chris Moyles said it turned him off Mika (although he had no room to talk) but ironically, the only people to really appreciate that song, were real Big Girls. But I wasn't that keen on the song either. I don't think it helped Mika's credibility, especially with the awful video.

Then later on, after Happy Ending (which was a good choice) they released Relax, even though it had been released before GK. I didn't understand that either. There were other great songs on the album.

With the 2nd album, he got away with We Are Golden, but not with Rain or BIOTG. I think BIOTG was a huge mistake. Something like GGG would have been better and I think it was Mika's prefered single, because on the New Years Eve show he did on R2 that year, he played it and said he wished it was a single (or words to that effect) BIOTG starts out okay, it builds up, but is let down by a very weak chorus. It's okay is the live singoff, but not for a single.

If its the case, as someone pointed out, that he gets creative control, as long as the recored company choose the singles, then I think Mika needs to have a re-think.

But that said. Underwater and Stardust are both good songs and could salvage Mika's career in the UK, if the videos are good. I can't wait to see what they've done with Uw.

Edited October 27, 2012 by Marilyn Mastin

[Yuna]

I think the new album is brilliant! In my opinion its the best he's done so far. I think he really made an effort with this opus, to make it more radio friendly and less cartoony and childlike. As a 29 year old man, he couldn't get away with that now anyway.

So he presented a more grown-up Mika, and I do think you can still tell its him on the record. His new physical image, with the shorter hairstyle and more tailored clothes, was, I think, the right way to go.

So he did everything right. But I blame the record company for messing things up. They have never been good at picking singles. Even with the 1st album, Big Girl was a bad choice. Even though it charted, a lot of people hated it, especially DJs. At one point Chris Moyles said it turned him off Mika (although he had no room to talk) but ironically, the only people to really appreciate that song, were real Big Girls. But I wasn't that keen on the song either. I don't think it helped Mika's credibility, especially with the awful video.

Then later on, after Happy Ending (which was a good choice) they released Relax, even though it had been released before GK. I didn't understand that either. There were other great songs on the album.

With the 2nd album, he got away with We Are Golden, but not with Rain or BIOTG. I think BIOTG was a huge mistake. Something like GGG would have been better and I think it was Mika's prefered single, because on the New Years Eve show he did on R2 that year, he played it and said he wished it was a single (or words to that effect) BIOTG starts out okay, it builds up, but is let down by a very weak chorus. It's okay is the live singoff, but not for a single.

If its the case, as someone pointed out, that he gets creative control, as long as the recored company choose the singles, then I think Mika needs to have a re-think.

But that said. Underwater and Stardust are both good songs and could salvage Mika's career in the UK, if the videos are good. I can't wait to see what they've done with Uw.

 

GGG is my fave among entire songs he's released so far. but I don't think it deserves to be a single. it's like... homemade cookie. Homemade cookies are not best for World Cook Competition.. Love You When I'm Drunk is so similar as GGG. My Fave but I don't think it deserve to be single as well.

 

well I could have think twice if GGG had attractive intro before 'Could you believe - '

 

One common thing I found is.. .WAG, Celebrate, BIOTG all has something 'Blockbuster-ish' stuff. Something huge, something massive exaggerating factors are in there... those are intentionally designed for show-window, to be single. But sadly those things doesn't represent Mika's strength well.. kills it actually. On 3rd album, Stardust has some Blockbuster-ish sounds too, but it's represents Mika's strength better (than Celebrate) so I recommended strongly that it should've been a single instead, even though it's not my fave on TOOL. It has its own identity at least, while Celebrate awkwardly compromise with current hit-trend (maybe something from Katy Perry)

Edited October 27, 2012 by Yuna

[Christine]

I think it's too simplistic to blame the lack of sales in the UK on a choice of single. Except perhaps for the fact that there haven't been any standout singles the past two albums. (I would argue even Grace Kelly wasn't a standout single, it just happened to work in the UK at that particular time and wasn't THE single in other markets.)

 

Mika spends way too long making albums and completely disappears in the process. He has to start from scratch trying to rebuild his career every time he launches an album but he is missing the key ingredient that launched him in 2007: hype. He is never going to be the "new sound of 2007" again.

 

Since he doesn't lead a tabloid-worthy life and he's not an up and coming artist anymore I'm afraid the UK have forgotten about him and it doesn't matter what the singles are or what is on the album because people don't know or care that he's still making music. I feel uncomfortable even talking about this on a public forum but I didn't think it was possible to only sell 6000 albums so something is really wrong here and I don't think a different choice of single is going to sort it out.

[dcdeb]

I think he needs to spend a month in the US doing lots of promo and gigs around the country not just 3 places.

 

If he could get on SNL, Dancing with the Stars, something primetime and well viewed.

 

Why why why why why was he not on Ellen this week?

 

You realize that he WAS on Ellen a few years ago?

 

[YOUTUBE]9AIU9hDM4U0[/YOUTUBE]

 

And he was on So You Think You Can Dance a few years ago.

 

[YOUTUBE]JXtzs4BwmG4[/YOUTUBE]

 

And he's been on Leno, Letterman, and Jimmy Kimmel in the past. And Good Morning, America. So the opportunities have been there, but...