The success of Westlife is easily explicable.
- Pre-existing demographic: the Boyzone fans who were slowly growing out of Boyzone. - Sharply focused on identifiable market winner: MoR ballads delivered in a style approachable to both very young and very old fans. - Astute marketing by Cowell and Walsh: coordination of fanbase and marketing ensure near-automatic number ones as fans all flock to buy their records in the week of release. - Brand maintenance: because they were MoR to begin with the transition to "adult contemporary" was not an obstacle, whereas Take That had to wait a decade for theirs.
― Dingbod Kesterson, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 12:06 (sixteen years ago) link
At least Westlife >>>>> New Kids On The Block.
BULL AND BUNK
― blueski, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 12:06 (sixteen years ago) link
see that's what i'm saying. NKOTB > x1 million Westlife, and anyone who isn't insane will think so.
they're not oldie music, of course.
― Frogman Henry, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 12:07 (sixteen years ago) link
Pre-existing demographic: the Boyzone fans who were slowly growing out of Boyzone. - Sharply focused on identifiable market winner: MoR ballads delivered in a style approachable to both very young and very old fans. - Astute marketing by Cowell and Walsh: coordination of fanbase and marketing ensure near-automatic number ones as fans all flock to buy their records in the week of release. - Brand maintenance: because they were MoR to begin with the transition to "adult contemporary" was not an obstacle, whereas Take That had to wait a decade for theirs.
yes all very good, one problem though: THE MUSIC.
ie im playing chess at the end, but you will not get me to say i love big brother.
― Frogman Henry, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 12:09 (sixteen years ago) link
We're not talking about whether you like them or not. You said that their success was inexplicable. I have given you four clear and cogent reasons why they were successful. What you have to understand is that Westlife don't need "us," whereas, for example, Girls Aloud clearly do.
― Dingbod Kesterson, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 12:12 (sixteen years ago) link
Or to put it a Riot Grrl way, Westlife are happening without our permission.
If there is hope, lies in the proles!
o fuk
― Frogman Henry, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 12:13 (sixteen years ago) link
The MOR element is probably a very important reason why Westlife have lasted at the top for so long (after all, 8 years is a long time for a boyband). Today's boy band fans are usually tomorrow's MOR/adult contemporary fans. Westlife's musical style makes the change easier.
― Geir Hongro, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 12:26 (sixteen years ago) link
Yes. Right, WL done into the ground.
Who else?
― Mark G, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 12:26 (sixteen years ago) link
Daniel O'Donnel. Have at he!
― Mark G, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 12:27 (sixteen years ago) link
Holl', watch it son
― Tom D., Tuesday, 22 January 2008 12:29 (sixteen years ago) link
James Brown is the A.Q. Khan of music Geir dislikes.
― Hurting 2, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 14:14 (sixteen years ago) link
Insane Clown Posse?
― chap, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 14:19 (sixteen years ago) link
Rednex
― baaderonixx, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 15:02 (sixteen years ago) link
Can't say I hate ICP- their comedy's more than a bit lame, and the music's terrible, but don't care about them enough to hate.
same goes for Rednex and whoever did the Birdy Song any other novelty comedy act
― Thomas, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 15:06 (sixteen years ago) link
Rednex are total harmless fluff. ICP, on the other hand, are really quite unpleasant.
― chap, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 15:12 (sixteen years ago) link
ICP have made many valid contributions to the world of pro-wrestling, perhaps only third in the world of music to Cyndi Lauper and Billy Corgan.
― Dom Passantino, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 15:14 (sixteen years ago) link
Widespread Panic
― Rock Hardy, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 15:30 (sixteen years ago) link
trolls are a part of Norwegian folklore, right? maybe it's just his culture.
-- latebloomer, Thursday, May 3, 2007 3:23 AM (8 months ago) Bookmark Link
― The Reverend, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 15:30 (sixteen years ago) link
Citizen Cope?
― St3ve Go1db3rg, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 15:36 (sixteen years ago) link
Michael Bolton.
― Thomas, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 15:52 (sixteen years ago) link
I don't hate him
― Tom D., Tuesday, 22 January 2008 15:53 (sixteen years ago) link
Jamie Cullum?
Spin Doctors
― baaderonixx, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 15:55 (sixteen years ago) link
Toploader?
― 2for25, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 15:57 (sixteen years ago) link
Toploader's a good one. Also, Jamiroquai?
― chap, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 15:59 (sixteen years ago) link
I'm sure there's lots of ILMers who'll rep for some of Jamiroquai's stuff. Me for a start.
― Noodle Vague, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 16:19 (sixteen years ago) link
First couple of singles were OK.
― Dingbod Kesterson, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 16:20 (sixteen years ago) link
Aye, first Jamiroquai album wasn't too bad.
Toploader remain the worst band I have ever seen live.
― ailsa, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 16:21 (sixteen years ago) link
Jamiroquai's done some OK stuff
― Tom D., Tuesday, 22 January 2008 16:22 (sixteen years ago) link
There was definitely one Toploader song that I liked. I doubt there is anyone all ilm hates. But someone might not admit to owning an Il Divo album, but we know people do. Like my mum for instance. Although she's not a regular poster to the board.
― Ned Trifle II, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 16:25 (sixteen years ago) link
Some people on here (me included) like Rednex just fine.
And there are definitely people who like a couple Spin Doctors singles. (There was a thread to that effect a couple weeks ago.)
I'm guessing lots of Americans here have no idea who Toploader are. Hard to hate something you never even heard of.
― xhuxk, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 16:26 (sixteen years ago) link
Celine Dion?
― Ned Trifle II, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 16:26 (sixteen years ago) link
"Achilles Heel"?
Oh, how can you hate TLoader, they are in the past! It's not like ol' curlybonce is running around you going "Hey, didja ever hear where we got the name from?"
― Mark G, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 16:27 (sixteen years ago) link
La Celine is fine by me.
Where is that thread where (k*l*an) pretended to be "andy paltridge" and crossly extolled the virtues of "toploder" throughout?
― Dingbod Kesterson, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 16:28 (sixteen years ago) link
Jamiroquai's "Cosmic Girl" is wicked.
No metion for James Blunt yet? Doubt if he'll 'win' anyway.
― DavidM, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 16:29 (sixteen years ago) link
Ah, found it.
― Dingbod Kesterson, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 16:29 (sixteen years ago) link
"Toploader?"
Never heard of them, so can't hate them.
― Bill Magill, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 16:35 (sixteen years ago) link
Blunt is a good one
― Tom D., Tuesday, 22 January 2008 16:36 (sixteen years ago) link
Toploader - Dancing in the Moonlight
Not that bad.
― Ned Trifle II, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 16:38 (sixteen years ago) link
Nickelback?
― M@tt He1ges0n, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 16:38 (sixteen years ago) link
New Kids On The Block were far better than Westlife. Fact.
And what about James Blunt/Daniel Powter/etc?
― zeus, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 16:39 (sixteen years ago) link
They're too mediocre to hate.
I didn't read all the posts. Kenny G?
― Bill Magill, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 16:40 (sixteen years ago) link
I liked Kenny G's work with Barry White, but yeah pretty downhill after that.
― Ned Trifle II, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 16:41 (sixteen years ago) link
Actually I bet I'd like his early albums with Jeff Lorber as well.
― Ned Trifle II, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 16:44 (sixteen years ago) link
Bands that EVERYONE hates
Nickelback have had their (partial) defenders on here lately.
― xhuxk, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 17:14 (sixteen years ago) link
Find a song on ILM that everybody HATES
― xhuxk, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 17:15 (sixteen years ago) link
It's bound to be indie or metal judging by this thread
― Herman G. Neuname, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 17:22 (sixteen years ago) link
Can't find the act everyone likes thread. But if I could I would revive it and suggest Portishead.
― chap, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 17:25 (sixteen years ago) link
there's no way you could find an indie band that everyone hates, or a metal band
― M@tt He1ges0n, Tuesday, 22 January 2008 17:37 (sixteen years ago) link