The death of the one hit wonder.

All this talk of new models involving live gig profits and so on is just an adaption of the old "albums and artistes" model.

But the true crossover global hits are usually one offs.

They are the songs Grannies and Babies and Sports Lovers and Secretaries love and sing and hum.

And most of the "new models" I've seen ignore hit singles.

Why? Greed again. More money is the (wrong) conventional wisdom.

The true "new model" will find, make, promote and sell those catchy novelty hits above all else.

Fuck artistes; give me hits any day.

Interesting thoughts. Is it a coincidence that the world's biggest band ever and the world's biggest solo artist could combine the two genres? Could you imagine someone like Coldplay ever writing something like Yellow Submarine? Octopus's Garden? Hound Dog? Teddy Bear? Ob-la-di-ob-la-da? You're right, most modern groups are too pretentious by half - too bothered about being cool and taken seriously. The catchy, one-off hit is the lifeblood of the pop world.

Excellent point Fred - the huge stars of the past were one hit wonders who kept coming up with another hit!

I can only really remember Yellow from Coldplay (a real hit) and Creep from Radiohead (another real hit).

Either would have been massive under any name.

Like Blur's Song 2 and Oasis Wonderwall (though I always thought Don't Look Back In Anger was far and away their best).

I think this discussion could be getting slightly clouded as its hard to distinguish margins between a one hit wonder...or a band/artist that has a couple of 'Hits' surely this is what attributes them to becoming the biggest band in the way.

In regard to 'hit' are we talking in regard to having a worldwide Number 1 single?? As im sorry, but id rather take 3 or 4 top 10 singles, which dont forget can be affected by a number of things in either way, and then take a following 25 mill album sales and soldout tours by a band such as Coldplay. Of course, Yellow was massive, but without such clever songs like The Scientist, Trouble, God Put a Smile, Fix You even..then they would not be where they are. I disgree and feel they are one of the less pretentious bands about in terms of songwriting. They have reaped their rewards of writing songs that affect people in a way that draws them back.

On a lighter note...nice Wonderwall guitars on Rhianna's new single!

Coming from a Dance music perspective i'm with JK on this one. Give me hit singles all the time. The original 45 model which was singles driven and hit driven. I think that only then does an album make sense and it will arguably sell more.

Albums are great but mostly disappointing from a punters perspective.

Problem is of course is coming up with those hits. How did you do it JK ? By the way where is the book about independent records ?

Yes, the 360 degrees model (including big advances and all the creative book-keeping the labels are really good at) is just a variation of the old model: It is still about big hits by a few selected artists.

In the future labels must find a way to make money on (almost) all their releases. This means they have to radically reduce their costs. With the structures of today the majors can't survive, even if they sign artist to 720 degree deals!

Do you know what that this little discussion is actually quite inspirational. More so than all the arguments about free/360/new model etc. Not that these aren't important, it is just that for many of us we are just not in that model and are better suited to the hit driven model.

However reading what Bob Leftsetz and others have to say on that subject is that you cannot have a hit driven business without the Majors. Do you subscribe to that point of view ?

JK managed to do it in the 70s and I believe that there are many of us on this site who have got the makings of being able to repeat this model. May I suggest a new website/blog where we can discuss just the issue of hits, exchange notes and perhaps privately garner opinion on work in progress outside of the main tipsheet board.

I am very keen to hear what the board regulars are up to and how did Big Ends Yodel single go ?

Also JK what order would you release your hit using the net, radio, TV etc. Great Thread !