"Radio is still it," agrees Feargal Sharkey, the former Undertones singer who now heads UK Music, an umbrella organisation representing the UK's commercial music industry. "If you have no support from radio, you're finished. You can recover from this situation, but you're aware the next big thing is always more exciting than last week's big thing."

Hmm - that's what our stupid industry used to say to Simon Cowell, whose records were rightly never played on radio. So he got into television and has sold a few records as a result.

Feargal was a superb singer with a great band and he's a nice guy but also, like Wadders and the rest, he's a wanker.

The full Guardian article...

www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/oct/27/when-bands-fall-off-cliffs

And the simple, one word answer? Singles.

Albums and careers, usually, always were crap and the exceptions that proved the rule; only singles matter. Find them, make them, promote them, sell them.

He always sounded to me as though he had a vacuum cleaner attached to his cock.

Do you really think that albums don't matter, especially to the fans? I'll tell you why I ask: for example, who in their right mind would say that Genesis were a singles band? How often did they appear on Top of the Pops? Of course they weren't; they were definitely a prog-rock albums band. And of course, the producer's fees must have paid for the odd rolls or two over the years bearing the registration JK9000?

So Mr King, you're 100% wrong on this issue...

Albums made money and are often used to justify continuing careers but aiming for them or careers is a mistake. Make the hit singles.
Compilations are fine. Concept albums can be OK. Classical albums are great. But these are the exceptions that prove the rule - 95% of the time it is single individual tracks that matter.

A Pundit wrote:
Do you really think that albums don't matter, especially to the fans? I'll tell you why I ask: for example, who in their right mind would say that Genesis were a singles band? How often did they appear on Top of the Pops? Of course they weren't; they were definitely a prog-rock albums band. And of course, the producer's fees must have paid for the odd rolls or two over the years bearing the registration JK9000?

So Mr King, you're 100% wrong on this issue...

But do albums matter now? That's the issue. In an era when the order of songs was important and you listened from start to finish, yes, the album was an experience. But nowadays most people seem to pick and mix at iTunes, so the album does indeed appear undermined.

Prunella Minge wrote:
A Pundit wrote:
Do you really think that albums don't matter, especially to the fans? I'll tell you why I ask: for example, who in their right mind would say that Genesis were a singles band? How often did they appear on Top of the Pops? Of course they weren't; they were definitely a prog-rock albums band. And of course, the producer's fees must have paid for the odd rolls or two over the years bearing the registration JK9000?

So Mr King, you're 100% wrong on this issue...

But do albums matter now? That's the issue. In an era when the order of songs was important and you listened from start to finish, yes, the album was an experience. But nowadays most people seem to pick and mix at iTunes, so the album does indeed appear undermined.

Music doesn't matter generally, anywhere near as much as it did in the 70's and 80's, however if anything matters, then its the singles. The singles are used to sell the albums. This is why they have stickers on with the words ("featuring the hit singles....."). All the money these days is to be made from touring, hence the reason virtually every band out there is reforming and cashing in, however without the back catalogue of singles, few would go and see the tours.

robbiex wrote:
Prunella Minge wrote:
A Pundit wrote:
Do you really think that albums don't matter, especially to the fans? I'll tell you why I ask: for example, who in their right mind would say that Genesis were a singles band? How often did they appear on Top of the Pops? Of course they weren't; they were definitely a prog-rock albums band. And of course, the producer's fees must have paid for the odd rolls or two over the years bearing the registration JK9000?

So Mr King, you're 100% wrong on this issue...

But do albums matter now? That's the issue. In an era when the order of songs was important and you listened from start to finish, yes, the album was an experience. But nowadays most people seem to pick and mix at iTunes, so the album does indeed appear undermined.

Music doesn't matter generally, anywhere near as much as it did in the 70's and 80's, however if anything matters, then its the singles. The singles are used to sell the albums. This is why they have stickers on with the words ("featuring the hit singles....."). All the money these days is to be made from touring, hence the reason virtually every band out there is reforming and cashing in, however without the back catalogue of singles, few would go and see the tours.

But Robbie somebody forgot to tell the record companies
When was the last time anybody here bought a single?

"The deal-of-the-day site emailed a link to half a million subscribers - "We have a very similar demographic, apparently" - and there was around a 1.5% take up."

That is the reality of the "new" music business: Sales of records/downloads will never again (or at least not in the next 5-10 years) earn enough money to support the major-label-model (one hit out of ten or more releases). In that sense JK is right: It's back to singles, to cheap releases, small profits and (hopefully) smaller losses.

Innocent Accused wrote:

But Robbie somebody forgot to tell the record companies
When was the last time anybody here bought a single?

Agreed, but this probably has as much to do with the age of the posters than anything else. I haven't bought any singles or albums for over a year, since I got spotify. When I was 15 or 16, I used to collect every single on 7" and 12" of around 5 or 6 groups that I liked (Human League, Abc, Japan etc). I severely doubt whether there are any kids around these days with the same level of dedication.

No - for "single" read individual track.
Millions are still buying them (mainly downloads) and tens of millions are stealing them.

An interesting - if inaccurate - examination of music monies...

www.rollingstone.com/music/news/the-new-...ic-industry-20111025

and it looks like florence and the machine have delivered a load of over produced, hitless drivel. what goes on in A&R when the artist says , ' we are going darker'? Any chance of a fucking tune? it is all reverb and atmosphere and no song craft.

it is Duffy, all over again

Florence & The Machine have some qualities, but I realised it was mainly hype when their cover of a remix of a remix of a remix of a mid-80s Gospel-lite tune by Candi Staton won"Song Of The Year" a couple of years ago.

I bet there's hardly anyone - bar a few accountants - who really understands the mechanics of where the money comes from and then ends-up in the music biz.

What about you Kenneth? Have you ever forensically studied those PRS, PPL or record label accounts and really got your head around it? I would guess there's a great deal of implicit trust floating around? It's a bit like PAYE - who really questions the deductions made on their behalf by their employer on their pay slip?

robbiex wrote:
Innocent Accused wrote:

But Robbie somebody forgot to tell the record companies
When was the last time anybody here bought a single?

Agreed, but this probably has as much to do with the age of the posters than anything else. I haven't bought any singles or albums for over a year, since I got spotify. When I was 15 or 16, I used to collect every single on 7" and 12" of around 5 or 6 groups that I liked (Human League, Abc, Japan etc). I severely doubt whether there are any kids around these days with the same level of dedication.

With free videos on youtube kids just don't feel like getting conned by the thieving record companies anymore.

Eluard Havant wrote:
He always sounded to me as though he had a vacuum cleaner attached to his cock.

Ah, but attached with what? Insulating tape would produce a vastly different effect from, say, nails or having it welded on.

I'm going to stop there. Thank me. Do it now.

Innocent Accused wrote:

When was the last time anybody here bought a single?

1976. I think.