Uplifting Chart Commentary From James Masterson

[Patrick Bateman]

No. People are getting stupider, even since the early 1990s.

Take That

Boyzone

Westlife

Take That as Westlife

[Drico One]

You forgot the Spice Girls and Crazy Frog.

Drico.

[ArseSpanker]

I think it's amazing that they were so huge. Especially when you take into account the content of the songs at the time. I think, in hindsight, it was an amazing coup.

Not that I don't have faith in the public, but they do always seem to let me down.

[ArseSpanker]

Does anyone like "Vulnerable", by the way?

I think it's ace.

[Drico One]

But then Erasure were huge too, so maybe the public was true to form.

Drico.

[ArseSpanker]

I haveno problem with Erasure, beyond their music. What are you saying?

[Deschanel]

Looking back, I'm slightly surprised they were ever huge given the intelligence of the general public. Or is that me being cynical now?
Drico.

The thing is, -and I hate to beat this drum again, please forgive- you really cannot fathom how corrupt the charts, the recording industry was in the 1980's. Number Ones were bought and sold, everywhere. West End Girls went to #1 worldwide not only on it's own merits, it was also a massive push, having the label behind the band, the label ensured that #1. Money, favors, drugs- these were the currencies of pop music, behind the scenes. A world where "flowers" were commonly understood to mean "drugs" on label expense accounting. Because it's a fantastic promotional device, to say a band hit #1, even though it was deftly engineered. Charts gave the illusion of democracy, but it was just that.

And you know what? It wasn't a bad thing. Look at the amazing parade of acts , the variety, there was in the 80's.
We call them derisively, "one hit wonders", but they made music quite an exciting place. Also, the heads of labels then tended to be tough old machers, but they were eccentric men who actually loved music. Deals were made, careers were made, if these guys liked the cut of your jib, they went with their gut. Star-makers. Not focus groups, analysts and accountants. They're mostly gone now, but modern music was formed by their canniness, and yes, actual passion for music. Clive Davis, Ahmet Ertegun, the music biz was formed by daring eccentrics who took chances on bands and used their power to make stars.

Today, with SoundScan, computerized tracking, iTunes, it's such a dreary hellscape of rap and novelties and disposable strippers. America woke up in 1991 when SoundScan was introduced, and said, "Who the hell is Garth Brooks?" Overnight, this unknown had four of his albums in the top 10. When the Oz figures behind the charts were no longer in control, pop in the US began a dreary plunge into mediocrity from which it has never recovered.
I could not care less about charts - vulgar in the original sense, and dismal.

[tuff enuff]

Come on people! He's actually making lots of valid points, as it doesn't take a scientist to discover that beyond the fanbase ( albeit still large enough to make a short & respectful chart impact) they hardly set the world on fire like they used to. It's also the truth, although a one hard to swallow for some fans, that no matter what they do, the things remind almost unchanged for the last couple of years. On the other hand, it's totally normal order of things. Not many groups can do that, maybe U2 or Coldplay or Depeche Mode but they'll reach this level too at one time. And to be fair, PSB are in a quite comfortable position because as I said ,they still have big enough fanbase to get appreciation from and I hope they find it enough motivating to go on.

[Patrick Bateman]

Come on people! He's actually making lots of valid points, as it doesn't take a scientist to discover that beyond the fanbase ( albeit still large enough to make a short & respectful chart impact) they hardly set the world on fire like they used to. It's also the truth, although a one hard to swallow for some fans, that no matter what they do, the things remind almost unchanged for the last couple of years. On the other hand, it's totally normal order of things. Not many groups can do that, maybe U2 or Coldplay or Depeche Mode but they'll reach this level too at one time. And to be fair, PSB are in a quite comfortable position because as I said ,they still have big enough fanbase to get appreciation from and I hope they find it enough motivating to go on.

They're one of the finest pop groups in history; he's a t*** with a laptop. Can't you Erasure fans read? He even calls it Depeche Mode syndrome - because you're not having number one singles, just jack it in.

[meiakitty]

So according to this troll if you don't constantly have #1's then your career is over? I think HIS career should be over...NOW!

[dVTB]

I fully agree with everything Masterton writes, apart from the final half of his final sentence. I'm glad to see that PSB still bother, because it means we, as fans, get fantastic, new Tennant/Lowe songs. I consider every new Tennant/Lowe song a present.

As for his analysis: there's not much to deny about it, it's fairly realistic. Especially his 'promotion' comment makes sense. I said it before and I gladly repeat it again: promotion of a new PSB album is way too much focused on the UK only and reaches the levels of complete saturation. There's no BBC radio station they haven't been on, they sent out a free CD (2,2 million copies) and appear on several TV shows.

I think PSB should start promoting themselves at place (in countries) where some extra promotion can still make a significant difference.

[alig]

Maybe they still bother because they can still shift 7-figure numbers of every album worldwide. Maybe because they can still sell out large venues. Maybe because they still have hit singles. Maybe because they still enjoy making music and travelling all over the world. Maybe because they're more important than ever in the light of x-factor and pop idol crap. Maybe because they have reached an elder statesmen status that guarantees the a position in pop culture where sales figures are irrelevant. Instead, Masterson focuses on the negative.

[Frequency]

Tuff Enuff, you don't even want to imagine what he'd make of an Erasure record. But, fair enough, if you want to subscribe to this depressingly empty and vacuous notion that pop, and, in particular, vintage pop, has no worth if it fails to capture the zeitgeist and enrapture the idiotic masses, then be my guest.

I'm also happy to subscribe to the notion that PSB were an odd kind of cult that just so happened to make it big for a few years. For examples of amazing pop groups that never broke out beyond their cult fanbase, see Super Furry Animals & Grandaddy. Materson's train of thought is an utterly joyless way of consuming pop music.

[Integralist]

It sounds like this Masterson guy isn't even remotely interested in the quality of music, just where it charts.

How utterly pathetic.

[Patrick Bateman]

I'm also happy to subscribe to the notion that PSB were an odd kind of cult that just so happened to make it big for a few years. For examples of amazing pop groups that never broke out beyond their cult fanbase, see Super Furry Animals & Grandaddy. Materson's train of thought is an utterly joyless way of consuming pop music.

Exactly. f*** you, Masterson.