Another Year In Pop: 7

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

Dudes we've totally got a new number one! Welsh lass Duffy has booted off Basshunter into the murky depths of number three. But is she any good at all?

[Poll #1140294]
NB Tickers should bear in mind that the Utah Saints track is a new remix, 'Something Good '08'.

Comments

[datura800.livejournal.com]

I don't think Amy/Adele/Duffy are radical departures for the charts and indeed, as quick as these writers are to throw up the race card they don't seem to consider the possibility of these artists being influenced by black soul singers already in the charts. In the past few weeks I have read countless articles and blogs attacking the post-Amy record company trend and no, I have never seen that for the James Blunt or Arctic Monkeys equivalent. Anyway, IMO anyone thinking Duffy is just trying to be an imitation of Amy is the one missing the point (not that, as you say, there was much of a point to begin with. It's hilarious how Amy is now just accepted as this bastion of wild, real creativity when she's from the exact same lineage as Adele and Leona Lewis).

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

> I have never seen that for the James Blunt or Arctic Monkeys equivalent

The record companies jumping on the Arctic Monkeys bandwagon was ROUNDLY mocked by all! Not so much James Blunt, perhaps because JB was entirely uninteresting as a popstar & his successors easily managed to surpass him*. Seriously dude - did you miss the reams and reams of column inches on regional indie & its desperate clinging to the AM's coat-tails?

*Opinions expressed in this sentence may not agree with the author's own views on Blunt.

[datura800.livejournal.com]

I honestly did. And I read a lot. Of course I saw observations that certain acts were following in the Arctic Monkeys' footsteps, but not the reams of 'these acts are terrible, they are only signed because of AM and they aren't remotely as good' that A/D have had. I shall google and try to find some cos it would be interesting to read.

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

Results 1 - 10 of about 21,200 for "arctic monkeys" bandwagon (http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=%22arctic+monkeys%22+bandwagon&meta=)

(OK admittedly a lot of that is Gordon Brown saying he liked them, just to be cool.)

[datura800.livejournal.com]

Yes none of the ones I looked at were actually about other bands aping Arctic Monkeys.

This article was pointed out to me:

http://uk.real.com/music/blog/2008/01/31/duffy-is-a-woman

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

Also, you might be right in there being higher levels of backlash this time round, but it could be historical fatigue: dudes are sick of the same thing happening whenever an interesting act comes along. They have seen the Artics/Spicers/Britney clones come and go, and judging by past experience, expect little of the Amy army.