Robbie Williams sells a million tickets in 3 hours...

[Aardvark747]

Y'know, if Pink Floyd do another four song set again for charity (say the Palestinian conflicts) then this is what I'd want them to play:

Dogs
Atom Heart Mother Suite
Echoes
Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts I-IX)

Figured out why I'd want those particular songs yet, Aadvark?

 

[1stepcloser]

I'm going to see Take That in concert next year. can't wait to see the looks on my friends faces, 2 of which are complete indie snobs and will be absolutely horrified

 

[Aardvark747]

^i've been thinking about going too

 

[1stepcloser]

Don't be ashamed! great pop band. great pop tunes. Free yourself of any insecurities and pre-conceptions and go and see Take That, you won't regret it!

 

[Aardvark747]

I bet they won't play my fave. tho. 'Another Crack In My Heart'....

Would they play my 2nd fave do u think? 'Babe'?

 

[1stepcloser]

yeh they'll def play Babe, Mark on lead vocals, they can't let Gary dominate as usual! i've never heard 'another crack in my heart' as a dedicated Thatter, i feel quite ashamed lol

my top 3:

Never Forget
A Million Love Songs
Pray

They'll play them bad boys for sure

 

[yimou]

^i've been thinking about going too

 

[yimou]

I think she meant that he's one and U2 has four members. I cannot quite figure out why this should mean that U2 has some kind of advantage, though. Are they "supposed" to be 4 times as popular?

I reported this post just for fun

It felt gooooooooooood

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Dear headache, your boy Justin is shit. I mean, really shit.

Robbie is bloody awesome. A very funny guy, also.

And BEG, thank you!

well that's besides the point.

my comment, not directed at anyone in particular, was baisicly based (baisicly based???) around the constant trashing by many european fans about the state of american music... yet then they go ape shit over a guy who pretty much has the exact same background... boy bander turned pop mega star... that justin timberlake has... who is often pointed out in the arguments about why american music is shite.



who cares... i'll shut up now.

 

[U2Man]

I reported this post just for fun

It felt gooooooooooood

I'm not sure you should expect any mod to listen to you ever again when you admit something like this

 

[andyuk]

do u think ROBBIE might crack though? u know U2 are experienced in long tours and know how to put on a great show night after night where as so many other bands/singers out there find it extremely hard to do long tours. He is not the strongest man i seen and he has issues! i reckon he could crack half way through the tour

 

[Sleep Over Jack]

Wow I'm really surprised at how many U2 fans see him as a credible artist: he is still as fake as the boy-bands of today and cannot even create his "solo" music by himself! To my mind, its just corny shite for the "soccer mom brigade" don't confuse him with those of real talent.

 

[Angela Harlem]

well that's besides the point.

my comment, not directed at anyone in particular, was baisicly based (baisicly based???) around the constant trashing by many european fans about the state of american music... yet then they go ape shit over a guy who pretty much has the exact same background... boy bander turned pop mega star... that justin timberlake has... who is often pointed out in the arguments about why american music is shite.



who cares... i'll shut up now.

I'm not trying to pick an argument here, my post lacked the fact I was laughing while reading this thread. It's all harmless. Did Justin do that Senorita song? Bit off topic, but I like that. I can see why you're peeved at the inclination to automatically bash anything American. That would piss me off too. I think we here gravitate more towards British and Euro than American. Not sure why, but it seems to be loosely the case most often.


And as for BEG's comment - I cant quite understand how this needs explaining, but anyway. Apologies if this comes across as patronising but as a solo artist he has less interest than an entire band. Bands as a rule make different, fuller music and can more easily make a go of it. If anyone replies to this feeling the need to then list a whole bunch of soloists who've made it to somehow discredit this, then you're still missing the point. This is what Robbie is.
Simple, no?

 

[elevation2u]

Wow I'm really surprised at how many U2 fans see him as a credible artist: he is still as fake as the boy-bands of today and cannot even create his "solo" music by himself! To my mind, its just corny shite for the "soccer mom brigade" don't confuse him with those of real talent.

ahhh, at last someone I can agree with
I dont see how this guy gets so much credit,
whats next people going apeshit over ricky martin?

 

[STING2]

I'm not trying to pick an argument here, my post lacked the fact I was laughing while reading this thread. It's all harmless. Did Justin do that Senorita song? Bit off topic, but I like that. I can see why you're peeved at the inclination to automatically bash anything American. That would piss me off too. I think we here gravitate more towards British and Euro than American. Not sure why, but it seems to be loosely the case most often.


And as for BEG's comment - I cant quite understand how this needs explaining, but anyway. Apologies if this comes across as patronising but as a solo artist he has less interest than an entire band. Bands as a rule make different, fuller music and can more easily make a go of it. If anyone replies to this feeling the need to then list a whole bunch of soloists who've made it to somehow discredit this, then you're still missing the point. This is what Robbie is.
Simple, no?

Bands are more prone to fighting and break ups which of course end and can hamper any chance of making a go of it. The Solo artist does not have to deal with this. They do what they want when they want, and can get help from the record company to provide what the lack from not having a band. Hell the record company will provide the band, 13 song writers and 15 producers like they often do for Celine Dion.

A band, in the sense that U2 is a band, is faced with tremondous obstacles from the outside as well as the inside, that many solo artist never have to face to the same degree.

But hey, lets take a look at the artist who have sold 10 million plus of an album so far in this decade. Notice which is more common, Solo artist with albums selling 10 million plus, or bands with albums selling 10 million plus.



1. Beatles: 1 : 30,000,000+
2. Norah Jones : Come Away With Me : 19,000,000
3. Eminem: The Marshall Mathers LP : 17,000,000
4. Linkin Park: Hybrid Theory : 16,000,000
5. Britney Spears: Oops!....I Did It Again : 15,000,000
6. Eminem : The Eminem Show : 15,000,000
7. Usher : Confessions : 14,000,000
8. Avril Lavigne: Let Go : 13,500,000
9. Evanescence: Fallen : 13,500,000
10. N'Sync: No Strings Attached : 13,000,000
11. Madonna : Music : 12,500,000
12. U2 : ALL THAT YOU CAN'T LEAVE BEHIND: 12,000,000
13. Backstreet Boys : Black And Blue : 12,000,000
14. Shakira: Laundry Service : 11,000,000
15. Dido: No Angel : 11,000,000
16. Limp Bizkit: Chocolate Starfish : 11,000,000
17. Pink: M!SSUNDAZTOOD : 11,000,000
18. Enya: A Day Without Rain : 10,500,000
19. Shaggy: Hotshot : 10,500,000
20. Norah Jones : Feels Like Home : 10,000,000
21. Moby : Play : 10,000,000
22. Coldplay : A Rush Of Blood To The Head : 10,000,000
23. Green Day : American Idiot : 10,000,000


Solo artist definitely have the lead by a ratio of more than 50%. No matter how you stack it, when its all said and done, the band has the tougher climb as well as more difficulty when it comes to "staying power".

 

[Popmartijn]

ahhh, at last someone I can agree with
I dont see how this guy gets so much credit,
whats next people going apeshit over ricky martin?

No. But they might be enthusiastic about Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra.

 

[The Sad Punk]

I really, really dislike the guy and his music, but it's a hell of a feat nonetheless. Criminy.

 

[yimou]

I'm not sure you should expect any mod to listen to you ever again when you admit something like this

 

[Dutch Partygirl]

Quite like his music (even though I'm not convinced by the last album, crappy compared to the rest), but I don't like him. Saw him once (in a small place), that's enough.

 

[Nube Gris]

people dont know this guy Williams over here, but i saw the other day an interview on the BBC and a bit of his performace and i really dislike the man, his attitude, his tatooed body and arrogant face is very annoying.....how can such a clown be so big over there in Europe?

Its understandable why he has not sold a cd and a ticket in the u.s, people tend to deslike this kind of bastards

 

[thatsnotmypuppy]

Actually his Escapology album sold 50,000 in the US, 'The Ego Has Landed' sold 350,000 copies and 'Sing When You're Winning' sold 120,000 - so half a million sales isn't a huge amount - but it's more than a lot of UK artists. Also he has toured twice - both times well recieved - but admittedly small venues.

I know a lot of Americans who like 'that DJ video where he rips his skin off' and 'that Angels song'... bummer Jessica Simpson killed it... So his profile isn't big in the US - he is seen as a bit of a curio. I assume a lot of people just don't get how someone can be a superstar (millions upon millions of sales) but not be known in the US... Luckily you guys don't get Westlife or Ronan Keating either - Robbie is definetly the lesser evil all things considered!!!

 

[Sleep Over Jack]

Oh I 'd definitely place him on the same level of awfulness as Keating..

 

[thatsnotmypuppy]

Come on - he has never inflicted us with a bad Garth Brooks cover or 'Life Is A Rollercoaster' - and thankfully Robbie kept his Lulu cover well within the bounds of his Take That career days!

Ronan is arse.

 

[ClaytonMan]

people dont know this guy Williams over here, but i saw the other day an interview on the BBC and a bit of his performace and i really dislike the man, his attitude, his tatooed body and arrogant face is very annoying.....how can such a clown be so big over there in Europe?

Its understandable why he has not sold a cd and a ticket in the u.s, people tend to deslike this kind of bastards

This is the exact reason why he isnt well recieved because you lot over the pond just dont get us.

over here its called a personality, something a lot of you dont have.

Now i like Robbie but I do feel he is overated. But that doesnt stop him from being one of the best entertainers in the business

 

[1stepcloser]

This is the exact reason why he isnt well recieved because you lot over the pond just dont get us.

over here its called a personality, something a lot of you dont have.

 

[1stepcloser]

Oh I 'd definitely place him on the same level of awfulness as Keating..

i'm not a massive Robbie fan but come on....there's light years between him and ronan fucking keating

 

[Sleep Over Jack]

In what way? they both make cheesy ballads for the non-music fan, neither has any artistic merit and both are highly popular..I'd love to know how RW has somehow become "credible".. the likes him, Keating et al represent the sort of lowest common denominator music that sells shitloads but doesn't mean anything in the long run.

 

[imogen]

I really like Robbie Williams. I would like to see him in concert. I hear he is truly great live.

 

[imogen]

I have now gone back and read over the pages and I would like to add my 2 cents.... (you do not have to read if you don't want to!

To compare Robbie to U2 is a little unfair. I don't think they are really in the same category. But that does not mean that Robbie is not a great talent, and a terrific showman.

The other thing about the English/American debate....

As an Australian, I probably identify more with the English kind of humour. It can be quite sutble at times and relies on nuances of the culture. I do not feel I am explaining very well... maybe someone can help me out here???

Americans on the other hand are quite transparent. That kind of slapstick, 3 Stooges, sitcom genre. Do you know what I mean?

At times on here, I feel Americans can misconstrue things that are obviously tounge in cheek. Take the recent Bono comment of "I am a massive shagger" in Q magazine ( I think).

This is my Australian interpretation, and I only speak for myself, of course.

The interviewer asked "What if we are to find out that you really are just a massive shagger?"

I took that to mean the interviewer was really asking "What if we find out that you are just a massive wanker ie idiot?" To which Bono replied "Of course I am a massive shagger, just ask the missus!" He turned it around, with humour, to be about sex.

Now in no way would I have thought the interviewer was being rude or derogatory. In fact, he was giving Bono the opportunity to answer to those critics that do portray him as that ( a wanker).

Robbie was probably not being rude or obnoxious, it was just that many of you may not have understood his humour.

This is not in any way a criticism or an insult to either party, it is just an observation of what I see.

Does any one else know what I mean? ( Possibly not, but that's okay! lol)

 

[Irvine511]

i'm an american who loves robbie -- more him and less his music, though some of it isn't bad -- and i've seen him once in new york in a small club. good show, but only 80 minutes or so. i was so close i could see the fillings in his teeth. he is very, very british, and his brand of humor does not translate well over here -- generally, people look at him and think, "what an arrogant bastard, and his music isn't terribly special." i think there's something very unique to british culture that robbie has tapped into, a kind of self-mockery that manages to be arrogant at the same time. it's peculiar to the Yanks, who tend to like their rock superstars true-blue and sincere (bono, springsteen). i also don't think robbie fits into an easily identifiable format, and most of the US pop market is dominated by hip-hop/R&B, of which robbie is neither.

still, he's so hot i can hardly stand it.