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new album will rock the States!!!!!!!!!!!
25 replies
Mfan28179-Jason said on March 2, 2002 18:17:
I don’t think it’s Americans in general in terms of “we are too good for anything else” - but rather issues with our music industry. It revolves around money, not talent.
People buy what they hear and what’s “popular.” It breaks down to what the media exposes to us. If radio throws the new Kylie track into heavy rotation, people are forced to listen and hear. Even if it’s not that good, if it’s getting heavy play, people are hooked. Isn’t that how songs become hits? All it takes is for a Roxette song to have the same chance. Remember “The Look”?
The music industry is interesting. I still can’t quite figure it out.
Ronald42 said on February 25, 2002 08:38:
It’s just that Kylie had a killer single/album I think thats the main reason she is back on top. OK it helps a lot to have a good compagny to back you up but without a good record it would be hopeless.
Ronald
Lars-Erik_Olson (moderator) said on February 25, 2002 15:34:
Diego, It would be nice to think that this would be the case... but I’m afraid it’s more “wishful thinking” than anything else. You’re adding 1+1 and getting 2... but there are many, many factors you’re not taking into consideration. Sorry.
Markuz said on February 25, 2002 15:42:
Sorry, that’s not correct.
Roxette did not leave EMI. And, BTW, EMI and Capitol are two labels owned by The EMI Group (wich also owns Virgin). So, they’re basically the same company.
Since owning 3 different “big” labels (each of them having their own distribution/sales/marketing structures) is not very profitable these days, the EMI group has decided to merge the EMI and Capitol structures to reduce costs. And they chose the Capitol name/brand mainly because that one is their strong label in the US market along with Virgin.
So, it’s basically the same situation. Besides, the only reason why Roxette did not release DBUGTTC in the US in 1995 (after EMI USA dissapeared) is because Capitol wanted them to do a 6 month promo tour all over America and Roxette refused to do that.
emilio said on February 26, 2002 05:12:
is that true... that becouse of a roxette decsion they lost the american market?... You have to be strong don’t you think.... America means a lot of money for PEr and MArie and they refuse it becouse of their families... i’m very sad becose of they don’t release records there but....even there would be now more popular all over the world... well soeone said that’s roxrules...
kixx said on February 28, 2002 07:39:
well, i know roxette are not leaving EMI, they will never do this, so, of course i’m not sure, Per didn’t call to tell me this, but it’s a very strong posibility, because roxette was a strong sales band on USA and if just when all those “capitol-EMI-reestructuration” had changed, kylie goes to USA after 14 years, i think Roxette go more posibilities of conquer again the States. I’m saying Marie & Per have the door open.
they need a hit-single? crush on you, the centre or other could have been an easy n1.
i think for Roxette, USA market is easy than UK market for example.
irvye said on February 28, 2002 08:47:
I don’t want anyone to get mad at me for saying this: but I think it’s time for everyone to realize that Rox isn’t coming back to the States again. Hell... they even said it themselves. EMI turning in to Capitol records wont help them... Capitol records has been around in the States for a long time. Why didn’t they just sign there when EMI went under?
juanma said on February 28, 2002 13:14:
Are you blind?
Kylie Minogue has returned to the top of the charts in the States, her last big hit in Usa was The Loco motion in 1988 and she’s back to the top!
Nobody believes that, but I think that Roxette has chances
PerFanatic said on February 28, 2002 13:21:
Yes, I agree, there is a chance, BUT...
(as I’ve said before) they would have to have a “song of the year” like Kylie’s CGYOOMH. Barring that, I don’t see them back in the US:( And, they certainly don’t need the money. I do think they want to please their fans here but at what price? Certainly not at the expense of their families!
chantie_ said on February 28, 2002 13:23:
mmm personaly i think having success in the states has nothing to do with the label you’re on. usa just does not like roxette, like holland.
don’t get me wrong, i know there are still many fans in the us, as in holland. but besides that, nobody buys the albums anymore.
they are not making music that is considdered to be popular. they do what they like, not what the most people wanna hear. i’ve always respected them for that, hell i even think HAND is a blast hahaha!
bunny said on February 28, 2002 20:48:
i think this is a topic we discuss every time before a new release. i have given up all hopes for roxette’s return to the US... not unless they sign a “real” record company.
Ronald42 said on March 1, 2002 09:00:
You know what the biggest problem is in the states? That the majorty of the people living there all think that they are so good. We only play american music, we only eat American food, ect ect. They all think they are superior to the rest of the world. Well I’ve got news for you YOU AIN’T !!
There are always exceptions of course but that’s the main reason most non USA bands don’t break through in the states. Look at Robbie Williams even if you don’t like his music you must admit he is a truly great artist but not in the US. If he was a block from NY or wherever in the US they would have likt his feet.
Zo en dat wou ik effe kwijt, Ronald
Lars-Erik_Olson (moderator) said on March 2, 2002 12:38:
@Ronald42
I’m afraid you’re wrong. There are SO many examples of evidence to prove you’re wrong... I hardly know where to begin. I’ll cite just two: There are dozens of “foreign” acts that the U.S. public loves right now (U2 is just the first to come to mind)... and last night I had to wait in line for 30 minutes to get into a nice FRENCH restaurant in New York City. Ask any New Yorker walking the sidewalk... “I have free passes for dinner-for-two at a restaurant tonight. Would you like a pass for a restaurant serving American food... or French food?” See what response you get! And try the same thing with “Italian,” “Spanish,” “Portugese,” “Scandinavian...”
Robbie Williams’ lack of success in the U.S. has NOTHING to do with Americans reluctance to embrace someone or something that is “non-American.”
bunny said on March 3, 2002 13:16:
Why are we turning this topic into a US vs. non-US debate?? Can’t we all be friends and make this world a better place to live in?
So sick of this BS.
sportsfan said on March 4, 2002 08:17:
Not only will they need a killer single, they also need a fabulous and truly outstanding record, something of the same class as REM’s “Automatic for the people”, Oasis’ “Morning Glory”, Police’s “Synchronicity” or Depeche Mode’s “Violator”, I am afraid.
The thing is, Roxette *is* a commercial band; they are on a mjor label, they are *not* pushing the frontiers of musical development, rather they tend to pick things up that they like. That’s why they absolutely need success, because that’s what commercial acts are all about, I am afraid. An indie-Band like e.g. New Order can well exist without selling millions of LPs, Roxette cannot, I am afraid. They are doing *pop* which is supposed to be liked by many people; if this isn’t the case anymore, the band has failed to achieve its major goal.
That is not too say that this is already the case with Roxette, mind you, I’ve just wanted to explain why charts and sales indeed do matter for Roxette.
No offence! :)
roxtexanet said on March 4, 2002 18:01:
If we’re going to hammer on the States for listening primarily to their own artists, I think it’s only fair to point out that most countries producing major acts focus on *their* artists as well. How often is it that a non-UK act is on top of the British singles and albums charts (answer: virtually never)(and how often is it that the crap bands that top the UK charts top any other chart? Answer: virtually never!). Canadian bands are played to death in Canada and sell truckloads of records... if you think YOU’RE sick of Nickelback/Celine Dion/Sarah McLachlan, try living *here*! All of those artists and a number of others (Shania Twain, Alanis Morissette, Nelly Furtado, Barenaked Ladies) are huge in the States, and none of them are American. Sweden’s charts are dominated by Swedish artists. Twenty of the top 100 albums sold in Australia last year were by Australian artists. On the flip-side, most of the best selling American acts of last year (like Jennifer Lopez, N’Sync, Alicia Keys, and Destiny’s Child) sold well in America, but they sold well everywhere else too... you can’t fault Americans for buying US music when people in every other country (including Holland) are buying American music as well! The music scene in the US is HEAVILY (*HEAVILY*) dominated by R&B and rap acts right now, and there’s also room for a very small number of adult contemporary acts (Enya, Sade, Dido, Celine Dion - none of whom are American, by the way), a very small number of pop acts performing a very specific style of pop music (high gloss polished dance pop peddled by teenagers backed with heavily choreographed, elaborate dance routines), and - strangely enough - hard rock balladeers. Roxette is not rap/R&B, they’re too pop to be adult contemporary, and they’re definitely not pop by-and-for teenagers. They might have dabbled in hard rock balladeering, but they were always more than that, and they’ve moved on. The US isn’t listening to them, but neither is Canada, Australia, the UK, or Japan. Sportsfan hit the nail right on the head when he said that Roxette is a commercial band and commercial bands need to sell records to survive. Fortunately with Europe and South/Latin America still keeping their minds and ears open, Rox continue to sell a million copies of every album, so they can continue to make music and be players on the world stage even without success in difficult, finicky markets like the US, Holland, and the UK.
Oh, and about Robbie Williams being a “great artist”... you’re kidding, right?
Small-talker said on March 8, 2002 04:32:
NOTE: Extreme violence used in this reply
Mmm... your views on Kylie & Roxette are distressing...
They are both totally different and I don’t think what record company a person has, has an influence on their record sales...
The reason Kylie has been out of sight in the US for a while is coz she totally changed her sound in the early ninties...Trust me, I’m a huge fan that has all 8 albums (and 2 greatest hits)...
Listen to the songs “Some Kind Of Bliss” and “Breathe” or “Too Far” (all from the album “Impossible Princess” (’97) ) and they sound so different from any other of her songs...
Kylie has been more successful in the UK then she has in her own country ’OZ’ and no-one in mainland Europe can talk about Kylie coz even her album “Light Years” (2000) bombed there while it reached #2 in the UK album charts and she’s has 4 UK top 10 hits from the album (Spinning around - #1/On A Night Like This - #2/Kids(feat. Robbie Williams) - #2/ Please Stay - #8) and ’Your Disco Needs You’ was released in Germany while bombed there...
Anyway, that’s enough info on Kylie...the point was that Kylie & Roxette are so different that it’s impossible to compare them in anyway that isn’t related to there Record Company...
ANYWAY YOU’RE ALL WRONG... KYLIE ISN’T EVEN SIGNED TO EMI DIRECTLY... SHE’S SIGNED TO ’PARLOPHONE’ WHICH IS ONLY A SECTION OF EMI AND ROXETTE DEAL WITH EMI SVENSKA?? AB...WHICH I IMAGINE IS A SWEDISH PART OF EMI...
And Robbie is a serious recording artist (he’s had 5 UKN #1s... only some spanish idiot would call him a ’joke’... he’s the king of pop here in Ireland/UK... SO THERE!!!!
Anyway, people who think ’Gary Barlow’ is a ’great artist’ who sings ’great songs’ are wierd... he sings stupid love songs (well, used to... he’s been dropped from his record label for almost 2 years now and I imagine he’d never get another record deal...
ditroia said on March 10, 2002 23:10:
Hmmm, I want Roxette to Be Successfull in the States Again like Anyone. I know A little about how the music industry works in Australia, but I don’t really know alot how the market is in America.
Althought it seems apart from bands like U2 and REM, most popular music apart from Country) is Boy bands like Backstreet Boys, Female Singers Like Britney, R&B like Destiny Childs, Dance/techno etc.
With Heavy Metal/Grunge & Soft rock/Power Pop Bands on the fringe of poular music. There doen’t seem to be a lot of space for bands like roxette. especially becuase you can’t Identify them as rock/power Pop/Ballads/Dance. EMI USA wanted Roxette to Stick with Power Ballads and Like It’s Been Said Promote themselves for 6 months.
I still Believe there is a niche market for Roxette in the USA. But it’s up to Per & Marie To WANT it.
As fans there’s little we can do to help the cause in the US at the moment, (Payola Anyone). We can play roxette in front of our friends and family but not much really.
Roxette don’t want to reinvent themselves, they just want to make music. If you look at what happended in ’88 They were NEW Young and Attractive. Had a Great Pop/Rock Song Primed for the International market, (in the Uk they were a Pop band in the US a rock Band).
It seemed there was a great surge of popularity that they rode. Now the Market is different as I’ve said. They Shouldn’t have to change to suit the market, I donlt think anyone wants that.
They don’t need to change image, looking at the press shots for RS they look great. And All the videos were great. I don’t hear anyone complaining about the album design and hey they toured.
Personally I think they’re relaxed and ready. Whatever happens, happens.
All they need is a Stable record Company that respects and supports them, (outside of Europe anyways)
They’ve Already Got the Hit Songs.
Good Luck, God Bless, Rox On, Keep the Faith &
Have a Nice Day
Dave
kixx said on March 11, 2002 08:57:
i’m so bored about the stuff “roxette are too old to the young market and sound too young to the adult”. c’mon! The fact I said you can compare Kylie with Roxette is because Roxette are songs, s-o-n-g-s, and beause of that doesn’t matter if Per&Marie are 43 or 76. And EMI are selling a s-o-n-g with Kylie, they seems don’t want to “sell” Kylie’s behavior too much (like on UK) maybe ’cos it will be too much time for her.
so,when new Roxette single will come they can’t pretend make americans remember those swedish “blonde-short-hair” girl and “rocker-look” boy ’cos it will be stupid,it will not be interested,isn’t the way to be n1.
so, here we have Kylie and Roxette in a “suposed” same position. What roxette needs?
1. a great song, their best song ever a “the look-joyride-sleeping in my car-the centre of the heart” lookalike
2. want to enjoy the states promotion
3. a great video ( easy with jonas akerlund)
4. EMI money,lots,maybe Per should sell one of him ferraris to help.
THEN:
all obsesive roxette fans very happy with our lovely band success.
kachina008 said on March 11, 2002 10:13:
just a small note on Lars’ reply:
The level of cosmopolitan acceptance that exists in NYC/LA/any major US city is hardly typical of the level of world awareness everywhere else. I should know, I live in a small suburban town where people compliment me for knowing English just because I am foreign.
As for Roxette breaking into the US market, I doubt it will happen. Since there are so many factors that have effectively shot the act in the foot even before it got started here againm (EMI/EDEL that whole deal), I don’t think the American public will hear them here, *unless* Roxette manages a big hit like Kylie, which btw was a big hit everywhere ELSE first before the states even heard it...(it is also the most annoying song I have heard). there should also be aggressive promotion.
I still think Roxette is a success in the states, I hear “IMHBL” and “the look” almost everyday on *commercial* radio, in spite of the massive airplay of hip hop and R& B. MTV? forget it. the original purpose of creating MTV has been lost for a decade now.
And besides. What is wrong in making the music that you like? It is gratifying to see that there still ARE people in the states who at least know and love Roxette, and I think that is already one helluva success.
kixx said on February 25, 2002 08:12:
acording to the news of TDR roxette is now from capitol records, so Capitol records are a important USA record company and i’m sure Roxette will be again on the states because Kylie minogue is from EMI too and she had the same problem as roxette ans since she is too on capitol records her single was immediately on the shops on USA and she’s on promotion and now she’s on top 15, so This is a roxette come back!!!!!
i hope next album will not be so lazy as RS, i love but it was so lazy, so, so lazy taken songs from solo albums a bit of marie stuff and “12 songs is perfect”-idea it’s not the way to sell more records.
but we buy them anyway