Gotye's "Somebody That I Used to Know"

[Dkampy]

I don't get how Gotye's and Fun.'s sound fits more with the younger demo. As a 40 year old..."Somebody that I use to Know" is very reminiscent of Sting/Peter Gabriel as has been mentioned...I was in my teens in the 80's(Graduated in 89)...It also reminds me of something that would have done well in the 90's during the alternative phase which I was in my 20's...seems like a perfect fit for 35 plus adults.

As for "We Are Young" sounds like something Queen could have recorded.

Seems like both of these should have some adult appeal.

By the way I have some adult friends my age who both of these do appeal to...and they are not as enthusiastic about music as I am.

 

[atlantaboy]

I don't get how Gotye's and Fun.'s sound fits more with the younger demo. As a 40 year old..."Somebody that I use to Know" is very reminiscent of Sting/Peter Gabriel as has been mentioned...I was in my teens in the 80's(Graduated in 89)...It also reminds me of something that would have done well in the 90's during the alternative phase which I was in my 20's...seems like a perfect fit for 35 plus adults.

As for "We Are Young" sounds like something Queen could have recorded.

Seems like both of these should have some adult appeal.

By the way I have some adult friends my age who both of these do appeal to...and they are not as enthusiastic about music as I am.

Did someone post that they didn't appeal to adults? (Both are doing really well on Hot AC)

 

[Jay F]

I don't get how Gotye's and Fun.'s sound fits more with the younger demo. As a 40 year old..."Somebody that I use to Know" is very reminiscent of Sting/Peter Gabriel as has been mentioned...I was in my teens in the 80's(Graduated in 89)...It also reminds me of something that would have done well in the 90's during the alternative phase which I was in my 20's...seems like a perfect fit for 35 plus adults.

As for "We Are Young" sounds like something Queen could have recorded.

Seems like both of these should have some adult appeal.

By the way I have some adult friends my age who both of these do appeal to...and they are not as enthusiastic about music as I am.

Did someone post that they didn't appeal to adults? (Both are doing really well on Hot AC)

Yes CHRles said they test better 18-34 than 25-54. I think it's just a matter of 25-54 becoming familiar with these songs.

 

[atlantaboy]

I don't get how Gotye's and Fun.'s sound fits more with the younger demo. As a 40 year old..."Somebody that I use to Know" is very reminiscent of Sting/Peter Gabriel as has been mentioned...I was in my teens in the 80's(Graduated in 89)...It also reminds me of something that would have done well in the 90's during the alternative phase which I was in my 20's...seems like a perfect fit for 35 plus adults.

As for "We Are Young" sounds like something Queen could have recorded.

Seems like both of these should have some adult appeal.

By the way I have some adult friends my age who both of these do appeal to...and they are not as enthusiastic about music as I am.

Did someone post that they didn't appeal to adults? (Both are doing really well on Hot AC)

Yes CHRles said they test better 18-34 than 25-54. I think it's just a matter of 25-54 becoming familiar with these songs.

If you look at Rate The Music.com (on AllAccess), Gotye does better with 25-34 than it does with "teens"

I'm sure it doesn't test as well 35-54, but that's basically the mainstream AC format

 

[justpassingthough]

I just got back from Coachella, and there were a surprising amount of teens rushing into the Gotye tent to hear "Somebody That I Used to Know", then they immediately split after that.

 

[Morpheux]

It's an awesome song and I'm not big into alternative usually. The remix with Tiesto is # 9 on iTunes as of yesterday.

 

[jason1589]

The song is getting MASSIVE airplay in some areas.

In Los Angeles, 5 stations have it in power rotation!

It is the no1 song on KIIS, KBIG, KROQ and KYSR. KAMP just put it in power too!

 

[MarioMania]

Why is this song so liked??

Seems like every odd song goes to #1, Do people listen to cra** on the Radio

 

[CatCall]

I think there's a very good chance the song will bump "We Are Young" out of the #1 position on the CHR Top 40.

And how refreshing it is to see new bands like The Wanted, Fun., and Gotye doing so well on the pop charts with #1 songs.

 

[sdh483]

Why is this song so liked??

Seems like every odd song goes to #1, Do people listen to cra** on the Radio

Because everyone's grown out of the two note auto-tuned songs.

 

[Jay F]

Why is this song so liked??

Seems like every odd song goes to #1, Do people listen to cra** on the Radio

I have the opposite opinion. This song is not cra*. It's a quality, musically interesting and different sounding song..so I find it encouraging and surprising that's it's such a big it.

Does anyone else think the music (not vocals) of this song sounds a little like Thompson Twins-Lies? I suppose it sounds like a lot of 80s songs.

 

[carolinaradio]

Unfortunately, WFBC-Greenville continues to keep this track in just light rotation (along with the rest of the hits, like "Starships", "Part Of Me", "Wild Ones", etc) and keep burning the same ones to death in power over 110x a week. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Ugh.

Our Hot AC(WMYI) put it in to power this past week, thank goodness for them.

 

[atlantaboy]

Unfortunately, WFBC-Greenville continues to keep this track in just light rotation (along with the rest of the hits, like "Starships", "Part Of Me", "Wild Ones", etc) and keep burning the same ones to death in power over 110x a week. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Ugh.

Just checked the playlist for WFBC, and its #10 song is only spun 37x a week - I'm guessing they must play a lot of recurrents

Also, wow at Set Fire To The Rain still being in power rotation

 

[carolinaradio]

Unfortunately, WFBC-Greenville continues to keep this track in just light rotation (along with the rest of the hits, like "Starships", "Part Of Me", "Wild Ones", etc) and keep burning the same ones to death in power over 110x a week. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Ugh.

Just checked the playlist for WFBC, and its #10 song is only spun 37x a week - I'm guessing they must play a lot of recurrents

Also, wow at Set Fire To The Rain still being in power rotation

Yeah, they used to have 4 in power (110-120x a week) then like 6 in mid (~50-60x), but they've cut that way back - they're playing more rhythmic recurrents, it sounds like to me. They're not sounding very good lately.
Set Fire To The Rain is just an example of how slow they've become - and say it's one of their "most requested songs"...lol

I hear a lot of positive stuff on here about Entercom CHR's, and B-93.7, but I'm just not in to this one at all lately...

 

[Morpheux]

How many stations are playing the Mike D version? I have heard it on WAKS 96.5 KISS and 96.3 WDVD

 

[new_friends_gr]

I'm a little late in joining this conversation, but I thought I'd chime in anyway. I REALLY REALLY like this song, which is kind of uncharacteristic for my musical taste. I love the "turbo-pop"/rhythmic sound that has dominated CHR over the past few years, and this song by Gotye definitely does not fit that sound.

About a month ago, I felt like I was losing touch with CHR music because I've lately been listening a lot to AC and Soft AC instead. When I first saw this topic on this board in early April, I had never heard of Gotye or this song. Finally I started hearing it on the radio, although I can't remember which station I first heard it on ... possibly the Hot AC station here in Grand Rapids.

I was down in Memphis the weekend of April 27-29 and had plenty of time to check out the radio stations down there (listening to lots of the CHR stations, some AC, some Hot AC, etc.). It was finally on that trip that I started to really develop my appreciation for this song. I probably heard it at least 5 times on the radio that weekend and fell in love with it. Then I watched the video and was quite captivated.

 

[oldies76]

Am I the only one who seriously thinks that the Gotye song "Somebody That I Used To Know" sounds like it is straight out of the early/mid-80s? I can't exactly pinpoint why. It's just so unique and simple compared to songs you will hear before and after it on CHR stations. Don't get me wrong - it's a great song.

It's one of the best and unique songs ever to chart at #1 in many, many years. Yes it has early 80's sound, but also a bit of late 60's. Hopefully the "electro-pop" phenom of the last few years has dwindled down a bit and these new "alternative" type songs take hold for a while. Music is changing!!

 

[oldies76]

Why is this song so liked??

Seems like every odd song goes to #1, Do people listen to cra** on the Radio

It's unique, different and fun to listen to, People are tired of the same ole, same ole and electro-pop needs to take a backseat for a while.

Adele, Fun, Train, OneRepublic & Gotye...things have changed for the better in 2011 and 2012.

"Somebody That I Used To Know" is not "odd" or "crap", it's different and new and it's what the listeners like and have bought. 4 weeks at #1 on the Hot 100.

 

[only1moore]

Not to mention that its also getting a lot of airplay at Rhythmic. And already its hit numero uno on both Billboard's Dance Club Songs and Dance/Mix Show Airplay charts. This song is definitely mass appeal.

 

[Morpheux]

This is the version that the rhythmic stations and some chr's are playing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m57zWuvsDTc