Well, summertime is definitely here, and we all know it's quite a bad time to release new music. Still, there can always be some hidden gems to unearth. And so it's back to our weekly analysis.
BOB SEGER "Wait For Me"
No, don't even bother waiting, just keep on walking, or instead make some tired excuse. How could some genius at Capitol even think that this would have a chance at Pop? No, really! I know, he's sort of a living legend and all that, but he's no Bruce Springsteen. Besides, the context to which "The Rising" made its average impact on Pop some years ago was so specific it will take another big World Order defying thing for Bob Seger to ever have a chance to be heard on a Pop station, no matter how good this is (and it's not). Minor hit at AC, if he's lucky!
JESSE McCARTNEY "Right Where You Want Me"
This has a hook, I tell ya, even if it's the kind of hook that's insinuating rather than immediate. Still, it may be hard for him to really find a place with this pop/rock/soul ditty with 80s reminiscences (in other words: an upgraded hybrid halfway between Robbie Nevil and Hall & Oates, but a bit more rocked-up and ). It's definitely less formulaic than his previous teen pop/rock endevours, but that might hurt him more in commercial terms than benefit him. And then again, maybe he can be compensated for taking some risks. Hot AC could definitely give this a chance, and Pop could follow suit if succesful there.
JOJO “Too Little, Too Late”
Yep, you bet, people, this IS “Get Out”, part 2. But it also hints at some new things. So I think it’s a safe bet to assume that this is just the beginning, and that the second single will be THE one which will really establish “the new JoJo”. And for charts… trust me, this will be Top 10 while none of us will be giving too much notice.
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE “SexyBack”
THE POP SINGLE OF THE YEAR IS HERE, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!
Now back to the real world. I really don’t know if this will be a hit or not, such is this a song which happily doesn’t give a rat’s ass about what’s hip on Pop radio right now. Also goes to show that Timbaland is reinventing himself as a pure Pop artisan, after making Nelly Furtado finally listenable. Man, I really hope this one will become a not only a hit, but THE hit of the summer. But I’m also prepared for it not to. You programmers here be the judges (add it, play it to death, brainswash your listeners).
NICK LACHEY “I Can’t Hate You Anymore”
Lightning never strikes twice, buddy! It worked with “What’s Left Of Me”, but it won’t now. Besides, your ex-bed partner is already relishing on her newfound single status, if that “Madonna Holiday” nonsense is anything to go by. Really, man, you’d better respond in kind, if you don’t want to make an ass of yourself any more. But hey, at least the 40-year-old loners listening to AC radio won’t be too disappointed with this…
OUTKAST “Idlewild Blues”/”Morris Brown”
Wasn’t “The Mighty O” just released to Pop? Oh, I see, no one cared. And rightly so, I say. “Morris Brown” takes advantage, more by default than anything else. Let’s face it, these two songs only confirm what “The Mighty O” already hinted at: they seem to be trying too hard to capture the very same elements which made Speakerboxxx/The Love Below one of the best and boldest albums of the decade (not just for me, trust me). But as Alfred Hitchcock once said: you can copy the form of the masterpieces, but you can’t copy their soul. “Morris Brown” might have some chance, but it’s a very slim one. Top 50 at best.
SANDI THOM “I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker (With Flowers In My Head)”
How can you bring together such antagonists as punk-rock and hippy flower-power? Here’s the answer. And the result? A #1 hit in the UK, a growing hit all over Europe and… maybe, just maybe, it might follow suit in the US. Maybe this is the leftfield pop hit Fiona Apple has been looking to score since “Criminal”, but for which she is too talented. Or maybe this is just Natalie Merchant making a comeback with an acoustic novelty and nobody really paid any attention. Yeah, I find this song kind of bogus, but that’s life. And don’t really pay too much attention to the Internet-live-stream-concerts story going on about her: your dad knows a good PR stunt when he sees one. Chart prediction: Top 15.
BOB SEGER "Wait For Me"
No, don't even bother waiting, just keep on walking, or instead make some tired excuse. How could some genius at Capitol even think that this would have a chance at Pop? No, really! I know, he's sort of a living legend and all that, but he's no Bruce Springsteen. Besides, the context to which "The Rising" made its average impact on Pop some years ago was so specific it will take another big World Order defying thing for Bob Seger to ever have a chance to be heard on a Pop station, no matter how good this is (and it's not). Minor hit at AC, if he's lucky!
JESSE McCARTNEY "Right Where You Want Me"
This has a hook, I tell ya, even if it's the kind of hook that's insinuating rather than immediate. Still, it may be hard for him to really find a place with this pop/rock/soul ditty with 80s reminiscences (in other words: an upgraded hybrid halfway between Robbie Nevil and Hall & Oates, but a bit more rocked-up and ). It's definitely less formulaic than his previous teen pop/rock endevours, but that might hurt him more in commercial terms than benefit him. And then again, maybe he can be compensated for taking some risks. Hot AC could definitely give this a chance, and Pop could follow suit if succesful there.
JOJO “Too Little, Too Late”
Yep, you bet, people, this IS “Get Out”, part 2. But it also hints at some new things. So I think it’s a safe bet to assume that this is just the beginning, and that the second single will be THE one which will really establish “the new JoJo”. And for charts… trust me, this will be Top 10 while none of us will be giving too much notice.
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE “SexyBack”
THE POP SINGLE OF THE YEAR IS HERE, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!
Now back to the real world. I really don’t know if this will be a hit or not, such is this a song which happily doesn’t give a rat’s ass about what’s hip on Pop radio right now. Also goes to show that Timbaland is reinventing himself as a pure Pop artisan, after making Nelly Furtado finally listenable. Man, I really hope this one will become a not only a hit, but THE hit of the summer. But I’m also prepared for it not to. You programmers here be the judges (add it, play it to death, brainswash your listeners).
NICK LACHEY “I Can’t Hate You Anymore”
Lightning never strikes twice, buddy! It worked with “What’s Left Of Me”, but it won’t now. Besides, your ex-bed partner is already relishing on her newfound single status, if that “Madonna Holiday” nonsense is anything to go by. Really, man, you’d better respond in kind, if you don’t want to make an ass of yourself any more. But hey, at least the 40-year-old loners listening to AC radio won’t be too disappointed with this…
OUTKAST “Idlewild Blues”/”Morris Brown”
Wasn’t “The Mighty O” just released to Pop? Oh, I see, no one cared. And rightly so, I say. “Morris Brown” takes advantage, more by default than anything else. Let’s face it, these two songs only confirm what “The Mighty O” already hinted at: they seem to be trying too hard to capture the very same elements which made Speakerboxxx/The Love Below one of the best and boldest albums of the decade (not just for me, trust me). But as Alfred Hitchcock once said: you can copy the form of the masterpieces, but you can’t copy their soul. “Morris Brown” might have some chance, but it’s a very slim one. Top 50 at best.
SANDI THOM “I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker (With Flowers In My Head)”
How can you bring together such antagonists as punk-rock and hippy flower-power? Here’s the answer. And the result? A #1 hit in the UK, a growing hit all over Europe and… maybe, just maybe, it might follow suit in the US. Maybe this is the leftfield pop hit Fiona Apple has been looking to score since “Criminal”, but for which she is too talented. Or maybe this is just Natalie Merchant making a comeback with an acoustic novelty and nobody really paid any attention. Yeah, I find this song kind of bogus, but that’s life. And don’t really pay too much attention to the Internet-live-stream-concerts story going on about her: your dad knows a good PR stunt when he sees one. Chart prediction: Top 15.
