Why wasn't 'Dancing On My Own' a hit?

[GRRR]

It still baffles me that 'Dancing On My Own' didn't do anything stateside, it had all the makings of the hit, and IMO the best pop song of 2010. What was it? Not enough promo? Robyn to different??

[out of reach]

I said in another thread. It's not about the music. it's about radio push and promotion. Artists that have significant backing will get thier material played on top 40. Artists that the media loves usually will also get support.

There was a lot of competition in 2010. US radio will prefer american artists over non american by nature.

[franklin]

Plus, I believe they sent that god-awful remix to US radio. That was a huge mistake. They should've pushed the album version and had Robyn promote herself more on the larger stations.

[blue in moonlight]

I agree with much of what has been said thus far regarding the lackluster mix sent to U.S. radio and the lack of significant backing.

I think part of it is also that Robyn doesn't want to "play the game." She will promote and perform her music but I don't see her as being one to seek the sort of media and gossip blog attention that seems like a requisite for mainstream pop radio success in the U.S. This doesn't mean she can't breakthrough American CHR again and have a hit or two but I don't see her being a Katy Perry or a Lady Gaga any time soon.

[Deleted]

This was definetely the wrong choice for a US lead single. I am still baffled at why her label hasn't pushed Time Machine. And:
Dancing On My Own (Radio Version) >>>>> the original

[heartbeats]

This is still my Jam!! I love Robyn and Body Talk. I never who she was until this song and im very much into her swedish ass.

[Eqbk]

This still could do something. I only recently heard this recently on AMP radio and its plays have increased from what I can tell. I just heard on the way back from school actually. Perhaps it's just getting started?

[kpasa]

Mar 21, 2011 12:44:35 GMT -5 blue in moonlight said:

I think part of it is also that Robyn doesn't want to "play the game." She will promote and perform her music but I don't see her as being one to seek the sort of media and gossip blog attention that seems like a requisite for mainstream pop radio success in the U.S. This doesn't mean she can't breakthrough American CHR again and have a hit or two but I don't see her being a Katy Perry or a Lady Gaga any time soon.

I think I can agree with this. She's just very distant and beyond performing, she just doesn't have that exposure that comes from the media.

Mar 21, 2011 12:47:17 GMT -5 @drag27 said:

This was definetely the wrong choice for a US lead single. I am still baffled at why her label hasn't pushed Time Machine. And:
Dancing On My Own (Radio Version) >>>>> the original

um. no.
'Dancing On My Own' was the obvious lead single, whether you like the song or not.

[Deleted]

Mar 21, 2011 17:28:03 GMT -5 @kpasa said:

Mar 21, 2011 12:47:17 GMT -5 @drag27 said:

This was definetely the wrong choice for a US lead single. I am still baffled at why her label hasn't pushed Time Machine. And:
Dancing On My Own (Radio Version) >>>>> the original

um. no.
'Dancing On My Own' was the obvious lead single, whether you like the song or not.

A) I do like DOMO.
B) I find it to be her most overrated single by the majority of people here.
C) I said it would not work as a US lead single. It does not fit the current pop mold; therefore, it was a bad choice.
D) Time Machine better fits the mold and could've possibility gotten her another US hit after all these years.

[beach1]

I agree with what was said about radio push/promotion and about Robyn not being an "attention-seeker" type of pop star. IMO this seems like it could have been a big hit under the right conditions.

[Deleted]

"Dancing On My Own" and "Time Machine" obviously fit the same mold. It's easy to think that, just because we know the latter was produced by Max Martin, it had more chance of being a hit than the former, but I don't think it's particularly accessible than "Dancing On My Own".

Robyn isn't really big outside a few Scandinavian countries anyway. In her second incarnation she might just not be meant for commercial success and it's a waste of time to pick over why. She's built a sustainable career on touring and writing critically acclaimed music and she's happy with that.

Mar 21, 2011 18:53:41 GMT -5 chillpill said:

Because she's ugly.

I take my answer back, it's probably this.

[Envoirment]

I think it just lacked the push and promo. I'm sure it would've done well with the right backing. I think KAMP picked it up late into its chart run right? Imagine if it had been pushed. It could've well been a decent-sized hit IMO.

[xxfetchmonsterxx]

Because she looks like an elf ;)

[shawnshamrock]

Because US Radio prefers the likes of the much less talented and creepier la roux!

[halo19]

Mar 23, 2011 12:28:11 GMT -5 shawnshamrock said:

Because US Radio prefers the likes of the much less talented and creepier la roux!

It must be remembered that her initial hit came about a year late.

[atlantaboy]

Awkward lyrics + she's way too heavy for the U. S. pop/dance scene - if Britney looked like that, I could guarantee she'd be flopping too in the U. S.

[Deleted]

Well, obviously critically she shits on the other g0rls so quality is not the issue.

[beach1]

Mar 23, 2011 17:59:02 GMT -5 atlantaboy said:

Awkward lyrics + she's way too heavy for the U. S. pop/dance scene - if Britney looked like that, I could guarantee she'd be flopping too in the U. S.

Isn't a lot of Adele's material on her second album comparatively heavy?

[Deleted]

I thought he was talking about her weight, because then he mentions how if Britney looked like her she'd be flopping too... but I guess that applies to Adele too.

[beach1]

Mar 23, 2011 19:24:08 GMT -5 atlantaboy said:

Mar 23, 2011 19:21:58 GMT -5 beach1 said:

Isn't a lot of Adele's material on her second album comparatively heavy?

Lol - I meant heavy as in FATTTT!!!

Oh.

But she's not really fat.. ??? At least the times that I've seen her anyway.

[Deleted]

It goes without saying that she's absolutely not fat. I can't deny that she doesn't really have the right look, but she doesn't look that different to how she looked when she scored hits in the nineties, there are larger singers with radio presence and there are plenty of female singers who don't have the blonde hair/big tits look scoring hits at the moment.

[kpasa]

I wouldn't put it past her voice being an issue either. It's a bit.. odd. Nothing bad at all, but she does have a rather strange tone that takes a minute to process. And given the attention span of stateside listeners..
I mean, I guess if La Roux could score a hit she could as well theoretically, but I can't help but feel that has something to do with it as well.

[beach1]

Mar 23, 2011 19:33:51 GMT -5 @kpasa said:

I wouldn't put it past her voice being an issue either. It's a bit.. odd. Nothing bad at all, but she does have a rather strange tone that takes a minute to process. And given the attention span of stateside listeners..
I mean, I guess if La Roux could score a hit she could as well theoretically, but I can't help but feel that has something to do with it as well.

But her voice sounds pretty much the same as when she was 16 (?) and had her hits in the 90s.

Maybe the US just wasn't ready for a song like DOMO.. While it's undeniably pop, it does go beyond just mainstream pop.

[kpasa]

Well yes, but comparatively radio isn't quite as open (in terms of sound) as they were in the 90's. I legitimately don't think the production was an issue here, but that's just me.

[brian515]

It's probably because it doesn't suck enough for US radio.

[MikeCheck12]

Robyn is amazing! Although I'd love for her to get another big hit in the USA, I'm thoroughly satisfied with the "Body Talk" albums. Her stuff is awesome!

[beach1]

Mar 24, 2011 7:07:24 GMT -5 brian515 said:

It's probably because it doesn't suck enough for US radio.

Mar 24, 2011 8:55:30 GMT -5 MikeCheck12 said:

Robyn is amazing! Although I'd love for her to get another big hit in the USA, I'm thoroughly satisfied with the "Body Talk" albums. Her stuff is awesome!

Agreed! I'm still VERY happy with her Body Talk era and proud of her. :)

[bat1990]

Mar 23, 2011 19:27:59 GMT -5 @backintime said:

It goes without saying that she's absolutely not fat. I can't deny that she doesn't really have the right look, but she doesn't look that different to how she looked when she scored hits in the nineties, there are larger singers with radio presence and there are plenty of female singers who don't have the blonde hair/big tits look scoring hits at the moment.

I saw her live in concert and I can second the statement that she is definitely NOT FAT.

[♛ The Manticore ☯]

Probably the lack of promotion.