Liz Phair 'Extraordinary'

[Pet Shop Boy]

Is this confirmed as the second single? it seems the absolute obvious choice to me. It's the strongest thing on the album by miles and so, so pop friendly. Unless it pulls a 'Stand' I can easily see it going top ten there, which is why i'm really rooting for 'Why Can't I' to get there on that format, to give this song a strong base to become another hit.

Now if she could just sell a few albums this whole reinvention could actually be deemed something of a success.

[Deleted]

This is a very good song. However, I believe they're still deciding between this and "Rock Me". From the beginning, they were deciding between "Why Can't I," "Extraordinary," and "Rock Me". Maybe "RM" will be the third single.

[Pet Shop Boy]

Rock Me would be OK as a third single if 'Extraordinary' does well enough to establish her as more than a one-hit wonder at pop, but as a second single it'd probably do pretty crappy. Extraordinary is the only song that sounds like a big hit in its own right to me, 'Rock Me' would struggle to get past about #33 if released next.

If, say, Extraordinary came out next and peaked at about #8, i reckon 'Rock Me' would then have the momentum to get to about #16, cos she'd be more established at the format.

Kinda like Stacie Orrico I guess. Her next single 'I promise' should do OK now cos 'More To life' did so well, but if it'd followed 'Stuck' it would have done nothing, and she'd just be another pop one hit wonder.

[Devil Marlena Nylund]

This song is in the Taking Off section on Triple A, I think.

[Deleted]

This goes for Hot AC adds next week. It seems like it's been a year since "Why Can't I" went for adds.

[allow that]

I really hope this does well. Liz Phair's whole CD is pretty good, and this is such a deserving song.

[arebomb]

Can someone tell me about Liz Phair's recording career before "Why Can't I?"

I was at the bookstore the other day reading Rolling Stone and I noticed that one of her albums was actually on the list of their best 500 albums and I was shocked. I didn't even know that she had a CD other than her current release...I forgot what the name of the album was, but I'm thinking it had "Sex" in the title...

Did Liz re-invent herself for her current album? I really like "Why Can't I?," but I never would have imagined her being an artist that made a top 500 albums of all time list.

[allow that]

arebomb said:

Can someone tell me about Liz Phair's recording career before "Why Can't I?"


Did Liz re-invent herself for her current album?

Well, Liz Phair released her first CD what, like 10 or 12 years ago? She was an indie Rock staple. She had a big following and her songs were very organic, singer-songwriter Rock songs. She always had that horniness to her lyrics though, with song titles like "Fuck and Run" and "Blow Job Queen."

When she released this current album, all her old fans began a backlash saying she sold out and all that. She not only changed her style of music, but her style of dress. Her attitude since has been: "I can make whatever kind of music I want... if I want to make a Pop album, I will. I don't care if it's selling out... if you don't like that, that's too bad."

[Devil Marlena Nylund]

She was also with Lilith Fair too and had a song on the Lilith Fair Volume 2 Live CD.

[Deleted]

This is off to a great start at Hot AC. It's most added and New & Active.

[allow that]

The said:

This is off to a great start at Hot AC. It's most added and New & Active.

I think this'll be about as big a hit was "Why Can't I?" at both Pop and Hot AC. I see it peaking in the HAC Top 10 but not Top 5. And I see it peaking either just outside or just inside the Pop Top 10. Like "WCI" I think it'll be a HAC hit for a good 3 months before it does anything at Pop. This'll be a Winter HAC hit and a Spring Pop hit!

[singingsparrow]

I agree with Jersey Boy.

Liz Phair has yet to be a staple to this format, and still we even see Michelle Branch coming shy of the Top 5 with the exception of "Are You happy Now?". Vaneesa Carlton was perfectly fit for this format, especially with "Ordinary Day", and it never took off.

However, "Extraordinary" is bound to be a promising hit, and I think may surpass the strength of "Why Can't I?" on CHR/Pop and get her her first Top 10, assuming "Why Can't I?" doesn't make it with Ludacris and others gaining up on her.

My Prediction: #9

Sincerely,
Noah Eaton

[allow that]

Liz has some things going in her favor right now, especially compared to the Michelle/Vanessa types. That is Liz's credibility as an artist, with her impressive catalog of previous releases. Even though this is a completely different style for Liz, and even though her older material never got played at HAC, the fact is HAC does look at the overall artist instead of just the surface value of a song.. at least a lot more so than Pop does. Also, Liz's age is a factor in her favor at HAC. HAC likes playing music by artists in their 30's and 40's that Pop often leaves out. These artists are more relatable to their target audience.

Also, HAC is the most female-friendly it has ever been since the height of Lillith. We have 4 female artists in the Top 10 right now (Dido, Sheryl, Sarah, and the Gwen Stefani fronted No Doubt). Michelle Branch and Nelly Furtado are in the Top 20, as Liz Phair technically is with "WCI?" still although it is now recurrent. Up until this summer, HAC only made room for a few token female artists. Now the gender distribution is much closer to equal.