Active Aggressive
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Post by Active Aggressive on Dec 3, 2017 16:54:26 GMT -5
I was at a Christmas party last night and someone ruined my entire night by saying they weren’t into Kelly’s new album. Like, it doesn’t have to be your favorite. I get that for many kelly fans and people of a certain age there will never be anything better than Breakaway. But to not even like it? I just feel bad for him. One of my best friends HATES Kelly...well, as it turns out, ironically, it's more his wife than him. When I get him drunk and high, I get "Shhh..I'm trying to listen to Kelly" when I play it for him LOL. I have definitely gotten him to admit she is talented, even if he won't listen to her music on his own. He is stuck on 60s-70's soul, 80s-90s hip-hop (especially the Beastie Boys), and house/jungle/whatever, so it is what it is. Meanwhile, I gave one of my closest fraternity brothers the assignment to listen to MoL because he has an open mind when it comes to music and loves soulful women. He told me "while technically, Kelly has some serious pipes, I found the whole thing overproduced and empty of feeling...I can tell she hasn't really lived and I wonder what songs like these would sound like sung by someone like Tina Turner". That last quote was almost exact. I pretty much berated him, gave him Kelly's backstory (i.e. the kind of music she sang on Idol coupled with what she grew up listening to and The Struggle, which led her to where we are now, with this album) and then forced the album on him again. The song that resonated most with him this time around? Meaning of Life. I don't play when it comes to Kelly now. s**t, when I went home for Thanksgiving, I played this album (and Here by Alicia Keys because my parents love her) on a loop and Kelly made my mom get up and dance (I think it was either Didn't I or WLW, I forget which) and proclaim, "I need this now...you will give it to me." My mom is VERY particular, especially when it comes to "new" artists. Strangely enough, the only "new" artists I can think of that she has embraced fully are Jewel, John Mayer, Feist, and Eva Cassidy. tl;dr but I don't blame you for letting Kelly put you in your feels that way and you need to continue the Lord's work with me.
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slowmo
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Post by slowmo on Dec 3, 2017 18:17:00 GMT -5
A couple upcoming things that were filmed the last couple days. She did "Christmas Eve" solo and sang "All I Ask of You" with Josh Groban for CBS' A Home for the Holidays special that will air on the 19th. She'll also be on The Voice finale. I don't know what she sang for sure other than it wasn't LSS, a Christmas song or a song she's done on tv yet.
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Post by imreadynow on Dec 3, 2017 19:05:21 GMT -5
I there any place to track the weekly sales of 'Wrapped in Red'? As of 9/10/17, Billboard reported it having solid 942k copies in the US- wondering if it will cross 1 million by year's end. In my search for this information, I came across some cool reminder stats about 'Wrapped': -Best-selling Christmas album of 2013 (22nd best-selling album of 2013) -First American female artist to have a #1 Christmas album in the Soundscan era -Best-selling Christmas album on Amazon -6th best-selling album of 2013 on Amazon Speaking of Wrapped in Red, has anyone seen copies in stores this year? I thought Target might have some in their Christmas music display but they didn't.
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slowmo
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Post by slowmo on Dec 3, 2017 19:23:37 GMT -5
I've taken a quick glance in several stores the last few weeks and only saw a couple copies in one Target.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 3, 2017 23:28:23 GMT -5
This is how I rank her albums now: 1. Stronger 2. Meaning Of Life 3. My December 4. Breakaway 5. All I Ever Wanted 6. Piece By Piece 7. Wrapped In Red 8. Thankful
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Censor
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Post by Censor on Dec 3, 2017 23:50:32 GMT -5
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 4, 2017 0:01:16 GMT -5
My Ranking of her albums:
1. My December 2. Breakaway 3. Meaning Of Life 4. Wrapped In Red 5. Piece By Pice 6. Stronger 7. All I Ever Wanted 8. Thankful
I love all her albums though
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Jack
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Post by Jack on Dec 4, 2017 0:33:54 GMT -5
I think also people are vastly overestimating the emotional resonance of I Don’t Think About You. Especially compared to Piece By Piece. Thematically Piece By Piece touches on concepts of childhood, growing up, breaking the cycle, how your past effects your future. I Don’t Think About You is obviously broad enough to encompass the idea of moving on from a bad situation. But specifically it’s “I had a shitty boss”. Which is far less emotional than “I had a shitty Dad”. Again I think people are projecting how interesting “We had a hugely successful business partnership where we all made millions but it was often frustrating” is as an emotional musical message to the public at large.
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Post by Devil Marlena Nylund on Dec 4, 2017 0:41:29 GMT -5
Piece By Piece is such a well-done song. I remember listening to it when the album came out and was like... wow, this must have been such a tough song to record. And then she does the piano version like a year later and it's like... yep.
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Post by ificanthaveyou on Dec 4, 2017 0:49:44 GMT -5
At the Vegas concert. Medicine is single #2 per her banter
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Post by spaceykSVP1999 on Dec 4, 2017 1:27:44 GMT -5
At the Vegas concert. Medicine is single #2 per her banter Wig.
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nightshade
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Post by nightshade on Dec 4, 2017 2:19:35 GMT -5
At the Vegas concert. Medicine is single #2 per her banter Another day, another flop era. Kelly stans can't always win I guess. :'(
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mrricx
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Post by mrricx on Dec 4, 2017 5:38:34 GMT -5
I think they know what they're doing... No, they don't.
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Post by jonwhritenour on Dec 4, 2017 6:11:18 GMT -5
I was hoping for Heat but wish Medicine the best of luck
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mrricx
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Post by mrricx on Dec 4, 2017 6:16:52 GMT -5
I was expecting Heat too. It's more instant. My bf who can't even speak English properly was humming with Heat, and he's not even a fan.
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jessayli
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Post by jessayli on Dec 4, 2017 7:13:41 GMT -5
I’m here for Medicine as single #2. It’s the song I find myself singing to the most out loud in the car. I love it.
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Active Aggressive
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Post by Active Aggressive on Dec 4, 2017 7:43:20 GMT -5
I wish. I Don’t Think About You is obviously broad enough to encompass the idea of moving on from a bad situation. But specifically it’s “I had a s**tty boss”. Which is far less emotional than “I had a s**tty Dad”. Again I think people are projecting how interesting “We had a hugely successful business partnership where we all made millions but it was often frustrating” is as an emotional musical message to the public at large. Maybe it's just me, but I feel like only stans of Kelly who followed the specific details of her breakup with RCA will listen to the lyrics and interpret them as such. Actually, had Kelly not provided the information herself, I would read it as a standard breakup song. I can't think of any lyrics in the song, without context, that scan specifically as "I had a shitty boss".
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pnobelysk
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Post by pnobelysk on Dec 4, 2017 7:44:05 GMT -5
If they want another piece by piece Moment, just perform a piece by piece mashup with because of you. Will the GP even realize it doesn’t have to do with the current album ;)
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QAF
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Post by QAF on Dec 4, 2017 9:23:13 GMT -5
I remember actually cringing when I heard PxP. Not because it was bad but because of the lyrics. I thought Kelly slamming her dad like that might cause backlash. Stupid me.
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tinawina
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Post by tinawina on Dec 4, 2017 9:29:54 GMT -5
Kelly can be relied on for great live performances and they almost always have a positive impact on her sales. That said, the Idol PBP was a lightening-in-a-bottle type moment that can't be manufactured. I'm not going to pin my hopes on that happening again.
I will pin my hopes on her getting n a huge telecast and nailing a song, and that resulting a a sales boost, because that's a reasonable goal with Kelly IMO.
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harvie
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Post by harvie on Dec 4, 2017 10:08:34 GMT -5
I love this LSS live megamix!
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Marooned@Midnight
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Post by Marooned@Midnight on Dec 4, 2017 11:29:46 GMT -5
So excited that it sounds like an actual decision has been made about the second single! Medicine is a fantastic choice and I hope that it can be the first smash hit from this album.
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Peterawr
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Post by Peterawr on Dec 4, 2017 11:32:38 GMT -5
Medicine is my favorite on the album, but I'm genuinely surprised Heat isn't next. Both are obvious choices.
I could see a killer video for either of them (if she continues to do some visuals) and I think both can be successful.
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Post by Love Plastic Love on Dec 4, 2017 11:45:35 GMT -5
Medicine sounds the most immediate and poppy to me out of all the songs. It isn't my favorite song and I like others more and others have much better pay offs. But, I understand why they would go for Medicine especially if they consider LSS an under-performer? Which, I am not sure they do, but I hate that pop radio didn't at least send it top 15 and that it didn't go #1 on Hot Ac (seriously, HAC, get it together).
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bigb0882
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Post by bigb0882 on Dec 4, 2017 11:48:15 GMT -5
I was really hoping for Heat. I think the video could have been done well and I think it will translate live a little better based off the one time I have heard her perform Medicine. However, we all know Kelly figures out how to nail any song after a few rounds. Medicine is good but I just don't hear a smash in it. That might be a good thing, though, as I am pretty sure my tastes are drifting further and further away from CHR audiences.
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franklin
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Post by franklin on Dec 4, 2017 12:02:39 GMT -5
Fully onboard with Medicine, it was immediately my pick for second single after my first listen of the album. Not to get ahead of myself but... I feel like the 1-2 punch of Medicine and Would You Call That Love could be earth-shattering.
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Jack
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Post by Jack on Dec 4, 2017 12:30:00 GMT -5
Maybe it's just me, but I feel like only stans of Kelly who followed the specific details of her breakup with RCA will listen to the lyrics and interpret them as such. Actually, had Kelly not provided the information herself, I would read it as a standard breakup song. I can't think of any lyrics in the song, without context, that scan specifically as "I had a s**tty boss". That sort of makes my point for me. If it's just a 'standard break up song' then why is anybody going to have the kind of exceptional reaction and emotional connection to something like Piece By Piece, which is very clearly not one? Kelly did provide the context, and since that context is the emotional crux, without... it's a vague, messageless break up song. Which would be fine if in structure, melody or broad lyrical resonance it was as strong as the Adele songs it would have to be as strong as...but I don't think it is. As pretty and impressive as the high notes are.
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getonthebus
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Post by getonthebus on Dec 4, 2017 12:42:04 GMT -5
I Don't Think About You is more Mr. Know It All than it is Piece By Piece and it shouldn't be a single. The only ballad that is a viable single is the title track.
I'm indifferent about Medicine vs. Heat, but think they're gonna need a hell of a plan to put either over on radio since the current climate is trash over class.
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dbhmr
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Post by dbhmr on Dec 4, 2017 13:11:38 GMT -5
Apparently at least one person is tweeting that she just said that "Medicine" is in the running or is the front-runner, so I'm not sure I'm ready to call this.
I think I'd prefer "Heat" as the next single, though I think "Medicine" is the (slightly) stronger song. I think "Heat" is a safer up-tempo, requires less work to pull off well live, and seems like it'd be more well-received with HAC, and she needs to get that format back on board 100%. That said, "Medicine" is the more striking song, and maybe she needs something more stand-out than "Heat" to finally overcome at least a few streaming hurdles (but this is what I'd say "Love So Soft" is, so...). And though I've been thinking of them this way, this isn't necessarily an either/or situation--they could be back-to-back singles, and maybe Atlantic likes the idea of "Heat" as a summer single.
Love So Soft (Sept-Dec) Medicine (Jan-Apr) Heat (Apr-July) Would You Call That Love (July-Oct) Meaning Of Life (Oct-Grammys)
"Whole Lotta Woman" can be her "Peacock"--a song performed for a few high-profile fun things and a song some pop people know but isn't a single. Also, "Go High" can still be used for all DNC 2018 things without being a single.
Execute it.
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tinawina
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Post by tinawina on Dec 4, 2017 13:57:19 GMT -5
I think both singles are out-of-sync of what radio is playing now a days so either are starting from the same place. Not that it's a bad thing... If they've decided to eschew the "safer" choices and put out something more representative of the album then those would be the two most likely to make a big statement while still getting airplay IMO. Well, unless she went with a ballad. But I like both those songs so it's all good.
Can't wait for official word one way or another!
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