Hefty Hanna
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Post by Hefty Hanna on Aug 22, 2021 18:03:14 GMT -5
I mean, the numbers are great considering she didn't have an album to sell? Lmao.
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Au$tin
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Post by Au$tin on Aug 22, 2021 20:17:49 GMT -5
55k-60k is pretty damn awesome given the only way it's getting any numbers at all is through vinyl sales, digital sales, and streaming. There aren't any CDs, there is no hit (the title track is #1 on AAA, but that format is so tiny and niche it means almost nothing in terms of moving album units), and has a version you can purchase that apparently isn't even being counted for the BB200? (That's the last I heard about the music box anyway.)
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ampersand
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Post by ampersand on Aug 23, 2021 4:34:53 GMT -5
I've finally had some time to really sit with the album, and I have to say I'm really digging the lazy hazy summer vibe. I wasn't as on board with the new sound initially, but this is an album that deserves repeat listens to fully appreciate. Standouts to me include (in no specific order) "The Path," "California" "Fallen Fruit," "Secrets from a Girl (Who's Seen it All)," "The Man with the Axe," "Hold No Grudge," "Helen of Troy," and "Mood Ring" (which should have been the lead singe over the title track). Even "Stoned at the Nail Salon" has grown on me despite my initial frustration with that track. I know Lorde would eschew this comparison, but the album reminds me a lot of Lana's Chemtrails Over the Country Club—the Antonoff influence is prominent.
Obviously the album doesn't hit the highs of Melodrama, but it would be unfair to judge her on that metric because that record is one of my top 5 albums ever, and I applaud her commitment to never doing the same thing twice.
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Choco
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Post by Choco on Aug 23, 2021 10:33:29 GMT -5
Anything above 50k is a win for her. Well done.
That second week drop tho... but one week at a time. Pushing MR to radio would be cool, because no way the project has any legs without radio or streaming hits.
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upsidedown
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Post by upsidedown on Aug 23, 2021 13:19:55 GMT -5
Anything above 50k is a win for her. Well done. That second week drop tho... but one week at a time. Pushing MR to radio would be cool, because no way the project has any legs without radio or streaming hits. Yeah, Mood Ring has the most chance to do *something* IMO
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Hefty Hanna
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Post by Hefty Hanna on Aug 23, 2021 15:00:35 GMT -5
I knew the voice reading the spoken word at the end of 'Secret from a Girl' sounded familiar in tone. It's our girl Robyn! Legends supporting legends. :')
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Glove Slap
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Post by Glove Slap on Aug 23, 2021 15:05:57 GMT -5
Starts at #2 in the UK midweeks.
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Taylor.
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Post by Taylor. on Aug 23, 2021 17:41:26 GMT -5
The music box being purchased doesn't count for the BB200, but I assume once the code inside is redeemed for the digital download it would count?
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kimberly
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Post by kimberly on Aug 23, 2021 23:10:04 GMT -5
The music box being purchased doesn't count for the BB200, but I assume once the code inside is redeemed for the digital download it would count? I believe this was indeed the rule until last fall, when billboard completely ruled out merch items that come with a digital download. Lorde would need to offer the music box at a reduced price, without the digital download, for the purchases to count as a digital sale.
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Future Captain
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Post by Future Captain on Aug 24, 2021 0:11:21 GMT -5
Finally gave the album a listen and yeah, it's definitely her weakest album so far. It's not bad at all, in fact I liked it quite a bit, but the standard set by both Pure Heroine and Melodrama is so high that I doubt anything she released would be able to meet it, but going in with no expectation, it's a perfectly fine album.
55-60k with zero hit and mixed reception is great. Considering Melodrama did about 100k with a much more successful lead single and rave review from basically everyone, a 50% drop from it sounds about right
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Envoirment
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Post by Envoirment on Aug 24, 2021 7:13:08 GMT -5
I like a few of the tracks - "The Path", "Solar Power" & "Mood Ring". The rest of the album is OK/nice, but doesn't really grab me.
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YourFaveIsAFlop
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Post by YourFaveIsAFlop on Aug 24, 2021 7:17:25 GMT -5
Considering Melodrama did about 100k with a much more successful lead single and rave review from basically everyone, a 50% drop from it sounds about right Also keep in the mind the continuing slide in overall sales, even in the 4 years since Melodrama. Nobody is doing 100k anymore without a big hit to boost streaming numbers on the album.
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xyz
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Post by xyz on Aug 24, 2021 10:58:09 GMT -5
I hope we dont have to wait another 4 years for L4. And hopefully no Antonoff, he is great but he might start to get a little wear down from working with every girl in the industry right now lol
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Choco
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Post by Choco on Aug 24, 2021 11:11:46 GMT -5
Yes. I'm not huge on this album, although there's at least three songs I'm gonna keep in rotation, but the disappointment would be far smaller if there wasn't a huge chance she's gonna disappear for several years as soon as the tour wraps. Even when I don't love her material, she's got an interesting sound and perspective on the industry and I like having her around.
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kimberly
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Post by kimberly on Aug 24, 2021 16:45:07 GMT -5
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Post by rekwiem on Aug 24, 2021 17:02:19 GMT -5
I've finally had some time to really sit with the album, and I have to say I'm really digging the lazy hazy summer vibe. I wasn't as on board with the new sound initially, but this is an album that deserves repeat listens to fully appreciate. Standouts to me include (in no specific order) "The Path," "California" "Fallen Fruit," "Secrets from a Girl (Who's Seen it All)," "The Man with the Axe," "Hold No Grudge," "Helen of Troy," and "Mood Ring" (which should have been the lead singe over the title track). Even "Stoned at the Nail Salon" has grown on me despite my initial frustration with that track. I know Lorde would eschew this comparison, but the album reminds me a lot of Lana's Chemtrails Over the Country Club—the Antonoff influence is prominent. Obviously the album doesn't hit the highs of Melodrama, but it would be unfair to judge her on that metric because that record is one of my top 5 albums ever, and I applaud her commitment to never doing the same thing twice. If you can, try listening to the album while you go on a walk through a park of something. It enhances the experience so much more.
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Au$tin
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Post by Au$tin on Aug 24, 2021 17:02:39 GMT -5
Pleasantly surprised at these numbers.
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Kinney
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Post by Kinney on Aug 24, 2021 17:47:46 GMT -5
I find that there is absolutely nothing bad about this album at all, but after one listen I'm ready to move on. I have nothing to take from this album, but I'm glad others do.
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theflying
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Post by theflying on Aug 24, 2021 23:11:58 GMT -5
I've been playing it a lot more than I expected. It keeps enticing my curiosity and I keep stubbornly going back to it.
It's really very very well-timed. The late August quiet haze is a real thing, and it's fitting that time perfectly.
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kimberly
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Post by kimberly on Aug 25, 2021 4:48:18 GMT -5
James Corden's doing a Lorde week!
she delivered a really nice performance of "California" tonight:
and she also sang the lead single on Monday:
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circadian
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Post by circadian on Aug 25, 2021 8:05:48 GMT -5
She's already doing more promo than I was expecting her to do. That's nice.
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kimberly
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Post by kimberly on Aug 26, 2021 1:21:56 GMT -5
performed "Green Light" on Corden tonight:
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Envoirment
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Post by Envoirment on Aug 26, 2021 6:38:44 GMT -5
I'm officially addicted to "Mood Ring". They need to push this to radio ASAP! Perfect late summer/autumn song.
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born
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Post by born on Aug 26, 2021 10:41:54 GMT -5
Don’t come for me when I say that a #3 debut with ~60k units is massive for Ella. She’s basically offering only one type of physical copy, the album doesn’t have any hits to get a push and the album sales decline is a known fact.
If some of the biggest pop stars couldn’t crack 60k with a proper push, I don’t see how this is considered an underperformance for Ella. This isn’t a decent figure, it’s big.
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Hefty Hanna
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Post by Hefty Hanna on Aug 26, 2021 10:54:40 GMT -5
Uh, yeah. This album is really growing on me. 'California' is really fucking good. Loved that Corden performance.
'California', 'The Path', 'Solar Power', 'Mood Ring', 'Fallen Fruit', 'Stoned...', 'Big Star' and 'Secrets...' are all still getting play from me a week or so later. It's still easily her weakest effort, but that doesn't mean it's bad by any means.
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Choco
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Post by Choco on Aug 26, 2021 11:01:12 GMT -5
Don’t come for me when I say that a #3 debut with ~60k units is massive for Ella. She’s basically offering only one type of physical copy, the album doesn’t have any hits to get a push and the album sales decline is a known fact. If some of the biggest pop stars couldn’t crack 60k with a proper push, I don’t see how this is considered an underperformance for Ella. This isn’t a decent figure, it’s big. I'd say, all things considered, it's a more impressive opening than Melodrama's 100k. And that one didn't really have any legs whatsoever sales-wise either, so if Solar Power tanks week 2 it's still a good showing for her overall. She has her loyal fanbase.
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circadian
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Post by circadian on Aug 26, 2021 18:51:08 GMT -5
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Hefty Hanna
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Post by Hefty Hanna on Aug 26, 2021 18:56:30 GMT -5
JESUS ETC??!??!!?!?!?!??! omg yes. Loved this.
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Post by Devil Marlena Nylund on Aug 26, 2021 22:57:02 GMT -5
Devil Marlena Nylund, as Pulse's top lesbian campfire connoisseur, I'm curious what you think of this project. Was finally able to sit down and give a good focused listen to this. Lorde is clearly rejecting the lifestyle that comes with being a pop star as she sings about it in almost every song. I was following along to the lyrics on genius.com and I found some of the interpretations annoying because they’d go off on these other ideas and it’s like, what? She doesn’t like fame and she’s embracing normalcy again. What are you going on about?! If there’s a religion that worships the sun, I’d say Lorde has joined that because of how much she refers to it and praises it throughout, which of course leads to the environmental stance she’s taken on some of the songs. I think it’s an interesting project overall. A bit hippie-dippy in the lyrics and themes, but she’s clearly found a place where she feels settled and content. The first six songs are all aces. I’ve really grown to love Stoned in the Nail Salon. I think it’s almost heartbreaking in a sense because she’s reminiscing about her experiences with fame but she also feels like she’s missed out on what life would have been had she not found it. But there’s no bitterness or regret, and I really like that she’s simply thinking about it but not in any way negative. The Man with the Axe was the first song she lost me at. I like the lyrics well enough but musically she lost me. Dominoes is another one I couldn’t grab onto. Nothing else really grabs me other than Mood Ring. I’m not sure if it’s an album that I’ll warm up to more. I had hoped this might be my go-to fall album this year (much like Lover in 2019 and Folklore last year) but I don’t think it will be. The second half weighs it down too much. But I’ll give it more listens in the coming weeks anyway as those tracks could just be slow-growers.
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kimberly
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Post by kimberly on Aug 27, 2021 1:01:39 GMT -5
tonight's performance of "Fallen Fruit":
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