Snow Patrol- Chasing Cars

[No Brake$]

I don't believe this has a thread on this board yet.

Anyways, this song is definitely having a hard time climbing the chart because stations aren't sure if it's too lite for the format. It's on only 27 stations but about to crack Top 30. Personally, I think the song is perfect for a format that made "The Reason" go #1 about two years ago, but then again, it was American Band ' Hoobastank'.

Snow Patrol is going to be around for a while, the same with Keane, but I think it's going to take a miracle for one of these great British imports to go top 10. I do believe Muse will hit #1 this Winter '07 though.

[tortuga]

"Run" II.

[American Idiot]

I think this song is really good, but get higher than say the 20s on the charts. Its at #34 currently on Alt. has a bullet on +121 and basically the 9th most increased plays. This is coming from a guy who wouldn't give lighter bands like Snow Patrol or Keane the time of day two years ago, and has made a total turn around.

[reception]

It went for adds at Alternative on August 7.

[kmo]

R&R says that this is Snow Patrol's fifth chart appearance. I know "Run", "Chocolate", "Hands Open" and "Chasing Cars", but what other song hit? Also, does anyone know peaks on Alt for these songs?

[Pipa]

"Spitting Games" is the other.

[jdmasta289]

picpak said:

"Spitting Games" is the other.

Yes, I believe "Spitting Games" peaked around #38 or so in the early summer of 2004, and, to my recollection, was released quite long before "Run" even came out in the U.S.

I've listened to this album, and while I was surprised (and liked) their change of direction in "Hands Open", I am thoroughly disappointed in the direction they are now choosing to take with this single. Likely it will hit top 25 here, but could hit top 5 on pop, because it's just that pop-friendly. Not where I wanted a band like Snow Patrol to go. Final Straw is still a great album, but this one doesn't even come close.

[friday]

tortuga said:

"Run" II.

And a watered down version of it, at that.

There's no way "Hands Open" should have missed the top 10. And for all anyone knows it could've slowly built its way there. But then this song shows up on fucking Grey's Anatomy and now it's everyone and their mothers' favorite song.

And I'm not disappointed by their run at the pop chart, but again, it's happening with the wrong song. Like I said, "Hands Open" could (and should) have been the band's killer app. Instead, well, it'll get a lot plays on my iPod, at least.

[jdmasta289]

friday said:

tortuga said:

"Run" II.

And a watered down version of it, at that.

There's no way "Hands Open" should have missed the top 10. And for all anyone knows it could've slowly built its way there. But then this song shows up on f**king Grey's Anatomy and now it's everyone and their mothers' favorite song. 

And I'm not disappointed by their run at the pop chart, but again, it's happening with the wrong song. Like I said, "Hands Open" could (and should) have been the band's killer app. Instead, well, it'll get a lot plays on my iPod, at least.

My sentiments exactly. And it's not like you can use the "they're a foreign band" excuse, because Muse has virtually hit the top 10 and Lostprophets have already hit top 15 even with horrible album sales by their standards. U.K. bands like the Arctic Monkeys and Hard-Fi have even done better in a rather out-of-the-blue fashion.

I don't know how well "Hands Open" would've done on pop if they rigorously promoted it there. Already surprised it didn't even make a top 50 (or so) dent with the GA appearance. I still believe Snow Patrol have enough momentum left over from their last album to pull a "Fix You" and maybe hit top 20 here. Once they do, though, look out below.

[Nicholas2.0]

I seem to be the only one who didn't think "Hands Open" was anything special.

I never heard "Spitting Games" or "Chocolate" enough to even remember what they sounded like, ever, but I quite liked "Run," especially after the video came out and was shown a bit on American TV, and I seem to be taking to this pretty well, also.

[Slinky]

Agreed that "Hands Open" was the song that should have broken this band.

Here's an article from well-respected radio consultant Sean Ross agreeing, and lamenting the fact radio needs TV to break their hits:

www.infinitedial.com/2006/08/from_soul_patrol_to_snow_patro.php

From Soul Patrol To Snow Patrol

The record-breaking, agenda-setting power of "American Idol" was well-documented earlier this year. Daniel Powter's "Bad Day" became one of the first recent examples of a record spreading from Mainstream AC to Top 40 with "Idol's" help. KT Tunstall's "Black Horse And The Cherry Tree" finally got traction at Top 40 because somebody else sang it on "Idol."

But here's the story that best exemplifies the role TV has taken in breaking records recently:

When Brit-rockers Snow Patrol released their new album, the first UK single, "You're All I've Got," and, in particular, the American rock single, "Hands Open," were both the types of songs that A&R directors hope for when they send bands off to write a first single. Both were uptempo, female-friendly pop-rock of the sort that's in short supply now.

But neither of those were the singles that Interscope went to Top 40 with. Instead, it was the midtempo, more ethereal "Chasing Cars," a tie-in with the TV series "Gray's Anatomy."

So why didn't "Gray's" go with one of the uptempo songs? Presumably because "Chasing Cars" is the kind of atmospheric song that music supervisors love.

Moreover, if radio had gotten one of the songs that was best for radio, Interscope would still have had a tough putt getting Top 40 to play a pop/rock record by a band with a more eclectic rock image.

Radio wouldn't have played the record that was best for radio. So radio got the record that was best for TV. And you can expect to see more of that.

[Pipa]

I thought "Hands Open" was really mediocre. This song is better.

[jdmasta289]

Does TV airplay (or, for that matter, pop airplay) even affect alternative airplay at all? I remember the Calling's "Wherever You Will Go" re-gain some spins here back in '01 after it gained pop airplay in November (I believe) of that year. However, songs like "Over My Head (Cable Car)" have not.

I agree that TV affecting pop airplay to the extent it is now is quite saddening. I was wondering how a random British artist who doesn't sound like anyone else could gain so much pop success. I know Shinedown followed the same suit, but I really don't watch TV dramas, or much TV in general, so I really have no idea which songs are being affected and which aren't.

[Hook]

I'm not sure how much TV airplay is affecting radio. The Fray's "How To Save A Life" has been featured on 3 TV shows and is being used in promos for the new season of Grey's Anatomy. It's #8 on iTunes and taking off at pop. I don't know whether the TV airplay is helping much or if it's the success of "Over My Head" that's pushing it. Maybe both.

With Snow Patrol, it doesn't really matter to me that TV is the way they're finally getting noticed, I'm just happy that they are. "Chasing Cars" and "Hands Open" are both songs I really like.

[No Brake$]

Well stations are certainly using this as the "slow" filler on there statiosn right now, and a lot of them are just starting to play Snow Patrol at their station. This song will hit Top 15 next week and if it keeps up, it will be their first Top 10 on Alternative, which is rediculous because Spitting Games, Run, Chocolate, and Hands Open were all Top 10 worthy singles. However, I think this song will bring SP a new audience and You're All I Have will be a great follow-up this Spring. I'm really hoping for a release of Set The Fire To Third Bar f\ Martha Wainright as a single, which personally I think is the album stand-out.

[Walking Contradiction]

I'm with picpak on this one. "Hands Open" isn't bad, but it's a bit generic for my liking. This stands out more to me. And outside of the fact that it's a ballad, I don't think it sounds that much like "Run" at all. That said, I still don't like this as much as any of the singles on the last album.

[Gorminako]

I like "Chasing Cars" better than "Hands Open". It is quite a pleasant song, but I think other songs are better than the ones that have been released as singles. None come close to "Run" for me, though.

[iceman]

The local rock station just announced last week "Chasing Cars" as new music! It's somewhat odd considering how quick they were to add "Hands Open".

[snowles]

If a band like Snow Patrol is planned to be pushed big, now is probably the best time to do so, as others have said, their style of music is especially popular right now in pop culture.

That said, Snow Patrol are certainly on the soft side of that spectrum, where bands like The Fray and Augustana (and to a lesser degree, Keane) are popish and upbeat enough to gather mainstream appeal. I honestly think their mark will be made more in the movie/TV soundtrack realm - their music just screams 'dramatic interlude'.

[jdmasta289]

I could actually stomach "Chasing Cars" immediately after the album was released, and even enjoyed the initial video and charted the song for a few weeks.

Now I absolutely can't stand it. I don't understand the argument that this is any better than "The Reason", but the only difference is that I enjoyed "The Reason" when it was out.

It's not an offensive song; it's just something that's not in my taste right now. It's almost unbearable

[Nicholas2.0]

Whereas, my opinion on this song has slo-o-owly grown ever since I heard it last summer, and now I welcome hearing it on the radio every time, which didn't used to be the case.

[kinglouiexviii]

I liked this song the first two times I heard it. Now it's just annoying.

[kinglouiexviii]

Oh, and is this the Snow Patrol song on THE LAST KISS soundtrack. I wanted to buy that, but not if I have to listen to this...

[No Brake$]

nicholas said:

Whereas, my opinion on this song has slo-o-owly grown ever since I heard it last summer, and now I welcome hearing it on the radio every time, which didn't used to be the case.

How did you hear it on radio last summer. Do you have access to a time machine?

[jdmasta289]

rkwo said:

nicholas said:

Whereas, my opinion on this song has slo-o-owly grown ever since I heard it last summer, and now I welcome hearing it on the radio every time, which didn't used to be the case.

How did you hear it on radio last summer. Do you have access to a time machine?

The Eyes Open disc landed May 9. I believe "Hands Open" went for adds in mid-March. I remember hearing this on the radio and watching the original video for this when "Hands Open" was still climbing the alt. chart. It was also gaining pretty significant pop airplay at that time.

[tortuga]

kinglouiexviii said:

Oh, and is this the Snow Patrol song on THE LAST KISS soundtrack. I wanted to buy that, but not if I have to listen to this...

No, "Chocolate" is the Snow Patrol song on that soundtrack.

[reception]

iceman said:

The local rock station just announced last week "Chasing Cars" as new music!  It's somewhat odd considering how quick they were to add "Hands Open". 

Maybe it's because you're in Canada. Or maybe your Canadian rock station is just slow to catch on.

[Nicholas2.0]

rkwo said:

How did you hear it on radio last summer. Do you have access to a time machine?

Um, because the song started getting radio play back in late May, hit the Pop chart in July, the Alternative chart in August, and the video hit VH1 (where I heard it the first dozen-plus times) probably sometime in June?