"Talk Shows On Mute," Incubus

[Deleted]

They're planning on sending this one to pop.

I like it, but I'm not sure how it will do. I'll predict #32.

[jond7699]

I wouldn't expect this song to do to much at all. It is not as memorable as Drive was.

[Control]

I don't really know how it'll do, but this and "Agoraphobia" are the two best picks for a pop single, so we'll see.

[singingsparrow]

I disagree.

"Southern Girl" would be the best bet for a crossover hit, if anything from the album.

Nothing on "ACLOTM" sounds like the next "Drive" and quite strictly Alternative and Active Rock friendly.

"Talk Shows On Mute" will do superb on the Rock formats, but in crossing over, I don't expect too much from this.

My Prediction: #46

Sincerely,
Noah Eaton

[dragoneyez]

This song is awesome, one of my favorites (if not the favorite) songs on 'ACLOTM.' But, I don't think anything on the album would become a hit on pop radio. Nothing is really catchy or hooky, and some of the lyrical content would go right over most listener's heads. Hit on rock, flop - or won't chart at all - on pop.

Prediction: #46 (but probably won't make it at all)

[Crushcrushchris]

I like this song, but I think for people to actually "get" the song, they'd need a video for it.

I'm skeptical about this song. I don't think it'll chart.

[Matt4319]

I can't believe this is going to pop after they didn't bother doing it with "I Wish You Were Here", "Warning", or "Megalomaniac", not to mention the other songs on both Morning View and A Crow Left... that are better than this.

[j]

Imaginary said:

I'm skeptical about this song. I don't think it'll chart.

In fact, I'm pretty sure it won't chart.

I think they should send "Here In My Room" to pop radio, since it's similar to "The Reason".

[singingsparrow]

Each time I listen to this song, I still believe it is so wonderfully written and Brandon has a Michael Stipe resemblance.

Unfortunately, the R.E.M dynasty was during the early to mid-90's, and they don't get hits like that anymore.

I doubt Incubus will get another hit on CHR/Pop off this, but it could do very well on Hot AC and even Triple A.

Sincerely,
Noah Eaton

[thedualityofman]

Talk Shows On Mute is too deep in my opinion for the general chr/pop audience.

Hence, its unfortunately not going to happen.

Besides, I would have grown some balls and released Megalomaniac to pop. Trapt and Three Days Grace released harder singles recently and have gotten airplay.

[singingsparrow]

The said:

Talk Shows On Mute is too deep in my opinion for the general chr/pop audience.

Hence, its unfortunately not going to happen.

Besides, I would have grown some balls and released Megalomaniac to pop.  Trapt and Three Days Grace released harder singles recently and have gotten airplay.

But wouldn't you agree "Megalomaniac" is also an intensely deep song? I mean, I doubt Michael Powell and Clear Channel stations want to hear such a powerful song that either directly or indirectly targets Bush. ;) Of course I believe it should have been a mainstream hit, but, like CBS doesn't want to play commericals by MoveOn.org, it's the same curse with radio giants.

Anyway, I think, unfortunately, nothing off this record will hit big on CHR/Pop. Incubus is just too good and talented for mainstream. I think "Southern Girl" would be the track that most likely would perform the best at mainstream radio, just because it's a more feminine track of theirs that many would find listenable while being up-tempo enough, but even there they'd be lucky to go Top 30.

Incubus, however, can start to develop themselves on Hot AC and Triple A, where "Talk Show On Mute" I bet would do very well. "Agoraphobia" and "Here In My Room" also have potential on those formats.

Sincerely,
Noah Eaton

[Matt4319]

SingingSparrow said:

But wouldn't you agree "Megalomaniac" is also an intensely deep song? I mean, I doubt Michael Powell and Clear Channel stations want to hear such a powerful song that either directly or indirectly targets Bush. ;) Of course I believe it should have been a mainstream hit, but, like CBS doesn't want to play commericals by MoveOn.org, it's the same curse with radio giants.

You know, "Megalomaniac" went to #1 for several weeks on Alternative too. I guess Clear Channel doesn't own any stations of that format though.

[singingsparrow]

Matt4319 said:

You know, "Megalomaniac" went to #1 for several weeks on Alternative too.  I guess Clear Channel doesn't own any stations of that format though.

"Megalomaniac" actually was #1 for six weeks there.

But, I see your point. Clear Channel indeed owns a significant handful of Alternative stations.

All I'm saying is Alternative radio has long been seen as a melting pot of all kinds of different artists who unabashedly express their sentiments on all kinds of subjects. It's, in my opinion, the most flexible format on all of radio, with the exception of college radio.

Alternative may not be as flexible as before, arguably, but they're still far more diverse than every other format by the whole nine yards. All programmers know well the environment of Alternative radio and I have no doubt Clear Channel cringed adding "Megalomaniac" onto their stations, but they added it nevertheless, both in business and practical matters.

CHR/Pop is a whole different environment now. It just isn't the R.E.M/John Mellencamp era anymore. Censorship is far more widespread than ever and that goes with politics in music too. Occasionally you have the hit that contains those subliminal messages, like "Where Is The Love?" in most recent memory, but the music comes first and even then speech is just a commodity to the music.

Both "Megalomaniac" and "Talk Show In Mute" would flop in this theory.

Sincerely,
Noah Eaton

[pkwi]

I think that "A Crow Left Of The Murder" would have been a better choice than TSOM, at least having a better choice of crossing over and charting higher on Pop.

I think "Southern Girl" would be the track that most likely would perform the best at mainstream radio, just because it's a more feminine track of theirs that many would find listenable while being up-tempo enough, but even there they'd be lucky to go Top 30.

I agree with you there.

Talk Shows On Mute is too deep in my opinion for the general chr/pop audience.

It reminds me of "Try", another song that was good, yet deep, and therefore failed to ignite anything on radio.

[Gold Soundz]

They played Southern Girl as the next single on 96.5 The Buzz yesterday (Alternative), so who knows.

[Walking Contradiction]

I'm not so sure about TSOM at CHR/Pop either. The song does have a catchy melody, a somewhat Drive-like sound, and name recognition going for it, but I think the lyrics are going to hurt this song's chances at Pop. This has to be the most lyrically challenging song the band has released as a single...the lyrics are really going to go over the heads of the typical radio listeners. In fact, I think that the lyrics might even have a negative effect on the song's performance at Alternative.

I'm predicting that the song will chart at CHR/Pop, but it won't crack the top 20...maybe it'll peak around #25 or so. As for Alternative, I predict the song will reach the top 10 but won't be a big hit like Megalomaniac.

[Keith3000]

Don't know how this one will do on pop, but I really like it a lot. The lyrics are absolutely amazing...I agree it may be too much for pop, but it's not like pop has never seen a song like this before.

[singingsparrow]

mikibacsi1124 said:

I'm not so sure about TSOM at CHR/Pop either.  The song does have a catchy melody, a somewhat Drive-like sound, and name recognition going for it, but I think the lyrics are going to hurt this song's chances at Pop.  This has to be the most lyrically challenging song the band has released as a single...the lyrics are really going to go over the heads of the typical radio listeners.  In fact, I think that the lyrics might even have a negative effect on the song's performance at Alternative.

I'm predicting that the song will chart at CHR/Pop, but it won't crack the top 20...maybe it'll peak around #25 or so.  As for Alternative, I predict the song will reach the top 10 but won't be a big hit like Megalomaniac.

I agree with you here. Like I said, this is not the R.E.M era anymore, and Michael Stipe, who writes some of the most esoteric lyrics of all, got away with earning hit after hit before. Many just want melodies now.

Unless everyone in the world has read or is reading George Orwell publications, this has a fat chance of being a smash outside of Alternative.

Sincerely,
Noah Eaton

[Gold Soundz]

It's offically the next single and even has an add date on Alternative now. In my opinion, Southern Girl or Agoraphobia would've made much better single choices. While Talk Shows On Mute is a great song, it doesn't seem like it'd be a big hit on any format, just mediocre, where Southern Girl could go number one on pop, hot ac, and alternative and Agoraphobia could go number one on alternative. The third single will most likely be Pistola (it was considered for the first single), but I really hope Southern Girl and Agoraphobia get a chance. I also like Smile Lines, but I don't know how it would do. I hope they pull an Audio Slave and release five singles.

[Walking Contradiction]

I really think Agoraphobia should be a single...it has a great, catchy melody, lyrics people can relate to, and sound that would work very well at several formats, including Pop. Plus it's one of my favorites anyway.

I don't see why everyone is pulling for Pistola to be a single...I think it is neither one of the most radio-friendly songs on the album nor one of the most creative/inspired. In fact, I think the only song on the album that would be a worse single choice is Priceless.

As for Southern Girl...well I suppose it would do well at radio, but I personally think it is an uninspired song that isn't up to par with what I expect from Incubus. So I wouldn't want it to be released.

[singingsparrow]

mikibacsi1124 said:

I really think Agoraphobia should be a single...it has a great, catchy melody, lyrics people can relate to, and sound that would work very well at several formats, including Pop.  Plus it's one of my favorites anyway.

I don't see why everyone is pulling for Pistola to be a single...I think it is neither one of the most radio-friendly songs on the album nor one of the most creative/inspired.  In fact, I think the only song on the album that would be a worse single choice is Priceless.

As for Southern Girl...well I suppose it would do well at radio, but I personally think it is an uninspired song that isn't up to par with what I expect from Incubus.  So I wouldn't want it to be released.

"Agoraphobia" would make the best third single I feel. Give something a bit more friendly for Alternative listeners before releasing a softer song like "Southern Girl" for the fourth.

I also don't like "Pistola". The lyrics are very messy and unimaginative unlike many of Brandon's other lyrics and the sound is short of spectacular. I hope they don't rerlease that. Let "Agoraphobia" come next, followed by "Southern Girl" and then if they are up for a fifth release, let it be something a bit harder like "Smile Lines" or "Beware, Criminal"

Sincerely,
Noah Eaton

[EvanJ]

"Morning View" had flops "Are You In?" and "Circles" after the third single hit "Warning." "Make Yourself" also had three singles. At its rate of decline, "A Crow Left Of The Murder" will have less weeks in the Top 100 than the two Incubus albums before it. On the Billboard 200, Incubus is only 1 spot ahead of the 45 weeks older "Meteora." Do not be surprised if you only get three singles.

[Deleted]

This goes for adds June 14.

[Matt4319]

Mediabase has changed the name of this to "Talk Show On Mute". It probably never was "Shows".

This has grown on me, but still isn't up to par with most Incubus singles.

[Control]

the back of the CD says "Talk Show On Mute," and in the booklet it says "Talk Shows On Mute"

I think the back cover is a typo.. on Fuse's IMX Brandon said it was "Shows"

[Deleted]

This peaked around #36 on my personal chart a few weeks back ("Megalomaniac" went to #2).  The lyrics are really good, but this is honestly one of my least favorites on the entire album.

[Walking Contradiction]

FMQB had this listed as going for adds on June 14 for a while,but now it's been moved back to "Second Quarter TBD." Is it possible that Epic might be considering shelving this, or are they just waiting to see how high it peaks at Alternative.

I personally think that they should shelve this and release "Agoraphobia" to Pop (assuming it's really the next single).