Little things that irk you.. (no swearing please)

[Brad]

When Alex Navarro guests on the bombcast.

[NW2013]

The claim that Susan Boyle is as successful as The Beatles because she, like they, has topped the charts both here and in the US twice in a year.

However, I doubt she has their total sales, she hasn't defined an era of pop music and she certainly hasn't influenced countless artists for decades. So not really 'as successful' then.

[Spatial]

If that claim was that she's as big as The Beatles (all four of them combined) I could believe it.

[noobish hat]

The Beatles didn't have a juggernaut media campaign and youtube backing them up either.

[Skull Commander]

The Beatles didn't have a juggernaut media campaign...

I'm pretty sure they did.

[teddymeow]

If that claim was that she's as big as The Beatles (all four of them combined) I could believe it.

Is I wrong that I ?

[noobish hat]

I'm pretty sure they did.

They didn't become famous because of it though did they. They played gigs, and were good. The juggernaut came later. They didn't become internationally famous overnight because they were on a show that already had a massive audience.

[Skull Commander]

It certainly helped them, from primetime slots on U.S.TV, to staged 'frenzied' mobbings at airports. There was a lot of media manipulation around even back then.

[dazzling_bubble]

When sales assistants look at you like 'you can't afford that' bitches! And you want to buy it but now do not want to give any money to the stuck up store.

[Ady]

If that claim was that she's as big as The Beatles (all four of them combined) I could believe it.

[Brats]

It certainly helped them, from primetime slots on U.S.TV, to staged 'frenzied' mobbings at airports. There was a lot of media manipulation around even back then.

That's not true. The Beatles success in the US was despite of their record label for a start, which thought the Beatles were unmarketable in the US and refused to release their records. Instead, Epstein and the Beatles were forced to strike deals with small independent record labels to get their singles released in tiny quantities.

Over time they started to gain radio play on independent stations and their fanbase grew, until CBS ran a news story on them (which was the first time many Americans were exposed to their songs) and sales of their independent records went through the roof. As as result, Capitol realised that The Beatles had sales potential and rush released 'I Want To Hold Your Hand' with zero marketing (The Beatles hadn't even been to the US at the time). It sold 2.6 million copies in only two weeks and remains one of the biggest selling singles of all time in the US.

The Beatles were quickly booked to appear on the Ed Sullivan show to capitalise on the unexpected success and flown over to the US, not knowing quite what to expect. When they were greeted by thousands of screaming fans at Kennedy Airport, even Brian Epstein said it was a complete shock. Although Epstein is rightly credited with the Beatles image and keeping the band together, it's also acknowledged that he was inept at organising schedules and tours. The Beatles have often said that their tours and visits were very badly organised, but then no-one had ever been that big before.

When Susan Boyle holds all top five positions in the US charts at the same time, they can say she is as successful as The Beatles.

[Skull Commander]

I don't remember what it was called but there is a very interesting book that pulls back the curtain on a lot of the Beatles American success, and confirms that a lot of the airport frenzies were staged etc. Be under no illusion, the Beatles didn't get that big that fast without some strings being pulled.

[noobish hat]

I think even then she'd have to write her own material to be considered as successful.

[charlesr]

Some chump jogging down the road today. He was on the right hand side of the road, but... he was running along the gutter rather than on the perfectly good pavement. This irked me almost beyond being an irk.

Why?

Cars coming towards him had to slow down / stop because the road wasn't wide enough for two cars and a runner side by side. So that on its own is a) incredibly selfish and b) incredibly dangerous and stupid.

But also, the gutter is angled - if you run down the side of the road all the time you are going to end up with reaaaaalllly weird leg muscles that are attuned to running off camber. If he then does a road race, he will almost certainly injure himself. What an ejit.

[Skull Commander]

I think even then she'd have to write her own material to be considered as successful.

han
I fully agree with you. Nowadays the goalposts have changed to determine what the media percieves as success.