Will Morrissey ever reach the Top 20 again?

[Maurice E]

haven't got time to read other posts so apols if repeating what they're saying.

but, yes, Moz could defo go top 20.
it depends mainly on the quality of the song and the amount of airplay.
Paris is a quite good song and had a moderate amount of airplay (although was 95% dependent on Radio 2) and got to 21.

if he puts out a brilliant song and non Radio 2 stations pick up on it more (e.g. Absolute and Xfm), he could easily get back to top 20 (tho perhaps not when the single's already available on an album).

of the new bunch of songs, I'd say Carol and Shame is the Name are strong enough, musically, although Shame is obviously not on the cards...

 

[Zinc Alloy]

I think he will quite easily get back in the top 20 again, although not with any more singles from YOR, but I think the top 10 is another matter, I reckon that is out of reach for him now.

 

[GlasgowChivas]

I basically agree with you, that's why I said, above, that he may need to change how he gets his product out there. Making a big splash every year or two with a new single, album, and tour might not be feasible for him anymore. But if he re-worked his strategy he might have more options with respect to releasing music straight to the fans. I don't claim to know all of the angles, but surely he has enough capital by now to record material on his own and release it directly to fans via download, for example. Find ways to cut out the need for a bigger label to distribute his music, essentially. Doesn't he record vocals in two or three takes? Isn't his band capable of recording a new single in two or three days, as The Smiths did? What is so expensive about putting out a Morrissey record, anyway?

If YOR is only selling to his hardcore fan base, and it has sold about 200k copies, then the math isn't hard. Limit traditional marketing. Use the TV contacts he's made over the years to appear on the various shows. Get back on good terms with the music press. Start a YouTube channel. Build online support (E.G. MAKE MORRISSEY-SOLO.COM A FULLY UTILIZED ASSET). Sell the album over the web for $10 a pop, maybe throw in some "singles" with B-sides. Work with good but unheralded producers or become the sole producer himself (working with an engineer).

If he sells 200k downloads at $10 each that's $2 million dollars gross. If the overhead is low, he walks away with quite a bit. Throw in tours and he's living comfortably, keeping the fans happy with music, and best of all free from the clutches of the music industry. Right? I mean I know my calculations are crude and the picture I've painted is much too simplistic, but isn't what I've outlined essentially viable?

Creatively speaking the freedom from trying to make the charts might also encourage him to branch out and experiment musically.

I don't think any of this will happen, just saying.

I vote Worm for Morrissey's new manager! Surely he's due one by now?

 

[Worm]

I vote Worm for Morrissey's new manager! Surely he's due one by now?

I'd love to! I know I would do a fantastic job. I have plenty of time on my hands, too, now that I've lost my executive position at Lehmann Brothers.

 

[GlasgowChivas]

I vote Worm for Morrissey's new manager! Surely he's due one by now?

Seriously though; if Moz is dropped by his label I would love to see him adopt the strategy that Worm propsed above.

 

[Johan de Witt]

Anyone got first-week sales figures for all of Moz's singles since Irish Blood, English Heart?

Something like this:

Irish Blood, English Heart: 30,000
First of the Gang To Die: 16,800
Let Me Kiss You: 12,000
I Have Forgiven Jesus: 13,000
You Have Killed Me, 20,000
The Youngest Was The Most Loved: 9,798
In The Future When All's Well: 8,000
I Just Want To See The Boy Happy: 6,370
That's How People Grow Up: 10,832
All You Need Is Me: 7,500
I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris: 9,500

So yes, it will be hard for him to break the top 20 again, based on these figures.

Still, as Maurice pointed out, it IS possible for Moz to go top 20 again if he'd release a really catchy single that would appeal to a wider audience than his single-buying fanbase, but then he only wrote 1 song like that in the 90s (The More You Ignore Me...) and 3 in this decade, so it will be difficult.

 

[still ill life]

or if he gets my man butler to write the songs for him (which is not gonna happen).

Haven't ever thought about that. That would be cool!

Moz doing "Black or blue" maybe?



Even though I can't see anyone else singing it but Brett.

 

[biru]

yes, a duet with james blunt.

God, no!

 

[Hellie]

With the charts becoming almost completely download orientated, and major acts like U2 and Oasis struggling to make the top 10, i ask - will Mozzer ever reach the top 20 again?

His last 2 singles have failed to make the 20, and i can't ever see him having another 2004-style renaissance, so is it all downhill from here, charts-wise?

And if it is, surely that spells the end for him label-wise?

Could be we see one more album from him, a couple of flop (maybe even non top 40) singles, and that's it.

er.......no.

 

[This charming man.]

what if oasis and u2 decide to call it a day? who'll remain? the stones and paul mccartney.

And Cliff Richard.

 

[Hellie]

And Cliff Richard.

Sheesh. He'll be up there singing Living doll when they are dousing him in embalming fluid.

 

[Dothatagain?]

The Youngest Was The Most Loved: 9,798

I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris: 9,500

Wow - that's pretty shocking.

 

[pewtavert]

The More You Ignore Me The Closer I Get...........Lots of mainstream radio play for that one. Not sure if it was a top 20 though.

 

[Maverick]

The More You Ignore Me The Closer I Get...........Lots of mainstream radio play for that one. Not sure if it was a top 20 though.

It was a top 10 in fact - the only Morrissey had in the 1990's - indeed, the only one he had for a 15 year period!

 

[DarrenEdward]

I basically agree with you, that's why I said, above, that he may need to change how he gets his product out there. Making a big splash every year or two with a new single, album, and tour might not be feasible for him anymore. But if he re-worked his strategy he might have more options with respect to releasing music straight to the fans. I don't claim to know all of the angles, but surely he has enough capital by now to record material on his own and release it directly to fans via download, for example. Find ways to cut out the need for a bigger label to distribute his music, essentially. Doesn't he record vocals in two or three takes? Isn't his band capable of recording a new single in two or three days, as The Smiths did? What is so expensive about putting out a Morrissey record, anyway?

If YOR is only selling to his hardcore fan base, and it has sold about 200k copies, then the math isn't hard. Limit traditional marketing. Use the TV contacts he's made over the years to appear on the various shows. Get back on good terms with the music press. Start a YouTube channel. Build online support (E.G. MAKE MORRISSEY-SOLO.COM A FULLY UTILIZED ASSET). Sell the album over the web for $10 a pop, maybe throw in some "singles" with B-sides. Work with good but unheralded producers or become the sole producer himself (working with an engineer).

If he sells 200k downloads at $10 each that's $2 million dollars gross. If the overhead is low, he walks away with quite a bit. Throw in tours and he's living comfortably, keeping the fans happy with music, and best of all free from the clutches of the music industry. Right? I mean I know my calculations are crude and the picture I've painted is much too simplistic, but isn't what I've outlined essentially viable?

Creatively speaking the freedom from trying to make the charts might also encourage him to branch out and experiment musically.

I don't think any of this will happen, just saying.

A very intelligent post

Mozzer's time was 2004. He would never have been #1 in the British chart. It wouldn't have been allowed!!

He should pack it up and stick to live tours.

 

[Maverick]

A very intelligent post

Mozzer's time was 2004. He would never have been #1 in the British chart. It wouldn't have been allowed!!

He should pack it up and stick to live tours.

Maybe that's why they changed the download rules in 2006 - cos they knew he'd be No 1 otherwise with YHKM!

 

[marred]

Who the hell cares?

 

[DarrenEdward]

I basically agree with you, that's why I said, above, that he may need to change how he gets his product out there. Making a big splash every year or two with a new single, album, and tour might not be feasible for him anymore. But if he re-worked his strategy he might have more options with respect to releasing music straight to the fans. I don't claim to know all of the angles, but surely he has enough capital by now to record material on his own and release it directly to fans via download, for example. Find ways to cut out the need for a bigger label to distribute his music, essentially. Doesn't he record vocals in two or three takes? Isn't his band capable of recording a new single in two or three days, as The Smiths did? What is so expensive about putting out a Morrissey record, anyway?

If YOR is only selling to his hardcore fan base, and it has sold about 200k copies, then the math isn't hard. Limit traditional marketing. Use the TV contacts he's made over the years to appear on the various shows. Get back on good terms with the music press. Start a YouTube channel. Build online support (E.G. MAKE MORRISSEY-SOLO.COM A FULLY UTILIZED ASSET). Sell the album over the web for $10 a pop, maybe throw in some "singles" with B-sides. Work with good but unheralded producers or become the sole producer himself (working with an engineer).

If he sells 200k downloads at $10 each that's $2 million dollars gross. If the overhead is low, he walks away with quite a bit. Throw in tours and he's living comfortably, keeping the fans happy with music, and best of all free from the clutches of the music industry. Right? I mean I know my calculations are crude and the picture I've painted is much too simplistic, but isn't what I've outlined essentially viable?

Creatively speaking the freedom from trying to make the charts might also encourage him to branch out and experiment musically.

I don't think any of this will happen, just saying.

Will Moz be able to live without the likes of Jonathan Ross and Jools Holland though?

Can't help but think it's back to #25 a la the early 90s - hope he can produce one last piece of magic to go out on

 

[Maverick]

Who the hell cares?

Plenty of people according to this thread.

I f***ing hate people like you who contribute nothing to a thread - if you don't have a decent opinion to share, just f*** off and don't contribute.

 

[Worm]

Will Moz be able to live without the likes of Jonathan Ross and Jools Holland though?

Can't help but think it's back to #25 a la the early 90s - hope he can produce one last piece of magic to go out on

Why would he have to live without Jonathan Ross or Jools Holland, though? In fact, as long as he continues to cultivate certain key relationships in the media, it just proves that he doesn't need the traditional marketing machinery to promote his work.

If Ross is a fan, Morrissey should be able to call him up directly and say, "I have a new single, I'd like to come on the show and play it". Ross would probably be ecstatic. Seems like he can do the same for the talk shows in the States, too, or at least the second tier shows. It cuts out the middle man, which is what I was saying above. Less cost, less hassle, more control over how he is presented to the public.

The cliche about The Velvet Underground was that only a handful of people bought their albums, but every one who did was inspired to start a band. Morrissey had better sales than VU, but as far as influence goes it's similar in the sense that while he doesn't have tens of millions of adoring fans like, say, Springsteen, the fans he does have probably occupy key spots in the media world. The Morrissey Mafia can be counted on to promote him.

And if you can use these fans to get into the press and on TV, and perhaps explore the web as an untapped venue for marketing, what else would he need from a record label?