X Factor UK 2011

[Ziggy]

Oh, Rebecca's "Heaven" actually shifted 128,000 copies in the first week!

That would be enough for number 1 pretty much any other week this year.

[floskate]

Being signed by Syco is like the kiss of death for almost every winner! Matt needs to suck this up, hope to get dropped sooner rather than later and find a label who will promote who he is as an artist and musician. Glad Ferguson's album is doing well. It's had excellent reviews I believe.

[Ziggy]

Yep, Rebecca Ferguson's debut has been met with universal critical acclaim. All the reviews so far have been either 4 or 5 stars out of 5.

It should be also noted that she co-wrote all the songs on the album.

I've just finished listening to it. It's great. Each of the ten songs is very good and there definitely isn't any filler. And her voice (which admittedly a lot of people might not like) is very original and fits the kind of soulful music that the album contains perfectly.

I really recommend it.

To get a taste of it, here's the video to her first single "Nothing's Real But Love":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViqCO35OfNU

And here's a live performance of "Fairytale", one of the better songs on the album:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVKIbAzjKgQ

Back to this year's X-Factor, what I found really dissapointing in the final was the cut-price decision to come back to one winner's song being pre-picked.

It worked so much better last year with Matt and Rebecca having different songs, suited to them very well.

This year it was a disaster, IMO. "Cannonball" didn't fit Marcus whatsoever and Little Mix kinda made it fit them but at the cost of destroying the song with a horrific, cheap arrangement. It was painful to hear.

"Cannonball" would fit Janet Devlin perfectly. But not really any other finalists.

[antmanb]

Back to this year's X-Factor, what I found really dissapointing in the final was the cut-price decision to come back to one winner's song being pre-picked.

It worked so much better last year with Matt and Rebecca having different songs, suited to them very well.

I had totally forgotten about having different songs for the winners last year. It does make far more sense given that it is virtually impossible to find one song to suit a potential 5 or 6 people, or however many people are left when they pick the song.

This year it was a disaster, IMO. "Cannonball" didn't fit Marcus whatsoever and Little Mix kinda made it fit them but at the cost of destroying the song with a horrific, cheap arrangement. It was painful to hear.

"Cannonball" would fit Janet Devlin perfectly. But not really any other finalists.

You're absolutely right, they must have picked the song with Janet in mind. It was the same with "the climb" that was much more suited to Joe than to Olly, and the same with Hallelujah - JLS's version was awful and they might have been going for a Jeff Buckley style for Eoghan Quigg (given he couldn't sing!) had he made it to the final 2 spot.

I think this year might be enough to make me not watch next year....i'm ready to give it up and start watching strictly

[Ziggy]

You're absolutely right, they must have picked the song with Janet in mind.

Given she won the first four weeks, it's very likely.

[Ziggy]

Following the X-Factor final:

En Vogue's "Don't Let Go (Love)" soars 62 spots to number 27.

Both "She Makes Me Wanna" and "What Makes You Beautiful" increase sales.

Damien Rice's "Cannonball" returns to the charts at number 19 (it peaked at 32 when originally released in 2009).

Leona Lewis debuts at number 8 with "Hurt".

"Paradise" jumps 5 places up to number 2. Their album rose 5 places to number 3. They make me sick. Chris Martin slated X-Factor numerous times, then said that the band is split about performing during the final and then said that X-Factor is very important and that they are honoured about taking part.

And surprise, surprise Little Mix's "Cannonball" is number 1.

But they've sold "only" 210,000 copies. Biggest week 1 sales of the year but way way less than Matt Cardle's "When We Collide" which sold around 350,000 units, IIRC. I think the problem here it's not the right song. Neither for them, nor for their target audience.

I think the chances of them getting the Christmas number 1 are pretty much none.

Popjustice hit the nail on the head. "How about an X Factor winner's single that isn't shit".

On another note, Kelly didn't manage to conquer the UK. Her album peaked at 43 and is dropping. Given the huge exposure she got thanks to being a judge, it's a total failure.

On yet another note, Jai McDowall's debut album has been released last week only you wouldn't have found out about it. Hardly any promotion, not even a video, nothing. Surprise surprise, it's a total flop debuting at number 54.

Honestly, why bother spending all the money to produce it if you're going to pull something like that.

And finally: LA Reid has signed "Crocodile Tear Evil Puppet" Cher Lloyd. So she has a record deal now and can unleash her shockingly bad novelty hits upon the poor, unsuspecting American public.

[nuge]

[QUOTE=Ziggy;3409070

On yet another note, Jai McDowall's debut album has been released last week only you wouldn't have found out about it. Hardly any promotion, not even a video, nothing. Surprise surprise, it's a total flop debuting at number 54.

.[/QUOTE]

Wasn't he the guy who won BGT ? He was totally unforgetable then
He's got no personality whatsoever

[haribobo]

And finally: LA Reid has signed "Crocodile Tear Evil Puppet" Cher Lloyd. So she has a record deal now and can unleash her shockingly bad novelty hits upon the poor, unsuspecting American public.

Wrong! Cher Lloyd's album is awesome, the best part of going to the gym for me lately.

My faves are Superhero
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y9XTHsNUFE

Over the Moon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPzjXVQvaA0

End up Here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygqDUOkFhoc

[Ziggy]

As far as I'm concerned, Cher's album is best summed up with:

"Otherwise, with the wot-evaah mockney petulance, the rap-by-numbers braggadocio, the rote complaints about deficient boyfriends, and the half-hearted electro beats bashed out by the half-dozen different producers, this is about as generic as pop gets, the authentic sound of emasculated corporate teen fodder masquerading as rebellion."

Wasn't he the guy who won BGT ? He was totally unforgetable then
He's got no personality whatsoever

Yep, that's him.

I found him super super hot back during his time on BGT. Rough bad boy looks.
http://images.itv.com/images/bgt/626...0513-p-jai.jpg

But now they've metrosexualised him and he makes me limp.
http://a3.twimg.com/profile_images/1...2/jai-face.jpg

[haribobo]

As far as I'm concerned, Cher's album is best summed up with:

"Otherwise, with the wot-evaah mockney petulance, the rap-by-numbers braggadocio, the rote complaints about deficient boyfriends, and the half-hearted electro beats bashed out by the half-dozen different producers, this is about as generic as pop gets, the authentic sound of emasculated corporate teen fodder masquerading as rebellion."

Where's that from? And what were you expecting from Cher, deep thoughts? Opera singing? Hard hitting political rock songs? I think the problem with music critics is that they want everyone to be the same, i.e.- exactly the one niche they like and nothing else. I like the Cher Lloyds and Britneys as much as the Chevelles and Mumford, Chester French, Mike Posner, Cage the Elephant, Bond, and Tori Amos and Dave Matthews, Beatles, classical, Rolling Stones- its all different but its all good in its own way. Cher is striving to be the best Cher she can be- and providing good fun music that always puts a smile on my face and is really great to get in a groove at the gym. So these critics will go on and criticize her lyrics and her beats and whatever else and go back to their Groban or Susan Boyle cds or whatever , I could really give a crap. Cause when you look at who is actually writing the reviews, its probably some judgmental idiot who watches Law and Order or Teen Mom all day. Just cause they have opinions doesn't make them good. But I'll respect your right to an opinion if you agree with them, since you are a skating fan and you must have SOME taste. Just seems like you are overly critical of everything. Which leaves me to ask: what DO you like?

PS- love Olly Murs too, haters be damned!

[BigB08822]

Kelly Rowland is out. I read an article that said she didn't like the huge circus surrounding the show AND that Simon wasn't pleased with her performance as a judge.

Is this shocking to anyone else? I never watched as I don't live in the U.K. but all I have heard are rave reviews about Kelly as a judge. Is my perception all wrong?

I wouldn't be surprised to see her wind up on the U.S. version and this was all just rumor and/or to get attention.

[antmanb]

Kelly Rowland is out. I read an article that said she didn't like the huge circus surrounding the show AND that Simon wasn't pleased with her performance as a judge.

Is this shocking to anyone else? I never watched as I don't live in the U.K. but all I have heard are rave reviews about Kelly as a judge. Is my perception all wrong?

I wouldn't be surprised to see her wind up on the U.S. version and this was all just rumor and/or to get attention.

Well technically she was never "in" for next year. Simon Cowell only ever gives the judges a one year contract and leaves it all open until the last minute so that he can create some kind of drama as it gets to the summer and the audition rounds so that he's in the tabloid press creating a stir for the start of the season.

I thought Kelly was a good judge, with good constructive feedback (at least leading up the live shows). She seemed to really try to help the acts (i'm thinking when she kept making groups sing things again and show her their harmonies. What she wasn't very good at was picking songs for her acts. She picked songs that would go down with a US audience but not the UK audience. There were some weeks where her acts picked their own songs and she didn't even know the song.

I think Simon would be an idiot to not ask her to do the US version since Nicole and Paula were absolute shyte on it, but since he's not likely to boot Paula again, nicole while probably be replaced by her.