I think he would. It would be an American Tour that so many Billy Ocean fans have DREAMED about since the 80's...Anybody know why the British Brotha ain't thinking about America? What did WE do to him? Does he know we Love him like we Love Luther?

Luther & Billy were in heavy rotation in the 80's but Billy had far greater Cross-over success before Luther...

I doubt it.

Only if he toured casinos and bars. Chancellor, I don't know where you live but, in my neck of the woods, the only Billy Ocean record that ever gets play every once in a while is "Carribean Queen" on Old-School Weekends, unlike Luther's songs, which stay in consistant rotation everyday. In the African American community, no matter what their age, pretty much everyone knows who Luther is. Can't say the same for Billy.

If there was money to be made, trust, Billy would be touring the states regularly. I don't know. He may still do shows over here and we just don't hear about them.

[Edited 4/23/13 6:33am]

Um, that's a big hell no. He was one of those that had a huge raft of hits in the 80s, but is barely remembered

I honestly don't thtink he could sell out theaters.

The two are incomparable. Unlike Luther who released a new album that went at platinum every 2 or 3 years, Billy Ocean hasn't had that type of success since the late 80's. Luther was still doing arena tours well into the early 2000's. When you think of Billy Ocean you will think of "Caribbean Queen" virtually every time and like Kitbradley said, that barley gets played on the radio in my area as well.

Billy probably had greater crossover success, but he was not consistent. His last hit was ""Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car"in 1988. Luther had (and still has) a huge following in the black community and was able to show that you can be pretty successful without the backing of pop radio.

[Edited 4/23/13 7:59am]

Uh...no.

No way! Love me some classic Billy Ocean - anyone catch his perfomance at 80s rewind?

Old Billy is definitly way past his prime

If he did played fests across the country as part of a large bill he'd do well with that. For 6 months between say April and October.

2020 said:

No way! Love me some classic Billy Ocean - anyone catch his perfomance at 80s rewind?

Old Billy is definitly way past his prime

That's EXACTLY what I imagined he might be doing these days.

He was pretty good but he didn't maintain enough success for a long enough time to be able to sell out big halls 25 years later.

Sell out statiums & arenas? No.

Sell out the night clubs (EXAMPLES: The House Of Blues)? Yes.

NDRU said:

That depends...is Get Out of My Dreams Loverboy on the set list?

Loverboy would bring down the house a lot better than Get Out Of My Dreams.

I think he could sell well if it was promoted properly.

It all depends on who's on the show with him. If he's playing an 80s review type show, it may do well.

The only way I think it may work is if he either released a GH package or a live album and actually went around to major markets and went to radio shows to promote the package.

If all else fails, he could also try to book a few shows with an act like Maze.

No.

That's too long a stint with too limited a catalog. I'm sure he could book some cruises working his hits into the Smooth Jazz or r&b summer festival circuit or something- ike a Dave Koz cruise or a Tom Joyner Family Reunion- but an entire 6 months playing standard size venues larger than a casino with him as a headliner...nope.

Wake up the dead.

Ottensen said:

No.

That's too long a stint with too limited a catalog. I'm sure he could book some cruises working his hits into the Smooth Jazz or r&b summer festival circuit or something- ike a Dave Koz cruise or a Tom Joyner Family Reunion- but an entire 6 months playing standard size venues larger than a casino with him as a headliner...nope.

Billy actually has a pretty respectable catalog. He already had several unsuccessful albums under his belt before "Suddenly". He only scored hits with 3 of them here in the states so if he were to tour here, he would only be able to the usual suspects from those 3 albums.

I just had a thought. If he would play the Essence Music Festival, he could re-establish himself with the Urban AC crowd in the US. His songs still get Urban play, so he could pull it off if he wanted to.

TonyVanDam said:

NDRU said:

That depends...is Get Out of My Dreams Loverboy on the set list?

Loverboy would bring down the house a lot better than Get Out Of My Dreams.

LOL man, I have not heard or thought of that one for 20+ years!

I was kidding about Get Out of My Dreams (I hate that song) but I kind of liked Billy way back when. I agree he could sell out some clubs. I don't think I'll be buying tickets, though...

Wow...Y'all kept it a little too real....There isnt ONE British member on this site that can talk about Billy's success overseas? Is he selling out shows there? I know Billy's was an 80's sensation but he became an international Pop/R&B sensation. I figure even if his American audiences were predominately White he'd still sell well here in the States. I thought Billy was still doing his thing in his homeland...Oh well..At least somebody remembered'ya Billy...

A UK based discussion about a concert of him in 2012: Billy Ocean : British Exp...sion Forum

-

Not any subject which I could spot ^ over there ^ about how popular he was overseas though, but more about how posters were going to visit Billy's show. Who knows, maybe some members at that forum might have a good overview about his career in the US?

-

I saw his popularity grow during 1984 and even at one time watched a local look-a-like show on tv where a contestant won by performing/live-singing "Suddenly". "Syncopation" is a song which I dig from this era, and after that period, songs such as "Love Zone" and "Mystery Lady". I got familiar to his earlier 80s work which is more in the direction of boogie funk and mellow grooves with tight arrangements of the rhythm and horn sections. "Nights (Feel Like Getting Down)", "Everlasting Love", "Who's Gonna Rock", "Whatever Turns You On", "Was It You", "Another Day Won't Matter", "Calypso Funkin", "Dance With Me", "Rock-A-Bye Baby", "Inner Feelings". << All the mentioned tracks of his 2 albums where these appear on have recently been reissued on cd by BBR.

-

kitbradley said:

Ottensen said:

No.

That's too long a stint with too limited a catalog. I'm sure he could book some cruises working his hits into the Smooth Jazz or r&b summer festival circuit or something- ike a Dave Koz cruise or a Tom Joyner Family Reunion- but an entire 6 months playing standard size venues larger than a casino with him as a headliner...nope.

Billy actually has a pretty respectable catalog. He already had several unsuccessful albums under his belt before "Suddenly". He only scored hits with 3 of them here in the states so if he were to tour here, he would only be able to the usual suspects from those 3 albums.

-

Yeah, a series from the late 70s to the late 80s and plenty of tracks which he could choose from in case he would do a UK gig. I'm not sure, but there might be more unfamiliar moments in the audience if he performed a selection of those songs at an gig outside the UK? The British Top Of The Pops had him several times performing there in the 70s and 80s.

NO-

not enough impact on the public as a unique personality or a reputation for putting on a spectacular live show.

Just a good singer that had some major hits once upon a time.

Chancellor said:

Wow...Y'all kept it a little too real....There isnt ONE British member on this site that can talk about Billy's success overseas? Is he selling out shows there? I know Billy's was an 80's sensation but he became an international Pop/R&B sensation. I figure even if his American audiences were predominately White he'd still sell well here in the States. I thought Billy was still doing his thing in his homeland...Oh well..At least somebody remembered'ya Billy...

His international popularity wasn't ever lasting though because he stopped touring after a while. Stopped recording too. He doesn't have that Sade thing when he can take a break for 100 years and then come back and sell a capacity venue. Look at where he performs at, it's usually package tours.

His 1981 hit "Nights (Feel Like Getting Down)" is my favorite song by him I wasn't too crazy about the pop stuff he began doing a few years later."Get Outta My Dreams,Get Into My Car" is absolutely terrible.

That is a Jam-

SoulAlive said:

His 1981 hit "Nights (Feel Like Getting Down)" is my favorite song by him I wasn't too crazy about the pop stuff he began doing a few years later."Get Outta My Dreams,Get Into My Car" is absolutely terrible.

SoulAlive said:

His 1981 hit "Nights (Feel Like Getting Down)" is my favorite song by him I wasn't too crazy about the pop stuff he began doing a few years later."Get Outta My Dreams,Get Into My Car" is absolutely terrible.

It doesn't suck as much as "Loverboy" to me.

Ever notice how much Caribeen Queen rips off MJs Billie Jean?

kitbradley said:

Ottensen said:

No.

That's too long a stint with too limited a catalog. I'm sure he could book some cruises working his hits into the Smooth Jazz or r&b summer festival circuit or something- ike a Dave Koz cruise or a Tom Joyner Family Reunion- but an entire 6 months playing standard size venues larger than a casino with him as a headliner...nope.

Billy actually has a pretty respectable catalog. He already had several unsuccessful albums under his belt before "Suddenly". He only scored hits with 3 of them here in the states so if he were to tour here, he would only be able to the usual suspects from those 3 albums.

I was referring to the songs that were hits here, and based on the fact that his songs have limited recognizability here. Homeboy ain't filling up 6 months worth of concert theaters across the US when the majority of us can barely remember more than 4 of his songs...and hell, I was a concert-going-fool in the 80's, and appreciate a good act from that time...but I'm not about to spend money or an entire evening to see ole Billy

If he books summer r&b and food festivals he could do alright for himself here. People want to see Billy in the 80's lounge at Superfest,or at the so&so Food Festival where they can eat lobster tacos and drink blush wine while he sings Suddenly . Or he needs to join some of those Mother's Day Concert line-ups with Jeffrey Osbourne, Howard Hewitt, Freddy Jackson & 'nem.

I don't know of any artist of his age and genre that's touring for 6 months at a stretch as they did during the height of their career (unless they are megastars, and even then they go out for only about 3 months at a time). I'm not saying Brothaman can't work at all, just saying that his audience has transformed from what it once was, and he would have to adjust his marketing approach accordingly...like playing casinos just as you suggested...or hop aboard one of those big boats that feature celebrity concert cruises.

I'd love to see a US tour package of all the "forgotten" British soul/pop/dance acts from the 80's; Billy, Loose Ends, Five Star, Swing Out Sister, Go West, Soul II Soul, Mica Paris, Princess, etc... Like an all day festival.

Oh...and Billy just released a new album and is scheduled to play some live US dates in August...if any of yous care.

[Edited 4/24/13 12:27pm]

Shango said:

A UK based discussion about a concert of him in 2012: Billy Ocean : British Exp...sion Forum

-

Not any subject which I could spot ^ over there ^ about how popular he was overseas though, but more about how posters were going to visit Billy's show. Who knows, maybe some members at that forum might have a good overview about his career in the US?

-

I saw his popularity grow during 1984 and even at one time watched a local look-a-like show on tv where a contestant won by performing/live-singing "Suddenly". "Syncopation" is a song which I dig from this era, and after that period, songs such as "Love Zone" and "Mystery Lady". I got familiar to his earlier 80s work which is more in the direction of boogie funk and mellow grooves with tight arrangements of the rhythm and horn sections. "Nights (Feel Like Getting Down)", "Everlasting Love", "Who's Gonna Rock", "Whatever Turns You On", "Was It You", "Another Day Won't Matter", "Calypso Funkin", "Dance With Me", "Rock-A-Bye Baby", "Inner Feelings". << All the mentioned tracks of his 2 albums where these appear on have recently been reissued on cd by BBR.

-

-

Shango, Thanks for posting that Link..I'll check out that concert Review...