thesexofit said:

Not sure about the US, but in the UK, the song "blurred lines" was huge, but people bought it because of the song and not the artist, if you know what I mean.

He has no "brand recognition" over in the UK. Artists like Coldplay and even Michael Jackson do. So it's not surprising the numbers are so low in the UK.

No inbuilt fan base over here.

So true! Nobody I knew seemed to really care about the artist, but they'd go wild on the dance floor when this song was on. Pop artists have a different problem than underground and niche bands that has a huge hardcore fanbase. Mf Doom would probably out sell alot of pop acts because of his hardcore fanbase. Alot of pop acts are huge because of their hit, and they'll die with the hit if they don't release another one. Prince managed to become an artist respected both as a pop icon and an incredible musician. And he has niche fans of his unreleased songs, obscure stuff etc. I know Robin is a good musician, but is he on an elite level that would make him interesting to listen to for instrumentalists?

Replica said:

thesexofit said:

Not sure about the US, but in the UK, the song "blurred lines" was huge, but people bought it because of the song and not the artist, if you know what I mean.

He has no "brand recognition" over in the UK. Artists like Coldplay and even Michael Jackson do. So it's not surprising the numbers are so low in the UK.

No inbuilt fan base over here.

So true! Nobody I knew seemed to really care about the artist, but they'd go wild on the dance floor when this song was on. Pop artists have a different problem than underground and niche bands that has a huge hardcore fanbase. Mf Doom would probably out sell alot of pop acts because of his hardcore fanbase. Alot of pop acts are huge because of their hit, and they'll die with the hit if they don't release another one. Prince managed to become an artist respected both as a pop icon and an incredible musician. And he has niche fans of his unreleased songs, obscure stuff etc. I know Robin is a good musician, but is he on an elite level that would make him interesting to listen to for instrumentalists?

In a word, nope.

MotownSubdivision said:

Replica said:

So true! Nobody I knew seemed to really care about the artist, but they'd go wild on the dance floor when this song was on. Pop artists have a different problem than underground and niche bands that has a huge hardcore fanbase. Mf Doom would probably out sell alot of pop acts because of his hardcore fanbase. Alot of pop acts are huge because of their hit, and they'll die with the hit if they don't release another one. Prince managed to become an artist respected both as a pop icon and an incredible musician. And he has niche fans of his unreleased songs, obscure stuff etc. I know Robin is a good musician, but is he on an elite level that would make him interesting to listen to for instrumentalists?

In a word, nope.

That's my point

BlaqueKnight said:

That just proves that ain't nobody (including Paula) buying that bullshit he's singing about.

I had a feeling this would happen. Again, I compare him to Teena. Both spent years riding high on the R&B charts with minimal success on the Pop side. Then, BOOM! They finally get that big Pop hit. Then, BOOM, the follow-up album flops and Pop music buyers quickly forget about them. Yet, they still maintain strong support from R&B consumers and radio. Same story, different people.

[Edited 7/8/14 8:13am]

2020 said:

Militant said:

Cinny said:

UK figures.

It's pathetic for UK figures. Ed Sheeran's new album did 100,000 first week just in the UK this week also.

I know UK sales figures. 100,000 first week, as Ed Sheeran has done, is a bonafide hit. 50,000 first week, is a hit. 30,000 first week is a minor hit. 10-15,000 first week, is very respectable. 5,000 first week is respectable if you're a new or a niche act.

540 is a joke. I know rappers who sell their mixtapes on the STREETS that sell more than 500 a week.

And this dude had THE biggest selling song of 2013 here. Blurred Lines sold a million records JUST here, I believe.

Really? I thought they were smaller numbers than what you quoted. I KNOW you know UK numbers.

Yeah Robin Thicke has been very popular on the R&B scene long before Blurred Lines. Blurred Lines is just his biggest mainstream hit. I've been a fan for a while. I have the new cd and it seems rushed. It's obvious this was a personal project for him. Wasn't meant to be a hit. There are a couple gems on there but overall I'm disappointed but understand he had to get it out.

Gonna be a lot of pressure for the NEXT album though

2020 said:

As I said he's done... One hit wonder The minor R&B success he had doesn't count.

One-hit wonder my ass Robin has had numerous hits on the R&B charts.And he'll continue to have many more.This new album clearly wasn't designed to be a hit.In about six months,he'll return to the studio,call up his buddy Pharrell,make a "commercial" R&B/pop album,and the hits will come again.

and what do you mean his "minor R&B success doesn't count"? "Lost Without You" and "Sex Therapy" were Number One R&B hits.Frankie Beverly and Maze never crossed over to the pop charts,and Teena Marie only had one big pop crossover hit.Would you say that their R&B hits "don't count",either?

2020 said:

As I said he's done... One hit wonder The minor R&B success he had doesn't count.

.

Well, here in Holland, he'll go down as a two-and-a-half hit wonder. 'When I Get You Alone' was major over here, and then he had a little bit of success with 'Magic' 5 years later which some folks remember... and then, of course 'Blurred Lines'.

.

2020 said:

No surprise. Robin will go down as a one hit wonder.

Now, now 2020...LOL...Robin is a lot of things as Paula would say but the Bruh has scored R&B radio/charts Hits for years now...Even if he never see sales like "Blurred lines" he'll keep putting out material that his R&B fans wanna hear and R&B radio will play...I feel his career has passed the test of "One hit wonderdom"....

[Edited 7/9/14 4:31am]

Chancellor said:

[Edited 7/9/14 4:31am]

2020 said:

As I said he's done... One hit wonder The minor R&B success he had doesn't count.

Once again with the ignorant B.S. Robin has had a lot of R&B hits and they were not minor. If Pop Radio decides not to play certain artist that decision has nothing to do with the artist's talent.

--

laurarichardson said:

2020 said:

As I said he's done... One hit wonder The minor R&B success he had doesn't count.

Once again with the ignorant B.S. Robin has had a lot of R&B hits and they were not minor. If Pop Radio decides not to play certain artist that decision has nothing to do with the artist's talent.

--

It amazes me that you have some orgers here that don't acknowledge

artists who have had r&b success before they had success on the pop

100. Cameo is a perfect example. Some people think that Cameo's career

is defined by Word Up and Candy.

The title of this thread is deceiving. Robin's album entered the US Billboard at #9 after selling a little over 20,000 copies. That is not a lot; however, the number one album only sold over 100, 000. Again it is VERY deceiving to say that this album flopped because it sold 530 copies. It sold 530 copies in the UK and that IS poor. Let's put this whole thing into perspective and add the sales from the US and look at the #9 position on BillBoards chart.

What i find to be most amazing is that 530 sold copies is enough nowadays to have a (UK) chart entry at all.

2020 said:

No surprise. Robin will go down as a one hit wonder.

One 'MEGA' pop hit... but he has a nice collection of songs from all of his albums. He's not a suoerstar per say... but if put to task.... people who are into the neo-soul sound he does... could roll off a few of his RnB hits easy.

this is what happens when u hijack the music of an all time luminary and try to sell it off as yours

Only 20,000 in the U.S? That's a major flop! I thought he would do better than that based on his R&B audience alone. What went wrong? I don't buy the album wasn't as strong as the last one. People don't buy albums based on quality. Was it not smutty enough? Maybe he sufferred the same fate as Mimi? Not enough promo behind it? I don't even know if that's it because, unlike Mimi's latest, people at least knew Robin had a new album because it was being advertised. So, I'm not sure where to place the blame on that 20,000 number. That's terrible.

kitbradley said:

BigDaddyHQ said:

2020 said:

No surprise. Robin will go down as a one hit wonder.

One 'MEGA' pop hit... but he has a nice collection of songs from all of his albums. He's not a suoerstar per say... but if put to task.... people who are into the neo-soul sound he does... could roll off a few of his RnB hits easy.

Exactly. Plus Robin has a platinum album and three gold albums. Even the disastrous Paula is number 2 on the R&B charts.

I've been a fan of his since his first album a Beautiful World was still known as Cherry Blue Skies. He fucked that up when he refused to acknowledge Got To Give Up and the lawsuit against Marvin's family. His R&B fans are not very forgiving. I know I'm not. So this album being a flop, not giving one fuck.

Beautifulstarr123 said:

The next album that he does, leave Paula out of it

Maybe he'll think of her before he palms some other chick's ass.

kitbradley said:

Only 20,000 in the U.S? That's a major flop! I thought he would do better than that based on his R&B audience alone. What went wrong? I don't buy the album wasn't as strong as the last one. People don't buy albums based on quality. Was it not smutty enough? Maybe he sufferred the same fate as Mimi? Not enough promo behind it? I don't even know if that's it because, unlike Mimi's latest, people at least knew Robin had a new album because it was being advertised. So, I'm not sure where to place the blame on that 20,000 number. That's terrible.

The album wasn't heavily promoted and there are no "hits" on it.These days,you need a strong,catchy first single to attract record buyers.I really don't think that Robin was thinking of "hits" when he made this album.Even the uptempo songs aren't very commercial (radio-friendly).But as one critic pointed out,perhaps he should have just given this album to Paula personally,and released the 'real' follow-up to Blurred Lines as his official new album.

Stymie said:

Beautifulstarr123 said:

The next album that he does, leave Paula out of it

Maybe he'll think of her before he palms some other chick's ass.

Maybe?

Maybe he will or maybe he won't.

Lost Without You was a crossover hit. His hits with R&B is what will sustain him.