What is your favorite Robbie duet?

[Last days of the disco]

Originally Posted by CJ

I am not suggesting that nor do I believe it. However as with all duets it does make the hardcore fans take notice of who ever their popstar is dueting with and it makes them more like able. It of course will not work with all fans but it will with some. This is a win, win situation in my opinion.

I kind of would like a rerelease of Reality with more tracks but then again I would rather have a full album of new tracks. I imagine he will release the greatest hits part 2 at the end of this year, around November time.

I dont think a greatest hits is in order yet i tghink he needs another 2 albums out first as hes only got 2 serious albums to get songs from so has about 910 songs to put on it id like another album similair to this then one with Guy Chambers then a Greatest Hits otherwise it wont measure up to the quality of the previous one which was based on 4 quality albums. He has only done 2 since the last greatest hits

[Robstoke]

Originally Posted by Last days of the disco

I dont think a greatest hits is in order yet i tghink he needs another 2 albums out first as hes only got 2 serious albums to get songs from so has about 910 songs to put on it id like another album similair to this then one with Guy Chambers then a Greatest Hits otherwise it wont measure up to the quality of the previous one which was based on 4 quality albums. He has only done 2 since the last greatest hits

That is not necessarily true - a greatest hits album (GHA) doesnt automatically mean the most popular hits. Besides, although Rudebox was not as well received as had hoped in the UK, world wide it did pretty well. Neither does the GHA have to include only single releases.

So if Rob adds 2 new tracks to the GHA as he did before, there are already 9 singles since Radio, plus an assumed 2 more releases from RKTVS that's 13 tracks - enough for a GHA. 14 if this Leona duet story is correct and the single does well. It depends how quickly Rob wants to get out of the current contract.

[Last days of the disco]

Originally Posted by Robstoke

That is not necessarily true - a greatest hits album (GHA) doesnt automatically mean the most popular hits. Besides, although Rudebox was not as well received as had hoped in the UK, world wide it did pretty well. Neither does the GHA have to include only single releases.

So if Rob adds 2 new tracks to the GHA as he did before, there are already 9 singles since Radio, plus an assumed 2 more releases from RKTVS that's 13 tracks - enough for a GHA. 14 if this Leona duet story is correct and the single does well. It depends how quickly Rob wants to get out of the current contract.

I understand what your saying just simply as a fan i dont want it to be like when some other artists release a second greatest hits and its worse than the 1st one which would be the case if he didnt 2 more new albums first. Also i want another new album this year or early next year not a greatest hits as hes been away not making new music long enough

[Robstoke]

Originally Posted by CJ

I have been saying for years about the desperation people have for the US market. I don't think U have to crack America at all to be a huge star. America does have a tend to pick up and drop artists very quickly, even Rihanna seems to be struggling with her new album. I get the overall feeling that us Europeons tend to be loyal and yet we often get abandoned by the American superstars. They spend weeks on end in the US doing promotion and all they do in the UK is appear on the X factor or something simular.
I feel that Robbie is one of the only superstars who truely give Europe and the rest of the world, other than America, the time it deserves, which is a large reason he has such a loyal fanbase.
I would also like to ask, why the hell is it all the UK artists that break America try and turn into Americans?? Joss Stone, Craig David even Lily Allen and Amy Winehouse seem less British since. I think this pushes them away from there English market and once the American are bored they are doomed.

I don't seem to have seen much of Leona since her album has been released here in the UK. It is a shame, although I am not a massive fan I enjoy some of her songs and she has a great voice and I want her to succeed. I hope she does duet with Robbie it will be very interesting and I think it will also make Robbies loyal fans take notice of Leona and boost her sales and slightly vice versa. I know when Robbie dueted with Kylie, Kylie definately got more benefit than Robbie. I think that is part of the reason she was so successful during 2000-2003 in the UK. I am one of the fans who actually hated Kylie (i was ten at the time) before she did kids.

On to Simon Cowell lol God i am waffling I think he is very good at quick short term success. But when it comes to a long term career such as Robbie's, I don't think he has a clueSorry Simon i love U and all but it's my opnion. That is why Simon depends so much on shows like the X factor, within a year he has someone new to work on who is likely to have great short term success.

I hope that Leona is not another reality TV show casualty. I think she has great potential and I would certainly rather have her on the charts than Alexandra Burke.

Singing from the same hymn sheet! LOL

Yes when will the UK learn? - dont follow in the footsteps of the Americans, there have enough American artists over there. Be true to who you are. Mark my words in 5 years time, if they dont take appropriate action JLS, Leona, Alexandra, Joe Mc will be has beens. It is an awful shame, we appaud these great British artists and then change them into Americans - Why?

Rob in hindsight, looks like a genius. He was slated as being lazy for not bothering with the US market. Can you imagine if Lily Allen, Craig David or Amy Winehouse took a 2.5 year career break - they wouldnt be able to pick up where they left off, because they did not do the ground work of creating a solid European base.

Us Euros when we support an artist, we become die hards! The US is such a massive market now, that kind of loyality isnt possible. Artists have an average shelf life of 5 years, if they make it! Shorter if they are foreigners. Anyone remember BBMak? The last person who managed to do that in the States was Michael Jackson. The only other person was Elvis. Cant see Alex Burke becoming as big as Elvis.

And your point about Simon, is exactly why, in my ideal world, I would prefer to keep Rob a million miles away from him. Simon is about max profit in the short term. Nothing of quality is ever gained from cutting corners or looking for a quick buck. Besides I understand it was Simon's TV production company which made Rob look awful in the documentary "Take That: For the Record" So is Simon really the right person for Rob's future? I doubt it. (regardless of what Peter Williams says LOL)

The best thing Rob ever did was to say no to the US market. If he hadnt, his career would have ended years ago.

[Robstoke]

Originally Posted by Last days of the disco

I understand what your saying just simply as a fan i dont want it to be like when some other artists release a second greatest hits and its worse than the 1st one which would be the case if he didnt 2 more new albums first. Also i want another new album this year or early next year not a greatest hits as hes been away not making new music long enough

Rob has in effect created a rod for his own back. Because we are used to him releasing an album every 18 months, we now expect it. But this IMHO is too much. Get out of the EMI contract as soon as reasonably practicable. That can not happen until at least end 2010/ early 2011. Release GHA around early 2012 then a wait at least 6 months to do the tour. A GHA will almost promote itself, rather than a new album which would require a simultaneous tour and record promo, which creates far too much pressure and work, which lead to the break in the first place.

[newbie389]

Originally Posted by Robstoke

Singing from the same hymn sheet! LOL

Yes when will the UK learn? - dont follow in the footsteps of the Americans, there have enough American artists over there. Be true to who you are. Mark my words in 5 years time, if they dont take appropriate action JLS, Leona, Alexandra, Joe Mc will be has beens. It is an awful shame, we appaud these great British artists and then change them into Americans - Why?

Rob in hindsight, looks like a genius. He was slated as being lazy for not bothering with the US market. Can you imagine if Lily Allen, Craig David or Amy Winehouse took a 2.5 year career break - they wouldnt be able to pick up where they left off, because they did not do the ground work of creating a solid European base.

Us Euros when we support an artist, we become die hards! The US is such a massive market now, that kind of loyality isnt possible. Artists have an average shelf life of 5 years, if they make it! Shorter if they are foreigners. Anyone remember BBMak? The last person who managed to do that in the States was Michael Jackson. The only other person was Elvis. Cant see Alex Burke becoming as big as Elvis.

And your point about Simon, is exactly why, in my ideal world, I would prefer to keep Rob a million miles away from him. Simon is about max profit in the short term. Nothing of quality is ever gained from cutting corners or looking for a quick buck. Besides I understand it was Simon's TV production company which made Rob look awful in the documentary "Take That: For the Record" So is Simon really the right person for Rob's future? I doubt it. (regardless of what Peter Williams says LOL)

The best thing Rob ever did was to say no to the US market. If he hadnt, his career would have ended years ago.

So i have to agree..and i'm American haha. I don't know what it is here, but i don't think there's really anyone with mass appeal or something. People kinda just come and go, and i don't think anyone really makes it that big. It makes me think of American Idol- it has turned out some successful people like Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, but sometimes when people win they obviously have a huge fan base, and then when their cd comes out, no one really cares. And that's true even moreso with the contestants who don't win...sometimes there's a huge uproar when someone gets voted off and it's a huge deal, but by the time they're out of the contract and able to release an album, it doesn't sell becauset people have moved on. I dunno, i think it's a depressing situation lol. There was the whole nsync/backstreet boys thing (and i was a pre-teen for that, so maybe that wasn't even the big deal that i thought it was haha), but obviously no one has been as popular as Michael Jackson and i can't see anyone becoming that popular anytime soon.

Anyway, I do like Leona Lewis.. It's an interesting combination.I'm sure Simon sees it as a moneymaker, and that's what he's after.

[Robstoke]

Originally Posted by newbie389

So i have to agree..and i'm American haha. I don't know what it is here, but i don't think there's really anyone with mass appeal or something. People kinda just come and go, and i don't think anyone really makes it that big. It makes me think of American Idol- it has turned out some successful people like Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, but sometimes when people win they obviously have a huge fan base, and then when their cd comes out, no one really cares. And that's true even moreso with the contestants who don't win...sometimes there's a huge uproar when someone gets voted off and it's a huge deal, but by the time they're out of the contract and able to release an album, it doesn't sell becauset people have moved on. I dunno, i think it's a depressing situation lol. There was the whole nsync/backstreet boys thing (and i was a pre-teen for that, so maybe that wasn't even the big deal that i thought it was haha), but obviously no one has been as popular as Michael Jackson and i can't see anyone becoming that popular anytime soon.

Anyway, I do like Leona Lewis.. It's an interesting combination.I'm sure Simon sees it as a moneymaker, and that's what he's after.

This is all music to my ears!!! Thanks so much for such an interesting perspective.

You have reminded me of another point - I have noticed in the last 2 years or so that many artists are mixing it up with other artists and crossing over to other genres. Justin Timberlake, Nelly, Nelly Furtado, Timberland, Madonna, Kelly Rowland, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Eminem - to name a just few. I think this trend is set to continue, as once you have exhausted your own limited ban base, in order to survive artists have to consider crossing over to new forms of music - or suffer declining sales.

Hence the more collaborations, the better. So come on Leona, 50 cent, Take That, Michael Buble and anybody else who wants to work with the Robster It doesnt matter if the artists have different styles - that is the point of doing a duet.

[Last days of the disco]

Much as i agree with u about how terrible the american market is the fact robbie was to lazy to make it in the US you make sound purposeful which is quite amusing.
The market is a bit strange as it seems Miley Cyrus and Britney rule over there despite the fact that there both utterly useless.
Finally the reason Leonas album isnt doing that well is that there are no great songs on her album like run and bleeding in love. Which leads to a song of wailing if rob could make a great song im sure it would sound fantastic with both their voices. In the news article i read it said there was a possibility of robbie appearing at some of Leonas tour will anyone be buying tickets for her tour if this is confirmed? Also do you think they will do angels as well if they did?
It will be intresting when rob next gets interviewed on whether this is true im guessing if it is true that there may be a higher chance of him being on the X factor shows

[Robstoke]

Just though I should add, I like many US artists, but as newbie 389 says, there is no one of mass appeal any more because the US market IMHO is far too big these days. If American artists find it hard to break their own market, and sustain a high level of success, why do the British think they can fare better? If the US artists come and go, then non US-artists dont stand a chance. Breaking the US market does not automatically mean career success!

To break America is similiar to breaking 50 different countries at the same time - not just one. Subo only managed to do this because of YouTube. So it will be interesting to see if she can sustain this level of success with her next album.

Good records will always sell themselves. RKTVS got into the top 10 US download chart without any advertising. Because he concentrated on his core markets, Rob was number one in the world charts - which will recoup 100 times more sales, than spending the same time, money and effort trying to break the US.

Also Robbie said it was too much hard work and not worth the effort - it was EMI who wanted Rob to break the US - shame they didnt check before LOL. Does anyone know what happened to Craig David after he tried to break the US? No - I didnt think so!

[Susie]

Originally Posted by Robstoke

Just though I should add, I like many US artists, but as newbie 389 says, there is no one of mass appeal any more because the US market IMHO is far too big these days. If American artists find it hard to break their own market, and sustain a high level of success, why do the British think they can fare better? If the US artists come and go, then non US-artists dont stand a chance. Breaking the US market does not automatically mean career success!

To break America is similiar to breaking 50 different countries at the same time - not just one. Subo only managed to do this because of YouTube. So it will be interesting to see if she can sustain this level of success with her next album.

Good records will always sell themselves. RKTVS got into the top 10 US download chart without any advertising. Because he concentrated on his core markets, Rob was number one in the world charts - which will recoup 100 times more sales, than spending the same time, money and effort trying to break the US.

Also Robbie said it was too much hard work and not worth the effort - it was EMI who wanted Rob to break the US - shame they didnt check before LOL. Does anyone know what happened to Craig David after he tried to break the US? No - I didnt think so!

Totally agree with you there Robstoke..I have thought the very same thing for ages, and most definitely when the UK press like to rub Robbie's nose in the fact he hasn't broken America. As you say does it really matter..nope it doesn't..it would be nice for it to happen as it would increase RW's total sales globally, and I suppose it does annoy that we have to read that Robbie is popular everywhere outside of the States. It would close the loose end, but its not the be all and end all that the press like to hype the headlines about.

Haven't we seen and heard the headlines before Leona breaks America..James Blunt cracks America etc..but its not sustained on subsequent releases. It makes nice reading and the implication the press like to suggest is that these acts, because they have 'broken' the US are more successful than Robbie..where in fact its far from the truth.