[Callum]

These have all been number 1 on the UK singles chart:

1. Leona Lewis - Run [10-24 December]
2. Alexandra Burke - Hallelujah [24 December-4 January]
3. Lady GaGa (feat. Colby O'Donis) - Just Dance [11-25 January]
4. Lily Allen - The Fear [1-15 February]

Likely contenders for next week:
Taylor Swift - Love Story
Kelly Clarkson - My Life Would Suck Without You

Will we have the 5th female no. 1 in a row?

[Annie]

And they should be dominating! The girls are amazing just now!

[Fom]

Hopefully Kelly will carry it on!

[*mazedsalv**]

Got to say, the female singers currently are much better than the male artists, it seems like the male artists have been gone completely from music for quite a while.

[LemonJam]

You've only just noticed? haha

It's like Girl Power all over again.

[xDramatick]

It's strange but people seem to prefer female singers atm.
It's good, but it's also bad news for male singers that deserve success; Sam Sparro, Daniel Merriweather etc

[M X]

Originally posted by *mazedsalv**
Got to say, the female singers currently are much better than the male artists, it seems like the male artists have been gone completely from music for quite a while.

[Z]

I'm still waiting for a boy band to capitalise on the market. You could argue that Take That and Boyzone are boy bands, but really they're man bands now, I think any new boy band with a small amount of talent could easily be successful. To be honest, I really don't like most of the female singers that are dominating the charts at the moment. Lily Allen, Lady Gaga, The Ting Tings (the singer), Kate Nash, Duffy and the like are all really gimmicky and are an acquired taste I think. Leona and Alexandra I have no issue with, they have incredible voices, but I'm bored of Leona's string of ballads and we'll have a while to wait until Alexandra releases something else.

I think the real power of the market lies with established artists like Beyonce, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Pink, and with UK girl groups like Girls Aloud, the Sugababes and the Saturdays (even though they're new, I think they were launched at a great time).

Anyway, my bet is on a new boy band to be produced (i.e. manufactured, don't write their own songs, focus on choreography) and for them to be instantly successful.

[Hugo]

^ I really don't think another 'boy' band could be hugely sucessful again. They would just seem cheesy now imo.

[Z]

Originally posted by HUGO
^ I really don't think another 'boy' band could be hugely sucessful again. They would just seem cheesy now imo.

I would argue that the Spice Girls would seem cheesy nowadays, but 1) it didn't stop them attempting a comeback and 2) there are still girl bands, they are totally different to the likes of the Spice Girls but they exist, and are successful.

[Fom]

Originally posted by HUGO
^ I really don't think another 'boy' band could be hugely sucessful again. They would just seem cheesy now imo.

The idea does sound cheesy, but I would love to see a more mature boy band (not in age) and prove us all wrong. Some funky indie tunes.

[*mazedsalv**]

Originally posted by Zee
I'm still waiting for a boy band to capitalise on the market. You could argue that Take That and Boyzone are boy bands, but really they're man bands now, I think any new boy band with a small amount of talent could easily be successful. To be honest, I really don't like most of the female singers that are dominating the charts at the moment. Lily Allen, Lady Gaga, The Ting Tings (the singer), Kate Nash, Duffy and the like are all really gimmicky and are an acquired taste I think. Leona and Alexandra I have no issue with, they have incredible voices, but I'm bored of Leona's string of ballads and we'll have a while to wait until Alexandra releases something else.

I think the real power of the market lies with established artists like Beyonce, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Pink, and with UK girl groups like Girls Aloud, the Sugababes and the Saturdays (even though they're new, I think they were launched at a great time).

Anyway, my bet is on a new boy band to be produced (i.e. manufactured, don't write their own songs, focus on choreography) and for them to be instantly successful.

I agree about The Saturdays, they were launched at a great time and each song they release has managed to peak at a higher number than the one before so far, they are making it big. Their 4th single is likely to peak higher than their 3rd too becaus eits one of the Comic Relief's singles.... it could go to #1 like "Walk This Way" did.

[KKBL]

TBH i dont think there is any space in the music market for a new boyband,and i dont think there will be for a long time.'boybands' just aren't "in" anymore.

[Arneldo]

With a bit of luck it will be U2 or Take That next, although I hate Take Thats new song.

[*mazedsalv**]

Originally posted by KKBL
TBH i dont think there is any space in the music market for a new boyband,and i dont think there will be for a long time.'boybands' just aren't "in" anymore.

Gotta agree with you there, boybands are soo "90s" because that era was when pop was at its most popular.

[Z]

Originally posted by *mazedsalv**

Gotta agree with you there, boybands are soo "90s" because that era was when pop was at its most popular.

So were girl bands though, yet they've managed to survive into the 2000s. I truly believe that a boy band could succeed if one was launched; but I can't think of any examples of a boy band in the last 9 years bar One True Voice, who were launched at the same time as Girls Aloud, yet they were promoted as a man band really.

[MrGaryy]

Originally posted by Fom

The idea does sound cheesy, but I would love to see a more mature boy band (not in age) and prove us all wrong. Some funky indie tunes.

The last thing this country needs is more effing indie tunes.

The problem with boybands seem to be that there is only two ways to go with them - Il Divo, opera, grannyish man bands or Steps, cheesy, sugar coated, 8 year old ****.

[Lewis.]

Kelly Clarkson ftw

[Z]

Originally posted by Gazbo

The last thing this country needs is more effing indie tunes.

The problem with boybands seem to be that there is only two ways to go with them - Il Divo, opera, grannyish man bands or Steps, cheesy, sugar coated, 8 year old ****.

Steps was 3 female/2 male...

You're right that there have only been 2 directions they've been taken in, but why hasn't anybody taken them in a 3rd direction, one more akin to the likes of Girls Aloud, Sugababes, the Saturdays - none of whom fit either of those criteria (though they are female groups)?

[Locke.]

Colby O'Donis has the best part in GaGa's song.
Simon Cowell brought Leona and Alex into the public eye.
Lilly Allen... I don't know.

But yeah, males made it all possible

[Arneldo]

TUNE!

Youtube video

[MrGaryy]

Originally posted by Zee

Steps was 3 female/2 male...

You're right that there have only been 2 directions they've been taken in, but why hasn't anybody taken them in a 3rd direction, one more akin to the likes of Girls Aloud, Sugababes, the Saturdays - none of whom fit either of those criteria (though they are female groups)?

Yeah I know I was just using it as an example of that type of music.

And yes it;s far easier for girls to appear fashionable and edgy with music. I don't think a boy band could ever be successful in the day and age. Not without playing instruments. Although if they were to bring down the Aphlabeat direction - cheesy mixed with good classic pop - and had a good band for them it might work.

[Z]

Originally posted by David
Colby O'Donis has the best part in GaGa's song.
Simon Cowell brought Leona and Alex into the public eye.
Lilly Allen... I don't know.

But yeah, males made it all possible

Lily Allen... has a famous dad!

[Z]

Originally posted by Gazbo

Yeah I know I was just using it as an example of that type of music.

And yes it;s far easier for girls to appear fashionable and edgy with music. I don't think a boy band could ever be successful in the day and age. Not without playing instruments. Although if they were to bring down the Aphlabeat direction - cheesy mixed with good classic pop - and had a good band for them it might work.

Haha aahh okay I was like :| surely he must know Steps was a 3:2 ratio.

Maybe not, but nobody's given it a proper go in a decade really, I think it'd be interesting to see a boy band give it a go. *NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys did very well for themselves in the USA; Justin Timberlake launched from *NSYNC and is still very successful without playing instruments etc. as part of his act. Just my opinion, but I think it would work very well, there'd be no competition, and there are a whole new generation of kids who would be taken in by the image easily. The closest that we've really had to a boy group with that kind of effect is Busted/McFly.

[Wildcat!]

Of course they can be a succesful boy and, if they are marketed enough. Look a t the Jonas Brothers in the states! They are not thAT GOOd, just marketed, and make no mistake, the UK teens will be into them this year, just like they always do, a year after the US. Miley Cirrus is coming in now, after she's een succesful in the US for about 3 years. Same thing will go with the Jonas Brothers.