Oh NO!: thread bemoaning the apparently imminent floppage of “Chewing Gum” by Annie. I agree that it’s the lack of airplay and supermarket stockage that’s done for the song. I can understand why Radio 1 and Asda have stayed away, though – Annie doesn’t fit the usual bill for a Europop act, she’s a fairly tough sell, a clever, clued-up, fashionable individual who is making unequivocally pop music.
There IS an audience for this stuff, and not just on ILM. What there isn’t is a format for it. People in my office, for instance, love “Chewing Gum”, but they don’t buy singles any more. So sell them the album? Well, the problem is, because Annie is making commercial pop people won’t trust the album, they’ll assume it’s full of filler.
Annie, and “Chewing Gum”, are just the kind of things the download chart was made for. In a year or so, when digital distribution is even more commonplace and the download chart is less of a joke, it would do pretty well. As it is, the best chance of “Chewing Gum” being the hit it deserves to be is via adverts or soundtracks.
(And another thing: a low-end chart placing for Annie is in no way as unjust as Lene’s “It’s Your Duty” not even getting a RELEASE!)