UK - Classical Smash!

[Dave]

Well, after last week's sensational entry into the UK pop chart by Katherine Jenkins at 16th, she's already been deposed at the top of the classical chart by... Russell Watson. He has entered the UK pop chart at number 10 [/size] with Amore Musica, Katherine dropping to 26th.

But will it be his turn to be deposed next week? Andrea Bocelli's new Album "Andrea" is released today November 1st and currently it's neck-and-neck with Russell for the highest position at Amazon UK, with Katherine not far behind.

Then, next week it's Bryn Terfel's turn, with Silent Moon (another guaranteed top 20 in the pop chart) and the week after, Hayley's re-release of "Pure". It's now easy to see why Decca didn't bring forward the release date of Pure special edition... what a fantastic month it's going to be for classical crossover lovers in the UK.

All this is really GREAT news for Hayley because it shows just how popular new Classical Crossover releases are becoming in the UK - fighting it out for position high in the pop charts! Russell's album comes two years after his last album and proves that the fans don't forget - and I don't think Hayley's fans will forget either, when her next album is released next year.

So... well done to Katherine, Russell and (probably) Andrea and Bryn, too - but we await the big one - Hayley, next year, could beat the lot of 'em! [/color][/b]

New UK Classical Artist Chart:

1 RUSSELL WATSON - AMORE MUSICA
2 KATHERINE JENKINS - SECOND NATURE
3 VANESSA MAE - CHOREOGRAPHY
4 NIGEL KENNEDY - VIVALDI II
5 JAMES GALWAY - WINGS OF SONG
...
17 PURE - HAYLEY WESTENRA [stocks are running out prior to the re-release]

[Susan]

Dave,

You are so right about the UK having such an impressive "run" on newly-released classical music!

How we (over here on the Western side of the Atlantic) envy you! May I add one more title to your display of newly-released albums?

There is a brand-new group (a quartet, actually) of male vocalists and they call themselves IL DIVO. Yes, yes, I know... they are being promoted by that thoroughly "obnoxious" impressario Simon Cowell, but I am nevetheless going to overlook that, and focus upon the SOUND that comes out of these gentlemen.

These four male voices -- an American, a Frenchman, a Spaniard, and a Swiss -- just released their debut self-titled CD album (IL DIVO) in the UK, yesterday (November 1, 2004).

Okay... so they are not "strictly" Classical in the sense that Russell Watson or Katherine Jenkins or Andrea Bocelli are. But, they are attempting to blend the sound of pop with the vocal technique of classical singing, to produce a Popera sound, or Classical Crossover, if you like. Even if you are not too "keen" on their selection of songs, just give a listen to the sound of their voices! They blend fantastically well together!

I am providing a link here to a web page which allows you to preview one track from their new album. On that page, you have the option of choosing either RealAudio or Windows Media, either broadband or dial-up (lower) speed versions of each.

[url=http://www.newmusicfriday.com/?nmf=20040924
]IL DIVO[/url]

In the above link, the group are singing Regressa Mi, which is an Italian-language cover of the Toni Braxton pop hit "Unbreak My Heart." True, not classical, but it sounds lovely!

And, by the way... if you should like to see what these fellows look like: Here below is a graphic of the cover of their debut album:

[Dave]

Updated Wednesday, with sales estimate

Thanks for that Susan... actually I deliberately ignored them as I kind of hoped they'd go away! I think we may disagree a little about this one

Yes they are being marketed as Classical and yes they are a Simon Cowell "project". Which means 100% manufactured. I am afraid that put me off them from the start. I also think their album is really just made up of italian-style crooning and it's not, to me, classical enough.

In fact, Il Divo sounds to my ear exactly like the style of Mario Frangoulis (Greek tenor/crooner who is supporting Hayley's imminent UK tour) - and his latest album was thrown out of the classical chart after less than one week. I think it's 50/50 whether or not Il Divo will be allowed into the UK classical chart - personally I hope it's not. I can see a big battle between Decca/Universal, Sony Classical and Simon Cowell's people about this

However... if Il Divo is allowed in the classical chart it will demolish Hayley's record of the fastest selling debut classical CD ever, in the UK. And demolish is the word - I mean sales of over 100,000 (Pure sold 19,000 in week 1). Il Divo already looks like it will enter the UK pop chart at no. 1 next Sunday, knocking Robbie Williams off the top.

So, Il Divo could become the first ever "classical" CD to reach number 1 - and enter at no. 1 - in the UK pop chart. I wanted Hayley to do that with her next album! Looking on the brighter side however, it could give classical crossover music (therefore Hayley) in the UK a boost. Maybe. I could live with that.

[Dave]

Dave said:

...However... if Il Divo is allowed in the classical chart it will demolish Hayley's record of the fastest selling debut classical CD ever, in the UK. .

Updated Monday (see article below)

Il Divo did indeed enter the UK pop album chart at number 1, dethroning Robbie Williams. And in the classical chart... Il Divo was excluded, so Hayley's record is intact i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

It's quite funny, hearing all the pop teenies asking who are Il Divo, then complaining about it when they find out! Anything that keeps the likes of Busted or Westlife off the top makes me happy so well done to Il Divo - but I'm rather glad the powers that be placed them on the pop side of the crossover line. So, Katherine Jenkins holds onto the classical top spot ahead of Vanessa Mae. Andrea Bocelli is excluded as his new release is one of his "pop" albums and enters the pop chart only - at 19. Pure remains at 17th in the classical artist top 20.

Edit: More Il Divo details[/color], from Music Week c/o another music forum:

"The Top 10 of the artist album chart is also very volatile, with six debuts, though overall sales in the artist album sector increased by only 5.6%. Classical crossover act Il Divo make their expected debut at number one, with first week sales of 132,829.

Landing a number one album before you've had even a sniff of singles chart action is a rare and unusual feat, last performed by the late Eva Cassidy in 2001, but - helped by appearances on Parkinson, Lorraine Kelly and the like - Il Divo do likewise this week, debuting in pole position with their self-titled debut album. The psuedo-classical quartet - comprising an American, a Spaniard, a Frenchman and a Swiss - tackle both classical and pop repertoire in English, Spanish and Italian on the album, which sold 132,829 copies last week, and provide a number one for Simon Cowell's new SyCo imprint at its first attempt.

Although Il Divo's repertoire is sufficiently wide-ranging for their album to be disqualified from the classical chart, Il Divo are the first primarily classical act to reach number one on the main album chart since James Horner's Titanic score in 1998.

Il Divo is only the second album by a new act to break the 100,000 mark on its debut this year, the other being Keane's Hopes & Fears, which sold 155,432 copies the week it was released in May. "

This really is a phenomenal marketing success by Simon Cowell - and you are right Susan, they must have plenty of talent, too.