I personally think this album didn't have a strong point of view or direction

 

FN was clear and concise, this unfortunately wasn't it

52 minutes ago, halcyonday said:

i mean... what else would you want as the lead? Anything For Love? 

58 minutes ago, Kiss It Better said:

• releasing Houdini then didn't give it any promo or live performances
• teasing Training Season including performing it at the Grammys but didn't release it until weeks later
• releasing the album way too far, when it should've been released in March the latest

 

if it was up to me, i would do:

• release Houdini as lead and give it tons of promo and live performances during the first two weeks
• release Training Season + album pre order in early January
• album release on 2/2 with the Grammy performance that weekend
• scrap Anything For Love and Maria for something else
• third single would still be Illusion in April
• fourth single would be End of An Era or Whatcha Doin remix

Not you coming up with a better plan in a throwaway ATRL comment. Gag Dua's nepo daddy a bit!

 

These Walls could save the era, not releasing this as a single early was a mistake.

Honestly, I'll say this.. the title/album aesthetics did not match the first singles. May have contributed to the floppage because we were all expecting psychedelic stuff/ Vertigo

She should've just released it like Billie did

 

Pre-singles are ruining eras lately

Houdini was the only good song 

Nobody knew it released.  

I honestly think Kevin Parker is a curse to the pop girlies 

 

the album is a great pop record though 

Moderate pessimism

training season video killed the song

Future Nostalgia has huge single success, Don't Start Now is a stable smash on streaming and get great radio performance, Physical is a great dance-pop sound hyping the album's anticipation with great reviews. Then Break My Heart and Levitating continue the success, especially the later one being the actual album carrrier in a year after.

 

Then looking back to what RO got from the very start to now, it already lack the DSN and Physcial success, and we still dont see if there's a Break My Heart & Levitating moment.

The metaphors for the crucial first two singles were nowhere near as universal tbh. I don't think most Gen Zers know who Houdini was. And the "Training Season" metaphor is good but it's a bit more hard to grasp than "I've got new rules" and "don't start caring about me now".

maybe lack of promo? or a lot of other albums released that kinda outshined in.   It's a good album but maybe she should of released it a little later on.

6 hours ago, Just a Gay on ATRL said:

Houdini is a great song, and I'm not gonna sit here and pretend it's a super experimental or innovative pop song, however I will say I don't think it's a song that is gonna click with everyone. You are either gonna love it for what it is or totally skip it, few and far between. Houdini makes me think of a sweaty dingy nightclub in Berlin, not something your Aunt Martha is gonna shimmy her shoulders to in her minivan coming home from Wegman's, which is the type of appeal DSN had in comparison. Houdini is for the clubgoing crowd. 

 

Training Season was fighting a losing battle following Houdini and it wasn't strong enough to turn things around. Its release was also handled quite horribly.

 

Illusion sounds like a FN reject and was never gonna turn things around either.

 

The sound and imagery of Radical Optimism sounds/looks nothing like we were being lead on to expect prior to album release, so I think some fans feel thrown off.

 

Here's to hoping These Walls is a surprise hit!

 

 

 

 

This is all true unfortunately. Houdini is great but not a surefire hit, and even still it did get well enough. The album should have been out in February.

Beyond everything

Not another thread about this again, aren't y'all tired of talking about the same thing over and over?

Can we go back to xtina vs britney thread spamming, those are at least funny

The music isn't good.

starting the era at the wrong time

bad single choices

terrible music videos

Training Season being recorded and on top of that released as a second single. Her worst song ever. 

These Walls, Whatcha Doing and Falling Forever are probably the only singles that'll be released before she completely abandons this era….

Houdini is a great song but she should have waited more between Dance The Night and the lead.

The era is also lackluster visually. 

 

It didn't sound like mezzanine or any big beat album which would have been a collapse

Edited May 30, 20242 yr by Katamari

Insipid music