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Why did Lights never make it?


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Posted (edited)

Last night my good sis @JoeAg mentioned Lights in the "Artists who you feel should've made it?" thread and it got me thinking: Why and how did she not make it? While she garnered moderate success in her home country Canada (she has 7 top ten albums and two top 40 entries), she failed to make it big in America, only having one of her albums chart in the top 40 at #34 with zero Hot 100 or Bubbling Under entries. Despite her never having a big breakout moment, at least she remains one of the few MySpace acts that I think successfully navigated into a long lasting and successful (albeit moderately) music career.

 

I just find it surprising that she never found that much success outside of Canada given that was on  a pretty big label (Warner/Fueled by Ramen) that could've properly pushed her and the new wave/electropop sound she had at her peak was very much radio friendly and current, and like @JoeAg said in his initial post, her cool edgy scene/emo aesthetic only amplified her appeal and made her stand out. 

 

If you're unfamiliar with her music, here are some good songs:

 

 

Edited by YourFavoriteWeapon
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Posted

Her stage name is not very Google-friendly, to say the least

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Posted

I remember being 13 and finding Toes and Ice on YouTube and thinking I discovered the greatest thing ever :jonny4:

 

She certainly deserved a breakthrough moment because there is something very special about her. I thought her pop was super enjoyable and made for pop radio yet it had an edge. I'd take her work over many beloved and recognized 2010s icons, that's how good she is.

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Posted

Ellie's best single. :alexz:

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Posted
Just now, Galaxy said:

Her stage name is not very Google-friendly, to say the least

I remember hating Ellie Goulding because her song Lights showed up on top every time :deadbanana2: It took a lot of patience for my undeveloped brain to recognize she was good too.

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Posted
4 minutes ago, Sugar-Rush said:

Ellie's best single. :alexz:

MTE. I was thinking this thread was about this masterpiece not being #1. 

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Posted

I love her debut stuff 

 

no comment about anything else :suburban:

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Posted

Up We Go was #1 for several weeks in my house back in the day tbh

 

I love that song and I still believe it should have been an smash hit

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11 minutes ago, Roberto said:

MTE. I was thinking this thread was about this masterpiece not being #1. 

Well that was an injustice too :rip: 

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Posted

I was living in Canada when her debut album came out and was obsessed with this bop


It went platinum on my little green iPod nano.

 

She definitely deserved more success.

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Posted

I've been following her and her career since Siberia & absolutely love her & her music still. I wish she was bigger but I think she's found a lot of success/happiness where she's currently at! PEP wasn't my fave output but her new single sounds great & I definitely gotta see her live next tour. I need to hear Quiet live :gaycat6:

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Posted

I came in here ready to argue about the Ellie single being a smash in the US even if it kinda flopped other places but omg. I'd never heard of this girl before but these vibes?? Let me give ha a few hundred streams rq :jonny5:

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Posted

She came out a bit before the indie pop girl movement. If she was new now, atrl would love her. 

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Posted

She did to me. :jonny6:
Been buying her albums and going to her concerts since at least Siberia era. Her music saved me. Little Machines is legit one of the best pop albums of the 2010's. No Cap. From all sides would smash nowadays 

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Posted

too local Canadian. Not signed in the US

Posted
41 minutes ago, Ciel said:

I've been following her and her career since Siberia & absolutely love her & her music still. I wish she was bigger but I think she's found a lot of success/happiness where she's currently at! PEP wasn't my fave output but her new single sounds great & I definitely gotta see her live next tour. I need to hear Quiet live :gaycat6:

Siberia is such a great album :jonny5:She really tapped into an experimental side of herself yet still was able to make it sound slighty GP-friendly and current with the dubstep influences. Siberia, Where The Fence Is Low, Toes, Banner, Peace Sign, and Flux and Flow >>>>>> :heart2: I can even listen to Day One in full without wanting to skip it. 

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Posted

i came in thinking about the Ellie song and thought, how DIDN'T Lights make it? it was the first ellie song i heard back in 2011. it was everywhere

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Posted

Carly Raw Jepsen STOLE Lights' chance and shine :'( I BLAME CARLY RAW JEPSEN!

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Posted
1 minute ago, IBeMe said:

Carly Raw Jepsen STOLE Lights' chance and shine :'( I BLAME CARLY RAW JEPSEN!

Ok but we love Carly!!

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Posted
Just now, IBeMe said:

Carly Raw Jepsen STOLE Lights' chance and shine :'( I BLAME CARLY RAW JEPSEN!

In another world Lights would be the one with a #1 diamond smash and Carly would be the one not charting and struggling to sell out 1k capacity venues  :suburban:

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Posted
2 minutes ago, Raphy23 said:

Ok but we love Carly!!

We DO LOVE miss Carly tumblr_inline_p66m34E8Qd1qgk4m1_4001.thu but... WE LOVE LIGHTS MORE! imagine if Lights had the budget daddy Scooter Braun gave Carly Rae to build her fan base? Lights would at least be as big as Jojo Siwa now but instead she isn't know at all except by some fellow Canadians :'( 

2 minutes ago, YourFavoriteWeapon said:

In another world Lights would be the one with a #1 diamond smash and Carly would be the one not charting and struggling to sell out 1k capacity venues  :suburban:

EXACTLY! but we don't live in a fair and free world sadly :'(

Posted (edited)
Just now, IBeMe said:

We DO LOVE miss Carly tumblr_inline_p66m34E8Qd1qgk4m1_4001.thu but... WE LOVE LIGHTS MORE! imagine if Lights had the budget daddy Scooter Braun gave Carly Rae to build her fan base? Lights would at least be as big as Jojo Siwa now but instead she isn't know at all except by some fellow Canadians :'( 

EXACTLY! but we don't live in a fair and free world sadly :'(

Did you used to have a cute cow avatar omg

Edited by YourFavoriteWeapon
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Posted

I liked her ded/pep album (the only one I heard from her) but I can see why she isn't bigger or has mainstream appeal 

Posted
3 minutes ago, YourFavoriteWeapon said:

Did you used to have a cute cow avatar omg

YES! it's me lol! :heart2: 

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Posted
Just now, IBeMe said:

YES! it's me lol! :heart2: 

I used to be a lurker hence why I recognized it :rip: 

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