2006-10-29 22:28:59 · 10 answers · asked by female_daywalker 6 in Entertainment & Music ➔ Music
Robbie Williams is one of the - if not THE - most popular singer(s) in Europe. He is from the UK.
2006-10-29 22:34:05 · update #1
Robbie Williams is not a "boy band" - nor is he in the same category. In Europe he plays in the same league as Madonna.
2006-10-29 22:39:02 · update #2
Robbie Williams is decently popular, but not hugely popular in the US likely for a few reasons:
- He had his start in the UK & Europe with Take That, which was not very popular at all in the US. Meanwhile, the boyband had multiple #1 hits in the UK & Europe, so Robbie had a core base of fans and notoriety before he became a solo artist. When Take That broke up, it was not even newsworthy in the US
- Robbie has mostly concentrated his marketing activities, concerts & collaborations in England, or with non-Americans (except for that song with Nicole Kidman)
- Americans seem to have taken more to English guitar rock (bands like Oasis, Blur, and now Coldplay in a huge way).. For some reason, Robbie's style of music & sound don't go down as well in the US...perhaps some of it is too pop-py
- Robbie's label (EMI) probably has not done a great job marketing him in the US...although EMI are also Coldplay's label, but Coldplay had a huge hit and the lead singer married G. Paltrow, and American, so he got huge publicity from that. Robbie has not had any major US news around his personal life that would raise his profile. Interestingly, since Madonna moved to England, she has not had a #1 single off of her latest album which has about three or more #1s on it in Europe and the UK - just goes to show that a physical presence can make a big difference in sales success
- So much is being made of him not being successful in the US, that it is now a self-fulfilling prophecy - magazines & talk shows do not want to book him because he doesn;t sell, or put "bums in seats", so to speak, so now his chances of breaking through become increasingly difficult
I think its a shame he is not bigger, as he is no worse than any of the American rockstars, but I guess you can;t always get what you want.
2006-10-29 22:45:06 · answer #1 · answered by Conrad 4 · 9⤊ 0⤋
I would add to Conrad's answer that when he first appeared here on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, his debut was really confusing. He sang Angels, a deep and lovely song, but was doing a bunch of ad lobbing and camp stuff in between singing the lyrics. The effect was really confusing... We don't do camp humor here, so he came off as goofy and arrogant. You can see it on YouTube. A lot of his music/lyrics reference his past, which Americans don't know, so that's lost on the audience. However, his back catalogue is very strong...so I think he could have become famous here. The problem is that he didn't put the work in. He likes to do shorter tours in major cities in Europe, East, and South America. He's not willing to tour the U.S. and play 200 dates a year by opening (or being the supporting act) for a bigger band/name like Coldplay. That said, I believe he could still have bigger success if he were willing to duet with big names here and actually release it in the U.S. I believe that he's unwilling to go full out because the level of failure would be too massive and his ego can't handle that. Jmo.
2015-12-05 16:14:47 · answer #2 · answered by Lisa W 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's funny. I'm an American and pride myself on a decent amount of music awareness. I've heard this guy's name for years, but it wasn't until I heard the song FEEL for 5 seconds tonight that I suddenly connected with this guy. I doubt I'll like all his music, but that song is stunning and certainly better than a huge amount of the dreck sold in America these days.
I would say the US market these days is far too deep into hip hop and a bunch of millenials doing terrible retreads of music trends of the past.
I also think Robbie WIlliams looks a bit too crusty to break through the American market, and he's not doing country or grunge, which could be part of a revival. Anyway, it hardly seems to matter. He's rich beyond belief, but it is a shame, because that song is astonishing.
2014-02-01 22:55:37 · answer #3 · answered by Anti 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Why is it that Robbie Williams IS popular in the UK? The guy's a wanker!!!
"Hey ho, here she goes, you go a little to high or a little to low etc etc" What a crock of ****!!
Tosser!!
2013-12-11 03:59:59 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 9⤋
He chooses not to be because he has the rest of the world
2016-06-13 07:46:40 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I've never heard of him, what kinda music does he sing? I might look him up! :)
2016-03-17 05:59:25 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
His music sucks and is completely unmenorable.. and he is a wanker
2016-11-27 02:24:33 · answer #7 · answered by Kevin E 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
theres more than enough media saturation of american boy bands here...no exposure.
2006-10-29 22:36:32 · answer #8 · answered by koalatcomics 7 · 0⤊ 5⤋
Because he's an overrated sack of sh*t!
2006-10-29 23:04:16 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 10⤋
who?
2006-10-29 22:30:21 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 10⤋