Most meteoric rise in pop music

[Mabuse]

What band/artist zoomed from obscurity to massive success and/or massive exposure the fastest?

My example that started me thinking about this is that I remember being taken by a buddy to see Big Bad Voodoo Daddy do a free in-store show at the Virgin Megastore in Orange County in (I think) late 1996. Two years later they played the Super Bowl half time show. Of course they disapeared just as quickly, or maybe even faster, but to go from "free show at record store" to Super Bowl half time show in 2 years is pretty amazing. I'm sure there are other examples.

[The Bus]

Sadly, the answer to this is Rebecca Black.

[Traxan]

I'd say Katy Perry. Her early Christian recordings went nowhere, then bam, "I Kissed a Girl" was everywhere.

Bieber and the Jonas Bros. have to come pretty close, too. Just came outta nowhere.

[wishbone]

Originally Posted by The Bus

Sadly, the answer to this is Rebecca Black.

Meteoric rise enabler...

[Mabuse]

Originally Posted by The Bus

Sadly, the answer to this is Rebecca Black.

She didn't play the Super Bowl or win a Grammy, I'm not even sure she made a nickle off the song, nor did she tour or anything. But if youtube hits were dollars she'd be a billionaire.

[PopcornTreeCt]

The Beatles

[Vlyger]

How to succeed as a pop music artist in the 21st century

Disclaimer: Your fame will be only temporary, so don't expect longevity in your musical endeavors.

1) Physical appearance is of utter importance. You've got to look appealing to the tweens who buy into your crap even though they will eventually turn their backs on you once they have matured. They will realize that you are nothing but a pawn and a fake with little to no talent. But none of this matters because......

2) Musical talent is not required. Remember, you are just the face selling the product. Your singing (regardless of it being good or bad) will be auto-tuned by the latest in technology. Your disposable pop songs will be written by professional songwriters who are handpicked by the greedy record company. Session musicians and backup dancers that have more talent than yourself will be provided for your recordings and tours. No need to get jealous, though, because you are the main attraction, not them.

3) Bow down to the media douche himself, Ryan Seacrest, for he has the power to turn you into the pop star you've always desired to be. He is the gateway to your exposure to the masses. If you have Seacrest's blessing, support, and endorsement, then you've got it made in the shade.



In other news, Motorhead is still kicking ass. Talk about longevity. Where will all these hot pop stars of today be in a decade or two from now? They are the flavor of the moment who shall drift away into obscurity.

[inri222]

[Hiro11]

Boston. They didn't exist as a band prior to their debut album, they were really just an MIT Media Lab guy and some local musicians he knew. The debut album then basically came out of nowhere and became the biggest selling debut of all time. Not really a band to 17 million copies sold in about a year. That's insane, especially for the time. Most bands back then followed the "Cheap Trick" model of slowly building a back catalog of songs and a fan base through constant playing in clubs, high school dances and the like. When they finally were signed, most bands had been together for years, honed their chops and refined their songs. This is true for everyone from the Beatles to Rush to Aerosmith. Boston was a studio creation that basically never played live as they sounded on record. This kind of thing happened in pop some times, but Boston was a new business model for rock n' roll.

[clckworang]

The first names that popped into my mind were Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood because they went into instant stardom and have been the most successful after Idol. I suppose a lot of boy bands could also fit into this category. Bieber was already mentioned, so I'll toss out Hanson.

[Michael Corvin]

Not pop music per se, but I remember seeing Stomp the first year they started for about $10-$15 and the next tour it seemed like they were charging $50+

[Numanoid]

Once again, the answer is Numan.

GARY NUMAN’s meteoric rise to stardom has been well documented; Are ‘Friends' Electric? spent four weeks at number one whilst its parent album Replicas went simultaneously to number one in the album chart. Subsequent album The Pleasure Principle was a hit on both sides of the Atlantic and gave rise to the classic number one single Cars. Numan had become an international star almost overnight, much to the perplexity of the British press who chose to vilify him rather than celebrate his success. Source: http://www.electricity-club.co.uk/html/numan.html

Although he was an almost instant hit worldwide, other than Cars, he went relatively unknown in the U.S. Still, he went from cutting one punk album in 1978, then almost immediately after releasing his first electronic album in '79 he was a worldwide star. Three number one albums in a row, in the UK. Twenty-three top 40 singles, blah, blah. All happening when he was 21 years old. Having to deal with it all so suddenly and at such a young age has been the source of many interviews, biographies, and songs.

[Jacoby Ellsbury]

The Biebs. Went from Youtube to $50M a year. American Music Awards. Nationwide Movie. Selena Gomez. Statutory Rape scandal. Popularized the space boot sneaker fad. His own brand, with probably 100+ different items in Walmart.

[Mabuse]

Originally Posted by Numanoid

Once again, the answer is Numan.



Although he was an almost instant hit worldwide, other than Cars, he went relatively unknown in the U.S. Still, he went from cutting one punk album in 1978, then almost immediately after releasing his first electronic album in '79 he was a worldwide star. Three number one albums in a row, in the UK. Twenty-three top 40 singles, blah, blah. All happening when he was 21 years old. Having to deal with it all so suddenly and at such a young age has been the source of many interviews, biographies, and songs.

While that is amazing, a lot of bands have had overnight success and seen their album shoot to #1. The winner of this has to be a band/artist that went from zero to something collosal, like 5 grammys, or a massive concert tour, or something. Has there ever been a band that went from doing free gigs to playing full sized 100K seat stadium gigs in one year?

[Mabuse]

Originally Posted by Hiro11

Boston. They didn't really exist as a band prior to their debut album, they were really just an MIT Media Lab guy and some local musicians he knew. The debut album then basically came out of nowhere and became the biggest selling debut of all time. Not really a band to 17 million copies sold in about a year. That's insane, especially for the time. Most bands back then followed the "Cheap Trick" model of slowly building a back catalog of songs and a fan base through constant playing in clubs, high school dances and the like. When they finally were signed, most bands had been together for years, honed their chops and refined their songs. This is true for everyone from the Beatles to Rush to Aerosmith. Boston was a studio creation that basically never played live as they sounded on record. This kind of thing happened in pop some times, but Boston was a new business model for rock n' roll.

I think the album has sold that many copies total over the last 30+ years, not all in the first year. But still they are definately a contender.

Here's a nomination: MC Hammer. He went from local act who no one had heard of to 21 weeks at Billboard #1.

[Jacoby Ellsbury]

That was Hammer's 2nd album. "Turn this Mutha Out" was a pretty popular song off his first tape.

[Rockmjd23]

Hootie and the Blowfish?

[wishbone]

Bill Haley & His Comets... I got nuthin'.

[Michael Corvin]

Originally Posted by Mabuse

While that is amazing, a lot of bands have had overnight success and seen their album shoot to #1. The winner of this has to be a band/artist that went from zero to something collosal, like 5 grammys, or a massive concert tour, or something. Has there ever been a band that went from doing free gigs to playing full sized 100K seat stadium gigs in one year?

Britney Spears?

I would imagine the previously mentioned Carrie Underwood would count. I don't keep up with country, but how about Taylor Swift?

[FatTony]

Probably not "meteoric," but I always get a chuckle from these two stories:

I saw Reel Big Fish back in 2001 with Sum 41 opening. This was before Sum 41's breakthrough album came out, so the crowd wasn't terribly familiar with them. About two months later on their UK tour, Reel Big Fish was opening up for them.

Then, I think later that year, I saw Less Than Jake with openers Yellowcard and Fall Out boy. Again, the crowd wasn't super familiar with either of them, but a year later Yellowcard seemed to be everywhere, and a year after that, so was Fall Out Boy.

[rw2516]

Led Zeppelin's first U.S. tour they were billed third. After two or three shows they were moved to the headliner and with the former headliner opening for them.

Not overnight but, saw Bob Seger open for Blue Oyster Cult in Nov/Dec 1976. Six months later he was headlining big outdoor stadium show.

[PenguinJoe]

I would say Snow Patrol because I remember seeing Snow Patrol for $5 at Newport Music Hall in Columbus, Ohio back in like 2004, like six months later they were opening for U2.

[Skyclad01]

Originally Posted by PenguinJoe

I would say Snow Patrol because I remember seeing Snow Patrol for $5 at Newport Music Hall in Columbus, Ohio back in like 2004, like six months later they were opening for U2.

Never heard of them.


Puff Daddy?

[DaveM4964]

The Monkees, they went from nowhere to a hit tv series, multi-million selling singles and albums and sell out tours and sold more records than the Beatles and The Rolling Stones combined in 1967.

[orangecrush]

I was thinking Alanis. Her Major Lable debut sold something like 10 million copies.