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Post by Henry on Oct 14, 2023 17:51:43 GMT
Jorgen and Agnetha both love the music of George Michael. When Bubble was done Agnetha said: there is to much of me now...so they added the sax. It reminded me of Careless Whisper. It was inspired by his solo 90 ties material (Listen without prejudice)
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Post by iiwftn on Oct 15, 2023 7:00:29 GMT
I must say I prefer the production on ‘A’ better than ‘A+’, although the song ‘Where Do We Go From Here’ is a gem and it’s great to still hear it being played on Radio 2. But the new album’s ‘R-n-B’-style sound isn’t really my thing.
However, if Agnetha is ever up for it, I would love to think that both she and Jörgen Elofsson could collaborate again in the future.
I still feel privileged to know that all four ABBA members are still with us, still reasonably healthy and reasonably active, musically.
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Post by Henry on Oct 15, 2023 8:49:13 GMT
A+ hasn't an R n B sound
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Post by iiwftn on Oct 15, 2023 16:15:48 GMT
Oh, well whatever it is then. |
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Post by joseph on Oct 15, 2023 19:12:12 GMT
As I understand it, the style on Back On Your Radio is called Reggaeton. In fact, the album has a jazzy sort of feel to me, not unlike Sade, which is fine by me! Bossa nova elements, a Caribbean feel. The album rewards with each listen. For me, anyway.
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Post by Tinneke on Oct 15, 2023 21:48:51 GMT
For me too. Past forever touches me deeply this time. Love Bubble much more too. Perfume in the breeze, back on your radio, I keep them....they all are improved. I am impressed.
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Post by onlyabba4meagain on Oct 16, 2023 17:28:57 GMT
It is I - Colin. I still read various Posts here, although I do not Post much any more.
A few 'Notes':
1).. Agnetha's 'A+' Album has entered the UK Monday Mid Week Album Chart at No.9.
We will see where it is in Friday's Chart for the entire Week. Its Monday Position is
for UK Sales on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
2).. I estimate its Sales, (to be at No.9), to be about 5,000.
3).. Oddly, The Official UK Charts Company are not calling it 'A+'. They are saying that
it is the 2013 'A' Album Re-Entering!
4).. I've checked, and 'A' Entered the UK Charts at No.6 in Mid May 2013. It sold 19,206
copies to do so. It then fell to No.21 in Week 2, then No.33, then No.43. It then jumped
all the way to No.6, (again), and then fell to No.18. The return to No.6 was because UK
TV showed an Agnetha Documentary.
5).. In the Mid May 2013 Mid Week Charts, 'A' entered at No.4 on the Wednesday, and fell
to No.5 on the Friday. In Sunday's full Week Chart it was a No.6 Entry. In 2013 the Charts
came out on a Sunday, rather than on a Friday.
6).. So, Agnetha's 'A+' Album may not be in the Top 10 on Friday. It may fall to somewhere
from No.11 to No.15. We will see...
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Post by johnny on Oct 16, 2023 18:23:41 GMT
Here is the link www.officialcharts.com/charts/albums-chart-update/Colin, 5,000 for #9 is about right - for a full week's sales. It will certainly drop by the official chart on Friday but probably still Top 20. I would imagine the following week it will be a pretty big drop. We are in an era of where albums can debut at #1 and drop out the Top 100 the following week.I just can't see it having a chart run comporable to A back in 2013. It is basically just a deluxe. My estimates for chart positions #5 - 10,000 #10- 5,000 #20 - 3,500 #40 - 2,500 #100 -1,500 #200 -1,000 A small amount of sales can make a big change in chart position. |
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Post by Henry on Oct 16, 2023 21:00:18 GMT
It would be amazing if she enters the top 20. That would be the third time!
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Post by johnny on Oct 16, 2023 22:33:12 GMT
Fourth actually...Agnetha has had 3 UK Top 20 albums
1. Wrap Your Arms Around Me #18
2. My Colouring Book #12
3. A #6
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Post by johnny on Oct 18, 2023 17:08:46 GMT
A+ won't make the Top 20
***CHART UPDATE LATEST***
A+ Slumps to #28 for sales Friday to Tuesday inclusive. It will drop further. That Top 10 entry on Monday for sales Friday to Sunday clearly showed fans bought it straightaway and probably pre-ordered.
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Post by onlyabba4meagain on Oct 18, 2023 17:43:00 GMT
Johnny. The Official UK Charts Company have got both the 2013 'A' and the 2023 'A+'
in the Wednesday Mid Week Top 40!
(By the way, 'A+' is at No.5 in the German Mid Week Top 100. 'A' was a No.3 Hit there in 2013)
Here is what I've said elsewhere, about Agnetha in the UK's Wednesday Mid Week Album Chart:
The Official UK Charts Company have now totally confused me! In the Wednesday Mid Weeks, they have 'A+' falling from No.9 to No.28. PLUS, they have 2013's 'A' Re-Entering at No.35! They usually combine the Sales of such Albums, as long as the Songs are the same - or mostly the same - on both Albums. It matters not if the Songs are 'Remixed' on the 2nd Album, as long as the over-all Songs are the same. (Or mostly the same). For some reason this has not been done for Agnetha's 2 Albums. I can only assume that her 2 UK Record Companies have requested that their Sales are not added together. Record Companies are allowed to make such Requests, under UK Chart Rules.
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Post by johnny on Oct 18, 2023 17:55:48 GMT
Colin, I don't understand that either.
Is A+ sold as a standalone album or as does it include A as well or both?
So they appear to be saying people have just bought A and in similar numbers to A+.
If both albums are in a combined release but for chart purposes separate,they would have an identical chart position as sales split evenly.
I am confused.
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Post by Alan on Oct 18, 2023 18:39:44 GMT
Is A+ sold as a standalone album or as does it include A as well or both? There are five physical versions: Single CD with just A+ Single vinyl (white) with just A+ Single picture disc with just A+ (store exclusive but presumably counts for charts?) Double CD with both A and A+ Double vinyl (“crystal clear”) with both A and A+ Have the double ones been split in terms of sales in order to give separate chart positions? If so then surely that means A+ is losing out if only half a unit sale is counting? In terms of streaming or downloads, it’s possible that some people hearing the new album want to be reminded of the original versions, so are streaming/downloading them too? |
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Post by johnny on Oct 18, 2023 18:44:54 GMT
Thanks Alan
It looks like most people are buying the combined 2 album versions and sales split evenly. But some just buying single A+ album, hence its slighly higher chart performance.
Splitting the sales is affecting the chart position of A+
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Post by tagaytay on Oct 19, 2023 13:31:40 GMT
i ordered the double album this week through AMAZON and will receive it next week. I originally planned on just getting the A+ but the price difference from the double album A and A+ was only by a few dollars so I bought the double album.
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Post by Alan on Oct 19, 2023 15:33:12 GMT
I went with the single CD (as I don’t need the original A again), the double “crystal clear” vinyl, the picture disc and the “free” CD single. Depends if you like clear or white vinyl (I don’t think there’s a standard black vinyl of this).
I have it say, it’s very well presented, the artwork is quite nice. And thankfully no damage - when I ordered the original “A” on vinyl ten years ago I had to send it back at least twice due to ripped-at-the-seams inner sleeves, a problem I also had with some of the Voyage variants. Perhaps BMG are better at this, I don’t know, but it was a relief when I opened them.
There is no plastic other than the discs themselves - the CD sleeves are all card.
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Post by gazman on Oct 20, 2023 13:33:27 GMT
The Official UK Charts Company have now totally confused me! In the Wednesday Mid Weeks, they have 'A+' falling from No.9 to No.28. PLUS, they have 2013's 'A' Re-Entering at No.35! They usually combine the Sales of such Albums, as long as the Songs are the same - or mostly the same - on both Albums. It matters not if the Songs are 'Remixed' on the 2nd Album, as long as the over-all Songs are the same. (Or mostly the same). For some reason this has not been done for Agnetha's 2 Albums. I can only assume that her 2 UK Record Companies have requested that their Sales are not added together. Record Companies are allowed to make such Requests, under UK Chart Rules. The packaging on the 2LP set refers to all the recordings being released exclusively under rights for BMG, though. Has Universal not relinquished all rights by now? Do you not think it is more likely that the Official Charts Company themselves regard the 1CD/1LP/picture disc releases as a 'new 'album - but the 2CD/2LP releases as essentially 'A with bonus material?' - and are counting them for the chart accordingly? Streaming for Agnetha is minimal, so that in itself would not account for any Top 40 chart entry. |
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Post by Alan on Oct 20, 2023 14:13:26 GMT
The packaging on the 2LP set refers to all the recordings being released exclusively under rights for BMG, though. Has Universal not relinquished all rights by now? Yes, I would completely agree with you there. I think Colin might be mistaken on that. The original album was merely licensed to Universal (and probably within the contract that it could be revoked at some point). Clearly the licence has been taken back and then the album leased to BMG with a similar agreement to what Universal had. The rights to the album are owned by “Tripple A HB”. I’m assuming Agnetha is one of the A’s. It’s commonplace now for albums to change hands, particularly if the record company never owned the full rights to them in the first place. ABBA own the rights to the Voyage album so could, if they wished, take the license from Polar/Universal at some point and take it elsewhere. The problem with this is that Polar would still fully own ABBA’s historic eight albums. |
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Post by justabba on Oct 20, 2023 14:41:15 GMT
First chart positions are in for the album
Germany no.5
Sweden no. 8
UK heaven knows!
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Post by johnny on Oct 20, 2023 15:46:43 GMT
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Post by Michel on Oct 20, 2023 16:28:10 GMT
A+ enters the Dutch album charts at number 9.
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Post by johnny on Oct 20, 2023 16:42:53 GMT
A+ fails to make Australian Top 50 and Gold isn't in that list
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Post by johnny on Oct 20, 2023 16:50:27 GMT
A+ #48 in UK Chart www.officialcharts.com/charts/albums-chart/No sign of A. Not sure about that Wednesday chart that gave 35 and 40 respectively. This would indicate sales of near 2,000. Update: Chart link didn't show A at #60. Sales - A+ 2,528 - A, 2,331 The combined total would have been Top 20. |
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Post by justabba on Oct 20, 2023 16:51:24 GMT
Even worse than imagined! It was no.9 on monday!
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Post by johnny on Oct 20, 2023 16:58:50 GMT
#13 on both Sales and Physical Charts
#17 on UK Vinyl Chart
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Post by onlyabba4meagain on Oct 20, 2023 17:19:30 GMT
Johnny -- 'A' is in today's UK Top 100. It is in at No.60. So we have 'A+' at
No.48 and 'A' at No.60. If their Sales had been combined, then 'A+' would be
a New Entry at No.18. (Bizarrely, the Official Charts Company are adding the
No.48 Position and the No.60 Position to those of the 2013 'A'. They are saying
that her Album is at No.48 and No.60 at the same time). Also - There is no No.60
Position in the Top 100, as they have removed it and added it to 'A'. So, the Top 100
goes from No.59 to No.61.
'A+' has 2,528 Sales and 'A' has 2,331 Sales. That makes 4,859 combined Sales,
which would make it Equal 18th Place with 'Crop Circles 3 by Nines.
Agnetha will almost certainly not be in next Weeks UK Top 100. It looks like 'A+'
will just be a 1 Week Top 100 Hit.
Here is what UK Chart Expert, Alan Jones says about this matter:
"ABBA star Agnetha Faltskog’s 2013 No.6 album A has been ‘re-imagined’ as A+, wherein her original vocals are augmented by new
instrumental tracks. With a different running order, starting with solitary new track Where Do We Go From Here?, A+ debuts at No.48
(2,528 sales). Meanwhile, A re-enters at No.60 (2,331 sales) – though most of its thrust is provided by the release of double CD and
vinyl editions which pair both A and A+, and are therefore considered to be a variant of the former".
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Post by joseph on Oct 20, 2023 17:39:30 GMT
Lots of people appear to be upset that they still haven't received their orders. Bit of a cock up really. Yes, it's possible to stream the album but it's really not good enough. As for chart positions/success overall? I really don't know what to think. It's a different time. People don't really buy as much physical copies of their music do they? So the fact it appears on various charts AT ALL is good going, I'd say. I'm proud of you, Agnetha. I admire anyone that can put themselves out there in this day and age. If she's happy, I'm happy basically. Plus, I like A+ and even if no one else did it wouldn't change my view.
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Post by HOMETIME on Oct 20, 2023 18:02:28 GMT
Given that there's a solid (and probably very expensive) PR campaign behind the album, I'll be surprised if the 2013 documentary is not dusted off again in the coming days. That might bolster its chart fortunes? I've only seen two magazine reviews so far (Retropop's mild 3 star piece and Classic Pop's scathing 2 star review). Have any of the broadsheets or tabloids given it a whirl? I know that printed media carries less weight than it used to, but a positive piece could help underpin things.
I'll never understand why fans who go to the trouble of pre-ordering are treated so shabbily. Everything should be packed and stamped and put in the post at least a day before official release. When you can go to the shops and buy your CD/LP on the day of release, why bother with pre-ordering? Pre-orders should arrive on release day. Pull your socks up, record companies!
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Post by Alan on Oct 20, 2023 18:03:18 GMT
Lots of people appear to be upset that they still haven't received their orders. Still not? I would have got mine on Monday but I wasn’t in, so I had it re-arranged for Tuesday. They emailed on the Wednesday or Thursday last week to say they wouldn’t be getting their supplies until the Friday so there would be a delay (this was the official store). It was the same with Voyage (different record company) so I’m starting to think you’re best off buying from a shop on the day of release. These days there’s little difference in price anyway. At least with Voyage they provided a free download, they didn’t with this. I sometimes think the charts should be stopped. Sales are so low generally anyway and when they do this kind of manipulation with it, it’s making a mockery of it. Of my three variants, two counted towards A+ and one to A. I got the double vinyl because it was clear and I hadn’t got any like that, whereas I had with white. It wasn’t really to get the original A again. I couldn’t really care less about charts but I do think sales should have been combined. |
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