Did Eoghan Quigg record the worst album ever?
I published my interview with X Factor finalist Eoghan Quigg yesterday, at the same time as the folks at PopJustice were commenting on Twitter about the quality of the album.
Now, I received my copy at the same time as they got their review copy. Up until this point, I’d maintained a stoic silence after being Eoghan’s harshest critic throughout the X Factor. At that time, I said that Simon Cowell stood to make more money from phone votes for Eoghan Quigg that he ever would in record sales.
Anyway, PopJustice released their review of the album yesterday, and it has perhaps the most perfect analysis of the song selection and production values:
Imagine the three worst reality pop albums you have ever heard. Let’s pick the Michelle McManus album, the David Sneddon album and the Journey South album. Imagine the combined badness of all those albums, then somehow imagine that ALL personality has been sucked out out. Then imagine that they kept on sucking, long after there all personality was gone, until there was a sort of personality prolapse. You are still only half way to understanding just how empty these recordings are.
Now, Unreality TV has received some criticism in our time about being so scathing about reality TV contestants. But when the quality is this poor, you can’t help but unleash the snark.
Seriously though, this kid won 6 of the X Factor live shows. He was probably the most popular contestant in 2008 until Simon Cowell starting heaping praise on Alexandra Burke. And what do you do when you’ve got a teenage boy who could sell records to hordes of baying teenage girls? You don’t give him an album that’s 50% covers, 50% Busted-style rubbish. You don’t give him a single that indirectly insults the social media sites that his peer group use on a daily basis.
Instead of heaping insults on this teenager’s first (and clearly last) foray into the music industry, let’s ask the idiots who’re managing Eoghan what the hell they think they’re playing at. First to market out of all the X Factor contestants means nothing if you release utter rubbish. Some questions for the brainiacs who’ve engineered Eoghan Quigg’s musical death:
- Who are you selling to here – mothers or their teenie daughters? Because covering an ABBA song is a credibility FAIL for Eoghan.
- Why does the single sound like it could have been sung by Victor Meldrew lamenting all this modern technology kids today use? When you cancel his record deal, will you dump him by YouTube, Facebook, MySpace or IM?
- Is this a sneaky attempt at career sabotage? Come on, be honest, were you seriously expecting a shot at a second album after releasing this garbage?
- Why, given 5 years of X Factor experience – in which time other former contestants released shitty cover albums, and died a commercial death – did you rush-release such a weak product?
In all seriousness, I haven’t read a single positive review for either the single or the album. And I can’t in good conscience blame Eoghan for this mess. I actually heard that Eoghan’s father expressed concern about 28,000 Friends, but was talked around by record execs.
This is the kind of consistent failure that TV talent shows have been pumping out for years now. As I say above, the management behind music like this has had ample opportunity to refine their approach to giving X Factor runners-up a record deal and making a success of it.
My feeling at this point in time is that the record deal is in order to milk whatever audience these people still have before it evaporates completely. Because I can’t see one shred of strategy or artist development in Eoghan’s career to date. There’s no plan for a follow-up album, because this time next year, they’ll have moved on to the next set of runners-up and Quigg, Lorenzo, Vickers and the rest will be long forgotten.
Chat about this on the Unreality TV Forum »
i love eoghan’s album! i don’t think there is anything wrong with it!
I cant see the problem with tapping in on the market when the profile is high – give the lad a break. If people dont like the album then they’ll not but it. Give us all a break and let us make our own choices
Zara – I’m not trying to tell you what to think – I’m not the Thought Police! It is my opinion that the Eoghan Quigg album is a disaster and that there is clearly no expectation for him to release another album.
If you think the selection of songs on his album screams out International Megastar, that’s all well and fine. To be honest, if you were a true fan, you’d be raging that a record company allowed this record to be released.
I did get the Album for the children and I do like some of it but I agree that they have exploited this kid. They could have done a lot more with him, how much did it cost to make this album ? my guess is not a lot. This kid has given up school and I’m sure he believed he was going to be a star. Its awful when you think about it. I’m glad he is not my child and I think the age limit for all these shows should be 18.
Carol, I agree with you 100%. People seem to worship these child stars for some reason. Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers, Eoghan Quigg, they’re all the same. I may only be 14, but even I can understand that education is a lot more important than fame. I’m sick and tired of my classmates singing the praises of these sort of singers, when there are a lot more people out there that deserve admiration moreso than these teenage ‘pseudo-stars’. If you want to be famous, save it until after school and you have qualifications so you have something to fall back on if the spotlight fades.
Does anyone know the sales figures for Ireland / Uk ? He got #1 in ROI and #8 in Uk . I would love to know ROI sales as I think he done well here.
I don’t want to say this cuz i love Eoghan but i agree with
the article, i think he could have done so much better with
NEW GOOD music and surprise everyone who didn’t like him,
instead of releasing a cover album which is like one you’d
buy in pound stretcher. it sickens me that the record company
thought it would do well. i feel so sorry for him!
Well, to answer your question, yes. The reason is simple.
His album has pop songs on it.
To Be Honest I Love Eoghans Album,Sure Theres Better Ones Out There But Give The Kid A Break Hes Only 16 And Its His First Album.Id Pay To See Eoghan Over Someone Like Kayne West Anyday.I Think From The Language Used In Ur Report That You Personally Don’t Like Eoghan And It Has Nothing To Do With His Album.His Album Is Great.Kids All Over The World Love It.Just Because It Doesn’t Reach Out To An Age Group That You Feel It Should Doesn’t Mean That Its A Bad Album .I Love Eoghan Quigg.
28,ooo friends doesn’t insult the social media. People need
to lighten up, it’s just fun! The album is very mixed and
perhaps has confused people. He has done his best for a 16
year old with no experience apart from school productions.
I listen to the album every day in the car and knowing that
a young lad can go out there and give it his best i find
motivating. Give him a chance!
Sue, it’s not to say that Eoghan didn’t do his best – the point I’m continually making is that he was completely let down by his management: they chose completely inappropriate songs, leading to an album of uninspiring cover versions. It’s the people behind the scenes that killed Eoghan’s career before it began.
Having followed him on the x factor i love the album and
hope that he has more opportunities ahead of him.
How rude! Eoghan is 16 going on 17 so you can hardly expect his FIRST album to be the best in the world can you! Eoghan has pure talent and a voice to die for. I think you are being extremely ignorant and mean. This album is amazing and I know tons of people who truly love it. To be frank I feel you owe Eoghan and apology. Rude, RUDE person.
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Eoghan is a really good singer, and he actually can sing. but i just feel so sorry for him because its not his fault they messed up with the songs that were put on the album, i think if there were better songs on the album then it would have got so much further but it really isn’t his fault so why say all this stuff about him when its clearly the recording companies fault.
i bought his album and like i said it should have a few better songs on it i still think the album is fantastic and so is 28,000 friends.
y are they signin off eoghan quigg and he can sing …. eoghan should av won de x-factor..he was de best !! i dnt see y they are doin it 2 him its jst nt fair on hm!! he only got 6months of his caree and nw they are talkin away his dream :(….nd its only his 1st album nd they are doin it 2 hm cud they jst nt give hm a 2nd chance 2 make a 2nd album nd see hw it goes…. and his only 16 bt 17 nxt month and talkin away his dream…. i hope they do de right thing nd tat is 2 keep hm….well wat ever happens … i will always love hm no matter wat happens…i will love hm 4 lyf
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