GOTYE – AUSTRALIA’S MOST UNLIKELY GLOBAL CHART-TOPPER

Belgium-born and Australian citizen Gotye [real name: Wally De Bakker] reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 last week with his single “Somebody That I Used To Know” [featuring New Zealand solo artist Kimbra]. Gotye is now part of a select club of Australian artists [Helen Reddy, Olivia Newton-John, Rick Springfield, Men At Work, INXS and Savage Garden] who can proudly claim to have held the Number One single in the USA for at least 1 week.

This is an incredible feat; let’s have a look at some of the compelling statistics generated by Gotye’s seminal song:

• The single sold 500,000 copies in the USA alone last week
• Sales of the single have now reached 5,000,000 worldwide
• Asides from the USA, the single has reached the Number One position in another 32 countries
• The accompanying CD “Making Mirrors” is presently sitting in the USA Top Ten CD Chart
• “Making Mirrors” has sold 1,000,000 units worldwide.

“Somebody That I Used To Know” is a catchy pop song [albeit sounding very much like Peter Gabriel], however the most interesting aspect of the single’s global success revolves around why it has been so successful. The accompanying music video is quite unique, with records indicating that it is one of the most viewed music videos on You Tube at this time. One feels that the concept of this music video has been the catalyst for Goyte’s massive popularity presently in play. In a sense, Goyte’s success in Australia [the song was Number One for 8 weeks during 2011] has “gone viral” and spread to the rest of the world.

Goyte’s European heritage has also been of benefit in helping break the song in the United Kingdom and the Continent, where it has enjoyed much success. This being said, all roads lead to the USA, and “Somebody That I Used To Know” made steady progress up the USA Charts during the initial months of 2012 to reach the Top Ten in early April. On the back of some strategic marketing moves [the song was recently featured in an episode of “Glee” and Goyte performed the song on “Saturday Night Live” earlier this month], Australia is now enjoying the success of its most unlikely global music superstar.

So where to now for Goyte? His music can be described as “experimental” pop at best, thus we may be looking at another One Hit Wonder. Let’s hope that Goyte enjoys the financial benefit of writing & performing a monster hit single, whilst being allowed to progress as a musician on his own terms.

ADELE CONTINUES TO BREAK RECORDS & CHANGE MUSIC HISTORY

In January 2012, Adele’s “21” surpassed UK album sales of Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side Of The Moon” [4.11 million units] and in turn became the 7th highest selling UK album of all time. At 4.14 million units, it will soon move past Dire Straits’ “Brothers In Arms”, albeit it still has some way to go before it catches the seemingly unbeatable UK bestseller of all time “Queen’s Greatest Hits” [5.83 million units and counting].

“21” was released less than 2 years ago. “Dark Side Of The Moon” was released in 1973, “Brothers In Arms” in 1985 and “Queen’s Greatest Hits” in 1981, thus the size and speed at which “21” has sold in the UK is incredible, especially at a time when CD sales are steady declining.

In 2011, “21” sold more than 18 million units worldwide; the last CD to sell at such a pace was “The Eminem Show” in 2002 [14 million units].

Adele is single-handedly reversing global CD sales trends, and leading the way for UK artists’ presence in the USA. Asides from Adele, Mumford and Sons, Coldplay & Florence And The Machine were major contributors to British acts accounting for more than 10% of all CDs sold in the USA in 2011; again a record statistic.

Adele may never outsell “21” with her future CDs, however nobody can deny that she is now an indelible part of music history.