Forgive me if I’m a little confused. This week’s Billboard album chart features top-10 debuts by Justin Timberlake, John Mayer, and the Mars Volta, but also by Bob Seger and Lionel Richie (pictured), who haven’t hit the upper reaches of the chart in exactly 20 years. (And nestled in between those two is the new Bob Dylan CD.) I marvel at Seger’s return, since he sounded old, cranky, and nostalgic even when he was young. (”Call me a relic, call me what you will/Say I’m old-fashioned, say I’m over the hill.”) As for Richie, maybe the kids are into him only because he’s Nicole’s dad. You can only coast on your daughter’s coattails for so long, Lionel, but sooner or later, you’ll actually have to prove yourself as a musician.
Billboard 200: What decade is this?
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Comments (1-30) of 41
Welcome back Lionel!
He’s done what few old school artist has done,get back into the top ten. No offense to the late great Luther Vandross and others, they haven’t been able to evolve and adapt to the teenybopper audience. His new song is incredible! I didn’t know that was him on the radio. Wow! Kudos to the producers. Show these young whippersnappers that old school rules!
Welcome back to music–welcome back to Lionel and Bob. Maybe there are more people listening to music than kids? Maybe adults have actually come out of hiding and decided to participate again? Maybe Paris Hilton was enough to make people want to hear music again before it was killed off entirely?
How can you even imply that Lionel is riding on Nicole’s coattails? Nicole who??
Mr. Richie is an Oscar and Grammy winning singer and songwriter. I’ve loved him since I was a kid in the 70s. Please don’t assume we like him because of his daughter.
She is the one who is famous because of her father.
I can’t believe you said Lionel was riding on Nicole’s coattails. Do you realize how many wonderful hits Lionel has had? He’s the reason Nicole has the money to put herself in the public eye.
I’d rather SEE Lionel getting his daughter some desperatly needed food & help, than HEAR his music.
Um Gary . . . are you seriously implying that Lionel has to prove himself as a musician??? Lionel is a legend, an incredible songwriter and has proven himself with hit after hit. Including a hit song “Angel” just a few years back.
Lionel Richie is a great songwriter. Not only for the songs he wrote for his band, but he also wrote songs for other artists.
His daughter is a malnourished girl who needs sleep and food. This article is laughable.
Um…I think that “you can only coast on your daughter’s coattails for so long” was meant to be tongue-in-cheek people. Sheesh, lighten up.
Umm guys… I’m pretty certain you were to read the last sentence of the article having known what the word “sarcasm” means. More or less a diss to Nicole riding on the coattails of Lionel – not the other way around.
Wow…have people completely lost their ability to detect and enjoy sarcasm?
It’s obvious that the “your daughter’s coattails” comment was just snark…everyone knows that Lionel is a legendary musician with nothing to prove.
The line about him coasting on his daughter’s popularity is just tongue-in-cheek.
However, I don’t doubt that with radio being the way it is, and with the media machine the way it is today (in an age in wghich not even Madonna can get arrested on radio airplays), Nicole Richie’s celebrity and notoriety has probably made some youngsters be curious about her dad.
grow some sense of humor people! It was wonderfully snarky comment.
Love it!
Sorry I got touchy about that comment. Usually I can read sarcasm; I must be losing my touch.
Thrilled for Lionel. Have been a big fan since his days with the Commodores.
My cousin told me that Lionel was back with a new song on KOST (for those in the West Coast, LA area). It’s funny but I think Lionel has an untouched resource – she’s 28. I grew up with Lionel in the 80’s, Endless Love, that video with the blind girl and ugly bust of himself and eventually his greatest hits. I’m glad to see that he’s back in action despite his daughter.
Per the pharcyde’s soulflower song, these cats be “smooth on the vynyl like Lionel Ritchie”. My man’s had game forever, and the only thing that bugged me about him was how long it took for the follow up to “dancing on the cieling”.
Seger? That does throw me for a loop. All I remember about him is that old fashioned rock&roll song that Tom Cruise danced around to in Risky Business. Wasn’t that back in 1980? Where’s Seger been for the last 25 years?
And don’t bring up Nicole too much, she may want to try and duet with her pops…
Gary, I assume you’re joking. You know that none of the CD sales of Bob Seger came from the under 25 crowd? It’s we ‘mature’ listeners’ who are accounting for that, as well as Dylan, Nicole’s dad, and others. THe argument that only kids are buying records went out with 80’s, dude.
Do kids even buy cd’s anymore. I thought they were all about iTunes and such. But what do I know. I’m old at 27.
Also in big Billboard news…For the first time in 16 years…ASIA charted with ASIA-the Definitive Collection….The four original members are on tour. I saw them a couple of weeks ago…awesome!
Well, the deal is that Lionel Richie’s new CD/album/project is actually REALLY, REALLY GOOD. The sound is modern and fresh but he doesn’t sound like an older artist trying to relive his past glories OR like a Geritol Gigolo, either. Songs like “Why,” “I Love You” and “Up All Night” are tops. It would be nice to actually listen to these things before engaging the Instant Snark Machine.
I find it hard to believe that “the kids” are buying Richie’s new disc; unless it was produced by Kanye West, features cameos by Young Jeezy and Lil’ Jon, and remixed by Danger Mouse and the Ying Yang Twins, no teen will even give Lionel’s music a second of their time.
I am assuming listeners of smooth jazz and/or AC radio are buying this disc, not fans of Fergie or Beyonce.
I say all the power to Mr. Richie. I was a big fan of his in the 80s – BIG fan – and to see him return to the charts is most welcome, especially when there is so much fecal matter (read: Danity Kane, Cheetah Girls, etc.) on the top of the charts nowadays.
I assume you really don’t know anything about Lionel Richie, because if you did you would know that it is Nicole that has ridden his coat tails for the past few years. Learn your history
Hey people, chill out. Gary was being sarcastic, since the only reason Nicole Richie is famous (ugh, I think I just vomited in my mouth a little) is because of her father.
Geno:
Asia only had a handful of hits here, nothing to get excited about really.
I am really surprised that Ritchie would make the pop charts now. I figured that he would be in adult contemporaty and R&B. Perhaps the percentage of people buying his new album are in their late twenties to late thirties. As for Seager, who is one of the true blue collered rockers next to Mellencamp and Springsteen, two words: Kid Rock. However, personally Kid Rock sucks.I mean “Bawitdabaw” was catchy, but he is begining to be just as annoying and kitchy as Andrew W.K.
Stephanie, I beg to differ. ASIA had a ton of hits here. “Heat of The Moment”, “Only Time Will Tell”, “Sole Survivor”, “Don’t Cry”, “The Smile Has Left Your Eyes” and “Days Like These”….In addition the members of the band have had numerous hits with their other bands..Geoff Downes(The Buggles).”Video Killed The Radio Star”, Steve Howe(Yes) “I’ve Seen all Good People”, “Roundabout” among mnany others. (GTR) “When The Heart Rules The Mind”, Carl Palmer (ELP) “Still You Turn Me On”, “Lucky Man”, “Fanfare For The Common Man” etc…John Wetton (King Crimson) “Red”, “Starless” etc…
These four fabulous musicians are back together on tour…VERY VERY exciting! Don’t miss ‘em!
welcome back lionel, you were missed.
Lionel Ritchie has a chin like an ironing board.
And for god’s sake, please get your daughter some food!
Geno, I think that they were great songs but according to the American pop charts, “Heat of the moment”, “Only Time will tell” (reached #2, in 1982), and “Don’t Cry” only broke through. Then again, Rush never had a huge hit in the United States, so I guess that shows that the average American does not have much taste, so there.
Stephanie,
“The Smile Has Left Your Eyes” was a top 40 hit in 83. “Go”, “Days Like These”, “Too Late” also broke through on the billboard charts. The band is NOW(Yes now!) touring to sold out venues across the country. I admit, they’ll never reach Fergie or Christina status, but as you mentioned it happens to great bands like Rush and others…
Stephanie – who cares?
And Americans have more taste than you ever will.
Smoky, I am a born American! Thanks.
What I meant is that there has been better music on other country charts, secondly I was talking about over played music like Justin Timberlake. That stuff is on the pop charts.
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