Bette Midler Debuts at #3 Billboard

[jobeterob]

Quite the feat.

Aretha is around 69 or something, somewhere in the 60's. Obviously it is not going to do that much.

Neil Diamond and Barry Manilow are still in the Top 20.

That album that is the big hit this fall is the Streisand album; it is still in the Top 10, #7 I think, doing significantly better than Bennett/Gaga which is also a big hit.

Never was much of Streisand fan. She had a couple good songs, The Way We Were and All in Love is Fair.

[vgalindo]

Very happy for Bette Midler. I love her new CD. I didn't buy any of the others. I probably will eventually buy the Barbra Streisand one since I have all her albums and would just want to complete my collection but I really don't have no desire to have it. Sounds very boring to me. I hate when artists re do their own songs years later. Never liked Dionne Warwick doing this either.

[jillfoster]

Very happy for Bette Midler. I love her new CD. I didn't buy any of the others. I probably will eventually buy the Barbra Streisand one since I have all her albums and would just want to complete my collection but I really don't have no desire to have it. Sounds very boring to me. I hate when artists re do their own songs years later. Never liked Dionne Warwick doing this either.

I agree, when an artist redoes their own stuff, it's NEVER as good. It's always a dissappointment 100% of the time. I know these "theme" cover albums are de rigeur now for older artists, but this FITS Bette. She's always been a big lover of girl group songs, and sang tons of them in her shows over the years, in this cricumstance, the theme album works.

[jillfoster]

And just for a little rubbing the nose in it... TAKE THAT, you no signing bitches like Stinky Minaj, Britney Spears, etc...

[skooldem1]

I agree, when an artist redoes their own stuff, it's NEVER as good. It's always a dissappointment 100% of the time. I know these "theme" cover albums are de rigeur now for older artists, but this FITS Bette. She's always been a big lover of girl group songs, and sang tons of them in her shows over the years, in this cricumstance, the theme album works.

I agree with this. Out of all of them [[Barbra, Dionne, Aretha, etc.) this album by Bette is different to me. She has always done the girl group songs, so this is right up her alley. This is a great concept album for her to do. Aretha's album hasn't done well although it had a nice debut. I believe her rendition of "Rolling in the deep" only charted [[it was not a single) because there was a lot of publicity surrounding her version, and the youtube video became a viral sensation- thus resulting in it appearing on the billboard chart that week. Music streaming and youtube views are now calculated into the billboard charts.

[supremester]

Bette fans can get front row tix at The Staples center for $720, and a meet n greet WITH pic for $1250

[milven]

Bette fans can get front row tix at The Staples center for $720, and a meet n greet WITH pic for $1250

Wow ! She proved herself right when she said in a recent interview that back in the day, artists did concerts to promote their album. But now with everyone getting their music free or streaming, artists now make albums to promote their concert where they make all the money with premium seats, meet and greet, and highly priced merchandise in the lobby.

Of course she is not the only one doing this. It's now the way for the artist to survive in this newly configured digital music industry
.

[antceleb12]

Bette's new album is fantastic. Her voice is strong, the album's energy is hot, and the arrangements are fresh. I absolutely LOVE her duet with Darlene on "He's Sure the Boy I Love." Perfect chemistry.

I agree, when an artist redoes their own stuff, it's NEVER as good. It's always a dissappointment 100% of the time. I know these "theme" cover albums are de rigeur now for older artists, but this FITS Bette. She's always been a big lover of girl group songs, and sang tons of them in her shows over the years, in this cricumstance, the theme album works.

I think two of the very few artists who have successfully covered themselves were Billie Holiday and Judy Garland. In fact, some of their latter recordings are preferred by many over the originals.

[LuvHangOva]

I'm not a big fan of Miss Steisand either. For me she's too histrionic and overly dramatic for my tastes...BUT...the one song I CAN stand to hear on my IPOD is her version of the Four Tops' "Shake Me, Wake Me [[When It's Over)" Very nicely done! Other that "The Rose", which i thought was mawkish and waaaaay over the top, Miss M has always been "Divine" to me starting with "Do You Wanna Dance" and "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy"....can't wait to get this new CD!

[blueskies]

http://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news/...ums/ar-BBdND2z

[stephanie]

Bette has always given props to the girl groups and its so good to see a new generation finding out about them through this CD. Antceleb is right the best song on her is her duet with Darlene Love.

[nabob]

Aretha is around 69 or something, somewhere in the 60's. Obviously it is not going to do that much.

Never was much of Streisand fan. She had a couple good songs, The Way We Were and All in Love is Fair.

Aretha is 72.
A general statement not directed to the OP: For anyone possessing a "GAY CARD", not being a Streisand fan would be grounds for revoking the card. This is the equivalent of being Black and not knowing how to play bid whist.

[jobeterob]

It's amazing how many Darlene Love's there are out there - women with strong voices that just never really made it big.

[sansradio]

Aretha is 72.
A general statement not directed to the OP: For anyone possessing a "GAY CARD", not being a Streisand fan would be grounds for revoking the card. This is the equivalent of being Black and not knowing how to play bid whist.

In jobeterob's defense, I believe the "69" might have been a reference to Ree's chart position. LOL about the "Streisand Gay Card"!

[jobeterob]

LOL................it was the chart position. She's in the 60's somewhere; it didn't stick what the number was because the CD is obviously not going to be a hit whereas whatever it is that Streisand is singing about these days seems to be one of the hits of the season.

Streisand to me was an MOR artist and boring as heck. I'd rather watch Cissy Houston behind Aretha on TV even if Aretha's version of The Deep sucks the big one compared to Adele ~ it's only because of age and voice damage. If I were Aretha, I would have put some wrap around the shoulders or cloth of some sort ~ the fat was hanging pretty fiercely. She could have had a dress that covered and put some big wrap around her and threw it to the floor when she sang!

That new book says her clothing choices were always outlandish.

[nabob]

In jobeterob's defense, I believe the "69" might have been a reference to Ree's chart position. LOL about the "Streisand Gay Card"!

Whooops! MY BAD. Beat me with a wet noodle. Some days my elevator doesn't reach the top.

[jobeterob]

Whooops! MY BAD. Beat me with a wet noodle. Some days my elevator doesn't reach the top.

That was funny. When I read your post, I say to myself "why the heck would I have said Aretha is 69? cuz I know she's 72". And shake my head forgetting the chart position. Laughs are always good.

[blueskies]

That new book says her clothing choices were always outlandish.

Don' t think Ree hung out at the House of Chanel!

[jobeterob]

That new book says her clothing choices were always outlandish.

Don' t think Ree hung out at the House of Chanel!

I think she wanted to hang out there and at other places that she thought were chic or upscale or whatever it was that appealed to her. Think she had quite a lot of trouble pouring herself into those things though.

The book is not bad at all; like all the singers that were massively successful, Aretha had an ego as big as an aircraft carrier and she carried through on some of her oddball ideas. She should have left the clothes stuff to Diana and Cher.

[sansradio]

You guys are KILLING me today!!! LOLs all around! Yeah, Ree will walk out wearing just pasties and you can't tell her nothin'. About the Letterman performance, some wag on YouTube said, "I came for the performance; I stayed for the cottage cheese." Ouch.

[jobeterob]

You guys are KILLING me today!!! LOLs all around! Yeah, Ree will walk out wearing just pasties and you can't tell her nothin'. About the Letterman performance, some wag on YouTube said, "I came for the performance; I stayed for the cottage cheese." Ouch.

http://www.billboard.com/articles/co...-top-10-albums

Now Aretha will be pissed at Bette Midler too.

Only selling 40000 copies gets you into the Top 3 these days. Not great.

[vgalindo]

http://www.billboard.com/articles/co...-top-10-albums

Now Aretha will be pissed at Bette Midler too.

Only selling 40000 copies gets you into the Top 3 these days. Not great.

Didn't Diana Ross' "I love You" sell about 22,000 copies the first week and it hit number 32 on the chart.

[theboyfromxtown]

Bette was on an afternoon UK ITV programme today. It's called "Loose Women".

Very down to earth lady and a joy to watch.

[jobeterob]

Didn't Diana Ross' "I love You" sell about 22,000 copies the first week and it hit number 32 on the chart.

I thought the I Love You numbers were similar [[about 30,000) but I am not sure anymore; perhaps #32 got me mixed up.

What is certain is that the numbers keep falling yearly.

There really isn't a lot of incentive to issue new product; there is incentive to tour.

[vgalindo]

I thought the I Love You numbers were similar [[about 30,000) but I am not sure anymore; perhaps #32 got me mixed up.

What is certain is that the numbers keep falling yearly.

There really isn't a lot of incentive to issue new product; there is incentive to tour.

I also thought It was about 30,000 too but did a google search today and found about 22,000. Agree new product just doesn't sell like before. Top ten would be million sellers and now top ten are a few thousand.