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June 14, 2012
Early TUSH considerations
It's only June, so the 2012 Totally Ubiquitous Summer Hit, or TUSH, might still be a twinkle in The-Dream's eye, but some early activity in pop song market saturation is requiring our attention.
You've heard "Call Me Maybe". It's undeniably catchy, it's been on TV, and its spin-off videos and cover versions (The Roots and Jimmy Fallon, Bieber et al, NPR reporters) are getting even more attention than the original video. You probably can't remember the name of the Canadian teenager with the Deschanelian bangs that sings it (Carly something something, right?) but for now, that's incidental. We might have the makings of a TUSH on our hands.
Personally, I like my TUSHes to possess at least some passing whiff of soul or funk or something besides cute Canadian bubblegum. Also, the song was released way back in February--a classic TUSH bursts decisively onto the scene and is suddenly, unavoidably everywhere, instead of creeping up slowly on world domination. But even though it's taken 16 weeks to get there, "Call Me Maybe" is now at the top of the charts. New evidence suggests that the song has already burrowed its way into our psyches, because it's started generating its own references to the events that define our times:
Most of the songs on the Billboard 100 have been kicking around for months (Gotye is still up there?!) so we're due for some spankin' fresh TUSH action. Carly whatever whatever's days as Queen of the TUSH may be numbered, but she's got it for now.
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Comments
After hearing "Call Me Maybe" exactly one (1) time, it was stuck in my head for days. That's one aggressive TUSH.
Yeah, you get the TUSH cred for this one. Are we still on to get the band together and shoot our cover video this weekend? I'm thinking our theme can be "jazz odyssey".
Posted by: amy at June 15, 2012 12:09 PM
Yes, I think this song has certainly wormed it's way into our collective psyche enough to call it a TUSH.. but it is still possible for a late summer Rhianna to sneak in and grab the title!
I really liked the Gotye song when I first heard it ages ago and thought it was a nice indie hit, but then when I heard the radio edit on Z100 I was surprised to see it had become a pop/dance tune! The world works in mysterious ways sometimes...
Posted by: Alan at June 15, 2012 12:16 PM
Actually I'm not sure I can think of a better way to kick off our Songs In the Style Of Shatner career than to do Call Me Maybe a la Shatner.
I threw a wish.
In the well. . .
But don't ASK me. I'll. . . .never. . .tell.
Posted by: T-Rock at June 15, 2012 1:55 PM
Given the amount of airplay Call Me Maybe gets,it's going to be hard for another song to fit in this summer. Also, I downloaded it in February, so I get to do the ultimate hipster thing and say I liked this song before it was lame.
Posted by: T-Rock at June 14, 2012 11:51 PM