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BBC pick 'legendary hit maker'
Pete Waterman announced as UK songwriter
Pete Waterman has worked with pop sensations including Kylie Minogue, Steps and Westlife during his career as a producer and writer. This has included over 200 hits in the last 25 years including 22 UK number ones, and was a member of the famous Stock Aitken Waterman recording trio. Pete is well known as well to the United Kingdom TV audience, especially for appearing as a judge on Pop Idol and Popstars: The Rivals.
This venture to attempt to win Eurovision 2010 is Pete Waterman’s first entry into the Eurovision Song Contest. Pete said: “Eurovision is one of those iconic competitions that has stood the test of time and keeps coming up with great acts, great tunes and great performances."
"Life’s full of challenges and I’m relishing the opportunity to put my own stamp on this one.”, Waterman stated.
Despite this announcement, the much anticipated news on how the United Kingdom will select their singer for the Eurovision Song Contest in Oslo 2010 has not yet been announced. However, on the BBC Eurovision Twitter account, reference has been made to Your country needs you. This is the title of the United Kingdom selection process last year, in which Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote the song, sparking interest that a similar competition may be held this year.
With Andrew Lloyd Webber’s entry My time, performed by Jade Ewen, the United Kingdom finished 5th in Moscow in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009. As a member of the Big-4 countries, the United Kingdom will be automatically qualified to the Eurovision Song Contest Final in Oslo in 2010.
An article by Ben Robertson.
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I dont know why we cant pick the song aswell,there should be a choice of about five like Sonia and Micheal Ball had really the public are only picking the singer.
pete actually eneterd this song in 2001 for the uk entry but it didnt make the final, shame as its a beautiful song
http://www.youtube.c(...)/watch?v=AKzhb5unEYc
A hitmaker? Yes, in the 80s.....when he was known for plastic mass ware instead of qauality. STA were the symbol of the cheesy and trashy side of 80s music - well butl some said the same about Webber and his role in the world of musical ( commercial mass ware, no innovations ect ) and he could still fool the juries somehow. So let's wait for the song. Still think - after the Dutch choice - were moving closer to the 60 plus X ESC this year.
Why are the postings on this site now purple on mauve? very hard to read urgh..
i hope the UK chooses last; then we get to see what we're up against. :]
Pete Waterman on Steps: "I thought if Oasis could get away with sounding like The Beatles, I could get away with sounding like Abba"
[And for the record I think both The Climb and Killing in the name are awful songs 
]
"The Climb sold so well purely because of the Xfactor exposure - not because of the quality of the song. Don't forget, the Climb failed to sell as well as previous winners."
That is exactly my point though, it sold well because of exposure, nobody was forced to buy it. That's how songs sell, and rarely is it anything to do with quality. I mean, is Just Dance quality? No. But it sold well because of huge exposure, the same applies for The Climb, the only difference being is that it gained its exposure from X Factor, not from Radio airplay. It's essentially the same thing, when a song gains massive exposure from Radio stations people flock to buy it, the only reason why The Climb was targeted was because the exposure was extremely visible, and suddenly everybody thought they were having it rammed down their throats, when in actual fact it's the same as a song getting alot of airplay, but there are no campaigns against that.
My point is here, nobody was made to buy The Climb. People bought it because they liked it (apart from sales fuelled by the RATM campaign), whereas the reason why everybody bought RATM that week was because they were asked to, and how many of them actually listened to or even liked the song?
My point is that yes on paper the RATM campaign did succeed BUT the whole thing was trying to counteract "Ramming music down people's throats" by ... well, ramming music down people's throats! I'm just saying the whole thing is ridiculous if you think about it.
254 posts - the choice of Pete Waterman has got people talking!! That is good at least.
When will BBC announce further ESC plans? Only two more weeks of that dance competition left.
p.s. RATM - well done to them!! Boo to Mr Cowell and X-Factor.
Thorazin
"In that sense"? Sorry but stopping an Xfactor artist having the CHRISTMAS number 1 was their only objective and they succeeded.
The Climb sold so well purely because of the Xfactor exposure - not because of the quality of the song. Don't forget, the Climb failed to sell as well as previous winners.
You will find that alot of people that bought Climb were youngsters caught up in the whole xfactor steam roller. The Xfactor never has and never will be about music, it is a money making machine for Cowell.
The choice of RATM, whether you like it or not (I don't as it happens) was an attempt to open peoples eyes. It did. And the reason they chose the Christmas number 1 is because that is the holy grail of number 1s. Mission accomplished.
As for Mr Cowell, he is a man who knows how to make money. Hats off to a very very shrewd businessman. He isn't however really bothered about talent, just someone who can make him money. Hey, he even offered jobs to the people behind the RATM campaign. They rightly turned him down.
Also, Mr Cowell has talked about bringing the Xfactor final forward this year because of what happened.
What about a song like 'Sound Of The Underground' by Girls Aloud, I know its old but its still good!
http://www.youtube.c(...)Ucas6GmsDjQ&NR=1
He was involved in the show that chose them wasn't he?
Julie
Yeah I suppose in that sense they achieved their objective, but overall they really just did Cowell a load of favours. Because of it tonnes more people also bought The Climb in the hope it would reach No.1, and so made Cowell even more money, and let's be honest, it's not like Cowell ever really cared
The thing is, nobody was making people buy The Climb, people bought it because they liked it, but the reason why it did so well was because it had so much exposure (aka 17 million viewers), which is why songs performed on X Factor do so well, exposure. So the whole "Stop Cowell shoving music down our throats" campaign was ridiculous as thats exactly what it did to make people buy RATM.
Black Adder
Check out Jordin Sparks, shes fantastic 
Battlefield : http://www.youtube.c(...)/watch?v=FpcTyncjos0
No Parade : http://www.youtube.c(...)/watch?v=Ix5DpQZh058
I look forward to hearing the song before commenting on whether he is a good choice or not.
Fingers crossed that the song+singer=success in Oslo for UK.
great news!!!!!
Yes while I do agree Eurovision is for everyone I think that there still has to be a good underlying song for mass appeal.
A good song doesn't go out of fashion even if it is a bit more traditional and not for the 'elite nightclubs' e.g. Iceland 2009 , Serbia Montenegro 2004 and while I think UK 2009 was completely out-of-date you can't deny the wee power house Jade who managed to hide the many flaws of that entry
Having said that I don't understand why Eurovision 2010 shouldn't represent what is happening in music in 2010. Why does it have to be 20 years behind - if thats what people want then don't be surprised when Eurovision is considered a joke by a lot of people.
I also don't see how certain people can boil modern music down to camp schlager like Alcazar - last I checked the music industry catered to all sorts of tastes and I for one am happy to see as many different genres represented as possible
As for Fairytale last year I'd say its success was to do with the fact it could have been successful in any decade - certain songs can have the ability to span different trends and Fairytale was able to translate that into success in the charts as well. However Pete here has only demonstrated the ability to release songs that were popular lates 80s, very early 90s and a lot of his songs are looked back on with giggles! Ever hear of Rick Rolling?
Ok - Pete Waterman was born in January 1947 and people scream he is too old.
Others ask for Elton John - who of course is alot younger having been born in March 1947. LOL.
Pete is only 2 months older than Elton. And Pete has been behind 22 (twenty two) UK number 1s.
Anyway - about Pete Waterman
As others have said - Pete is mainly a producer, so others may well help him write it. Oh, and guess who his neighbour used to be in Cheshire? Gary Barlow thats who.....hmmmm.
@ Thorazin Corazon
>> And then Joe McEldery got to No.1 the next week anyway so >> the whole thing was in vain haha.
Wrong. The RATM campaign was to stop the Xfactor winner (which happened to be Joe) getting the CHRISTMAS No.1.
And it achieved what it set out to do. What happened after the Christmas number 1 really didn't matter. They had done what they wanted.
Mira 
Speaking of black singers, I just adore seeing them at Eurovision. 
True Zanic, we might sell more (considering we have the population of almost half of Europe) but quality of what's mainstream is LOW. 
Anyway, back to the topic (sorry about straying) I think the best option would be something upbeat or kinda upbeat for the UK which I'm certain is going to happen. Last decade there was only one UK entry I didn't like. So they have a good record with me, even though I don't count hehe.
OMG I love black singers the most!!! LOL
Ah! An American who sort of agrees with me!
YES!
@Thorazin Corazon
Alicia Keys is the only decent black artist I know today unless I'm missing someone else, cos I only listen to Europeans!
Jonny
Alicia Keys is AMAZING!!
But Mariah Carey is the BEST!
Good luck UK, I'm itching to hear this song (and all Eurovision songs ) Can't wait!
I wish my country was more like Europe where a song from anywhere can catch on! Yup, there's hardly any variety in American music on the charts and being promoted abroad because the same 50 songs are played to death. On top of that what someone else said is true, some people are guaranteed hits. There are quality songwriters and singers, but unfortunately they're pretty much overshadowed because the media prefers "catchy" over "deep feelings" and the public buys into it >.>
"Why do think we got RATM to #1 last xmas here in the UK?"
Oh but that campaign was the most paradoxical thing ever! The whole idea is that it was opposed to people being forced into buying music, and having it shoved in their faces ... yet 99.9% of people who bought the song that week bought it because of a facebook campaign ... ironic? And then Joe McEldery got to No.1 the next week anyway so the whole thing was in vain haha.
In terms of American R'n'B, it leaves me in two minds. Mainly because alot of it is very generic, but there are also a fair few artists who are really good, like Jordin Sparks and Alicia Keys, and even if they're more pop-R'n'B, they're still great
Why some of you being so negative?
The BBC asks a top song writer Pete Waterman to pen the UK entry this year.
Now just be so grateful that Pete Waterman (who has most hits) agreed to be involved in Eurovision by all means.
So, just stop this childish moaning and let’s hear the song first and then judge him!
May be it might be Garry Barlow next year who knows? If the BBC see these negative veiws thay might go back to the SFE era. Does anyone want that?
Black Adder I don't agree With anything you've just said..but I won't go further..why to discuss about Eminem now?
Well most of it is Marko, there are exceptions but in Britain that's all we get. Repetitive RnB, Disney brats and anything with Simon Cowell's name on it.
Why do think we got RATM to #1 last xmas here in the UK?
Because there's no variety in UK and I don't want to go into a culture clash right now!
As for Rap today, Eminem was good to begin with but shouldn't have comeback with Relapse, and the rest are just dire.
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