I was thinking about their lead single a bit while I was in class today.
I actually think WHEN they release it will be a big indicator of how the era as a whole will go. Midnight Memories is being released three weeks later than Take Me Home was. So if they follow that pattern we will get the lead single during the second or third week of October.
Here is what I am thinking. If by early/mid October we don't have a release date for the single (which would mean a release at the end of the month) then I think that their management will have pretty much given up on radio/hit singles all together, and are just going to be releasing more of the same for the next album since the single will not be expected to have legs. Meaning that the single is not meant to stand alone and is just a promotional tool to ***** out albums to tweens.
On the other hand, if we get a release late Sept or early Oct that is a much bigger risk because if the song flops it will be a distant memory by the time the album arrives. That would tell me that they are going to make an actual play for radio this era and are mixing up their sound in some way.
.....anyways. There are my musings for the day. I am leaning towards them taking the safe route and releasing TMH 1.5 since their tour ends on the 30th of October, which leaves then NO time whatsoever to promote the single before they have to push the album.
Hey, guys, I want your opinion on this. This was my first draft of the cover for the rate in a few weeks. It's sort of my way of getting aback into PS before I create a unique cover for each video being hosted.
Sides, I needed a stock photo to create the background and easy blending.
Edit: Now that you mention it, I think each cover will have one boy headlining first each. Then two of them and then all five for the winning video. This way, I won't get anyone on my back for using Niall.
Best Song Ever might just end up being the lead single.
And they might release a promo single in October and start promoting the album right after Halloween.
If this is the case I don't see them EVER actually evolving as a group. Their yearly release schedule isn't going to make it easier in the future, and they will probably just release another version of TMH every year as a cash in until their contract is up.
She came in at #11 on top tours of 2013. Kind of a touring force.
(Don't see how touring is relevant to artistic growth, though, but okay)
The boys can handle it.
Umm....they have to get in the studio to record sometime. Hard to do when you are performing in Taiwan
...and yes Rihanna is doing better touring THIS year (in the past she hasn't had huge tours). However, she is also apparently not releasing an album this year.
Eh. I don't think it is nearly as natural as you think it is.
Artists who change up their sound spend SIGNIFICANT amounts of time working it out. I imagine it is ever worse with bands who have 5 members all going different directions.
we had so many people pressed with the success of the thread lol 
