Popcorn stars join raspberry hearts on “Hits” series CDs
Written by Lars-Erik_Olson on January 25, 2003 to Releases.
STOCKHOLM - 
It’s raspberries and… popcorn! A star made of popcorn will adorn the covers of “The Pop Hits” CDs – joining the heart made of raspberries used for “The Ballad Hits” collection.
With a star having played a central role in the cover art of many, if not most, of the previous Roxette releases, many Roxette fans expected that they would be seeing the star shape used for “The Pop Hits,” as a follow-up shape to the heart used for “The Ballad Hits.” And while blueberries were one of the options considered to make the star shape (raspberries and blueberries are often “partners,”), it was popcorn, with its obvious “pop” connection, that won out – even though “pop” as a musical term comes from the word “popular” (while popcorn gets its name from the popping sound; i.e., crash! boom! bang! pop!).
Just as the “The Ballad Hits,” album as a filled-in heart, “The Pop Hits” will have a filled-in star, while the single, “Opportunity Nox,” has the star in an outline form (click on photo to enlarge).
As an additional track, the single will contain a live version of “Fading Like a Flower,” recorded during the “Room Service” tour in Brussels.
(Thomas Evensson and i_jera contributed to this article.)
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68 comments
animalkingdom said on January 25, 2003 17:57:
I wouldn’t have known that was popcorn...They seemed like some kind of little flowers to me... :)
Anyway, I would have liked to have a little longer playing CD single/ maxi this time... I am sure ’ON’ is just around 3’30” and ’FLAF’ some 3’...It really was a short number in the concerts!
ernes said on January 25, 2003 18:08:
I agree with the idea of too less tracks, they should add more and not Fading Like A Flower, they should use as b-sides also pop songs, not ballads.
About the cover, I like it very much, I rather prefer this one than another boring picture of Marie and Per, this one will get more attention from people on recordshops.
ernes.
Agus said on January 25, 2003 18:09:
Fading like a Flower? I was expecting another live version of The Look... :-P
New releases of old stuff, even for the singles...
coyboyusa said on January 25, 2003 18:14:
lol aqus indeed and what about the pop ep or isnt there gonna be one?
daniel_alv said on January 25, 2003 18:16:
why didn’t they take a pop song as b-side...
like hotblooded or crush on you
crush on you were great at the tour....!
gyllene_tjej said on January 25, 2003 18:17:
pop-pop-pop-pop-pop-pop...you make my head go pop :)))
Mmmm, I love popcorn, so it is a sweet cover choice!
While FLAF is not one of these songs to be called up-tempo, I am still very happy to have it in perfect quality! (As I love the new arrangments in this song, not to mention Per’s part!) *mums*
daniel_alv said on January 25, 2003 18:18:
gyllene_tjej: i agree, FLAF IS SO GREAT!!!!!
baio said on January 25, 2003 18:18:
I don’t like the cover, is boring...
And, Why a BALLAD as a B side?
Agus said on January 25, 2003 18:35:
@coyboyusa I (do) hope so, i’m pretty sure there will be a pop ep, or at least a couple of new songs.
But i’m SO fed up of these old songs being released as b-sides over and over again. Where have gone the times when you could find such superb songs as ’Crazy About You’ or ’The Sweet Hello...’ as single b-sides??
Even the sound of Per strumming the strings of his guitar would be more appreciated than the 53th re-release of FLAF, at least for me... :(
JoyRidErno said on January 25, 2003 18:35:
I like popcorn, but the background should be coke...
FLAF was amazing on RS-tour, but I thought, that uptempo song would have been included to the single.
eva_roxer said on January 25, 2003 18:42:
Hi roxers!
Well, what can I say, I like the design of the cover (I thought it was going to be a star made of peas, so I almost guessed right ;)) and I’m very happy to read that the acoustic version of FLAF would be as a b-side, as it’s my fave Rox song ever.
It would be great if this acoustic version is from the concert of Room Service in Madrid, ’cause the performance there was incredible, although M&P almost can’t be heart because they let the crowd sing along all the song :) What great memories!!
daniel_alv said on January 25, 2003 19:04:
i also loved FLAF at RS tour.... but i still want an other song as b-side
coyboyusa said on January 25, 2003 19:11:
maybe it would be smart to release the ep as an ep single to boost its sales?
PeterGm said on January 25, 2003 19:16:
I think Roxette/EMI/Management are confusing themselves, the audience and aren’t following a criteria.
The Good:
-Noticing their double side (ballad and pop) and releasing the hits CDs to correspond.
-The new designs. Raspberries and Popcorn. I’m sure they will make a nice 2CD pack in future whichmany of you will buy! Duh! (Still miss the ’Peas’ theme...)
- Roxette star is back....PLEASE, keep it!!
The Bad:
-As stated on this board, why a ballad on a POP single? After all “Opportunity Nox” is now not promoting Roxette as a ballad band but as a Pop band... it is VERY confusing... BAD marketing. I was very impressed with ’The Ballas Hits’ cos they made bsides and EP ALL ballads...I expected that would be the same for the POP release. Doesn’t seem like it.
A new question: who do you think placed the raspberries and popcorn? where? who ate them afterwards? hehe...
pietROxette said on January 25, 2003 19:16:
maybe it would be smart to release the ep in all countries, not just a few...
coyboyusa said on January 25, 2003 19:30:
true pietro or maybe get rid of the damn copywrite protection stuff so the ep will fit on the cd lol
wendy said on January 25, 2003 20:11:
FLAF live in Brussels was great,you shoul’ve been there,instead of giving comments like “it’s boring” :p
I was one of the lucky people who’ve been there,all in the front :p
Santi said on January 25, 2003 21:36:
OMG :DDDDDDDDDDDD
Now who’s gonna say they never listen to their fans ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
They made a star (idea from TDR)!!
They made it of popcorn (idea from TDR)!!
They made it over a background of a layer of blueberries (idea from TDR... exactly mine... though I expected it to be in the star... but anyway :DDDDDDDD)
flowersonthemoon said on January 25, 2003 22:41:
well.. I love the star.. I really missed it.. and I WANT A T-SHIRT with that star!!! hehehehe
Have a nice day! :)
Sascha said on January 25, 2003 23:56:
The cover is great! As expected the logical second part of the symbol-concept! But what’s the background? A cinema-carpet? :-D
Did anyone confirm that FLAF will be the only b-side?
Alfonsette said on January 26, 2003 00:08:
Nice cover
I would have prefer the bluberries, anyway the popcorn is also nice
Bad single as it was “ATAY” just 1 b-side, noone will buy it as it happened with “ATAY”
royalball said on January 26, 2003 00:51:
This is the exact same symbol of the “Dallas Cowboys.” Didn’t know Roxette were football fans.
Alesvenska said on January 26, 2003 02:38:
Though I can’t buy the single any more here in Argentina, I’d rather COY live version as B-side
Hotblooded said on January 26, 2003 03:12:
U guys are the biggest bunch of whingers!!!!! Get over it at least they are releasing something!
But yeah I guess ’CRush On you’ live would have been better than FLAF for a pop hits release but that’s the way it goes!
roxtexanet said on January 26, 2003 03:23:
I love the cover, but this idea definitely came up before in TDR, for example:
http://www.dailyroxette.com/smalltalk/thread.php/4798 and in other threads as well... wonder if they got the idea from us, or if it was just such an obvious companion to the ballad hits that Rox/Jonas/whoever came up with it on their own... very cool!
Mfan28179-Jason said on January 26, 2003 04:34:
LOL. Popcorn! Just like I had thought! Brilliant.
After reading the above comments, I agree mostly with everyone. Capitol’s marketing isn’t the best (as we all know) so I guess it makes sense that “Fading Like A Flower (Live)” will be the b-side. Go figure! Right? It should have been put on the “A Thing About You” single instead of “The Weight Of The World” (which should have been limited to the EP alone, making it more special), where it would have made much more sense, considering it would also help PROMOTE (key word here) ’The Ballad Hits’ since the original version is on that album. So, you have 2 songs promoting the release verses one song. Then again, am I involved in record company marketing and promotion? Of course not. But after seeing these mistakes, a job in the promo department of Capitol Records would be nice. ;)
And definately “Crush On You (Live)” should have been the b-side of “Opportunity Nox.” Many fans rave about the song as it is, and this would have been the perfect opportunity to give the song some more exposure and entice fans to buy the single for this live version, especially if they attended the concert. Other than “Crush On You (live),” a different uptempo could have been included to PROMOTE the compilation, such as a live version of “Real Sugar” or “The Centre of The Heart,” for example - both which will most likely make the compilation. Perfect plan and opportunity to promote the release. I guess “opportunity” doesn’t “nox” in this case.
It would be interesting to know who makes these marketing/promotion decisions. It’s fantastic to have a live version of Fading Like A Flower, but realistically, it doesn’t fit there. I wonder what Capitol is thinking sometimes. Hmmm.
coyboyusa said on January 25, 2003 17:55:
wel let me say the design idea is boring and why not 2 or 3 tracks...i mean flaf as an acoustic number on a pop single i dunno it seems a bit backward
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