February will see two very different British pop acts hitting The O2 Arena – Olly Murs on the 4th and the 5th, and Snow Patrol from the 10th through to the 12th. But which one comes through our punishing Stat Clash procedure on top? Read on to find out.
Years active
Olly Murs
Olly Murs came to the UK’s attention during the sixth series of X-Factor back in 2009. That makes for a grand total of a little over two years in which he has been active – pretty wet behind the ears, but going strong.
Snow Patrol
Northern Irish indie band Snow Patrol released their first EP, titled Starfighter Pilot, in 1997. That means they’ve been on our radars for over 14 years – almost a lifetime in pop terms.
Winner – Snow Patrol
Initial impact
Olly Murs
After securing the runner-up spot on X-Factor, the Essex singer’s first single went straight to number one in the UK charts in 2010. His self-titled debut album went straight in at number two later that year, and has sold some 600,000 copies to date.
Snow Patrol
By contrast, Snow Patrol had something of a slow start in the music business. Their first two albums from 1998 and 2001 did well with the critics, but failed to sell in any significant numbers. Snow Patrol were then dropped from their independent label in 2001.
Winner – Olly Murs
Peak performance
Olly Murs
Murs’s second album, In Case You Didn’t Know, went straight in at number one in the UK chart and has spawned two number one hit singles to date. As well as the O2 Arena dates, Murs has been an ever-present on the TV screen throughout 2011.
Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol’s third album and major label debut, 2003’s The Final Straw, went five times platinum in the UK and went on to sell three million worldwide. The follow-up, 2006’s Eyes Open, was the best-selling British album of the year, racking up six million global sales.
Winner – Snow Patrol
Singles success
Olly Murs
Snow Patrol may have it wrapped up on album sales, but Olly Murs has bagged an impressive five number one singles already in his brief career. He’s also snagged one number four, and a further number one along with his fellow X-Factor contestants.
Snow Patrol
By contrast, Snow Patrol don’t have a single number one single to their name. That’s not to say that their songs don’t sell well – 2006‘s Chasing Cars has spent more than 150 weeks in the UK top 100, and has sold more than 800,000 copies in the UK and more than 3 million in the US. Still, immediacy is everything when it comes to singles, so…
Winner – Olly Murs
And the winner is… it’s a draw!
With two wins each, we’ll have to call this one a draw. In truth these are two very different artists, appealing to two very different demographics. Snow Patrol are the seasoned veterans, having hewn out a hard-fought career over some 15 years, while Olly Murs is the product of today’s instant-fame televised talent contest culture. It remains to be seen if he can last the course, but for now he’s certainly the darling of the UK pop press.
Who would you pick?
With both artists set to rake in the crowds at the O2 Arena in February, which would you choose to see? Who do you think comes out on top, regardless of stats? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
press enquiries
press enquiries