WINS:
#1. Adele- Someone Like You
Adele fever continues across the nation as the 2nd proper single from "21" rockets from #19-#1 in its 9th week on the charts. As I read on Billboard.com today, the song sets the record for the loftiest jump to #1 without the brand new release of the physical or digital single. Given- she had a handicap with her VMA performance, but this type of chart behavior is still very rare and should be noted. I'm not going to go too far into this as I'm still working on an opinion article on Adele, but seriously. A year ago, who would have thought Adele, a perceived Amy Winehouse clone would have, by far, the world's best selling album of 2011 with 2 #1's on the Hot 100? Stranger things have happened, but still. I'm curious to see how the obvious third single, "Set Fire to the Rain" will fare on the charts unsolicited without the VMA bump.
#8. Cobra Starship f/Sabi- You Make Me Feel
UGH I had pegged these guys as one hit wonders! I've heard the song a few times on the radio and it does absolutely nothing for me. But as it rockets from #18-8 this week, it's cemented itself as an iTunes top 10 mainstay for the time being, and as radio airplay drastically increases, we will be hearing a lot more of this tune in the next few months. Why does everything over 120 BPM get an automatic handicap? I swear the world is strung out on uppers.
#64. Nicki Minaj f/ Rihanna- Fly
I love Nicki Minaj, but mostly for reasons unknown to the mainstream public. Before she was churning out sugary pop shit like this, she released 3 astounding mixtapes. Like lots of artists in history, there is a complete dichotomy between what is commercially viable for her and what she is truly good at and acclaimed for. "Fly" is one of the many songs on "Pink Friday" that I begrudgingly skip with a groan. It's so contrived and calculated for top 40 with its surface-level inspirational lyrics and pre-packaged Rihanna chorus. The video for the single was released just a short while ago, and radio is obviously latching onto this song with its strong debut on the charts at #64. Look for this one to hit at least the top 20, giving Nicki another huge hit, and unfortunately encouraging her to stray away even further from the glorious mixtape days. So instead "Fly", I'm posting my favorite song from her mixtape "Beam Me Up Scotty": Itty Bitty Piggy.
FAILS:
#49. Big Sean f/ Kanye West & Roscoe Dash- Marvin & Chardonnay
I don't really get the whole Big Sean craze- his voice isn't distinctive enough for me to immediately recognize- and that seems to be template for successful hip hop artists these days. As a followup to the painfully mediocre "My All" f/ Chris Brown, (In the running with Lupe's "The Show Goes On" for blandest hit of the year) it's gained quite a bit of buzz with hip-hop radio, but pop radio seems to be ignoring it. It falls from 46-49 this week on the Hot 100, but bullets to #7 this week on the R&B charts. I really don't see Big Sean ever becoming an A-List pop star, but at least his guest features will keep him afloat for awhile. I'm very interested to see what happens with his sophomore release.
#56. Coldplay- Every Teardrop is a Waterfall
I have a long, complicated history with Coldplay. I was obsessed with their first 2 albums, until "X&Y" came out and felt like the ultimate cash grab. This was confirmed when I saw them that summer in Indianapolis. $35 dollar T-Shirts, sponsor logos everywhere- I mean they had suddenly transformed from charming, self-realized rock artists to the next mega-stadium U2. Coldplay's zenith is undeniably their sophomore breakthrough, "A Rush of Blood to the Head", and the stars aligned for a massive fluke #1 a few years later- "Viva la Vida". Since their 2nd album, I've dismissed them the same way I've dismissed Kings of Leon- artistic, adventurous music- then money gets in the way. Their lead single from their 5th album never really gained traction at radio, and simply doesn't match the caliber of any of their other debut singles from their prior 4 albums. Can we please now categorize Coldplay as the furthest thing from the next U2? At least they had/have the music to back it up.
#77. Miguel- Quickie
Wasn't a fan of his first single, "All I Want is You," despite that fact that it gave J. Cole (Think Drake's sequel) his first top 40 hit. The follow-up, "Sure Thing", was deservedly a massive #1 smash on the R&B charts, but as a perfect example of the dance-floor fueled state of radio, barely scratched the top 40 on the pop charts. His third single, and first real ballad- "Quickie", rode the momentum of the first two singles, but the song seems to have lost steam. It's a pretty typical Chris Brown/Trey Songz sex ballad which pop radio avoids more than Vanilla Ice post 1991. It definitely sounds like an album cut, and might be an unexpected single to be released due to Miguel's unprecedented success on the R&B charts. It's also notable that not a lot of Hispanic artists (ok ok, I know- he's half black half Hispanic) are marketable on the R&B charts, nonetheless having 2 smash hits off of a debut album. If this guy comes around with a strong sophomore release, he could be around for awhile.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Billboard Hot 100 Summary: Wins and Fails- 09/10/2011
#1. Maroon 5 f/ Christina Aguilera- Moves Like Jagger
In a nice little surprise for this week, Maroon 5 have captured just the right amount of airplay and digital sails to rocket their hit to #1. As the song is currently out of the top 10 on iTunes and bullets to a #11 position on the airplay chart- it seems like the sheer coincidence of sales and airplay coinciding more than any other single this week propelled it to #1. Just to note- there are many other songs with a stronger combination of the two that haven't reached #1- the spot was simply vacant this week as two of summer's dominant aging titles ("Last Friday Night" and "Party Rock Anthem") have finally started to show some wear and tear. Nevertheless, I'm happy for Maroon 5 to accomplish their second #1 hit. Like I've said previously, Adam Levine's decision to judge on "The Voice" was the best career decision the band has made since signing for Clive Davis.
#10. Gym Class Heroes f/ Adam Levine- Stereo Hearts
At this time last year, Maroon 5's "Misery" was struggling to gain mere top 20 status on the charts as the lead single for their heavily anticipated, underperforming album "Hands All Over". Now, not only does Maroon 5 occupy the coveted #1 position on the chart, but on the back of digital sales, his featured chorus for a band I had already dismissed, Gym Class Heroes, has become a solid hit. To give a history- Gym Class Heroes had a hit a few years ago with the miserable hit "Cupid's Chokehold" with Fallout Boy's Patrick Stump. They released another album that completely tanked. Then, Travie McCoy, the lead singer/rapper/whatever- released a solo album with Bruno Mars on the chorus and of course became a huge hit with wanting to become a "millionaire so freaking bad". Following that unfortunate success, they have scored another hit on the back of another of-the-moment pop star singing the hook. Why can't these bands just die?!
#19. Adele- Someone Like You
I've already addressed my opinion on this song in my previous blog, but the fact that a piano driven ballad has not only hit top 20 but is #1 at iTunes is a really big deal. Please let this become a trend. Thank God for whomever broke Adele's little heart into pieces, because it's currently serving us the freshest top 40 music we can get.
#79. Wiz Khalifa- No Sleep
Riding off of the "Black and Yellow" fame, this song debuted strongly at #6 on the charts due to digital sales before rapidly descending the charts due to lack of label promotion for the single. Now that they are promoting this as the 4th official single from the album, it should start to take off from here. Like all of Wiz Khalifa's songs, it's about drinking, getting high, and partying- which fits in perfectly with radio's current sentiment. I don't think the song has reached it's peak- the song is immediately addictive, should perform very well, and will probably achieve a new peak position with its promotion to radio.
FAILS:
#73. Jason DeRulo- It Girl
I havent' even heard this song yet to be quite honest with you, but Jason DeRulo to me is so irrelevant that I frankly don't care. I dismissed him as a one hit wonder when his blatant Imogen Heap sampled "Whatcha Say" hit #1, but he rode the wave to two additional US top 10's. The first single before his sophomore album, "Don't Wanna Go Home", was a moderate hit peaking just outside of the top 10. His latest desparate attempt at a huge hit barely scraped the top 40 and is now on its way down into oblivion. It's a snoozy mid-tempo acoustic guitar driven shot at a hit- and belive me- he really tries. Jason DeRulo is pretty much as bland of a pop star as they come, and I'm glad his demise and the void he creates will make room for more interesting freshman acts.
#99. Tinie Tempah f/ Wiz Khalifa- Till I'm Gone
Tinie Tempah is a UK rap artist (the first I might add to break the US mainstream) that recently scored a decent sized hit with "Written in the Stars". Though it's one of those songs where the chorus outshines the verses so much that the artist rapping could be interchangeable, Tinie Tempah has scored hit after hit overseas. It looks as if he's losing traction, as his sophomore US single release "Till I'm Gone" barely scraped the bottom of the Hot 100, peaking at #90. Again- looks like you need to have a distinct voice and personality (or legacy) to make it on today's charts, (Pitbull not included) and it's certain now that "Written in the Stars" was a fluke hit due to the catchy chorus.
In a nice little surprise for this week, Maroon 5 have captured just the right amount of airplay and digital sails to rocket their hit to #1. As the song is currently out of the top 10 on iTunes and bullets to a #11 position on the airplay chart- it seems like the sheer coincidence of sales and airplay coinciding more than any other single this week propelled it to #1. Just to note- there are many other songs with a stronger combination of the two that haven't reached #1- the spot was simply vacant this week as two of summer's dominant aging titles ("Last Friday Night" and "Party Rock Anthem") have finally started to show some wear and tear. Nevertheless, I'm happy for Maroon 5 to accomplish their second #1 hit. Like I've said previously, Adam Levine's decision to judge on "The Voice" was the best career decision the band has made since signing for Clive Davis.
#10. Gym Class Heroes f/ Adam Levine- Stereo Hearts
At this time last year, Maroon 5's "Misery" was struggling to gain mere top 20 status on the charts as the lead single for their heavily anticipated, underperforming album "Hands All Over". Now, not only does Maroon 5 occupy the coveted #1 position on the chart, but on the back of digital sales, his featured chorus for a band I had already dismissed, Gym Class Heroes, has become a solid hit. To give a history- Gym Class Heroes had a hit a few years ago with the miserable hit "Cupid's Chokehold" with Fallout Boy's Patrick Stump. They released another album that completely tanked. Then, Travie McCoy, the lead singer/rapper/whatever- released a solo album with Bruno Mars on the chorus and of course became a huge hit with wanting to become a "millionaire so freaking bad". Following that unfortunate success, they have scored another hit on the back of another of-the-moment pop star singing the hook. Why can't these bands just die?!
#19. Adele- Someone Like You
I've already addressed my opinion on this song in my previous blog, but the fact that a piano driven ballad has not only hit top 20 but is #1 at iTunes is a really big deal. Please let this become a trend. Thank God for whomever broke Adele's little heart into pieces, because it's currently serving us the freshest top 40 music we can get.
#79. Wiz Khalifa- No Sleep
Riding off of the "Black and Yellow" fame, this song debuted strongly at #6 on the charts due to digital sales before rapidly descending the charts due to lack of label promotion for the single. Now that they are promoting this as the 4th official single from the album, it should start to take off from here. Like all of Wiz Khalifa's songs, it's about drinking, getting high, and partying- which fits in perfectly with radio's current sentiment. I don't think the song has reached it's peak- the song is immediately addictive, should perform very well, and will probably achieve a new peak position with its promotion to radio.
FAILS:
#73. Jason DeRulo- It Girl
I havent' even heard this song yet to be quite honest with you, but Jason DeRulo to me is so irrelevant that I frankly don't care. I dismissed him as a one hit wonder when his blatant Imogen Heap sampled "Whatcha Say" hit #1, but he rode the wave to two additional US top 10's. The first single before his sophomore album, "Don't Wanna Go Home", was a moderate hit peaking just outside of the top 10. His latest desparate attempt at a huge hit barely scraped the top 40 and is now on its way down into oblivion. It's a snoozy mid-tempo acoustic guitar driven shot at a hit- and belive me- he really tries. Jason DeRulo is pretty much as bland of a pop star as they come, and I'm glad his demise and the void he creates will make room for more interesting freshman acts.
#99. Tinie Tempah f/ Wiz Khalifa- Till I'm Gone
Tinie Tempah is a UK rap artist (the first I might add to break the US mainstream) that recently scored a decent sized hit with "Written in the Stars". Though it's one of those songs where the chorus outshines the verses so much that the artist rapping could be interchangeable, Tinie Tempah has scored hit after hit overseas. It looks as if he's losing traction, as his sophomore US single release "Till I'm Gone" barely scraped the bottom of the Hot 100, peaking at #90. Again- looks like you need to have a distinct voice and personality (or legacy) to make it on today's charts, (Pitbull not included) and it's certain now that "Written in the Stars" was a fluke hit due to the catchy chorus.
Songs that Changed Everything: Mariah Carey- Fantasy (1995)
In a new segment, I thought it'd be cool to address familiar pop songs that have had an extremely significant impact on pop music and culture in general. My first idea was for the most influential pop song of the 2000's- Daft Punk's "One More Time", but I decided to focus on one of the most influential songs of the 90's, (I haven't forgotten about the obvious "Smells Like Teen Spirit" choice) and one you wouldn't even really think was highly influential- Mariah Carey's "Fantasy".
Can you imagine a time when pop, R&B, and hip-hop were three distinct genres that were never crossed? Today's current radio is a hodgepodge of pop, house, r&b, and hip hop, with DJ sets literally being broadcasted on LA's most popular radio station. So when "Fantasy" exploded in the winter of 1995, it was a foreign idea for a white artist known for power ballads and midtempo pop tunes to take on a beat endlessly sampled by hip-hop artists, (Tom Tom Club's classic "Genius of Love") create a remix with Ol Dirty Bastard, and thus becoming not only one of her most recognized, but one of the most transformative pop songs of the decade. Shortly after the success of "Fantasy" ushered in the true hip-hop takeover of the music landscape with Puff Daddy, (as he was known then) Mase, the posthumous Notorious B.I.G., and more. By the time of Carey's next lead single from an album, "Honey", in the fall of 1997, Puff Daddy had claimed the year's #1 with "I'll be Missing You".
In today's world, the pop artist with the rap feature is the one of the tried and true formulas of hitmaking. You could say that Carey accidentally bridged the gap seeing hip-hop's . Today's most successful pop artist, Katy Perry, gained her 4th and historic 5th #1 singles off the backs of rap remixes featuring Kanye West and Missy Elliott. Given, they were hits in the beginning- but we now live in an era where a rap feature proves beneficial to the artist at stake. Back in the late 1990's, I remember rap features being edited out on radio. I vividly remember Lil Kim's part in "Lady Marmalade" in 2001 getting edited out because of a phobia to hip hop- now it's glorified to the extent that artists like Katy Perry get Kanye West for "E.T." and Missy Elliot for "Last Friday Night" for remixes to help propel her songs to #1.
Very few pop artists today have contained as much a dominant, commanding presence on the airwaves as Carey in the mid-90's. She followed this song with (on paper) the biggest Hot 100 song ever- "One Sweet Day". To this day, every success she's had since "Fantasy" can be directly traced back to the song- and when she's strayed away- like releasing the pop ballad "Through the Rain" off of 2003's "Charmbracelet", she's flopped. Her success since "Fantasy" has been directly correlated with how R&B/Hip Hop flavored her songs have been. To sum it all up, "Fantasy" played a huge part in top 40 music throwing a few genres in a blender, creating a fresh new sound and giving the pop music landscape a facelift.
Can you imagine a time when pop, R&B, and hip-hop were three distinct genres that were never crossed? Today's current radio is a hodgepodge of pop, house, r&b, and hip hop, with DJ sets literally being broadcasted on LA's most popular radio station. So when "Fantasy" exploded in the winter of 1995, it was a foreign idea for a white artist known for power ballads and midtempo pop tunes to take on a beat endlessly sampled by hip-hop artists, (Tom Tom Club's classic "Genius of Love") create a remix with Ol Dirty Bastard, and thus becoming not only one of her most recognized, but one of the most transformative pop songs of the decade. Shortly after the success of "Fantasy" ushered in the true hip-hop takeover of the music landscape with Puff Daddy, (as he was known then) Mase, the posthumous Notorious B.I.G., and more. By the time of Carey's next lead single from an album, "Honey", in the fall of 1997, Puff Daddy had claimed the year's #1 with "I'll be Missing You".
In today's world, the pop artist with the rap feature is the one of the tried and true formulas of hitmaking. You could say that Carey accidentally bridged the gap seeing hip-hop's . Today's most successful pop artist, Katy Perry, gained her 4th and historic 5th #1 singles off the backs of rap remixes featuring Kanye West and Missy Elliott. Given, they were hits in the beginning- but we now live in an era where a rap feature proves beneficial to the artist at stake. Back in the late 1990's, I remember rap features being edited out on radio. I vividly remember Lil Kim's part in "Lady Marmalade" in 2001 getting edited out because of a phobia to hip hop- now it's glorified to the extent that artists like Katy Perry get Kanye West for "E.T." and Missy Elliot for "Last Friday Night" for remixes to help propel her songs to #1.
Very few pop artists today have contained as much a dominant, commanding presence on the airwaves as Carey in the mid-90's. She followed this song with (on paper) the biggest Hot 100 song ever- "One Sweet Day". To this day, every success she's had since "Fantasy" can be directly traced back to the song- and when she's strayed away- like releasing the pop ballad "Through the Rain" off of 2003's "Charmbracelet", she's flopped. Her success since "Fantasy" has been directly correlated with how R&B/Hip Hop flavored her songs have been. To sum it all up, "Fantasy" played a huge part in top 40 music throwing a few genres in a blender, creating a fresh new sound and giving the pop music landscape a facelift.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
iTunes watch: 8/31/2011
Sorry I haven't posted in a few days. Work's been cray.
ANYWAY, so the VMA's perenially have a big effect on vaulting new singles from major artists into instant hits, and this year is no different. It looks like we have three obvious beneficiaries to this.
>1. Adele- Someone like You- This song was HUGE in the UK back in the springtime, but never thought I'd see the day when this song was at #1 on iTunes. In a time period where catalog titles are edited to take out slow parts, and songs like "No Hands" by Waka Flocka Flame and "Birthday Sex" get sped up, a piano ballad seems like a foreign concept. (the last ballad to hit #1? "Take a Bow" by Rhianna) Maybe this signals that top 40 radio is finally ready to come down from their cocaine-induced dance party?
>4. Lady Gaga- You and I- It's ironic that the same artist that ushered in the club years on top 40 radio is boldly breaking the mold again at radio with a midtempo Springsteen ballad. I honestly thought she'd benefit the most from the VMA's due to her large presence, but I'm happy that Adele might get another number 1. Another top 10 under Gaga's belt is well deserved.
>8. Beyonce- Love on Top- FINALLY A GOOD SINGLE FROM "4" IS BEING RELEASED! Seriously I can't gush enough about this song. It's 100% Michael Jackson/Whitney Houston head to toe. I thought "Party" or "Countdown" would be the next single as she shot music videos for both- but now I know why with the PREGNANCY!!! I always wonder what catalog titles will be played on the oldies station 30 years from now, and most stuff out right now is very current and probably won't hold up- look at the New Jack Swing genre from the early 90's- but these 3 will be played regularly 20 years from now.
OK, I've calmed down. Some other notables:
>5. Lil Wayne ft. Bruno Mars- Mirrors- Well, maybe "She Will" is more of a "She Won't" at this point. Of course any hook that Bruno Mars shits on right now becomes a hit, we'll see if this one sticks around.
>11. Lil Wayne- Blunt Blowin- Obviously this one won't. On any major release, the most explicit or funny song title will always get the most downloads out of sheer curiosity.
>32. Drake- Headlines- As this was #2 just 2 weeks ago, it's in the period where all the fans have bought it but hasn't had enough exposure at radio. It's a good enough song that it'll crawl back into the top 10.
>41. Nicki Minaj f/Rhianna- Fly- Ok, I love Nicki Minaj. I was bumping her "Beam Me Up Scotty" mixtape a year before anyone in the mainstream knew who she was. But seriously, her album "Pink Friday" is awful and panders to the masses. (I don't blame her though!) "Fly" makes me cringe. And it'll be a huge single due to the artist billings. Another mediocre Nicki Minaj song to hit top 40. Nicki, can you please release another mixtape? Pretty please?
>45. Red Hot Chili Peppers- The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggy- I immediately dismissed this one in one of my previous blog posts, but it seems to be gaining traction. There seems to be enough general goodwill toward the RHCP that it should be a durable enough single for the album release.
>51. Pitbull f/ Marc Anthony- Rain Over Me- The song has officially already reached its peak. SWWEEEEEEEEEEEET
>62. Tyler, the Creator- Yonkers- WHAAAAAT?! This might actually have a chance at some chart ink. I know this song is way to inaccessible for radio, but we can dream, right?
>81. Jessie J f/B.O.B.- Price Tag- I'm sorry honey- the trend is that current pop stars have distinct personalities to compliment their music, and you just don't have it. No matter how much cash the majors throw at the public on your behalf, you're not gonna make it. Sorry.
>114. Kanye West & Jay Z- Ni**as in Paris- Is there a more obvious choice for a second single? It's not even released and has been hovering around the iTunes charts since "Watch the Throne" was released. I don't find the song any better than the other tracks on the album, but hey- at least it popularizes the term "cray". My friends and I have been using the term "cray cray" for years.
>180. J.Cole- Work Out- Seriously. This guy graduated magna cum laude at St Johns, writes and produces all of his own music, and can't get a damn break. He has everything Drake has, (maybe the less distinctive voice is the problem) but has release single after single after single to no avail. "In the Morning" should have been a hit on the R&B charts. Why is there only room for one intelligent, relatable, extremely self aware artist in the mainstream?
ANYWAY, so the VMA's perenially have a big effect on vaulting new singles from major artists into instant hits, and this year is no different. It looks like we have three obvious beneficiaries to this.
>1. Adele- Someone like You- This song was HUGE in the UK back in the springtime, but never thought I'd see the day when this song was at #1 on iTunes. In a time period where catalog titles are edited to take out slow parts, and songs like "No Hands" by Waka Flocka Flame and "Birthday Sex" get sped up, a piano ballad seems like a foreign concept. (the last ballad to hit #1? "Take a Bow" by Rhianna) Maybe this signals that top 40 radio is finally ready to come down from their cocaine-induced dance party?
>4. Lady Gaga- You and I- It's ironic that the same artist that ushered in the club years on top 40 radio is boldly breaking the mold again at radio with a midtempo Springsteen ballad. I honestly thought she'd benefit the most from the VMA's due to her large presence, but I'm happy that Adele might get another number 1. Another top 10 under Gaga's belt is well deserved.
>8. Beyonce- Love on Top- FINALLY A GOOD SINGLE FROM "4" IS BEING RELEASED! Seriously I can't gush enough about this song. It's 100% Michael Jackson/Whitney Houston head to toe. I thought "Party" or "Countdown" would be the next single as she shot music videos for both- but now I know why with the PREGNANCY!!! I always wonder what catalog titles will be played on the oldies station 30 years from now, and most stuff out right now is very current and probably won't hold up- look at the New Jack Swing genre from the early 90's- but these 3 will be played regularly 20 years from now.
OK, I've calmed down. Some other notables:
>5. Lil Wayne ft. Bruno Mars- Mirrors- Well, maybe "She Will" is more of a "She Won't" at this point. Of course any hook that Bruno Mars shits on right now becomes a hit, we'll see if this one sticks around.
>11. Lil Wayne- Blunt Blowin- Obviously this one won't. On any major release, the most explicit or funny song title will always get the most downloads out of sheer curiosity.
>32. Drake- Headlines- As this was #2 just 2 weeks ago, it's in the period where all the fans have bought it but hasn't had enough exposure at radio. It's a good enough song that it'll crawl back into the top 10.
>41. Nicki Minaj f/Rhianna- Fly- Ok, I love Nicki Minaj. I was bumping her "Beam Me Up Scotty" mixtape a year before anyone in the mainstream knew who she was. But seriously, her album "Pink Friday" is awful and panders to the masses. (I don't blame her though!) "Fly" makes me cringe. And it'll be a huge single due to the artist billings. Another mediocre Nicki Minaj song to hit top 40. Nicki, can you please release another mixtape? Pretty please?
>45. Red Hot Chili Peppers- The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggy- I immediately dismissed this one in one of my previous blog posts, but it seems to be gaining traction. There seems to be enough general goodwill toward the RHCP that it should be a durable enough single for the album release.
>51. Pitbull f/ Marc Anthony- Rain Over Me- The song has officially already reached its peak. SWWEEEEEEEEEEEET
>62. Tyler, the Creator- Yonkers- WHAAAAAT?! This might actually have a chance at some chart ink. I know this song is way to inaccessible for radio, but we can dream, right?
>81. Jessie J f/B.O.B.- Price Tag- I'm sorry honey- the trend is that current pop stars have distinct personalities to compliment their music, and you just don't have it. No matter how much cash the majors throw at the public on your behalf, you're not gonna make it. Sorry.
>114. Kanye West & Jay Z- Ni**as in Paris- Is there a more obvious choice for a second single? It's not even released and has been hovering around the iTunes charts since "Watch the Throne" was released. I don't find the song any better than the other tracks on the album, but hey- at least it popularizes the term "cray". My friends and I have been using the term "cray cray" for years.
>180. J.Cole- Work Out- Seriously. This guy graduated magna cum laude at St Johns, writes and produces all of his own music, and can't get a damn break. He has everything Drake has, (maybe the less distinctive voice is the problem) but has release single after single after single to no avail. "In the Morning" should have been a hit on the R&B charts. Why is there only room for one intelligent, relatable, extremely self aware artist in the mainstream?
Friday, August 26, 2011
Commentary: How music subscription services have changed my listening habits
I own over 1500 CD's. Since proudly showing my collection of 10 CD's off in show and tell during the 3rd grade, til my arrival in LA last year where I would spend about 75 dollars on music monthly, the CD has been my ultimate favorite past time. The whole anticipation of eagerly unwrapping the cellophane, the disappointment or surprise of the album booklet, and the mere listening to something new for the first time brought me so much joy. Weekly trips with my dad to Circuit City (RIP) to purchase those 2 albums for $13.99 apiece was my absolute favorite way to spend my free time. When Napster pretty much fucked the music industry back in 2000, I dabbled with it but dismissed it. The actual tangible album- the artwork, the lyrics- the whole package was essentially a part of the music itself.
Then Rhapsody happened. All the music in the world (aside from unofficial releases) available to me on my computer and my iPhone for a mere 9.99- the cost of a CD? I had to go for it... and... it is to my great disbelief and sorrow that I have yet to purchase a physical compact disc this year. The moment I realized my listening habits had changed was when I went to Amoeba Music and held PJ Harvey's "Let England Shake" in my hands for a good two minutes, deciding to buy it or not. I ultimately put it back, considering I had complete access to it on Rhapsody. I realized I had now contributed to a completely unfortunate trend- the ultimate decline of the tangible album.
For the first time, as soon as a song popped into my head, I could look for it on my phone and have it within access in 5 seconds. It blew my mind that I had immediate access to TLC's "Creep" and Ne-Yo's "Because of You", two of my favorite top 40 songs ever, within a few heartbeats. A song can appear on the radio that reminds you of that other song you absolutely love- and you're playing it in the car full blast 10 seconds later.
That being said, I feel that my music attention span has truly become a bit shorter. I've unconsciously started to gravitate towards music that is instantly gratifying to me. While I have a completely open mind about all types of music, and have found albums I love pretty much in all genres other than world or death metal, rhythm is the ultimate ear worm for me. I love percussion, bass... just the whole rhythmic aspect to songs. Given that, it seems almost alarming to me that the only album's I've given a whole lot of attention to this year are electronic and hip hop acts.
Not to say I don't love down-tempo stuff. I'm obsessed with psych folk, indie rock, and the classic artists as well. It's just interesting that Fleet Foxes and Bon Iver, two of my absolute favorite indie acts that released superb sophomore albums this summer to much avail, have taken a backseat to Odd Future, The Weeknd, Junior Boys, and Hercules & Love Affair. In any other music period, I would have never purchased an album by Lloyd. But because I was intrigued by his first 2 singles off the album, I downloaded the whole thing and it unexpectedly became the soundtrack for my summer. (I still highly recommend "King of Hearts"!!!)
Just like the general public, I feel that the immediate access and instant gratification from these subscription services have immediately served what we, in point... instantly gratify ourselves with. Even for me, the concept of hating the song the first time but letting it grow on you is still completely legitimate- it just seems that I'm less willing at this time to put forth the effort.
During my glorified wonderful awesome (insert any other positive adjective here) conversation with Nigel Godrich- I told him that I hadn't heard Radiohead's new album, "The King of Limbs", entirely yet. He didn't have good things to say about it- stating that it's killing the music industry. Apparently, it's an attempt for major labels to collect revenue on catalog releases while in turn sacrificing a bit of revenue for current releases. The whole business model makes sense- the music industry is desperate for cash, and will do anything for it.
It's just odd, because now you can listen to any album in one listen, not like it, and move on. You didn't fork over 15 bucks for the album, so there's no type of investment in it for you- who cares if you might like it 5 listens from now? Subscription sites like Rhapsody have saved me a WHOLE LOT of money over the past 6 months, but I feel that my drive for listening to challenging, provocative, and thought provoking music has seriously diminished. Not that it's not out there- aside from unofficial releases like mixtapes, you can bet your ass that a band will have their album on Rhapsody. It's just having that dedication- that determination- to solve the mystery of complicated albums that you'll feel rewarded more than any other type of instant gratification.
Then Rhapsody happened. All the music in the world (aside from unofficial releases) available to me on my computer and my iPhone for a mere 9.99- the cost of a CD? I had to go for it... and... it is to my great disbelief and sorrow that I have yet to purchase a physical compact disc this year. The moment I realized my listening habits had changed was when I went to Amoeba Music and held PJ Harvey's "Let England Shake" in my hands for a good two minutes, deciding to buy it or not. I ultimately put it back, considering I had complete access to it on Rhapsody. I realized I had now contributed to a completely unfortunate trend- the ultimate decline of the tangible album.
For the first time, as soon as a song popped into my head, I could look for it on my phone and have it within access in 5 seconds. It blew my mind that I had immediate access to TLC's "Creep" and Ne-Yo's "Because of You", two of my favorite top 40 songs ever, within a few heartbeats. A song can appear on the radio that reminds you of that other song you absolutely love- and you're playing it in the car full blast 10 seconds later.
That being said, I feel that my music attention span has truly become a bit shorter. I've unconsciously started to gravitate towards music that is instantly gratifying to me. While I have a completely open mind about all types of music, and have found albums I love pretty much in all genres other than world or death metal, rhythm is the ultimate ear worm for me. I love percussion, bass... just the whole rhythmic aspect to songs. Given that, it seems almost alarming to me that the only album's I've given a whole lot of attention to this year are electronic and hip hop acts.
Not to say I don't love down-tempo stuff. I'm obsessed with psych folk, indie rock, and the classic artists as well. It's just interesting that Fleet Foxes and Bon Iver, two of my absolute favorite indie acts that released superb sophomore albums this summer to much avail, have taken a backseat to Odd Future, The Weeknd, Junior Boys, and Hercules & Love Affair. In any other music period, I would have never purchased an album by Lloyd. But because I was intrigued by his first 2 singles off the album, I downloaded the whole thing and it unexpectedly became the soundtrack for my summer. (I still highly recommend "King of Hearts"!!!)
Just like the general public, I feel that the immediate access and instant gratification from these subscription services have immediately served what we, in point... instantly gratify ourselves with. Even for me, the concept of hating the song the first time but letting it grow on you is still completely legitimate- it just seems that I'm less willing at this time to put forth the effort.
During my glorified wonderful awesome (insert any other positive adjective here) conversation with Nigel Godrich- I told him that I hadn't heard Radiohead's new album, "The King of Limbs", entirely yet. He didn't have good things to say about it- stating that it's killing the music industry. Apparently, it's an attempt for major labels to collect revenue on catalog releases while in turn sacrificing a bit of revenue for current releases. The whole business model makes sense- the music industry is desperate for cash, and will do anything for it.
It's just odd, because now you can listen to any album in one listen, not like it, and move on. You didn't fork over 15 bucks for the album, so there's no type of investment in it for you- who cares if you might like it 5 listens from now? Subscription sites like Rhapsody have saved me a WHOLE LOT of money over the past 6 months, but I feel that my drive for listening to challenging, provocative, and thought provoking music has seriously diminished. Not that it's not out there- aside from unofficial releases like mixtapes, you can bet your ass that a band will have their album on Rhapsody. It's just having that dedication- that determination- to solve the mystery of complicated albums that you'll feel rewarded more than any other type of instant gratification.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
iTunes watch: 8/25/2011
In my first segment of iTunes watch, I will be sporadically recording significant movement on the iTunes charts. As most downloads in America come from iTunes, and digital downloads are now probably the most significant factors in predicting a hit song. This allows for predictions on next week's charts.
This is as of 5:10 PM Pacific time zone on Thursday 8/25/2011
>#3 "Stereo Hearts" by Gym Class Heroes reaches bonafide hit territory as Adam Levine has obviously been the one that has benefitted from "The Voice" the most. Look for this one in the top 10 really soon.
>#4 "Cheers (Drink to That)" by Rihanna was a smash the first time I heard it, and it didn't take too long to reach upper-tier download territory. Also look for a rapid ascent up the charts next week as this gains momentum for a potential 11th #1 for the singer.
>#8 "You and I" by Lady Gaga will enter the upper realms next week- wouldn't be surprised if it hits #1 on the iTunes chart following her VMA performance on Sunday.
>#13 "Someone Like You" by Adele is gaining lots of momentum- looks like we might finally have a top 10 ballad again, folks.
>#47 "Every Teardrop is a Waterfall" by Coldplay officially won't reach the success of "Viva La Vida". Was gonna give it awhile to sink in for people, but as the album's release is approaching- looks like this one is a relative dud.
>#62 "Gucci Gucci" by Kreayshawn is a direct result of Nicki Minaj and Ke$ha breaking down barriers. Naughty white girl rapper- what other time period would this have ever worked? I can see this turning into a cheeky guilty pleasure.
>#137 "Work Out" by J. Cole seems like yet another song by the very talented producer and lyricist that hasn't gained much traction. He has deafening buzz in the hip hop community- I wonder when this guy's breakthrough will finally come.
This is as of 5:10 PM Pacific time zone on Thursday 8/25/2011
>#3 "Stereo Hearts" by Gym Class Heroes reaches bonafide hit territory as Adam Levine has obviously been the one that has benefitted from "The Voice" the most. Look for this one in the top 10 really soon.
>#4 "Cheers (Drink to That)" by Rihanna was a smash the first time I heard it, and it didn't take too long to reach upper-tier download territory. Also look for a rapid ascent up the charts next week as this gains momentum for a potential 11th #1 for the singer.
>#8 "You and I" by Lady Gaga will enter the upper realms next week- wouldn't be surprised if it hits #1 on the iTunes chart following her VMA performance on Sunday.
>#13 "Someone Like You" by Adele is gaining lots of momentum- looks like we might finally have a top 10 ballad again, folks.
>#47 "Every Teardrop is a Waterfall" by Coldplay officially won't reach the success of "Viva La Vida". Was gonna give it awhile to sink in for people, but as the album's release is approaching- looks like this one is a relative dud.
>#62 "Gucci Gucci" by Kreayshawn is a direct result of Nicki Minaj and Ke$ha breaking down barriers. Naughty white girl rapper- what other time period would this have ever worked? I can see this turning into a cheeky guilty pleasure.
>#137 "Work Out" by J. Cole seems like yet another song by the very talented producer and lyricist that hasn't gained much traction. He has deafening buzz in the hip hop community- I wonder when this guy's breakthrough will finally come.
Billboard Hot 100 Summary: Wins and Fails- 09/03/2011
#3- Lil Wayne feat. Drake- She Will
It's weird in this period of pop music that stars will release 4 singles prior to an album's release. The first two singles, 6 Foot 7 Foot and John were a bit too street for middle America, but performed decently anyway with peaks inside the top 10 and top 20. In contrast, third single, Detail-produced How to Love might be his softest, most blatant attempt at a radio hit. That's been a considerable success hovering in the middle of the top 10 for the past month or two. As we approach the release of The Carter IV Sunday night at midnight, the debut of "She Will" reminds me a lot of the chart performance of Gaga's "Edge of Glory". That song, as the 3rd buzz single from Born This Way, debuted at #3 just prior to the release of the album. Like Edge of Glory, She Will is probably going to slide down the charts for a few weeks until radio kicks in, prompting it back into the top 10. However, unless this song catches absolute fire, I think this most likely will be the song's peak position. While none of his singles have matched the success or catchiness of "Lollipop", this is setting up Weezy for another blockbuster.
#14 The Band Perry- If I Die Young
Just as Lady Antebellum paved the way 2 years ago with the 2-guys-1-girl formula with their breakout success "Need You Now", the country music industry saw a winning formula and signed another act with a very similar look and feel. "If I Die Young" has been hovering around the top 40 for some time now- it debuted on the Hot 100 back in late November, but is now crossing over to top 40/pop radio. Though LA would never play this, (they barely played "Need You Now") the song is catching fire everywhere else. I've seen this song show up on my facebook news feed multiple times over the past week as an indicator. Who knows if this will be as big as "Need You Now", but this whole 2-guys-1-girl thing is the new in thing with country crossovers. I will admit, there could be a lot worse songs crossing over to pop.
#35 Lady Gaga- You and I
This is probably the most obvious win of the week. With the release of her music video, Gaga's fourth single form "Born This Way" rockets from 96-35 in its 2nd real week of a chart run. As this was one of the top performing album tracks on iTunes when "Born This Way" was released, audience and fan reception seem to be extremely positive for this song. As it seems kind of like a homage to the style of Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp, Queen, 90's mainstream country/pop, it sounds completely different than anything else on house-hop obsessed top 40 radio, and I think people are ready for a change of pace as well. I'm really curious to see if country radio warms up to the song, as it definitely would fit in with the format. Her opening VMA performance will most likely contain some kind of rendition of this song- also a tactic that launched "Paparazzi" in 2009. If this plays out right, I can see this being a future #1 multi-format smash.
FAILS:
#32 Pitbull ft. Marc Anthony- Rain Over Me
I am proud to announce that I am 80% sure that Pitbull's third single from "Planet Pit" (ugh, given LA radio the title is probably accurate) won't achieve the status of "Give Me Everything" or even "Hey Baby (Drop it to the Floor)". Though it was climbing at a swift pace to #30, this week it drops to #32 without a bullet. That should hopefully indicate the peak position. What happened here? Is Marc Anthony simply too washed up for American artists and not as appealing of a feature? I respect the bold cause to try to relaunch his career, but maybe it's also because it's just not as strong of a song. For an album that was intentionally made so that every song could be made a radio single, we'll have to see what happens in the coming weeks and how fast RCA follows it up. However, I could be totally wrong about this. We'll see in the coming weeks. Any type of momentum Pitbull has- I want killed right now with the Kodak endorsements and everything.
#51 Lupe Fiasco ft. Trey Songz- Out of My Head
Possibly since late May or early April, Power 106 (LA's "hip hop" station) has been playing a super mediocre song with two completely indistinguishable voices. I found out about a month ago it was actually this song, and it made total sense. No rapper I can think of has descended so quickly in terms of quality, yet achieved that much more popular success. I listened to his first album, "Food & Liquor", maybe 100 times over, but he didn't achieve commercial success until the, again, mediocre "Superstar" made a decently sized dent in the charts. I am aware that record label politics came into play with the album this song is taken from, and that Lupe Fiasco really didn't want some of these singles released. "Out of My Head" barely scratched the #40 position before sliding down the charts. What I don't understand is why this song tests so well for LA radio- it's been on heavy rotation for months on all top 40 stations. Lupe Fiasco is a true talent, but one better served off of a major label. It's just a shame the quality of music vs. commerical appeal are like a see-saw rather than going hand in hand.
It's weird in this period of pop music that stars will release 4 singles prior to an album's release. The first two singles, 6 Foot 7 Foot and John were a bit too street for middle America, but performed decently anyway with peaks inside the top 10 and top 20. In contrast, third single, Detail-produced How to Love might be his softest, most blatant attempt at a radio hit. That's been a considerable success hovering in the middle of the top 10 for the past month or two. As we approach the release of The Carter IV Sunday night at midnight, the debut of "She Will" reminds me a lot of the chart performance of Gaga's "Edge of Glory". That song, as the 3rd buzz single from Born This Way, debuted at #3 just prior to the release of the album. Like Edge of Glory, She Will is probably going to slide down the charts for a few weeks until radio kicks in, prompting it back into the top 10. However, unless this song catches absolute fire, I think this most likely will be the song's peak position. While none of his singles have matched the success or catchiness of "Lollipop", this is setting up Weezy for another blockbuster.
#14 The Band Perry- If I Die Young
Just as Lady Antebellum paved the way 2 years ago with the 2-guys-1-girl formula with their breakout success "Need You Now", the country music industry saw a winning formula and signed another act with a very similar look and feel. "If I Die Young" has been hovering around the top 40 for some time now- it debuted on the Hot 100 back in late November, but is now crossing over to top 40/pop radio. Though LA would never play this, (they barely played "Need You Now") the song is catching fire everywhere else. I've seen this song show up on my facebook news feed multiple times over the past week as an indicator. Who knows if this will be as big as "Need You Now", but this whole 2-guys-1-girl thing is the new in thing with country crossovers. I will admit, there could be a lot worse songs crossing over to pop.
#35 Lady Gaga- You and I
This is probably the most obvious win of the week. With the release of her music video, Gaga's fourth single form "Born This Way" rockets from 96-35 in its 2nd real week of a chart run. As this was one of the top performing album tracks on iTunes when "Born This Way" was released, audience and fan reception seem to be extremely positive for this song. As it seems kind of like a homage to the style of Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp, Queen, 90's mainstream country/pop, it sounds completely different than anything else on house-hop obsessed top 40 radio, and I think people are ready for a change of pace as well. I'm really curious to see if country radio warms up to the song, as it definitely would fit in with the format. Her opening VMA performance will most likely contain some kind of rendition of this song- also a tactic that launched "Paparazzi" in 2009. If this plays out right, I can see this being a future #1 multi-format smash.
FAILS:
#32 Pitbull ft. Marc Anthony- Rain Over Me
I am proud to announce that I am 80% sure that Pitbull's third single from "Planet Pit" (ugh, given LA radio the title is probably accurate) won't achieve the status of "Give Me Everything" or even "Hey Baby (Drop it to the Floor)". Though it was climbing at a swift pace to #30, this week it drops to #32 without a bullet. That should hopefully indicate the peak position. What happened here? Is Marc Anthony simply too washed up for American artists and not as appealing of a feature? I respect the bold cause to try to relaunch his career, but maybe it's also because it's just not as strong of a song. For an album that was intentionally made so that every song could be made a radio single, we'll have to see what happens in the coming weeks and how fast RCA follows it up. However, I could be totally wrong about this. We'll see in the coming weeks. Any type of momentum Pitbull has- I want killed right now with the Kodak endorsements and everything.
#51 Lupe Fiasco ft. Trey Songz- Out of My Head
Possibly since late May or early April, Power 106 (LA's "hip hop" station) has been playing a super mediocre song with two completely indistinguishable voices. I found out about a month ago it was actually this song, and it made total sense. No rapper I can think of has descended so quickly in terms of quality, yet achieved that much more popular success. I listened to his first album, "Food & Liquor", maybe 100 times over, but he didn't achieve commercial success until the, again, mediocre "Superstar" made a decently sized dent in the charts. I am aware that record label politics came into play with the album this song is taken from, and that Lupe Fiasco really didn't want some of these singles released. "Out of My Head" barely scratched the #40 position before sliding down the charts. What I don't understand is why this song tests so well for LA radio- it's been on heavy rotation for months on all top 40 stations. Lupe Fiasco is a true talent, but one better served off of a major label. It's just a shame the quality of music vs. commerical appeal are like a see-saw rather than going hand in hand.
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