This topic is kind of hilarious - the horrible Jessica Simpson talks about this at length in her trash book. She basically blamed her relative lack of pop success on coming in last after Britney and Christina, and no matter how hard Sony pushed her, nothing she ever did could compete with those two in the early 00's. 

 

Who knew back in 2000 it would be Beyonce that would the one to emerge as the pop culture icon that can still have relevant success (though she's morphed from a singles artist to an albums artist in her career)? 

Speaking of tricks to game the system:

 

 

Yes! Those are great steps!  Now get rid of the remix tactic where every remix is added together with the original. 

 

Hopefully this will mean there won't be anymore of these one-week-wonders that fall out of the top 10 the next week.

 

 

https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/9417842/billboard-new-chart-rules-no-more-merch-ticket-bundles

 

Quote

Beginning this fall, all albums bundled with either merchandise or concert tickets must be promoted as an add-on to those purchases in order to be counted on the charts. Those included as part of a baked-in, single-price option (along with the merchandise or ticket), with the album cost undisclosed to the consumer, will no longer be counted. It is Billboard’s belief that the resulting charts will more accurately reflect consumer choice.

 

In addition, Billboard will no longer allow sales of physical albums or singles that are bundled with digital downloads to be reported as digital sales, thereby eliminating the practice of “spontaneous” non-manufactured items being used to influence first-week chart rankings. Under the new rules, only when the physical item -- ostensibly what the consumer is buying -- is shipped will it be counted in Billboard’s official tallies.

 

The practice of selling vinyl, CDs and other physical releases that won’t be manufactured and shipped to consumers for weeks or months -- while offering a digital download that can be redeemed instantly -- has become widespread as of late, with artists including Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande and 6ix9ine all recently using the tactic to boost their chart positions. The latest rule changes will render that tactic ineffectual.

 

LOL at Billboard actually naming Bieber, Ariana and 6ix9ine.  🤣

A Juice WRLD (RIP) invasion on the Billboard charts this week:

 

 

Grain of salt given what we’ve already spoken about (comparing artists from different eras, as Billboard and technology move the goalposts), but...

 

 

And they come with “features” on other people’s records:

 

 

 

 

 

Trump just said he's banning TikTok.  Let's see if/when this affects the charts.......until the next TikTok like app is created. 

 

 

 

Awesome for Taylor.      And congrats to Aaron Dessner.  It's always cool getting your first #1. 

 

So I wanted to compare the numbers with Taylor's "ME!" and "You Need To Calm Down" to "Cardigan" because those two songs hit #2 and were blocked from the #1 spot by one of the biggest songs of the decade, "Old Town Road."    "Cardigan" had less numbers than "ME!" and "YNTCD" but it was able to get #1. 

 

U.S. Streams

Cardigan: 1) 34 million | Rockstar: 3) 32.9 million

ME!: 2) 50.7 million | Old Town Road: 1) 104 million

YNTCD: 3) 39 million | Old Town Road: 1) 91.6 million

 

 

 

Downloads Sold

Cardigan: 1) 71,000 | Rockstar: 7) 10,000

ME!: 1) 193,000 | Old Town Road: 2) 78,000

YNTCD: 1) 79,000 | Old Town Road: 2) 59,000

 

 

 

Radio Airplay

Cardigan: 12.7 million | Rockstar: 2) 67.9 million

ME!: 13) 54.1 million | Old Town Road: 6) 67.7 million

YNTCD: 50) 24.2 million | Old Town Road: 3) 95.8 million

 

 

The streaming numbers for "Cardigan" and "Rockstar" were pretty close, so it looks like the number of downloads was how "Cardigan" got #1.   To think if Taylor started the Lover Era, like her previous eras, in the summer, I think "ME!" would've gone to #1.  And then "YNTCD" also would've gone to #1 in late fall.   To go even further, if she didn't release "Ready For It" two weeks after "Look What You Made Me Do," I think "Ready For It" would've hit #1 when the video was released in October - I believe the song peaked at #4.   To me, those three were Taylor's missed opportunities at getting #1 songs.   But hindsight is 20/20.  LOL

Taylor Swift is the 10th female solo artist to reach 6 #1s on the Billboard Hot 100. The top 10 female solo artists in terms of #1s on the Billboard Hot 100 are Mariah Carey (19), Rihanna (14), Madonna (12), Whitney Houston (11), Janet Jackson (10), Katy Perry (9), Beyoncé (7), Diana Ross (6), Paula Abdul (6), Taylor Swift (6).

 

This one surprised me......but I can't think of (a big artist) debuting a song and album at the same time.  Are there any other examples of this?   And does the debut song have to be the first single or it can be the second or third single (etc) just as long as it debuts at the same time as the album? 

 

 

Has there been any other instances where someone replaced their ex at #1? LOL   I respect Watermelon Sugar's slow burn rise to #1.  👏

Looks like Wet Ass P-word is on track for a commanding No. 1 debut, which would be Cardi’s 4th chart-topper. 
 

 

Edited August 16, 20205 yr by Faulkner