Are there hits any more? An article by Bob Lefsetz

[CTListener]

Drake recently getting nine out of ten and now Taylor getting all of the Billboard top ten proves that there really aren't true mass Appeal hits anymore like there used to be and that Billboard is a very flawed source in how they compile their charts. I know the games of the past, this is a completely different level.
Even if you don't like Country, Morgan Wallen and Chris Stapleton are two of the most talented musicians making the best music currently.
Wallen using the N word was disturbing and there's no defense for it, regardless if it wasn't in a hateful context.
It matters that the grandfather and creator of Great Society politics that remains the game plan of the Democrat party to this day spewed the N word in a hateful context to get a Senator of great power, Robert Byrd, a klan grand keagle, on board with this divide and conquer plan to own votes of African Americans, is hailed as a hero today and viewed almost Jesusesque, derails the calls to censor and punish Wallen from those hypocrites who see racism as a tool to yield power.

Agree fully on Wallen, but the right-wing spew on old whipping boy Byrd is unnecessary.

 

[CTListener]

I don't know what their methodology is, but it clearly favors streaming as its primary source, and that makes it susceptible to this kind of situation where a passionate fan base takes over the chart. If such a thing were to happen in airplay charts, such as all of the iHeart stations controlling the Top 10, there would be calls for investigations and changes in methodology. But so far, everyone seems to accept this as the new normal. I think it makes Billboard less credible, as you say. We need a better way to measure a hit.

Like what? Streaming has become the main way people under a certain age consume music, and that age is creeping upward constantly as older music consumers become more comfortable with the technology and stores selling physical product disappear.

 

[Daryl Lynn L.A.]

I predict substitution of "stuff." There's no rhyme to be concerned about ruining at that point in the song. The lyrics also contain "damn" ("I'm still your only damn son.") but that word has been OK on radio for at least five decades. ("Someday Soon" -- Judy Collins)

It will be interesting to see if Morgan again helps deny Luke Combs a No. 1. Luke's "Going, Going, Gone" went to radio only two weeks ago. To be honest, these are two songs that aren't likely to burn out on me. I look forward to hearing both frequently well into 2023.

On "Thought You Should Know", a background electric guitar plays very ethereal, almost wistful high notes, sounding faintly like chimes in the wind. It's a nice arrangement. I'm wondering if that's Tyler Tomlinson, who often backs up Wallen.

 

[TheBigA]

Like what? Streaming has become the main way people under a certain age consume music, and that age is creeping upward constantly as older music consumers become more comfortable with the technology and stores selling physical product disappear.

I understand all that, but people stream the way they might listen to an album. Taylor releases a new album, and her fans want to hear the whole thing. Of course! That's a credit to the album. But then count that as one thing instead of 10 individual songs. Just as in the airplay charts, if one radio group submits the same playlist for all of it's stations, it counts as one playlist. I think that's a practical solution, and makes the chart more reflective of reality.

 

[CTListener]

On "Thought You Should Know", a background electric guitar plays very ethereal, almost wistful high notes, sounding faintly like chimes in the wind. It's a nice arrangement. I'm wondering if that's Tyler Tomlinson, who often backs up Wallen.

I don't have the album, but Wikipedia (usual caveat here) lists the primary electric guitarist on "Dangerous" as Tom Bukovac, with Joey Moi (Morgan's producer) listed as also playing guitar further down the lineup, and at the very end, Derek Wells is shown as playing accordion and electric guitar. Tomlinson apparently didn't play on the album at all. Who played the electric guitar on which track, I don't know.

 

[CTListener]

I understand all that, but people stream the way they might listen to an album. Taylor releases a new album, and her fans want to hear the whole thing. Of course! That's a credit to the album. But then count that as one thing instead of 10 individual songs. Just as in the airplay charts, if one radio group submits the same playlist for all of it's stations, it counts as one playlist. I think that's a practical solution, and makes the chart more reflective of reality.

OK, speaking strictly for myself, a heavy Spotify and YouTube streamer of new country music, the way I usually wind up listening is getting to know the whole album at one sitting, then returning to certain songs regularly for weeks afterward. I'm currently doing that with the new Lainey Wilson and did it a few weeks ago with the new John Pardi. I even gave the new Mitchell Tenpenny a listen because I liked "Truth About You," but found that the only other song I liked was "We Got History," and that's pretty much the only one I've been listening to since -- and now I've heard that's going to be the next single, so I guess I've got a pretty good commercial ear for an amateur.
So are you suggesting that my listening to the Tenpenny album be counted only as listening to the whole album, when what I'm actually doing is listening to one song a lot and virtually ignoring the others?

 

[TheBigA]

So are you suggesting that my listening to the Tenpenny album be counted only as listening to the whole album, when what I'm actually doing is listening to one song a lot and virtually ignoring the others?

I don't know how to handle this. It's up to the chart editors at Billboard to figure it out. But if they don't, this is likely to happen more often because fans want their favorite artist to win, and they think they've figured out how to manipulate the chart.

 

[Daryl Lynn L.A.]

I don't have the album, but Wikipedia (usual caveat here) lists the primary electric guitarist on "Dangerous" as Tom Bukovac, with Joey Moi (Morgan's producer) listed as also playing guitar further down the lineup, and at the very end, Derek Wells is shown as playing accordion and electric guitar. Tomlinson apparently didn't play on the album at all. Who played the electric guitar on which track, I don't know.

Thank you for your reply ! I should have checked Wikipeda. They're usually a pretty good source ( with a caveat, as you say).

 

[Kelly A]

Heard an interesting factoid this morning on the way into work: Taylor Swift holds 19 of the top 40 slots in Billboard this week. This is the first time such a thing has happened since the Beatles.
You know things have changed in the music industry when Taylor Swift matches the Beatles for something...

 

[TheBigA]

You know things have changed in the music industry when Taylor Swift matches the Beatles for something...

I think what we're saying is the chart methodology is different now, affected by streaming, which is different from sales.

 

[Marcos_C]

I guess she did!

Looking at the Billboard Hot 100, I see that "Unholy," last week's number one, has been pushed back to number 11. Honestly, I did not expect the Sam Smith/Kim Petras song to drop so many places this week. Also, Taylor has 18 songs in the top 40. She continues to amaze us.

 

[TheBigA]

There's more to the Taylor Swift story. In addition to streaming, there was a broadcast radio element to the push:

With A Big Push At Radio, Taylor Manages A Swift Takeover Of Billboard's Hot 100.

With the help of radio, Taylor Swift became the first artist in the history of Billboard's Hot 100 chart to monopolize positions 1 through 10, with songs from her new

www.insideradio.com

“We’re used to streaming putting every song from a superstar release on the charts, but it’s important to flag this as the first time that radio also supported multiple cuts, not just a few,” Ross says. “That’s a big change from eight years ago when radio didn’t even play 'Blank Space' until it was announced as the second single, or support anything from [the] '1989' [album] except 'Shake It Off' in the first days.

 

[DOB]

Agree fully on Wallen, but the right-wing spew on old whipping boy Byrd is unnecessary.

Facts and truth are not right wing, and the double standard applied at all metrics by the morally void, is necessary for all good and decent people to be aware of. If you didn't know the historical truth I posted, you might be fooled into thinking they have good and honest intentions.
For me, if I found myself taking issue with the truth and facts, that would be a big red flag for me.

 

[CTListener]

Facts and truth are not right wing, and the double standard applied at all metrics by the morally void, is necessary for all good and decent people to be aware of. If you didn't know the historical truth I posted, you might be fooled into thinking they have good and honest intentions.
For me, if I found myself taking issue with the truth and facts, that would be a big red flag for me.

I know what Byrd was, and what he became. Reagan was pro-union ... until he wasn't.

 

[davideduardo]

I know what Byrd was, and what he became. Reagan was pro-union ... until he wasn't.

Just as Obama seems downright conservative compared to the Democrat position of many today, the 50's and 60's were a period where politicians modified or changed attitudes rather rapidly. The change between Truman and Kennedy illustrates the beginning of that new trend; while FDR had been focused on economics, Kennedy and the new Democrats were focused on a social agenda. We are seeing as large a change today.

 

[DOB]

I hope one day again soon that there is an Obama 2010 option on the ballot. At the very least, the Dem and Rep choices in PA are equal distance away from that. I think we all are honest enough to admit Oz is closer, but I will make concessions for us to get along and focus on productive compromises to move forward from the divisiveness that is quite stale and boring.
It's shameful that an Oz had to kiss the ring to win the primary,

 

[davideduardo]

It's shameful that an Oz had to kiss the ring to win the primary,

Just remember the rings JFK had to kiss to get his equal rights programs through. And even then, the Kennedy's had to use legal resources to push some things into the deep South.

 

[boombox4]

Heard an interesting factoid this morning on the way into work: Taylor Swift holds 19 of the top 40 slots in Billboard this week. This is the first time such a thing has happened since the Beatles.
You know things have changed in the music industry when Taylor Swift matches the Beatles for something...

True enough.... Although she is indeed a superstar, just as the Beatles were superstars.

What's more telling is that even with her superstar status, she still only holds 19% of the Hot 100, when just last week a relative unknown rapper named Lil Baby had 22% of the Hot 100. Of course, as Taylor has the upper half of the Hot 100 conquered, Lil Baby still has a ways to go to overtake her feat of greatness.

 

[boombox4]

I think what we're saying is the chart methodology is different now, affected by streaming, which is different from sales.

That started in mid-decade, in the 2010's. Sales really don't count for much now, according to the RIAA. The dominant method of music consumption is streaming, and it has been the dominant method for over seven years. Streaming overtook music sales in 2015. Last year streaming accounted for over 83% of music revenues and music consumption (caveat -- the RIAA doesn't count broadcast listening as 'consumption', only the method through which music creates revenues -- physical sales, downloads, streaming, etc.). This year streaming's share is undoubtedly higher than 83%.

So, naturally, it has to affect the charts. It's why they appear more volatile.

 

[DOB]

Just remember the rings JFK had to kiss to get his equal rights programs through. And even then, the Kennedy's had to use legal resources to push some things into the deep South.

I think JFK had true good intentions, my god today he would be labeled as Maga on steroids.
LBJ knew he had to continue the civil rights legacy, and what he manipulated as the great society is the greatest evil of the last 100 years.
People died to gain the right to vote, a vote that is now property of a political party.
I'm not a fan of DJT, but I understand that he is a reaction, but you don't get to claim you are better when you embrace the same evil as the other side.