Wondering why Rihanna's Cal. King Bed flopped

[BRH]

Just wondering. Am I the only person who thought California King Bed was an awesome song from Rihanna? Any thoughts on why it flopped and was replaced by the more mediocre "Cheers" so quickly? Are we at a point where ballads just can't make it at CHR now? Don't get me wrong, I usually love and prefer uptempo stuff, but I thought the Rihanna and Beyonce songs were a neat break and sounded different. Maybe it was just because it was released in mid summer (bad time for a ballad)? Who knows? Anyway just wondering.

Oh, and speaking of current songs chart positions; why all the love for "Moves like Jagger" by Maroon 5? Man, I loathe this one and don't get it's popularity at all. As far as other recent songs that flopped; I also would have loved to have seen "Save me San Francisco" by Train do better. Granted, it leaned adult, but it was different and cool. Anyway, just some random thoughts on recent singles.

 

[CHRles]

"California King Bed" is a nice song. It prolly didn't do as well as expected b/c it was competing with so many other strong Pop records, and CHR radio LOVES mass-appeal UPTEMPO ones.
One my personal favorite songs of the year is Rihanna's "Man Down"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEhy-RXkNo0&ob=av2e

While it hasn't received much airplay States-side on CHR/Pop radio, the song is all the rage in some places abroad.
It's goes to number one in France, Top 5 in the Netherlands and Belgium, Top 10 in Switzerland, and receives massive airplay in places like Greece and Romania.

With regards to Beyonce's last couple of releases, they were pretty weak, imo.

I'm very happy to see "Move Like Jagger" do so well. It sounds much more fresh and relevant for CHR than Maroon 5's recent releases (which were great for Hot AC).
"Moves Like Jagger" is just a feel-good pure Pop song through and through.

 

[atlantaboy]

"California King Bed" is a nice song. It prolly didn't do as well as expected b/c it was competing with so many other strong Pop records, and CHR radio LOVES mass-appeal UPTEMPO ones.

It had nothing to do with the fact that it wasn't uptempo (Perfect by Pink had no problem hitting #1) - it just got poor callout/low sales from the time it was released

And BTW agree with BRH that Moves Like Jagger is terrible - if Adam Levine hadn't been on The Voice, how many stations would be playing it, and how many people would be downloading it?

 

[CHRles]

"F*cking Perfect" had a few things going for it - the edgy lyrics in the chorus, a chorus that sounded a bit like Taio Cruz's "Dynamite", and the song was a bit more midtempo than "California king Bed".

At least those are the main differences I can spot.

"Moves Like Jagger" is getting a lot of CHR airplay abroad in countries that don't air America's version of The Voice so I think CHR radio would still be playing it. It's also got a catchy whistle, AND the Christina Aguilera part that helps take it to the next level.

 

[MattHollidaye OnAir]

In regards to "Man Down", it's receiving moderate play on the Urban charts (WJLB plays it from time to time, mainly in the overnigt hours but sometimes during mid-day from what I noticed), and I heard it on some mixshows on WKQI (mainly from DJ Whip on Friday nights), so maybe within the next couple of weeks (I'm hoping) it'll start to get some spins on the CHR side of things.

As for "California King Bed"....that's also more of an Urban release IMO, but part of the reason why it's not charting well is because of her other single "Cheers (Drink to That)" testing better than "California King Bed". It has something to do with the timing of the release; at least here, it almost seemed as if one week CKB came out, and then almost immediately Cheers was released. As soon as the latter came out, the former was thrown to the side as if it was nevr released as a single to begin with.

Personally speaking, California King Bed should've got more airplay before Cheers came to the picture (so far, to my knowledge, WDTW-FM was the only station playing it, in moderation if at all). But it's a case of one getting more pushed than the other....

 

[carolinaradio]

I despise "Cheers". She doesn't sound too thrilled about the weekend, IMO...CA King was much better.

I don't like "Moves Like Jagger", either....enough with the Mick Jagger references already. Be more original! I like the song "Stereo Hearts" that Adam Levine is featured in much more.

 

[atlantaboy]

"F*cking Perfect" had a few things going for it - the edgy lyrics in the chorus, a chorus that sounded a bit like Taio Cruz's "Dynamite", and the song was a bit more midtempo than "California king Bed".

At least those are the main differences I can spot.

F***In Perfect had lyrics that people could relate to - I'm not sure "California King Bed" was a phrase most people even knew

I don't think it had anything to do with the speed of the song, sounding like Taio Cruz (lol :), or "edgy lyrics" (since the radio version didn't have "edgy lyrics" at all)

 

[Jay F]

I would consider myself a Rihanna fan. I thought "California King Bed" was one of her most boring songs ever, glad to see it flop. "Cheers" on the other hand is exciting and fun. I like the Yeah-e-Yeah sound she makes.

 

[MattHollidaye OnAir]

I despise "Cheers". She doesn't sound too thrilled about the weekend, IMO...

She probably was already drunk when she recorded that part lol

 

[jsu5381m]

At first I thought the song was California Caveman.

 

[CHRles]

sounding like Taio Cruz (lol :)

Just compare the part of
"Like you're less than, less than perfect"

To
"Saying eh-oh , gotta let go"

It's the same "f*ckin" sound, and it's dynamite

 

[tophour]

I like the Yeah-e-Yeah sound she makes.

Except that she doesn't; it's an Avril Lavigne sample.

Cali King was a weak record that never tested. In fact, most Rihanna ballads don't test, with the exception of Unfaithful, which worked for a short time before the bottom fell out. It's just not the strongest club in her bag.

 

[atlantaboy]

sounding like Taio Cruz (lol :)

Just compare the part of
"Like you're less than, less than perfect"

To
"Saying eh-oh , gotta let go"

It's the same "f*ckin" sound, and it's dynamite

Oh yeah - it's a pretty big stretch though to attribute that to the song's success

 

[Martin Mac]

So I'm guessing Take A Bow was a MASSIVE exception.

 

[the golden boy]

I'm not really a fan of any of Rihanna's ballads. She should stick with uptempo music, and even then, it's hit and miss with me.

 

[Jay F]

I like the Yeah-e-Yeah sound she makes.

Except that she doesn't; it's an Avril Lavigne sample.

Cali King was a weak record that never tested. In fact, most Rihanna ballads don't test, with the exception of Unfaithful, which worked for a short time before the bottom fell out. It's just not the strongest club in her bag.

OK now I can totally hear that it's Avril, that sample is what makes the song. But I also like the lyrics and fun vibe of the song. I don't drink very often myself but have always been attracted to party girls who go out drinking and have fun. I'm glad this song celebrates this behavior.

 

[wdb2003]

In regards to "Man Down", it's receiving moderate play on the Urban charts (WJLB plays it from time to time, mainly in the overnigt hours but sometimes during mid-day from what I noticed), and I heard it on some mixshows on WKQI (mainly from DJ Whip on Friday nights), so maybe within the next couple of weeks (I'm hoping) it'll start to get some spins on the CHR side of things.

As for "California King Bed"....that's also more of an Urban release IMO, but part of the reason why it's not charting well is because of her other single "Cheers (Drink to That)" testing better than "California King Bed". It has something to do with the timing of the release; at least here, it almost seemed as if one week CKB came out, and then almost immediately Cheers was released. As soon as the latter came out, the former was thrown to the side as if it was nevr released as a single to begin with.

Personally speaking, California King Bed should've got more airplay before Cheers came to the picture (so far, to my knowledge, WDTW-FM was the only station playing it, in moderation if at all). But it's a case of one getting more pushed than the other....

KJLH here in Los Angeles plays Man Down once in a while. So California Dreams flopped just like Shut Up And Drive and Rehab.

 

[radiolives]

Another song that Rihanna had that I thought was good but was hardly ever played was "Russian Roulette"

 

[atlantaboy]

In regards to "Man Down", it's receiving moderate play on the Urban charts (WJLB plays it from time to time, mainly in the overnigt hours but sometimes during mid-day from what I noticed), and I heard it on some mixshows on WKQI (mainly from DJ Whip on Friday nights), so maybe within the next couple of weeks (I'm hoping) it'll start to get some spins on the CHR side of things.

As for "California King Bed"....that's also more of an Urban release IMO, but part of the reason why it's not charting well is because of her other single "Cheers (Drink to That)" testing better than "California King Bed". It has something to do with the timing of the release; at least here, it almost seemed as if one week CKB came out, and then almost immediately Cheers was released. As soon as the latter came out, the former was thrown to the side as if it was nevr released as a single to begin with.

Personally speaking, California King Bed should've got more airplay before Cheers came to the picture (so far, to my knowledge, WDTW-FM was the only station playing it, in moderation if at all). But it's a case of one getting more pushed than the other....

Not sure how you can say that man - California King Bed was limping up the charts for a couple months, and they didn't release Cheers until CKB started to drop in airplay

 

[Adam Rivers]

Just wondering. Am I the only person who thought California King Bed was an awesome song from Rihanna? Any thoughts on why it flopped and was replaced by the more mediocre "Cheers" so quickly? Are we at a point where ballads just can't make it at CHR now? Don't get me wrong, I usually love and prefer uptempo stuff, but I thought the Rihanna and Beyonce songs were a neat break and sounded different. Maybe it was just because it was released in mid summer (bad time for a ballad)? Who knows? Anyway just wondering.

Oh, and speaking of current songs chart positions; why all the love for "Moves like Jagger" by Maroon 5? Man, I loathe this one and don't get it's popularity at all. As far as other recent songs that flopped; I also would have loved to have seen "Save me San Francisco" by Train do better. Granted, it leaned adult, but it was different and cool. Anyway, just some random thoughts on recent singles.

California King Bed - boring, nothing really to hook you into it and get a lot of favorite reaction from the demographic