2 for 1 Hits

[K.]

What are some examples of pairs of songs where the latter piggy-backed off the success of the first?

[Linnethia Monique]

Mariah Carey - We Belong Together -> Shake It Off
P!nk - U + Ur Hand -> Who Knew

[Devil Marlena Nylund]

Katy Perry - California Gurls-all that followed
Roar- all that followed

[Joe1240]

Carly Rae Jepsen[Call Me Maybe-Good Time]
Taylor Swift[Love Story-You Belong With Me][On CHR/Pop][White Horse was never sent for adds on Pop]

[Deleted]

Ariana Grande - Problem -> Break Free

[Daniel Collins]

Sept 26, 2014 18:06:09 GMT -5 Devil Marlena Nylund said:

Katy Perry - California Gurls-all that followed
Roar- all that followed

[Daniel Collins]

Macklemore& Ryan Lewis -- Thrift Shop - Can't Hold Us
Lorde -- Royals - Team
Imagine Dragons -- Radioactive - Demons
Jason Derulo -- Talk Dirty - Wiggle
OneRepublic -- Counting Stars - Love Runs Out

[Fancy]

fancy and black widow.

[JOJO SIWA DERANGEMENT SYNDROME]

Sept 27, 2014 2:15:53 GMT -5 Daniel Collins said:

Sept 26, 2014 18:06:09 GMT -5 Devil Marlena Nylund said:

Katy Perry - California Gurls-all that followed
Roar- all that followed

"Unconditionally" underperformed considerably, but then "Dark Horse" overtook it, but then "Birthday" and "This Is How We Do" have underperformed. But chances are that those other 3 would have performed far worse had the prior ones "Roar" and "Dark Horse" not been as successful as they were.

[The Music Man]

Leona Lewis - "Bleeding Love" into "Better In Time"

[allow that]

Question, how are most of these "piggy back hits"? To me, most listed seem like a lead single and a second single. ???

[The Music Man]

I *think* the implication is that the second hit completely rode the momentum of its predecessor and likely wouldn't have been (as) successful without it.

[Flip]

For the hundredth time: if a Katy song doesn't reach number one, it doesn't mean it underperformed. Yeah, maybe if you compare it to a lot of her other hits..

[allow that]

Sept 27, 2014 14:42:51 GMT -5 The Music Man said:

I *think* the implication is that the second hit completely rode the momentum of its predecessor and likely wouldn't have been (as) successful without it.

Yeah that's what I thought too. That's why I'm confused by the inclusion of so many big-name artists who were bound to have hits regardless.

I think comeback cases are a better example. For instance, I doubt "Love At First Sight" would have been a US breakthrough hit for Kylie Minogue if "Can't Get You Out Of My Head" never happened. I don't know that Enrique Iglesias would have had such a huge comeback with "Tonight" had "I Like It" not paved the way first.

[Linnethia Monique]

Sept 27, 2014 14:45:48 GMT -5 allow that said:

Sept 27, 2014 14:42:51 GMT -5 The Music Man said:

I *think* the implication is that the second hit completely rode the momentum of its predecessor and likely wouldn't have been (as) successful without it.

Yeah that's what I thought too. That's why I'm confused by the inclusion of so many big-name artists who were bound to have hits regardless.

I think comeback cases are a better example. For instance, I doubt "Love At First Sight" would have been a US breakthrough hit for Kylie Minogue if "Can't Get You Out Of My Head" never happened. I don't know that Enrique Iglesias would have had such a huge comeback with "Tonight" had "I Like It" not paved the way first.

I chose my answers based on your examples. Shake It Off would not have been as huge as it was if it weren't for We Belong Together being the breakout hit it was. That song's success literally piggy-backed off and both rose and fell while the other was still a massive hit. With P!nk, Who Knew was a flop after Stupid Girl. Interest was lost for her until U + Ur Hand came along and revived her status on Pop Radio and caused them to re-release the track. Which garnered a much bigger success a second time around.

[The Music Man]

I definitely see the rationale for "Who Knew" and "Tonight." Neither probably would have hit without their predecessors' momentum (we know this for a fact with WK), but the difference between these two and some of the others is that WK and "Tonight" were strong enough follow-ups to merit their success. WK was arguably overlooked because it followed four straight Pink stiffs, and while I hated "Tonight," the public seemed to respond to it and it wasn't objectively inferior to "I Like It."

When I'm thinking 2-for-1 hits, I'm thinking of a follow-up hit that didn't nearly measure up to the first, but that first hit established the artist so strongly that it didn't matter. "Shake It Off" and "Love At First Sight" seem like perfect examples. Of course, this is all opinion.

Other examples I thought of:

50 Cent - "In Da Club" into "21 Questions." IDC was one of the biggest rap songs of all time. 21Q was pleasant enough, but pretty forgettable in its own right and surely hasn't stood the test of time.

Missy Elliot - "Work It" into "Gossip Folks." I loved it at the time, but looking back, GF was basically a mess of noise that I can't imagine having hit on its own. I'm pretty shocked it even hit after "Work It."

[johnm1120]

Most one-hit wonders who scored minor 2nd top 40 hits.

[Lahey's Lucky Star]

Here's one that transcends eras:
Jonas Brothers: "When You Look Me In The Eyes" ----> "Burnin' Up"

It wasn't until the bros got radio recognition with WYLMITE (It went top 20) that they were about to blow up with the lead single off of their third album.

[YourFaveIsAFlop]

Sept 26, 2014 17:33:19 GMT -5 Linnethia Monique said:

P!nk - U + Ur Hand -> Who Knew

This for sure. Who Knew initially went nowhere when it was released in 2006. It was only after U + Ur Hand blew up that they could release it and have it land in the Top 10.

[Deleted]

"Sweet Child O' Mine" piggybacking off "Welcome To The Jungle," for a few reasons.

WTTJ didn't explode until the video was released, and the release of "Sweet Child" was planned to capture the female fanbase GN'R needed to appeal to.

So I would argue without the success of WTTJ, Sweet Child would not have been a hit, since GN'R was not targeting the type of demographic SCOM attracted until WTTJ made them successful and they had to appeal to a more diverse audience to stick around.

[Glove Slap]

Sept 27, 2014 2:24:06 GMT -5 Fancy said:

fancy and black widow.

First thing to come to mind. Not to say that Black Widow is a weak single by any means, but I don't think it would be hitting this hard if there hadn't been the massive momentum and hype from Fancy and her resultant breakout. Like if this was Eve and Katy Perry, I don't think it'd be this successful. It's pretty much all Iggy too, considering that Rita still hasn't been able to score herself a US hit yet.

[iceman]

I think "Demons" would have been a big hit anyway.

[M1tchD]

Maroon 5 - "Daylight" and "Love Somebody" after "Payphone" and "One More Night."

[Deleted]

Sept 29, 2014 17:57:11 GMT -5 M1tchD said:

Maroon 5 - "Daylight" and "Love Somebody" after "Payphone" and "One More Night."

This doesn't really fit, though.

M5 has been smashing with their singles since MLJ, so it's not like they had a series of flops and starting smashing outta nowhere. Their success has been incredibly consistent for years now.

[irice22]

Including "One More Night" is crazy. That song was a crazy good seller. It also peaked higher than "Payphone."

[Deleted]

Sept 30, 2014 14:46:50 GMT -5 @billboardfan1 said:

I could be here all day with this, but here are several songs that fit into the category:
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis-Thrift Shop, Can't Hold Us, Same Love
Lorde-Royals, Team
City High-What Would You Do, (this group have been forgotten, but they were big back in the day and that second song piggybacked from their recent single's success)
Flo-Rida-Low, In The Ayer
Gym Class Heroes-Stereo Hearts, Ass Back Home
Taio Cruz-Break Your Heart, Dynamite (his 3rd single flopped and shortly disappeared after that)
Jay Sean-Down, Do You Remember
Jason Derulo-Whatcha Say, In My Head, Ridin' Solo
Soulja Boy-Kiss Me Thru The Phone, Turn My Swag On
T.I.-Whatcha Know, Why U Wanna
Ke$ha-Tik Tok, Blah Blah Blah (there's no way a song like "Blah Blah Blah" would've been a hit if it wasn't for "Tik Tok's" success, there's nothing good or memorable about it)
Sean Kingston-Beautiful Girls, Take You There
Kelly Clarkson-Since U Been Gone, her consecuent singles off that album
Bell Biv DeVoe-Poison, Do Me!
Color Me Badd-I Wanna Sex You Up, I Adore Mi Amor, All 4 Love
Kris Kross-Jump, Warm It Up
Arrested Development-Tennessee, Everyday People, Mr. Wendal
Santana-Smooth, Maria Maria
all of Flo Rida's singles from "Wild Ones"
Will Smith-Gettin' Jiggy Wit It, Just The Two Of Us
Rick Astley-Never Gonna Give You Up, Together Forever, all of his other top 10 hits after NGGYU were hits because of that song, but have all been forgotten, he's actually mistakenly regarded as a one-hit wonder
Ace Of Base-All That She Wants, Don't Turn Around, The Sign
Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam-Head To Toe, Lost In Emotion
New Kids On The Block-The Right Stuff, Hangin' Tough
Hunter Hayes-Wanted, I Want Crazy
Chris Brown-Look At Me Now, She Ain't You (LAMN was his major comeback single, and "She Ain't You" was only as big as it was because of it, and has been forgotten with time)
Big Sean-My Last, Dance A$$ (only reasonn DA was big was because of Big Sean's success from his previous single, and that Nicki Minaj was involved in the song
Jesse McCartney-Leavin', How Do You Sleep
Milli Vanilli-Girl You Know It's True, all of their singles that followed until they were caught for lypsinching which ruined their careers
C&C Music Factory-Gonna Make You Sweat, Here We Go (Let's Rock 'N Roll), they're virtually the same song and the latter was only big because of GMYS
Black Eyed Peas-I Gotta Feeling, Imma Be and Rock Your Body (the latter two singles wouldn't have been major hits if not for "I Gotta Feeling", and both songs have been forgotten as the years have gone by
Black Eyed Peas-Don't Phunk With My Heart, My Humps
Pussycat Dolls-Don't Cha, Stickwitu (the latter was only hit due to the success of their previous single, and has been all but forgotten about)
Shaggy-It Wasn't Me, Angel
R. Kelly-Ignition, Thoia Toing (there's wasn't much memorable about that song and wouldn't have been a hit if it wasn't "Ignition")
50 Cent-Candy Shop, Disco Inferno
Ciara-Goodies, 1,2 Step
Aloe Blacc-"The Man" wouldn't have been a hit if it wasn't for "Wake Me Up", and I doubt Aloe Blacc will have further success from here on out.
Jay-Z-Empire State Of Mind, Young Forever
PSY-Gangnam Style, Gentleman ("Gentleman" only reached #5 because it was piggybacking off GS' success)
LMFAO-Party Rock Anthem, Sexy and I Know It
Wiz Khalifa-Black and Yellow, Roll Up ("Roll Up" wouldn't have been a big hit if not for B&Y)
Bobby Brown-My Perogative, Every Little Step (while MP has had a lasting appeal, ELS has become dated, and only in 1989 would a song like that hit coming off the heels of "My Perogative's" massive success
Nelly Furtado-Promiscuous, Get It Right
Adele-Rolling In The Deep, the other singles released after from "21" (none of Adele's singles after "Rolling In The Deep" would have been as they were if it weren't for it's surprising massive success)
Pharrell Williams-"Happy" wouldn't have been as big as it was if it wasn't for "Get Lucky" and "Blurred Lines" success. Prior to that, Pharrell had pretty much become irrelevant at the start of the 2010's.

[Linnethia Monique]

Kelly Clarkson-Since U Been Gone, her consecuent singles off that album
No. Breakaway preceded these tracks and was a Top 10 hit so she was going into the era with a nice sized hit.
Big Sean-My Last, Dance A$$ (only reasonn DA was big was because of Big Sean's success from his previous single, and that Nicki Minaj was involved in the song)
No again. Marvin & Chardonnay actually came after My Last and its success was on the same level (lower Top 40). Dance (A$$) peaked higher than both by entering the Top 10 of the Hot 100.
Nelly Furtado-Promiscuous, Get It Right
No. Maneater reaching Top 20 in the US is a better example.