Just The Way You Are- Bruno Mars

[jmason]

I can't seem to find a thread for this song. Is there one?

There is a long thread in the HOT AC section about the changes in HOT AC music. Well I think this song's current chart run is a perfect example of the changes the AC format is going through.

I do like this song, and feel it is AC appropriate, however the fact that it looks like it will be the #1 song next week is killing me.

I feel the AC format is becoming dominated by HOT AC leaning stations. Right now Bruno and Katy are the only artist in the top 10 not losing more than 400 spins. Bruno losing -235, and Katy losing -189. Meanwhile on down the list songs like 'I Like It', 'Dynamite', and 'Animal' are barely losing spins because there being played by non-AC stations.
As it is, the days when a song needs to be played by the majority of a format's stations seems to be disappearing. I understand that Christmas is affect things now. But even before this, songs like 'California Girls' would reach the top 10 with 40 stations playing while 'I Never Told You' was on 70 stations and struggling to break the top 10.
That drives me crazy, IMO a song being played on less than half of a formats stations should not be higher than songs played on far more stations.

In due time I would be fine with 'Just The Way You Are' on top, but this just seems like cheating.

[jdanton2]

it is now #1 at AC which should be official this week. it also has the full panel which it did not have in its earlier climb before Christmas . Just The Way You Are previously hit #1 at Pop and Hot AC and #4 at Rhythmic. not many songs have had this happen in recent years.


3 1 BRUNO MARS Just The Way You Are 1841 1651 190 14.835

[Rose "Payola" Nylund]

The change is inevitable as the listeners age. The listeners to Hot AC in the mid 90s have gotten 15 years older and don't like the change that Hot AC has moved on to so they move on to AC and in turn, AC is catering to them, ie. becoming the Hot AC of the 90s. That's why Hot AC is moving toward the Pop of the 90s. Because they don't like where Pop has turned. So the natural progression of radio listeners would go:

Youth: CHR/Pop
10 years later: Hot AC
10 years later: AC

I feel that that results in a loss of airplay for artists that were big on AC 10-15 years ago. Unless there's a new format for them but maybe people that listened to AC ten years ago are no longer listeners to radio anyway for various reasons, or listen to stations purely dedicated to classic music.
I just think the progression in the formats is natural. There'll probably be new formats down the road anyway as music continues to evolve for the radio. It seems, though, that CHR/Pop is the determining force for what other formats are forced to do. It's like the starting format while the others are the maturing formats.

[atlantaboy]

Jan 23, 2011 10:28:48 GMT -5 Rose "Payola" Nylund said:

. So the natural progression of radio listeners would go:

Youth: CHR/Pop
10 years later: Hot AC
10 years later: AC

It's weird, cause I can't see myself ever listening to AC, just cause I'm too much into new music, and to me it's boring to listen to a station that basically just plays songs that used to be popular - I'm also not a big fan of sitting and listening only to songs that are considered "soft"

[Rose "Payola" Nylund]

I don't like to limit my music listening either. I think the people that listen to AC, do it because they like the familiarity but also the comfort of what they grew up with. That's why songs take so long to catch on to AC, because they were already hits elsewhere first. It's not overly common for a song to be an AC hit before being known anywhere else unless it's a cover or by an established artist who's known on AC.

For me, personally, even listening to a Rock or Triple A or Rhythmic station would also be too limiting. And Hot AC in the early part of the last decade was almost too limiting. I like the variety that CHR/Pop and Hot AC (present) brings. Although even then, Pop plays a lot of the same stuff and the overplay would kill me. If I had to place my music listening into a radio format, it would be a VERY wide-ranging Hot AC station. Primarily I play Triple-A-leaning Hot AC music but plenty of Pop/Dance/Electropop and rap to even it out.
I think because I used to listen to and enjoy what CHR/Pop was in the late 90s, it's natural for people like me to move on to what Hot AC is today. A slight mention of rap songs, lots of pop and lots of light rock stuff. Because that's what CHR was back then.
I also can't see myself ever listening to AC but then again, AC in ten years time (if it's still around) will likely be different than it is now.

[tico]

Here's an article about the ever-changing AC format

[jdanton2]

still with a big lead at #1 . it's audience numbers are even more amazing . it has lead there for several weeks before it reached #1 in spins. :o


1 1 BRUNO MARS Just The Way You Are 2172 2030 142 16.308
4 2 DAUGHTRY September 1755 1591 164 10.99

[jdanton2]

on it's 16th week at #1 at Billboard and Mediabase . probably it's last week as Katy Perry and Firework is getting close. a really nice run though. for this great song.

[johnm1120]

If other AC stations like mine did their women's weekend this week, Katy should easily lose the top spot this week since he'd get no play for 3 days.

[esoteric76]

Not to be negative, but I wish this song would just stop getting played already. I'm developing quite an aversion to it from the overplaying!

[jdanton2]

it got it's 18th week at #1 on Mediabase though it lost it on Billboard last week . the audience is gaining over Katy again .


1 1 BRUNO MARS Just The Way You Are 1982 1957 25 17.107
2 2 KATY PERRY Firework 1821 1859 -38 12.96

[jdanton2]

20th week at #1 at Mediabase . not sure the record there but on Billboard the record is 28 weeks with Drift Away by Uncle Kracker and Dobie Gray .so far this is at 18 weeks at Billboard not counting the chart when it comes out tomorrow which could give it 19 weeks there.


1 1 BRUNO MARS Just The Way You Are 1908 1897 11 15.832

[Lozzy]

OMG, this is still #1? Wow.

[johnm1120]

I think its days are numbered because Adele is showing no signs of slowing down at this point.

[esoteric76]

I seriously think I may hate this song now. I need to play Billy Joel's Just The Way You Are to clean my brain.

[jdanton2]

Bruno has set a record on AC for longest #1 debut single in almost 50 years. congrats Bruno. :o


www.billboard.com/column/chartbeat/way-to-go-bruno-mars-scores-longest-leading-1005228952.story#/column/chartbeat/way-to-go-bruno-mars-scores-longest-leading-1005228952.story

'Way' To Go: Bruno Mars Scores Longest-Leading Debut Adult Contemporary Hit
by Gary Trust | June 13, 2011 1:05 EDT



With a 20th week at No. 1 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart, Bruno Mars' "Just the Way You Are" becomes the longest-reigning debut single in the list's almost 50-year history.

The song bests the career-opening commands of Colbie Caillat's "Bubbly" (2008) and Daniel Powter's "Bad Day" (2006), each of which spent 19 weeks at No. 1.

("Way" marks Mars' debut song as a lead artist and his first to reach the Adult Contemporary chart. He previously charted on the Billboard Hot 100 as a featured vocalist on B.o.B's "Nothin' on You" (No. 1, two weeks) and Travie McCoy's "Billionaire" (No. 4) last year).



Here is a look at the longest-leading debut singles since the AC survey launched the week of July 17, 1961:

Weeks at No. 1, Title, Artist, Year(s)
20 weeks, "Just the Way You Are," Bruno Mars, 2011
19 weeks, "Bubbly," Colbie Caillat, 2008
19 weeks, "Bad Day," Daniel Powter, 2006
18 weeks, "Lonely No More," Rob Thomas, 2005-06
18 weeks, "Heaven," Los Lonely Boys, 2004-05

Before it reached the AC summit the week of Feb. 5, "Way" led Radio Songs (seven weeks), Adult Pop Songs (five), the Hot 100 (four), Pop Songs (three) and Digital Songs (two).

As "Way" makes AC chart history, follow-up "Grenade" bullets at No. 11 (after topping the Hot 100 for four weeks) and latest single "The Lazy Song" debuts at No. 30 (a week after reaching No. 4 on the Hot 100).

Mars' debut album "Doo-Wops & Hooligans" debuted on the Billboard 200 at No. 3 the week of Oct. 23, 2010, and has spent its first 35 weeks in the chart's top 40. The set has sold 1.1 million copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

[esoteric76]

^ I didn't see that you posted this, so I made mention of it on the other thread.

Oh how I can't get over this song's longevity. It makes me nauseous.

[johnm1120]

And Grenade has yet to cut into that lead (and now The Lazy Song will debut this week).

[esoteric76]

AC is like Bruno Mars 24/7. Enough already!

[jdanton2]

22nd week at #1 on Mediabase. :o Adele is getting closer and this could be its last week. Grenade has not had the success of this . not sure The Lazy song will either . if Marry You is released next i would guess that would end up being Bruno's 2nd biggest hit at AC.


1 1 BRUNO MARS Just The Way You Are 1940 1900 40 17.15
3 2 ADELE Rolling In The Deep 1891 1713 178 15.617





Bruno has a big lead for the year so far . not sure if anything can pass it . Adele has a long way to go if she gets a good run at #1 which will probably happen.


January 2011 through June, 2011
Rank Artist Title Total Spins Jun May Apr Mar Feb Jan
1 BRUNO MARS Just The Way You Are 47,647 4,702 8,540 8,772 9,406 8,566 7,661
2 DAUGHTRY September 35,251 2,926 5,507 6,160 7,242 6,705 6,711
3 THE SCRIPT Breakeven 33,458 2,342 4,927 5,587 6,724 6,500 7,378
4 TRAIN Hey, Soul Sister 31,396 2,290 4,672 4,888 5,802 6,113 7,631
5 TAYLOR SWIFT Mine 29,616 2,227 4,801 5,177 5,698 5,412 6,301
6 LADY ANTEBELLUM Need You Now 29,314 2,577 4,608 4,753 5,636 5,316 6,424
7 KATY PERRY Firework 28,339 4,269 7,988 7,106 5,671 2,612 693
8 UNCLE KRACKER Smile 24,925 1,899 3,967 4,205 4,465 4,441 5,948
9 TRAIN Marry Me 24,905 2,865 5,412 5,648 5,358 3,935 1,687
10 SARA BAREILLES King Of Anything 21,111 1,337 2,926 3,816 4,558 4,230 4,244


31 ADELE Rolling In The Deep 10,121 4,234 3,811 1,457 587 31 1


41 BRUNO MARS Grenade 8,138 1,523 2,523 2,017 1,502 484 89

[xxfetchmonsterxx]

How can you hate JTWYA :( ?

[esoteric76]

Jun 20, 2011 12:20:44 GMT -5 xxfetchmonsterxx said:

How can you hate JTWYA :( ?

I have nothing against the song's catchiness or whatever, but 21 weeks at #1 is absurd. And hearing it ad nauseum has just created such an aversion to it, it's inescapable. (even turning the radio station proves pointless, since I'll be outside and someone will drive by playing it, or I'll go to a bar and it will come on, etc...)

Haven't you ever gotten sick of a song and you just can't escape it?

[xxfetchmonsterxx]

Jun 20, 2011 15:01:52 GMT -5 esoteric76 said:

Jun 20, 2011 12:20:44 GMT -5 xxfetchmonsterxx said:

How can you hate JTWYA :( ?

I have nothing against the song's catchiness or whatever, but 21 weeks at #1 is absurd. And hearing it ad nauseum has just created such an aversion to it, it's inescapable. (even turning the radio station proves pointless, since I'll be outside and someone will drive by playing it, or I'll go to a bar and it will come on, etc...)

Haven't you ever gotten sick of a song and you just can't escape it?

I see your point, and yes I have experienced that before haha. But it just seems to get so much hate in both the polling booth and in the CHR/POP forum.

[esoteric76]

Jun 21, 2011 21:23:14 GMT -5 xxfetchmonsterxx said:

Jun 20, 2011 15:01:52 GMT -5 esoteric76 said:

I have nothing against the song's catchiness or whatever, but 21 weeks at #1 is absurd. And hearing it ad nauseum has just created such an aversion to it, it's inescapable. (even turning the radio station proves pointless, since I'll be outside and someone will drive by playing it, or I'll go to a bar and it will come on, etc...)

Haven't you ever gotten sick of a song and you just can't escape it?

I see your point, and yes I have experienced that before haha. But it just seems to get so much hate in both the polling booth and in the CHR/POP forum.

Yes, but I felt the need to expand the hate into the AC forum as well, where the song seems to have no known kryptonite to speak of. I wish AC radio would spread the love to other songs!

[areyoureadytojump]

Adele is #1 on the new AC chart.