Billboard Hot 100 : 03/29/2014

[Kris]

The fastest-breaking song on this week's Hot 100 has received little radio airplay. It sold just 10K digital copies this past week, which places it at #157 on Hot Digital Songs. So why does Soko's "We Might Be Dead By Tomorrow" enter the Hot 100 at #9? The song is the background music to a phenomenally popular YouTube video, "First Kiss," which shows 10 pairs of strangers kissing. The video has racked up nearly 64 million views.
I would guess that few people watching the video pay much attention to the song. The focus is very much on the visuals; on the honest human reactions to an unusual situation. (The meager sales number for the song supports the idea that the song is not a primary draw. Nonetheless, the song benefits.)
Billboard reports that 96% of the song's Hot 100 points come from streaming. But for the past year, streaming has been part of the Hot 100 mix, alongside sales and airplay.

Soko's #9 debut is the highest for an act who was making his/her/its first chart appearance since Baauer's "Harlem Shake," which debuted at #1 in February 2013 and remained on top for five weeks.
Soko (real name: Stephanie Sokolinksi) recorded the moody ballad on her 2011 album "I Thought I Was An Alien." The album charted in her native France as well as Switzerland and Belgium.

Pharrell Williams's "Happy" heads the Hot 100 for the fourth straight week. The song this week surpasses "Dark Horse" by Katy Perry featuring Juicy J (which also spent four weeks at #1) to become the best-selling song so far in 2014.
If "Happy" winds up as the #1 single of the entire year (a big if, but it's off to a strong start), this would be the first time that the year's best-seller originated in a theatrically-released movie since 1995, when the best-selling physical single of the year was "Gangsta's Paradise" by Coolio featuring L.V. from "Dangerous Minds" (2,534,000 in that calendar year). Three years before that, the best-selling single of 1992 was Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" (from "The Bodyguard" (3,086,000 in that calendar year). "Gangsta's Paradise" was based on an old Stevie Wonder song. "I Will Always Love You" was a cover of an old Dolly Parton song.

"Happy" received 210 million "all-format audience impressions" at radio this past week, according to Nielsen BDS. It's just the third song to crack the 200-million audience threshold in the Radio Song chart's 23-history. The others are "Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke featuring T.I. + Pharrell (229 million in its peak week in July 2013) and Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together" (212 million in its peak week in May 2005).
"Happy" sold 364K copies this week. This is the fifth week in a row its sales have topped 300K. The song is also #1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for the sixth week.

"Dark Horse" by Katy Perry featuring Juicy J holds at #2 for the fourth week. The song tops the 4 million mark in digital sales this week. It's Perry's eighth song to reach that plateau. Her best-seller remains "Firework" (6,566,000).
"Talk Dirty" by Jason Derulo featuring 2 Chainz holds at #4 for the second week. The song tops the 2 million mark in digital sales this week. It's Derulo's fourth 2-million-seller. It's the third song to sell 2 million copies in 2014, following "Dark Horse" and "Happy."

Aloe Blacc's "The Man" jumps from #12 to #10. The song contains the "hope you don't mind" hook from Elton John's first hit, "Your Song," which spent four weeks at #8 in January and February 1971. This is Aloe Blacc's first official top 10 hit, though he was the uncredited lead vocalist on Avicii's "Wake Me Up!" That smash tops the 4 million mark in digital sales this week. It's the first dance/electronic song to reach this plateau, according to Nielsen SoundScan's classifications. David Guetta has the two closest runners-up: "Titanium" (featuring Sia, 3,852,000) and "Sexy Chick" (featuring Akon, 3,507,000).

Here's a recap of this week's top 10 songs.
The Top Five: Pharrell Williams's "Happy" holds at #1 for the fourth week in its 11th week on the chart. This is its seventh week in the top 10. Digital sales rank: #1 (364K) … "Dark Horse" by Katy Perry featuring Juicy J holds at #2 for the fourth week its 26th week on the chart. This is its 11th week in the top 10. Digital sales rank: #4 (165K) … John Legend's "All Of Me" holds at #3 for the second week in its 23rd week on the chart. This is its fourth week in the top 10. Digital sales rank: #2 (215K) … "Talk Dirty" by Jason Derulo featuring 2 Chainz holds at #4 for the second week in its 13th week on the chart. This is its eighth week in the top 10. Digital sales rank: #3 (198K) … Bastille's "Pompeii" holds at #5 for the third week in its 31st week on the chart. This is its eighth week in the top 10. Digital sales rank: #7 (106K).
The Second Five: Lorde's "Team" holds at #6 for the third week in its 25th week on the chart. This is its ninth week in the top 10. Digital sales rank: #11 (80K) …. OneRepublic's "Counting Stars" rebounds from #8 to #7 in its 39th week on the chart. This is its 21st week in the top 10. Digital sales rank: #17 (63K) …."Drunk In Love" by Beyonce featuring Jay Z dips from #7 to #8 in its 13th week on the chart. This is its seventh week in the top 10. Digital sales rank: #13 (75K) … Soko's "We Might Be Dead By Tomorrow" debuts at #9. It's her first top 10 hit. Digital sales rank: #157 (10K) … Aloe Blacc's "The Man" jumps from #12 to #10 in its 12th week on the chart. It's his first (credited) top 10 hit. Digital sales rank: #8 (97K).
Two songs drop out of the top 10 this week. Idina Menzel's Oscar-winning "Let It Go" drops from #9, after a single week in the top 10. Digital sales rank: #5 (122K) … "Timber" by Pitbull featuring Ke$ha drops from #10, ending a 17-week run in the top 10.

American Authors's "Best Day Of My Life," which jumped from #21 to #16 on last week's Hot 100, tops the 1 million mark in digital sales this week. Digital sales rank: #10 (82K).
"Turn Down For What" by DJ Snake & Lil John, which jumped from #28 to #27 on last week's Hot 100, also tops the 1 million mark in digital sales this week. Digital sales rank: #9 (83K).

The Chainsmokers's "#Selfie," which shot from #55 to #28 on last week's Hot 100, is expected to move up nicely again this week. Digital sales rank: #6 (111K). The novelty song about the red-hot "selfie" explosion is the latest in a long string of singles that were quick to comment on a cresting phenomenon. Others include Ray Stevens's "The Streak" (#1 in 1974), about that year's streaking phenomenon; C.W. McCall's "Convoy" (#1 in 1976), about the booming citizens band (CB) radio phenomenon; Buckner & Garcia's "Pac-Man Fever" (#9 in 1982), about the videogame explosion; and "Valley Girl" by Frank Zappa featuring an uncredited Moon Unit Zappa (#32 in 1982), about suburban teens' "Valley-speak."

Flo Rida's "Good Feeling" tops the 4 million mark in digital sales this week. It's his third song to reach this plateau, following "Low" (featuring T-Pain, 6,959,000) and "Right Round" (featuring an uncredited Ke$ha, 5,572,000). "Good Feeling" reached #3 in January 2012.

Cassadee Pope's "Wasting All These Tears" tops the 1 million mark in digital sales this week. Pope was the Season 3 winner on "The Voice." This is the first song by a contestant on "The Voice" to become a million-seller. "Wasting All These Tears" reached #37 on the Hot 100.

Cole Swindell's "Chillin' It" tops the 1 million mark in digital sales this week. The song was #1 on Hot Country Songs for two weeks.

David Nail's "Whatever You've Got" tops the 1 million mark in digital sales this week.


___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



Looks like Low will pass 7 million in a couple months. 

[Ling-Ling]

Mar 19, 2014 17:26:02 GMT -5 Rose "Payola" Nylund said:

Most people don't listen to the radio to hear half of what they play either.

It's not about why people hear things, it's the fact that they are hearing them that matters for the Hot 100.

But when people turn on the radio, they're making a decision to listen to the music that the station is playing. There is a definite intent to listen to the MUSIC that is being played.

When someone sees a link on Facebook for a VIDEO of strangers kissing, the intent is not to listen to the song in the background. It's to watch a video of strangers kissing. I think the difference is pretty clear.

It's a sloppy system and they need to make the streaming requirements more defined.

[Gary]

How do you measure popularity of a song in a given week?

By measuring the number of times a song is bought or heard in a given week.
Lots of people heard this song., therefore for this week anyway, the song is popular, regardless of how it got out there. Anything else would not be as accurate.

[Adonis the DemiGod!]

Mar 19, 2014 19:11:48 GMT -5 Ling-Ling said:

Mar 19, 2014 17:26:02 GMT -5 Rose "Payola" Nylund said:

Most people don't listen to the radio to hear half of what they play either.

It's not about why people hear things, it's the fact that they are hearing them that matters for the Hot 100.

But when people turn on the radio, they're making a decision to listen to the music that the station is playing. There is a definite intent to listen to the MUSIC that is being played.

When someone sees a link on Facebook for a VIDEO of strangers kissing, the intent is not to listen to the song in the background. It's to watch a video of strangers kissing. I think the difference is pretty clear.

It's a sloppy system and they need to make the streaming requirements more defined.

That is false. They aren't making a decision. I've already posted stats that show only 6% of people listen to radio listen for the music according to the University of Michigan. When someone looks a song up on youtube or clicks a link to a specific video with a specific song on it that is the listener choosing to listen/watch the video. The PD and DJs choose the records that get played on their station. The listener has limited if any say in what gets played at all.

[Ling-Ling]

Well, at any given time, "Ooh La La" by Goldfrapp can be heard in about five dozen different commercials nation wide. I guess since people are hearing it, it should permanently be number one on Billboard.

I don't understand how this is such a stretch. The intent to listen to the song has to be there for it to count IMO. Radio, Streaming, music videos, lyrics videos, etc. Commercials, parody videos, etc. should not be counted.

[Ling-Ling]

Mar 19, 2014 19:17:38 GMT -5 Adonis the DemiGod! said:

That is false. They aren't making a decision. I've already posted stats that show only 6% of people listen to radio listen for the music according to the University of Michigan. When someone looks a song up on youtube or clicks a link to a specific video with a specific song on it that is the listener choosing to listen/watch the video. The PD and DJs choose the records that get played on their station. The listener has limited if any say in what gets played at all.

But they turned the radio station on where music would be playing. The audience knows this, period.

Nobody even knew this song was in the video, I saw it posted about twenty times on my FB feed and didn't even notice the song when I watched it. They clicked on in it to watch the interaction of people kissing. The music was inconsequential.

[josh]

If only 6% of people listen to radio the other 94% listen for... news? sports? commercials? ???

[Gary]

That might be 6% are content to listen to what they are being force fed by their local DJ, the other 94% will search to find what they want

[musik...]

I don't have complaints about this so much as the disservice Billboard did to "Let Her Go."

[pnobelysk]

My opinion for what it's worth

I thought Harlem Shake deserved some of the hot 100 success it received . The song was in the top 10 of iTunes for a few weeks and ended up selling 1 million including a 300k week. I thought the first two weeks at number one were kinda justified , it was selling a ton , building in airplay , and a viral smash . Once the sales died down though I thought it's stay at number one was overkill showing the streaming points were a little overweighted . This new song on the other Hand just debuted in the top 10 and it's sales are virtually non exsistent . Maybe the song shoudlve charters but top 10 ? It doesn't seem right

[Gary]

Mar 19, 2014 19:53:39 GMT -5 musik... said:

I don't have complaints about this so much as the disservice Billboard did to "Let Her Go."

You mean Let It Go?

Simple matter, radio is not playing it (except AC)

That is not Billboard's doing

[Gary]

Chart Watch: “#Selfie” Is A #Smash

.


By Paul Grein
20 minutes ago

Yahoo Music



The Chainsmokers's "#Selfie" leaps from #28 to #18 in its third week on the Hot 100. Digital sales rank: #6 (111K). The novelty song about the "selfie" explosion is the latest in a long string of singles that were quick to comment on a cultural phenomenon. Others include Ray Stevens's "The Streak" (#1 in 1974), about that year's streaking craze; C.W. McCall's "Convoy" (#1 in 1976), about the booming citizens band (CB) radio phenomenon; Buckner & Garcia's "Pac-Man Fever" (#9 in 1982), about the videogame explosion; and "Valley Girl" by Frank Zappa featuring an uncredited Moon Unit Zappa (#32 in 1982), about suburban teens' "Valley-speak."

Other novelty songs that have mirrored the times include Brian Hyland's "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" (#1 in 1960), about the skimpy beach attire that was becoming acceptable, and Larry Groce's "Junk Food Junkie" (#9 in 1976), a reaction to the growing popularity of health food.

This week's big chart news is Soko's "We Might Be Dead By Tomorrow" blasting onto the Hot 100 at #9. I covered this, and the rest of the top 10 action, in a Chart Watch blog that we posted Wednesday. If you missed it, here's a link. This blog is a look at key movers and debuts below the top 10.



American Authors's "Best Day Of My Life" jumps from #16 to #13 in its 18th week. The song tops the 1 million mark in digital sales this week. Digital sales rank: #10 (82K) … "Turn Down For What" by DJ Snake & Lil John jumps from #27 to #21 in its 12th week. The song also tops the 1 million mark in digital sales this week. Digital sales rank: #9 (83K).




"This Is How We Roll" by Florida Georgia Line featuring Luke Bryan jumps from #36 to #29 in its sixth week. The song jumps to #1 on Hot Country Songs, displacing Brantley Gilbert's "Bottoms Up." This is the first superstar collabo to rule the country chart since
"We Were Us" by Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert spent three weeks on top last fall. In addition, Bryan enters the chart this week at #81 with a solo hit, "Play It Again." It's vying to become the fourth top 40 hit from his fourth studio album, "Crash My Party."

Trey Songz's "Na Na" jumps from #46 to #35 in its eighth week … Justin Timberlake's "Not A Bad Thing" leaps from #67 to #42 in its third week … "Love Is An Open Door" by Kristen Bell & Santino Fontana is the week's second highest new entry at #49. It's the fifth Hot 100 hit from the "Frozen" soundtrack, which logs its sixth week at #1 on The Billboard 200. (It will extend its reign to seven weeks next week).

Jhene Aiko's "The Worst" jumps from #64 to #53 in its sixth week … "La La La" by Naughty Boy featuring Sam Smith jumps from #71 to #60 in its fourth week … Paramore's "Ain't It Fun" jumps from #75 to #63 in its third week … "Mmm Yeah" by Austin Mahone featuring Pitbull leaps from #93 to #70 in its fourth week. The song has climbed as high as #60.


"Who Do You Love?" by YG featuring Drake debuts at #78. YG's "My Krazy Life" is expected to enter The Billboard 200 next week at #2, with sales in the range of 60K. His "My Hitta" (alternate title: "My ***I'M RACIST***") (featuring Jeezy & Rich Homie Quan) drops from #21 to #28 after peaking at #19 two weeks ago.

"Headlights" by Eminem featuring Nate Ruess debuts at #86. It's vying to become the fifth top 20 hit from Eminem's seventh major-label studio album, "The Marshall Mathers LP 2" …Sara Evans' "Slow Me Down" debuts at #89. It's the title track from Evans' seventh studio album, which entered The Billboard 200 this week at #9. It's her fourth top 10 album … "Or Nah" by Ty Dolla $ign featuring Wiz Khalifa & DJ Mustard debuts at #91. It's from the "Beach House" EP, which was released in January… Hunter Hayes' "Invisible" re-enters the chart at #93. The song has climbed as high as #44 … Tiesto's "Red Lights" debuts at #97.


"I Luh Ya Papi" by Jennifer Lopez featuring French Montana debuts at #98. It's from her upcoming eighth studio album … "Move That Doh" by Future featuring Pharrell, Pusha T and Casino debuts at #99. The song (alternate title: "Move That Dope") is from Future's second studio album, "Honest," which is due April 22. … "Latch" by Disclosure featuring the busy Sam Smith debuts at #100. It's from Disclosure's 2013 album, "Settle

[pnobelysk]

Mar 19, 2014 19:55:46 GMT -5 Gary said:

You mean Let It Go?

Simple matter, radio is not playing it (except AC)

That is not Billboard's doing

They meant the let her go video increased Super Bowl views they didn't count

Also let it go is getting airplay on hot ac an chr as well

[Gary]

OK got the song titles mixed up - LOL

[HolidayGuy]

Gary- I believe musik meant "Let Her Go," by Passenger. The Bud ads featuring the song were not in thge "Music" category on YouTube, etc. so those views did not count toward the chart.

EDIT: I posted just as this was being addressed.

Jill Larson from All My Children is one of the kissers in the video. Any other celebs?

[pnobelysk]

Can someone please explain to me how love is open door debuted at 49 this week ?

It's been on the bubbling under chart for weeks and it isn't receiving airplay and it's sales have stayed just consistent . Yet somehow it entered this high ? I think it just debuted higher than for the first time in forever has ever gotten when the first time in forever has been stronger on sales than it

[lugus15]

What are people complaining about???

That Soko song is a great one (kind of reminds me of early Sia) and I for one am glad that such indie artists are getting top ten exposure. I would have loved for the current rules (and youtube exposure) would have been when Sia's Breathe Me was featured in the Six Feet Under finale, surely with the current rules it would have been a top ten single.

PS: What really bothers me is that the puppy commercial didn't count for Let Her Go. It was kinda unfair IMO.

[musik...]

I should've elaborated but Passenger's "Let Her Go" was as deserving of chart points as this. Just to categorize it as an advertisement on youtube doesn't make it any different than music playing in the background of a youtube viral video.

[Deleted]

Mar 19, 2014 17:47:30 GMT -5 Rose "Payola" Nylund said:

Mar 19, 2014 15:38:12 GMT -5 @markg94 said:

No, to not include YouTube views for anything that is not official music videos/audio tracks in the calculation for Hot 100 points.

So take the power out of he hands of the people listening and watching and back into the hands of the label?

no...people have the choice of listening to songs they want on streaming services...I'm saying it shouldn't count when people watch some viral sensation because it doesn't say anything about the popularity of the song because let's face it NO ONE watched that first kiss thing thinking "omg I'm gonna watch this because I really want to listen to this song".

[Gary]

But the fact is they heard the song so it makes it legit as a measure of popularity

[renfield75]

Mar 19, 2014 20:25:01 GMT -5 pnobelysk said:

Can someone please explain to me how love is open door debuted at 49 this week ?

It's been on the bubbling under chart for weeks and it isn't receiving airplay and it's sales have stayed just consistent . Yet somehow it entered this high ? I think it just debuted higher than for the first time in forever has ever gotten when the first time in forever has been stronger on sales than it

It was featured in a viral video of parents lip-syncing the song in the car in front of their daughter. It was actually a pretty cute video, and there was no missing the song in this one :)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=gavEC5aWAzM

[Deleted]

Mar 19, 2014 21:38:19 GMT -5 Gary said:

But the fact is they heard the song so it makes it legit as a measure of popularity

yes but just because it was playing in the background of a viral video doesn't mean that all/majority of people watching the video actually liked the song whereas if people choose not to switch a radio station that is playing a particular song usually actually want to listen to a song (and obviously if people buy the song on itunes or look for the ACTUAL TRACK on YouTube or whatever). This is why viral videos whose primary reason of being watched was NOT the backing track should count for much less (if at all) than for videos that are for the sole purpose of the song.

[Gary]

I have been in a car may times where initially I turn to a station because of a song I like. Once the song is over and another song comes on, I am sometimes too lazy to change the station if I want another song and end up listening to the song anyway.

[Love Plastic Love]

My mom never changes the radio station even if she dislikes the song or she isn't really listening. Like, we have had the radio randomly playing for hours while we just talked or tried to navigate somewhere or sometimes when one of us is on the phone. I am sure she is not the only one in the world to listen to the radio this way. IN fact, a lot of older people I know do it this way and even I do sometimes. Why should those listens count more than me listening to the song online or watching a video with the song? I would say I am making a much more active listening decision when I choose to stream or watch a video with a song in it.

[Rose "Payola" Nylund]

Not to mention the thousands if not millions of people who work in offices or sit in waiting rooms that play songs on radio stations no one wants to hear. I'm sure there have been plenty of times when a song has charted high due the radio airplay that tons of people actually didn't like but were forced to hear over and over because of the radio.

This isn't a special case. It's just packaged differently. The song was heard by millions of people and is now recognizable by them just like Roar or Happy was heard by millions and was recognized by them.

[Adonis the DemiGod!]

Mar 19, 2014 20:10:23 GMT -5 HolidayGuy said:

Gary- I believe musik meant "Let Her Go," by Passenger. The Bud ads featuring the song were not in thge "Music" category on YouTube, etc. so those views did not count toward the chart.

EDIT: I posted just as this was being addressed.

Jill Larson from All My Children is one of the kissers in the video. Any other celebs?

That was probably part of the contract that was signed with Budweiser. I don't know what the terms of its use in the ad were. Either way it didn't qualify for those streaming points. That's the bottom line.

[Adonis the DemiGod!]

Mar 19, 2014 22:32:15 GMT -5 Love Plastic Love said:

My mom never changes the radio station even if she dislikes the song or she isn't really listening. Like, we have had the radio randomly playing for hours while we just talked or tried to navigate somewhere or sometimes when one of us is on the phone. I am sure she is not the only one in the world to listen to the radio this way. IN fact, a lot of older people I know do it this way and even I do sometimes. Why should those listens count more than me listening to the song online or watching a video with the song? I would say I am making a much more active listening decision when I choose to stream or watch a video with a song in it.

The bottom line is... even if you change the station it still counts so long as your are being counted as a listener to that particular station around that time like it or not. it's the same thing with youtube. There is no way to tell why you changed the station or turned the radio off. What happens when you like a song but your mom doesn't and you all are listening to radio together? You think that means because your mom changed the station in the middle of the song that you now don't like it? doesn't make sense...

[Adonis the DemiGod!]

Mar 19, 2014 19:41:58 GMT -5 Gary said:

That might be 6% are content to listen to what they are being force fed by their local DJ, the other 94% will search to find what they want

The other 94% are listening for traffic, sports, news etc... Radio has an older demographic and it will continue to get older. Radio has been reduced to people who are commuting listen to radio when they commute. I posted the study a couple of pages back. Its a good read.

[Joe1240]

Soko is the vital debut in the top 10 of Billboard this week.A song that most people haven't heard. This is drop off from the top 10 next week faster than Lady Gaga's song "Dope" did last year. At least #Selfie people have at least heard of it.

[Love Plastic Love]

Mar 20, 2014 0:01:11 GMT -5 Adonis the DemiGod! said:

Mar 19, 2014 22:32:15 GMT -5 Love Plastic Love said:

My mom never changes the radio station even if she dislikes the song or she isn't really listening. Like, we have had the radio randomly playing for hours while we just talked or tried to navigate somewhere or sometimes when one of us is on the phone. I am sure she is not the only one in the world to listen to the radio this way. IN fact, a lot of older people I know do it this way and even I do sometimes. Why should those listens count more than me listening to the song online or watching a video with the song? I would say I am making a much more active listening decision when I choose to stream or watch a video with a song in it.

The bottom line is... even if you change the station it still counts so long as your are being counted as a listener to that particular station around that time like it or not. it's the same thing with youtube. There is no way to tell why you changed the station or turned the radio off. What happens when you like a song but your mom doesn't and you all are listening to radio together? You think that means because your mom changed the station in the middle of the song that you now don't like it? doesn't make sense...

What I bolded is exactly my point. I don't really get the second half of your statement and have no idea how you got that from what I said unless you are mostly responding to another poster who was talking about liking or not liking a song depending on if you change the channel or not. My apologies if that is what you are doing and I am mistaken.
My point was that it is just like youtube-people can talk all day about how some people watch viral videos for the video and not the song so that shouldn't count, but you see the same possibilities with radio. Again, why should radio be the preferenced form of listening, actively or passively? I think some posters/music lovers place some bizarre mythological accuracy on radio and I don't get it. We should count radio, of course. Do I think it is somehow more indicative of popularity than sales or streams or views? Nope. I think all of those together give the most accurate picture. If you REALLY looked at viewing or listening habits for any form, it would get tricky, but there is absolutely no way to do that consistently. That is why, quite accurately, we count any view or listen.
I would say we are much more accurately tracking stuff now than when we just counted radio or even just radio and sales. Technology changes, how music is listened to changes, and I think billboard is correct to keep up with that rather than dig their heels in and only focus on the most traditional forms of music out there.