Billboard Hot 100 : 12/05/2015

[felipe]

Nov 29, 2015 17:35:07 GMT -5 85la said:

I know it's almost time for the next week's chart and I don't want to drag this on too much further lol, but it really doesn't make sense to say that the Billboard charts are primarily for the industry. Subscription to the magazine for a year, while not cheap, is not too outrageous, I believe around $200 or so, and if I'm not mistaken, the Industry can get all the information in the charts plus way more and more timely from their Nielsen subscriptions. Billboard does package all the different metrics together and puts it in rank order for them, but they don't give any numbers beyond the chart positions, so it can't be too useful for them. Plus we're forgetting the online part; most people who view the chart positions probably do so online, and we know it's swarmed with ads, social media links, articles about fashion, performances, artists' personal lives, etc. - very consumer oriented. Billboard is a commercial publication designed for the attraction of a mass audience, even if it doesn't exactly have one. To say that it is almost solely for industry insiders is erroneous (Billboard.biz, however, is another story. That component definitely seems to target the industry folk).

Interesting point. Imdb.pro is targeted at the industry, Imdb is not.

[Deleted]

I've said it before, but it's obvious that Billboard charts have an audience outside of the industry.. HELLO! All of us, for a few examples! But the fact is, the foundation and main reason for it's existence of is as a trade publication that caters to the industry.

It's not SOLELY for the industry, but that is the main reason it exists and must continue to cater to it.  As a print and online magazine, it has clearly spread its wings to cater to more of the public, no question... but the CHARTS themselves are an industry tool, first and foremost.... and will continue to be, as they should be, imo.

[Enigma.]

Yes. Basically, no one really cares (outside chart geeks and the music industry) whether Gwen Stefani's latest song is #77 or #97 this week.

[felipe]

Nov 30, 2015 17:16:46 GMT -5 @broccoli said:

I've said it before, but it's obvious that Billboard charts have an audience outside of the industry.. HELLO! All of us, for a few examples! But the fact is, the foundation and main reason for it's existence of is as a trade publication that caters to the industry.

It's not SOLELY for the industry, but that is the main reason it exists and must continue to cater to it.  As a print and online magazine, it has clearly spread its wings to cater to more of the public, no question... but the CHARTS themselves are an industry tool, first and foremost.... and will continue to be, as they should be, imo.

But the info you get for free on Billboard's website is so basic that I doubt the industry would really use to guide their work (I can't judge the paid subscription, since I don't know exactly what it offers). If you look at Billboard you'll know Adele had the best-selling album of the week, Sorry is a hit and Meghan trainor's fourth single has outperformed the third. Does the industry work with informaton that vague and generic. I'm quite sure they get exact figures for everybody they want, and all the numbers for Meghan trainor's singles, so they don't really have to check Billboard on Tuesdays to see which peaked higher on the Hot 100.

[Deleted]

Dec 1, 2015 13:58:31 GMT -5 felipe said:

Nov 30, 2015 17:16:46 GMT -5 @broccoli said:

I've said it before, but it's obvious that Billboard charts have an audience outside of the industry.. HELLO! All of us, for a few examples! But the fact is, the foundation and main reason for it's existence of is as a trade publication that caters to the industry.

It's not SOLELY for the industry, but that is the main reason it exists and must continue to cater to it.  As a print and online magazine, it has clearly spread its wings to cater to more of the public, no question... but the CHARTS themselves are an industry tool, first and foremost.... and will continue to be, as they should be, imo.

But the info you get for free on Billboard's website is so basic that I doubt the industry would really use to guide their work (I can't judge the paid subscription, since I don't know exactly what it offers). If you look at Billboard you'll know Adele had the best-selling album of the week, Sorry is a hit and Meghan trainor's fourth single has outperformed the third. Does the industry work with informaton that vague and generic. I'm quite sure they get exact figures for everybody they want, and all the numbers for Meghan trainor's singles, so they don't really have to check Billboard on Tuesdays to see which peaked higher on the Hot 100.

You're missing the point of what I'm saying - or at least what it means to cater to the industry vs. for entertainment/music fans/chart geeks.  The charts are a tool for the recording industry (labels, artists, etc) to both achieve and then use to further establish and market the products/artists.  And the charts are only on facet of Billboard, albeit the main one.  Trade publications like Billboard also provide industry-specific news - and i'm not talking about entertainment news that has increased in recent years... I'm speaking of news and features that are aimed at industry insiders, those that work within the industry.  The charts have taken on a life of their own, and yes the data that is used to compile them can be obtained in different ways... but Billboard is still the established, big name in bragging rights in the music industry... and the charts need to cater to the industry standards, not the music fan/chart-buff logic or way of thinking.

The paid subscription... the publication itself... has evolved considerably with the times over the years.  It's become much more general public-friendly with some of the added features, fancy cover photos and things, without question... but that doesn't change the fact that the charts are primarily an industry tool as I've already defined.