Sabrina Carpenter - "Please Please Please"

[mccloud]

Jun 7, 2024 3:45:27 GMT -5 PopLuva said:

Filler. i wasnt expecting another Expresso but coming off a huge song then releasing this is a big mistake!

[chickythelittlechicken]

Did this receive any pop spins?

[jdanton2]

Jun 8, 2024 17:51:37 GMT -5 chickythelittlechicken said:

Did this receive any pop spins?

did not show up on the All Access Spincrease or Taking Off numbers.

[jamatthews83]

Imagine having your "filler" smash this hard.

Listened to this out of curiosity because of the Kacey comparisons and it's a tremendous bop.

[jdanton2]

despite the streaming success it looks like it again got little to no radio spins on it's second day. i wonder if it will get a push in the coming weeks or if they will go with another song.

[chickythelittlechicken]

#6 (+3) Global Spotify ------ 6,679,082 streams
#4 (+1) US Spotify ---------- 3,130,206 streams
#8 (+6) AU Spotify ------------ 299,059 streams
#6 (+4) CA Spotify ------------ 331,363 streams
#4 (+4) UK Spotify ------------ 607,644 streams

[ItsAStormOutside]

So happy to see this as well as espresso and feather still smashing!

[Mike]

I prefer this over Espresso tbh. And I love Espresso.

[MyLastView]

This is a nice change up from “Espresso”. Really enjoy this.

[Ryan]

#1 on US Spotify with 3,602,457 streams. Also new peak at #3 on the global chart with 7,889,321 streams. She is the moment!

[sportytheartist]

This is doing so much better than I expected, I thought it would gradually grow down the line. The more I listen, the more I’m liking this song! Congratulations to her!

[jdanton2]

it has 25 spins according to All Access. the SiriusXM Pop station played it the most with 9 spins.

[wavey.]

Oop well her new era starting off righttt.

[Taylor.]

wow she really is a main pop girl now

[Jack]

I almost find it…annoying how quick people were to dismiss this after first listen.

A grower is not something that takes you more than one listen to instantly get. People on forums who said “it’s no Espresso” (as though they predicted Espresso would do what it did when it came out). People who said she had messed up releasing it, because they were in a rush to say it.

I would get it if it came from the GP (who ate it up instantly). But a slightly left of centre structure, a slight sonic departure from the first single, and it took all of three minutes to dismiss it? From people who profess to like, be discerning or knowledgeable about Pop music? I just feel people should really hone their instincts and ears about a genre they spend lots of spare time listening to and talking about.

[haven]

Jun 10, 2024 13:47:32 GMT -5 Jack said:

I almost find it…annoying how quick people were to dismiss this after first listen.

A grower is not something that takes you more than one listen to instantly get. People on forums who said “it’s no Espresso” (as though they predicted Espresso would do what it did when it came out). People who said she had messed up releasing it, because they were in a rush to say it.

I would get it if it came from the GP (who ate it up instantly). But a slightly left of centre structure, a slight sonic departure from the first single, and it took all of three minutes to dismiss it? From people who profess to like, be discerning or knowledgeable about Pop music? I just feel people should really hone their instincts and ears about a genre they spend lots of spare time listening to and talking about.

In our defense... this song doesn't sound like anything that's popular right now. It's clear at this point that the gp's interest in Sabrina supersedes genre, but it wasnt before.

edit: the closest comparison i can make is to Flowers, which... only released last year, actually? it feels much longer with how overplayed that song has been.

[chickythelittlechicken]

Might wanna send it to radio..

[Ivy Leegue™]

WHEWWWWWWW.

Anthony Fontana likes it! Pitchfork probably will too.

[kimberly]

this song is fine. my initial reaction after my first listen was "well, this is kinda boring and filler-ey like 80% of her last album." then I saw that Jack Antonoff produced this and that made total sense.

I don't think there's anything weird about saying that, as a pop music fan. a lot of songs that "sound like filler" end up being hits, and a lot of phenomenal pop songs fail to ever enter the Hot 100.

I'm having a hard time buying into Sabrina as an artist. I like a handful of her songs enough to throw them on playlists, and Espresso is one of my favorite songs of the year, but she doesn't convince me as a performer, vocalist or a writer. all I hear is a little bit of Taylor Swift and a hint of Ariana Grande with some Dua Lipa (or Dr Luke circa 2021-22) beats here and there. maybe this album can help change that, we'll see. but Please Please Please isn't anything impressive to me — despite the ridiculous number of times Spotify autoplay made me hear it over the weekend.

[Dylan :)]

Holds at #1 on US Sptofy (up to 4.7m, from 3.6m). Moves up to #2 on Global Spotify, only behind Espresso

[Jack]

I guess my point more broadly is. Seasoned, interested hobbyists (if we consider Pop Music a hobby) should be better at this.

Of course the industry is unpredictable, of course these things aren’t an exact science. But as with sport, or politics…’momentum’ is about a sure of a bet as you can have. Sabrina had that last Thursday, and she has it now. Please Please Please - whether it’s to your tastes or not - is clearly a quality product. It was produced one of the most successful producers of the moment, released with an expensive video featuring one of the biggest acting break outs of last year, who also happens to be dating the artist performing it - whose label and team have, for the last two months at least, had a real shot at at making Sabrina the biggest Popstar breakout of the decade. The fact that so many people had the lack of imagination or patience to pause for a second, consider those circumstances, and listen/ analyse about an industry they spend their days listening and analysing is just a bit galling to me.

People on forums and Twitter were AGOG when it recently emerged that her team were unsure which song to put out first, Please Please Please or Espresso, citing the latter’s real-time dominance as a reason for the former’s inadequacies in the past or future. And some 72 hours later, here they are battling for number one on all global platforms. Almost as though when the stakes for an artist, team, label are as high as this…they’ve put more thought into it than the people who took half a day to conclude it was a flop/mistake/trash.

[PerPlexied]

Jun 11, 2024 7:19:27 GMT -5 Jack said:

I guess my point more broadly is. Seasoned, interested hobbyists (if we consider Pop Music a hobby) should be better at this.

Of course the industry is unpredictable, of course these things aren’t an exact science. But as with sport, or politics…’momentum’ is about a sure of a bet as you can have. Sabrina had that last Thursday, and she has it now. Please Please Please - whether it’s to your tastes or not - is clearly a quality product. It was produced one of the most successful producers of the moment, released with an expensive video featuring one of the biggest acting break outs of last year, who also happens to be dating the artist performing it - whose label and team have, for the last two months at least, had a real shot at at making Sabrina the biggest Popstar breakout of the decade. The fact that so many people had the lack of imagination or patience to pause for a second, consider those circumstances, and listen/ analyse about an industry they spend their days listening and analysing is just a bit galling to me.

People on forums and Twitter were AGOG when it recently emerged that her team were unsure which song to put out first, Please Please Please or Espresso, citing the latter’s real-time dominance as a reason for the former’s inadequacies in the past or future. And some 72 hours later, here they are battling for number one on all global platforms. Almost as though when the stakes for an artist, team, label are as high as this…they’ve put more thought into it than the people who took half a day to conclude it was a flop/mistake/trash.

I understand what you're saying, however, in my opinion we wouldn't even be having this discussion if they had released Please Please Please first. The only reason it's doing as well as it is is because of Espresso. If this came directly after Feather, I fear Sabrina would rather be battling for number 1 on the Bubbling Under.

[HamedM1 💔]

All I'm gonna say is its pretty warranted that Jack Antonoff pop production has definitely fallen out of favor for many people in general so its kind of only natural this would be affected by exactly that, not that many are actively disliking this song, it seems more like a neutral/tepid response. IMO its just a cute fine pop song, nothing remarkable.

[G-Reg]

Jun 10, 2024 13:47:32 GMT -5 Jack said:

I almost find it…annoying how quick people were to dismiss this after first listen.

A grower is not something that takes you more than one listen to instantly get. People on forums who said “it’s no Espresso” (as though they predicted Espresso would do what it did when it came out). People who said she had messed up releasing it, because they were in a rush to say it.

I would get it if it came from the GP (who ate it up instantly). But a slightly left of centre structure, a slight sonic departure from the first single, and it took all of three minutes to dismiss it? From people who profess to like, be discerning or knowledgeable about Pop music? I just feel people should really hone their instincts and ears about a genre they spend lots of spare time listening to and talking about.

You're absolutely on to something in this thread, Jack. Personally, I have no use for "Espresso," but when I heard PPP for the first time I ran to the internet to start reading the comments about this masterpiece. Honestly it was, and still is shocking to me how many people were calling this the worst song ever and even wishing for literal bad things to happen to Jack Antonoff. I understand if the style isn't everyone's cup of tea, but the vitriol thrown at the song is more than perplexing, especially considering that these are forums for music lovers. Now that this song is smashing to the heights that only the most elite pop songs make it to, it makes going back and reading those comments even more disappointing.

[Ivy Leegue™]

Jun 11, 2024 9:12:31 GMT -5 HamedM1 💔 said:

All I'm gonna say is its pretty warranted that Jack Antonoff pop production has definitely fallen out of favor for many people in general so its kind of only natural this would be affected by exactly that, not that many are actively disliking this song, it seems more like a neutral/tepid response. IMO its just a cute fine pop song, nothing remarkable.

Until I read this thread, I had no idea that Jack Antonoff, who has been my favorite producer for, I dunno, the last decade+, was behind this song. Props to him for thinking outside the box. Doesn't mean I have to like it and it most certainly doesn't mean there is anything wrong with my ears or taste if I don't, LMAO. The song sounds like a bizarre Frankensteining of Abba x Kacey Musgraves x Olivia Rodrigo. Meanwhile, I am still trying to understand who Sabrina is - both as an artist and person. Physically, she is giving me classic pinup x baby doll. Musically...I really don't know.

[Jack]

Jun 11, 2024 8:57:00 GMT -5 PerPlexied said:

I understand what you're saying, however, in my opinion we wouldn't even be having this discussion if they had released Please Please Please first. The only reason it's doing as well as it is is because of Espresso. If this came directly after Feather, I fear Sabrina would rather be battling for number 1 on the Bubbling Under.

I get what you're saying too. It would be hard not to argue that Espresso is the more immediate, more straightforward Pop song. That thinking, for instance, would render it the absolute clear first single choice for most people discussing Pop music or making those decisions. Similarly, the power of a killer/well-timed second single is arguably more important. So I can see how if you're a record label, there's a question about going 'instant' first or 'softer' first. RCA made the decision with Mr Know It All to have it re-introduce Kelly to Pop radio after what had been three years, when clearly the dominant Pop song was there waiting in the wings in Stronger. They played it to have the undeniable, utilitarian banger to go second, and I think it worked wonders. Because we only get to run history once, there will still those who remain (as did then) thinking "what were they THINKING not releasing Stronger first, it's so clearly bigger than Mr Know It All." I mean, yeah, sure...but would the timing and perfect storm happened with that song had it done all the heavy lifting first? Who knows. We do know a retrospective hypothetical is an argument nobody ever has to prove, thus a very safe way to discuss Pop music.

That said, I made that analogy in the abstract, but I don't think this is all that similar to the Mr Know It All/Stronger case in the concrete. I think this is much more akin to California Girls/Teenage Dream or Only Girl In The World/What's My Name. Concurrent smashes that sort of battled amongst themselves for supremacy.

I think they made the right call with Espresso first too by the way, but I think Espresso is one part of a big tapestry (made of Eras tour, two prior 'engine-that-could' Pop hits in Nonsense/Feather, cult-pop online hype, tabloid interest) that has resulted in this massive cresting of a wave.

Please Please Please was disregarded pretty swiftly by large swathes of Pop music fans, and I can't think of many other reasons but for contrarianism, rush-to-judgement or short-sightedness. It's a bit kooky but not THAT unorthodox. It's SLIGHTLY more sophisticated in harmonics, production, cadence and lyrics than Espresso but hardly niche. A Jack-Antonoff follow up to one of the year's big hits, which clearly (whatever your taste is) was made with time, money and care, a huge amount of resources with a huge amount of wind and attention behind the artist releasing it...and it's the 'locals' saying YES loudly, clearly and instantly to largely surprised sections of Pop music enthusiasts who seem confused why. I just don't think that is typically - nor should it be - the way of it.


EDIT/P.S.: With country music dominating like it is, being shocked that the new big popstar is having success with a blend of sound mixed from the last big new popstar, the most critically decorated Country star of the last decade and the biggest Country star ever, assisted by Taylor Swift's right hand man seems...yeah, I'm gonna go with short sighted again.

[jdanton2]

since it's Thursday debut it looks like this has 39 spins up from 25 yesterday on All Access. so far no adds on HDD though hopefully there will be some when the All Access numbers come out.

[haven]

Jun 11, 2024 7:19:27 GMT -5 Jack said:

I guess my point more broadly is. Seasoned, interested hobbyists (if we consider Pop Music a hobby) should be better at this.

Of course the industry is unpredictable, of course these things aren’t an exact science. But as with sport, or politics…’momentum’ is about a sure of a bet as you can have. Sabrina had that last Thursday, and she has it now. Please Please Please - whether it’s to your tastes or not - is clearly a quality product. It was produced one of the most successful producers of the moment, released with an expensive video featuring one of the biggest acting break outs of last year, who also happens to be dating the artist performing it - whose label and team have, for the last two months at least, had a real shot at at making Sabrina the biggest Popstar breakout of the decade. The fact that so many people had the lack of imagination or patience to pause for a second, consider those circumstances, and listen/ analyse about an industry they spend their days listening and analysing is just a bit galling to me.

People on forums and Twitter were AGOG when it recently emerged that her team were unsure which song to put out first, Please Please Please or Espresso, citing the latter’s real-time dominance as a reason for the former’s inadequacies in the past or future. And some 72 hours later, here they are battling for number one on all global platforms. Almost as though when the stakes for an artist, team, label are as high as this…they’ve put more thought into it than the people who took half a day to conclude it was a flop/mistake/trash.

It seems pretentious to me to assume that everyone who pays attention to pop music or is on this forum is going to or *should* make good predictions. The large majority of us are not industry insiders and are not claiming to have some authority over the general public. Like you said in your post, songs can connect or not connect with the gp for any variety of reasons.

[Jack]

I don’t think it’s pretentious to hope/expect fans of a thing talk about it with more foresight and knowledge than the general public, sorry. x

[Ivy Leegue™]

Jun 11, 2024 14:38:32 GMT -5 haven said:

Jun 11, 2024 7:19:27 GMT -5 Jack said:

I guess my point more broadly is. Seasoned, interested hobbyists (if we consider Pop Music a hobby) should be better at this.

Of course the industry is unpredictable, of course these things aren’t an exact science. But as with sport, or politics…’momentum’ is about a sure of a bet as you can have. Sabrina had that last Thursday, and she has it now. Please Please Please - whether it’s to your tastes or not - is clearly a quality product. It was produced one of the most successful producers of the moment, released with an expensive video featuring one of the biggest acting break outs of last year, who also happens to be dating the artist performing it - whose label and team have, for the last two months at least, had a real shot at at making Sabrina the biggest Popstar breakout of the decade. The fact that so many people had the lack of imagination or patience to pause for a second, consider those circumstances, and listen/ analyse about an industry they spend their days listening and analysing is just a bit galling to me.

People on forums and Twitter were AGOG when it recently emerged that her team were unsure which song to put out first, Please Please Please or Espresso, citing the latter’s real-time dominance as a reason for the former’s inadequacies in the past or future. And some 72 hours later, here they are battling for number one on all global platforms. Almost as though when the stakes for an artist, team, label are as high as this…they’ve put more thought into it than the people who took half a day to conclude it was a flop/mistake/trash.

It seems pretentious to me to assume that everyone who pays attention to pop music or is on this forum is going to or *should* make good predictions. The large majority of us are not industry insiders and are not claiming to have some authority over the general public. Like you said in your post, songs can connect or not connect with the gp for any variety of reasons.

Just leave it or you're going to get exhausted really soon, if you haven't reached that point already. You are 1000% entitled to your feelings and opinions regarding this song without being made to feel defective in some way, as is everyone else who have listened to this song, whether it be one or one thousand times.