Pop Chart Happenings 9/26/03

[JCMF3]

Since we were not able to post the latest happenings for the pop chart for this week, I thought I would start a post on it...

1) Shake Ya Tailfeather made it to #1!!! I am so psyched about this and I hope it can spend at least 3 weeks there.

2) Wow, what happened to The Ataris? Last week - top 10 bound and this week barely holding onto their bullet? :o They also lost steam on Hot AC, so maybe the song has just become "boring" to the radio stations. I think it is still a great song...

3) Looks like Stacie Orrico is ready to take the top 20!!! I thought for a while this song was done when it was stalling in the high 20s, but now it is gaining nicely and should make top 20 this week.

4) Wow, what happened to "Low"?? :( This could be its last week with a bullet!!!

5) And the biggest news... Heaven FINALLY makes th top 40!!! It has been climbing the pop chart for a long time, and now it is making headway into the top 40. I wonder where this one will peak.

Now that the boards are back up, I will post a sans recurrent chart starting next week.

[FreakyFlyBry]

I was hoping the Black Eyed Peas could hold on for 1 last week, but unfortunately that wasn't the case.

Ouch for Jason Mraz... falling out of the top 10 with a bullet!

Looks like next week Beyoncé could knock herself out of the top 5!

Look at Pink go! I bet she'll enter the top 40 straight in the top 30 next week.

[Hervard]

So "Tailfeather" is number one, huh? Thus, the "no peaks at #2" streak continues.

[j]

Jason Mraz will re-enter the Top 10 before you can say "liaison".

Beyoncé looks set to fall 4-10. Woohoo. I am so sick of the song. Baby Boy is a lot better.

I'm hoping Evanescence will slow down so as to allow Michelle Branch to fall below them so that they can stay on the chart for another week.

[Matt4319]

j said:

Jason Mraz will re-enter the Top 10 before you can say "liaison".

He's already back to #9.

j said:

I'm hoping Evanescence will slow down so as to allow Michelle Branch to fall below them so that they can stay on the chart for another week.

Wouldn't that be 30 weeks for them if that happens?

[Keith3000]

ulij20 said:

So "Tailfeather" is number one, huh? Thus, the "no peaks at #2" streak continues.

I'm guessing the streak will end soon, though. Either "Can't Hold Us Down" or "Here Without You" will probably peak at #2. It might be interesting, though, to have a full year with no runner-up peaks.

Though I don't think it's worth having CHUD reaching the top (IMO)! Hopefully it will lose its bullet in due course and 3 Doors Down will take over. Now that's one tune I would like to see at #1, by an excellent band.

[Hervard]

Last time I checked, the song was at number three with a small gain (67 or something) and hundreds of spins below the Black Eyed Peas. That song might not get any higher.

[j]

Still, I wouldn't rule it out, although I wouldn't exactly be wishin' and hopin' and prayin' for it to happen.

What if the Black Eyed Peas lose 900 spins and Can't Hold Us Down stabilizes or even gains 100 spins?

[Diablo Cody™]

"So Yesterday" is currently #23.......
Looks like she will jump 7 spots in this weeks pop chart...

[Pet Shop Boy]

Mandy Moore is having the most erratic bullet i've seen ina long time. It's down to +95 now! PLEASE just let it at least go top 40...

[Eyeball]

Is there some kind of "rhythmic drought" right now? All the songs that are doing well seem to be rock or AC, and there aren't very many new rhythmic-type songs at all...

I hope "Baby Boy" can reach #1, and am glad to see "Shake Your Tailfeather" at #1.

What's with Hilary Duff suddenly taking off? Didn't that fall 39-40 earlier?

[GordonUM]

Some facts about "Shake Ya Tailfeather":

• Though quite a few rapper/singer collaborations have hit #1, this is the first collaboration between multiple rappers to reach the top.
  
• With it, Nelly becomes the first rapper to get three #1 hits, beating out Ja Rule and Eminem who've had two.
  
• Nelly is also the rapper with the most top 10 hits, beating out Will Smith with a song from Will's own movie. Will became the first rapper with 5 top 10 hits in 1999, when Ja Rule and Eminem had only one top 30 hit each and Nelly hadn't even started out. Nelly became the first to tie Will, with "Air Force Ones", and then Ja Rule and Eminem each got their 5th with "Mesmerize" and "Sing For The Moment", but now Nelly stands alone with 6 top 10 hits.
  
• P. Diddy gets his first #1 with his 4th top 10 hit and 7th top 40 hit, going by the songs I count. He had his first hit in 1997 but didn't hit the top 10 until last year.
  
• Murphy Lee joins a few other rappers (MC Hammer, Vanilla Ice, Lil' Kim, Eve, 50 Cent) who hit #1 with their first pop hit, but he's the first since Vanilla Ice to hit #1 with a song that's also their first urban hit. A footnote though, Murphy Lee has appeared without name credit on at least two urban hits, one of which was also a top 10 pop hit. He was a member of the St. Lunatics who hit the urban chart in 2001 with "Midwest Swing" and he also appeared on "Air Force Ones" along with a couple other Lunatics, though it was just credited to Nelly in most places.
  

For the Ataris, I'd say the end of summer = sudden end for "Boys Of Summer". Hopefully one of their own songs will take off soon. And really, what is up with Mya?

Congratulations to Fountains of Wayne for getting their first top 40 pop hit seven years after their first album, and also seven years after lead sing Adam Schlesinger's first hit as a songwriter. He wrote "That Thing You Do!" for the movie of the same name in 1996.

And congratulations to Live for returning to the top 40 after eight years and three hitless albums. I'm sure some true veterans have had longer dry spells, but among 90s artists, theirs is the longest I can think of. Pearl Jam had only two hitless albums between "Better Man" in 1995 and "Last Kiss" in 1999 (which wasn't on one of their albums), and that was a pretty big comeback for them. If Bush or Stone Temple Pilots would release a new album and have a pop hit, they would also be coming back after three hitless albums.

[mark1969]

Ok just got a few stupid questions how is billboard hot 100 singles chart and that compiled as u don't have cd singles sold at retailers anymore so it can't be like here in Australia where our chart is based on the sale of the cd single around the country, so is the billboard chart just based on airplay or is there other factors take into account and if so what?? may sound stupid but i just had 2 ask???

[j]

mark1969 said:

Ok just got a few stupid questions how is billboard hot 100 singles chart and that compiled as u don't have cd singles sold at retailers anymore so it can't be like here in Australia where our chart is based on the sale of the cd single around the country, so is the billboard chart just based on airplay or is there other factors take into account and if so what?? may sound stupid but i just had 2 ask???

Billboard still counts singles, but so few are being released that it's almost as if it doesn't count them.

GordonUM, you mentioned Air Force Ones with regards to Murphy Lee, but said that it wasn't credited to him in most places. I don't think that's true. Besides, the official album has his name on it, right, so you can't say that he hit #1 with his first single. I'm just being picky, sorry.

[JCMF3]

GordonUM said:

For the Ataris, I'd say the end of summer = sudden end for "Boys Of Summer". Hopefully one of their own songs will take off soon.

The ironic thing is that the original song by Don Henley peaked at #1 in January, so that song definitely did not have a seasonal aspect to it. I am not sure if the loss in The Ataris gains are because of the season or just because the song is getting "old" and "boring" to MDs.

[Keith3000]

GordonUM said:

Some facts about "Shake Ya Tailfeather":

• Though quite a few rapper/singer collaborations have hit #1, this is the first collaboration between multiple rappers to reach the top.
  
• With it, Nelly becomes the first rapper to get three #1 hits, beating out Ja Rule and Eminem who've had two.
  
• Nelly is also the rapper with the most top 10 hits, beating out Will Smith with a song from Will's own movie. Will became the first rapper with 5 top 10 hits in 1999, when Ja Rule and Eminem had only one top 30 hit each and Nelly hadn't even started out. Nelly became the first to tie Will, with "Air Force Ones", and then Ja Rule and Eminem each got their 5th with "Mesmerize" and "Sing For The Moment", but now Nelly stands alone with 6 top 10 hits.
  
• P. Diddy gets his first #1 with his 4th top 10 hit and 7th top 40 hit, going by the songs I count. He had his first hit in 1997 but didn't hit the top 10 until last year.
  
• Murphy Lee joins a few other rappers (MC Hammer, Vanilla Ice, Lil' Kim, Eve, 50 Cent) who hit #1 with their first pop hit, but he's the first since Vanilla Ice to hit #1 with a song that's also their first urban hit. A footnote though, Murphy Lee has appeared without name credit on at least two urban hits, one of which was also a top 10 pop hit. He was a member of the St. Lunatics who hit the urban chart in 2001 with "Midwest Swing" and he also appeared on "Air Force Ones" along with a couple other Lunatics, though it was just credited to Nelly in most places.
  

Thanks for the facts. You got them all down pretty well! I must say, though, it's interesting that PDiddy never reached the Top Ten till last year. I mean, "I'll Be Missing You", back in '97, was a huge hit and had CHR radio been the way it is now, it would have reached #1! "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" didn't even reach the Top 50! I'm sure that track would reach the Top 5 now.

Radio sure has changed.

[Rose "Payola" Nylund]

What were Ja Rule's two other #1s? I can't think of one of them...

And how are Bubba Sparxxx and Obie Trice's singles doing?

[Cerebro]

The said:

What were Ja Rule's two other #1s? I can't think of one of them...

His two #1s were as a featured artist for J.Lo. He topped the chart on both "I'm Real" (the Murder Remix, that is) and "Ain't It Funny".

[kingLUKE22]

Is anyone else feeling a dramatic change in the musical atmosphere right now? It seems like this is the first time in years that such a high percentage of rock/alternative/soft rock songs were actually doing well at the same time. Normally, you'll get one or two huge hits like this at a time, but now we have Santana, 3 Doors Down, Maroon 5, and Jason Mraz all within the top 10, and the likes of Matchbox 20, the Ataris, and Trapt in the top 20. And it seems like there has been a lot of hype over Sheryl Crow and Sarah McLachlan's singles. More so at Hot AC of course, but they are each making early gains on pop. Is this just a weird coincidence, or is a change on the way?

[Keith3000]

GordonUM said:

Some facts about "Shake Ya Tailfeather":

I agree with the facts about Will Smith (men in black, gettin' jiggy wit it, just the two of us, miami) and Eminem (my name is...), but what was the Top 30 hit by Ja Rule in '99?

[Matt4319]

Keith3000 said:

I agree with the facts about Will Smith (men in black, gettin' jiggy wit it, just the two of us, miami) and Eminem (my name is...), but what was the Top 30 hit by Ja Rule in '99?

"Can I Get A...". He was just "Ja" then.

[allow that]

kingLUKE22 said:

Is anyone else feeling a dramatic change in the musical atmosphere right now? It seems like this is the first time in years that such a high percentage of rock/alternative/soft rock songs were actually doing well at the same time. Is this just a weird coincidence, or is a change on the way?

I too have been feeling it.

I'm thinking it's a coincidence... but I'm hoping its a change on the way.

[Matt4319]

JerseyBoy said:

I too have been feeling it.

I'm thinking it's a coincidence... but I'm hoping its a change on the way.

[Eyeball]

I'm hoping it's a coincidence. I don't want the pop chart to turn into the Hot AC chart, part 2.

[Rose "Payola" Nylund]

Cerebro said:

His two #1s were as a featured artist for J.Lo. He topped the chart on both "I'm Real" (the Murder Remix, that is) and "Ain't It Funny".

Oooh! I forgot about those! LOL! But I personally wouldn't count 'I'm Real' in the mix. I guess it's debatable.

[Rose "Payola" Nylund]

Eyeball said:

I'm hoping it's a coincidence. I don't want the pop chart to turn into the Hot AC chart, part 2.

Me neither. I like the chart just the way it is now with a healthy mix. There's still enough hip-hop on the chart so that a hip-hop or rap song can get a fair chance at #1 but not too much like last year. Music is getting great again!

[Adonis the DemiGod!]

Actually,

P.Diddy aka Puff Daddy has had more hits than any rapper ever.

Cant Hold Us Down #1
I'll Be Missing You #1
No Time with Lil Kim (not sure)
All About the Benjamins #2
Been Around the World B/W the former
Come With Me #5
I Need A Girl #2
I Need A Girl Remix #2
Shake Ya Tail Feather #1

This doesnt include all the other collabs he's done over the years.

Ja's #1's do count because J.Lo surely wasn't going anywhere by herself. His producers and writers and his hip-hop appeal at the time helped him go to #1. I doubt she would've went to #1 with her versions of the songs.

[pophector]

Erm, what chart peaks are those? Because they must not be pop... ???

[GordonUM]

Pretty sure those P. Diddy peaks are for the Billboard Hot 100.

Another observation on Live's comeback: Out of all the artists that have charted since my R&R records started in 1989, they have the new record for the longest to follow up a top 10 hit. It's been 8 years and 7 months since their last top 40 hit and top 10 hit "Lightning Crashes" entered the top 40.

The next longest gaps after top 10 hits:

• Bee Gees: "One" (1989) to "Alone" (1997) (7 years, 9 months)
  
• Kenny G: "By The Time This Night Is Over" (1993) to "Auld Lang Syne" (2000) (6 years, 8 months)
  
• Michael Jackson: "You Are Not Alone" (1995) to "You Rock My World" (2001) (6 years, 1 month)
  
• Edie Brickell: "What I Am" (1989) to "Good Times" (1994) (5 years, 8 months)
  
• Brian McKnight: "One Last Cry" (1993) to "Anytime" (1998) (4 years, 10 months, the longest case where the song that ended the gap also went top 10)
  
• LeAnn Rimes: "How Do I Live" (1997) to "Can't Fight The Moonlight" (2002) (4 years, 5 months, also both top 10 hits)
  
• Stevie B.: "I'll Be By Your Side" (1991) to "Dream About You" (1995) (4 years, 3 months)
  
  Breaking down everything in my records (which are a couple months out of date but still give a good picture), the vast majority of top 10 hits have been followed up in under a year. Counting all artists included on a song, here's how long it took them to follow a top 10 hit:
  Less than 1 year: 684 songs
  1-2 years: 75 songs
  2-3 years: 45 songs
  3-4 years: 15 songs
  4 or more years: only the 8 I've listed
  No more hits yet (excluding songs from the past year): 180 songs

[Keith3000]

GordonUM said:

It's been 8 years and 7 months since their last top 40 hit and top 10 hit "Lightning Crashes" entered the top 40.

That's true; it has been a long time for Live on CHR. Glad to see them back. However, they've still been making music, and have had some considerable success in the rock arena. "The Dolphins Cry" instantly comes to mind for me as it was one of my favorite tracks from a few years back. Was it '99? Hmmm...cool song.