Adam Lambert, "Whataya Want From Me" Hot100: #10!

[soundUPsceneDOWN]

^^ I hear it so little I cannot believe it's as high as #20.

[Kworb]

Hmm

Published Reports

POP:
21 19 ADAM LAMBERT Whataya Want From Me 3925 3676 249 27.217
-11 Spins
-100 Bullet
-0.039 AI

HAC:
24 20 ADAM LAMBERT Whataya Want From Me 1152 913 239 5.738
+23 Spins
-5 Bullet
+0.054 AI

Top Stations

POP:
WHTZ New York 106 (+1)
KDLW Albuquerque 95 (-1)
KZHT Salt Lake City 87 (=)
WBLI Nassau-Suffolk 86 (+6)
WFLZ Tampa 84 (-3)

HAC:
KVLY McAllen 71 (+5)
WSJO Atlantic City 50 (+2)
WTIC Hartford 39 (=)
KHMX Houston 37 (+1)
KHKZ McAllen 37 (+2)

[jessicam]

I'm at a loss for words here really. :( Did he move up a spot to #19 with an update like this? I just don't know what to say anymore, there are still over 30 stations that have not added this song and have added other songs, there is no way for him to succeed how we want him to if that doesn't happen. Maybe it's peaked, I don't know. Makes me sad though, hope it picks back up.

[Kworb]

The number of stations isn't that big of a problem, it's not stopping Lady Antebellum from getting +200 updates. The stations he's on need to spin it more.

And yeah Jay-Z plummeted past him so he moved up to #19.

[satanicfloret]

Well the bullet doesn't surprise me at all. I was expecting that because last weeks spin increase was huge.

But the spin decrease is really worrying. I know it's only small but we don't want to see that at all.

Common sense should suggest that we wait to see what the next few days are like because it might just be an anomaly but ngl it makes me ???.

The lack of Top40 ADDs this week so far isn't good either. Does anyone know if we are expecting any auto-ADD's?

ETA: I've been giving this some thought and checked back last week when there was a tiny spin increase day (+7). Since that was actually positive we didn't worry so much and the spins did rebound quite a bit on other days, so maybe since this decrease is small we shouldn't panic just yet.

[lorib0711]

Here is his position on the Canada mediabase charts (if anyone is interested):

POP: 23 11 ADAM LAMBERT Whataya Want From Me 529 408 121 5.285

HAC: 9 4 ADAM LAMBERT Whataya Want From Me 569 487 82 3.875

Not sure how many stations actually use mediabase to report since the spins are so low but nice to see he's charting high there. After this morning's update, I needed something positive - LOL

[saga]

We're not expecting any auto adds as far as I can tell... will probably be a really bad adds day. Hopefully just a fluke...

[jessicam]

Feb 23, 2010 7:21:40 GMT -5 Kworb said:

The number of stations isn't that big of a problem, it's not stopping Lady Antebellum from getting +200 updates. The stations he's on need to spin it more.

And yeah Jay-Z plummeted past him so he moved up to #19.

Regardless of what Lady A is doing, it would still help if Adam had 33 more stations like most of his competitors. I don't even get what the hell Lady A is doing on pop radio. I just don't know how he can pass anyone now.

Majorly bummed. We'll see I guess.

[lucytor]

OTOH, he's been played (test-runs?) on a few Cumulus stations. I basically have no idea what's going on, but it's weird that he hit top 20, and seems to be having a bad pop adds week. This song has some real problems being played, it seems.

[satanicfloret]

Feb 23, 2010 9:08:19 GMT -5 lucytor said:

OTOH, he's been played (test-runs?) on a few Cumulus stations. I basically have no idea what's going on, but it's weird that he hit top 20, and seems to be having a bad pop adds week. This song has some real problems being played, it seems.

Those might not have been test spins. Some of the Cumulus stations carry AT40 or other syndicated shows that have spun it. So they weren't playing it of their own volition.

Cumulus are noted in their absence amongst the ADDs. It makes me hate how US radio is run. Being in the top 20 really ought to be enough no matter what the PD of a station or group thinks.

[lucytor]

Feb 23, 2010 9:25:49 GMT -5 satanicfloret said:

Those might not have been test spins. Some of the Cumulus stations carry AT40 or other syndicated shows that have spun it. So they weren't playing it of their own volition.

Cumulus are noted in their absence amongst the ADDs. It makes me hate how US radio is run. Being in the top 20 really ought to be enough no matter what the PD of a station or group thinks.

I usually spend my time listening to anything but top 40, and following Adam's progress on American top 40 has been educational. One would think that being in the top 20 would lead to better adds, no? Apparently it does not.

[tinawina]

This is odd. Lets see how he does today with adds.

I can't imagine this stalling now. It has to be a blip.

[crazychick]

Why all the doom & gloom? WWFM got a bunch of Hot AC adds yesterday. Top 40 adds don't come on Monday, they come on Tuesday. And it's barely 10 a.m. on the East Coast -- WAY too early for most adds to be announced...I bet WWFM gets several Top 40 adds today. Although Cumulus seems to be stubborn about ignoring it

[Ke$haStan]

Wow I'm a little annoyed

#21 on Itunes They Adam to come on Idol tomorrow night not Allison

[Nic (Britney Spears)]

Feb 23, 2010 1:40:58 GMT -5 soundUPsceneDOWN said:

^^ I hear it so little I cannot believe it's as high as #20.

I have NEVER heard "Two Is Better Than One" in my whole life and I listen to the radio all the time.

I'm still trying to figure out why lolz.

[satanicfloret]

Feb 23, 2010 10:33:48 GMT -5 Ke$haStan said:

Wow I'm a little annoyed

#21 on Itunes They Adam to come on Idol tomorrow night not Allison

He will be on at some point I'm sure but whether it is soon enough to give WWFM the shot in the arm it needs on radio for ADDs, who can say?

I think it will rise on billboard again this week - and that visibility is really good, but it needs another boost from somewhere - preferably more radio stations putting the track on power play!

[Sarah.]

There's no reason the song shouldn't be moving up the charts. This is something going on with the PDs.
There have been some pretty upsetting fan accounts on some of his forums.
One person said that WWFM was just added last week to their station in Kentucky, and that it was #1 on their Top 5@5. Then a lot of people called in to complain that they were playing an Adam Lambert song, and the DJ just said "Well, you should vote for Kris Allen then."...like he agreed with them. Ugh.

[lorib0711]

There are many reasons songs fail, don't move up the charts, and become massive hits. Just because we may think a song should hit doesn't it mean it will and vice versa. I'll worry and panic when he starts falling on the weekly charts.

Detroit just added him. #11 market.

[caitlin1974]

Feb 23, 2010 11:14:26 GMT -5 Sarah. said:

There's no reason the song shouldn't be moving up the charts. This is something going on with the PDs.
There have been some pretty upsetting fan accounts on some of his forums.
One person said that WWFM was just added last week to their station in Kentucky, and that it was #1 on their Top 5@5. Then a lot of people called in to complain that they were playing an Adam Lambert song, and the DJ just said "Well, you should vote for Kris Allen then."...like he agreed with them. Ugh.

There have been silly (stupid) fan wars going on for over six months, but that 's not going to stop a station from adding or playing a song. There have been just as many glambots calling stations and complaining about the station playing LLWD and not playing FYE or WWFM.

Besides, unless the dj is also the PD, it's not his or her decision what gets added or played.

[Sarah.]

Feb 23, 2010 11:26:23 GMT -5 caitlin1974 said:

Feb 23, 2010 11:14:26 GMT -5 Sarah. said:

There's no reason the song shouldn't be moving up the charts. This is something going on with the PDs.
There have been some pretty upsetting fan accounts on some of his forums.
One person said that WWFM was just added last week to their station in Kentucky, and that it was #1 on their Top 5@5. Then a lot of people called in to complain that they were playing an Adam Lambert song, and the DJ just said "Well, you should vote for Kris Allen then."...like he agreed with them. Ugh.

There have been silly (stupid) fan wars going on for over six months, but that 's not going to stop a station from adding or playing a song. There have been just as many glambots calling stations and complaining about the station playing LLWD and not playing FYE or WWFM.

Besides, unless the dj is also the PD, it's not his or her decision what gets added or played.

I wasn't saying it was Kris fans calling in....
I don't get involved in the whole fanwar thing, so w/e.
I think it was just Adam-haters calling in, and then the DJ just said that...

[Sarah.]

This is what the mod on Adam's site said about Cumulus:

You're correct - "WWFM" has yet to be added by any Cumulus stations, which tend to move on songs all at once, programming wise. I put in a call to my radio promo peeps, and they confirmed it, also saying that rectifying this situation is a top priority for them, obviously. In fact, the head of the promo dept. is on a personal crusade about it, and this guy's a legend, who was breaking Barry Manilow records in the early 70s, so if he can't do it, no one can. Patience and faith, alright? We're on the case.

[satanicfloret]

Sarah. - re: Mod at AO

That's good to hear. Sometimes we think that nothing is happening behind the scenes because we can't see anything but of course this is far from the case.

Keeping fingers crossed for good ADDs this week and next.

[krisella]

very interesting post from the RCA mod at adam’s website about the no-Cumulus adding situation. seems like RCA is really working hard to fight them.

www.adamofficial.com/us/node/1282431

“In fact, the head of the promo dept. is on a personal crusade about it, and this guy’s a legend, who was breaking Barry Manilow records in the early 70s, so if he can’t do it, no one can. Patience and faith, alright? We’re on the case.”

i feel so bad for adam-obviously we should lower our expectations of adam on radio if a huge block of HAC and top 40 wont even add him

[krisella]

the reason the update was bad today was bc the update last monday was terrific

[soundUPsceneDOWN]

^^ That's not really how it works if a song is moving up.

This thread is kind of acting like songs don't stall at #19. Like... only Adam's song has ever encountered this problem. There are lots of reasons why radio stations don't add songs. They don't like the song, or they don't like the artist, or they don't think the song fits with their playlist, or the song didn't test well with their audience.

Adam is polarizing for reasons other than the fact that he is gay. He's sometimes puts his foot in his mouth, he made a fool of himself on the AMAs (some people haven't forgotten), and he walks more red carpets than does radio promotional appearances. All of these could factor into PDs deciding to pass. Is it fair that a PD looks at the artist rather than the song? Probably not, but that's the way it is for every artist. When Britney was a hot mess during her Blackout era, radio wasn't playing her a whole lot either.

A lot of artists really make the radio rounds. They go on extensive radio promo tours--not just a stop every once in awhile at a big station. They hit tons of stations, big and little, all in a row. And they perform for the station--either during the interview or at a later date. It's a lot of work, and something that Adam hasn't done.

[lucytor]

Feb 23, 2010 11:14:26 GMT -5 Sarah. said:

There's no reason the song shouldn't be moving up the charts. This is something going on with the PDs.
There have been some pretty upsetting fan accounts on some of his forums.
One person said that WWFM was just added last week to their station in Kentucky, and that it was #1 on their Top 5@5. Then a lot of people called in to complain that they were playing an Adam Lambert song, and the DJ just said "Well, you should vote for Kris Allen then."...like he agreed with them. Ugh.

On IDF there's one from Phoenix, I think, where a fan asked the dj why the station was not playing WWFM and was told that the pd felt Adam was too sexual to be played on the station. This went on for a number of weeks, with the fan phoning the dj, and now the fan has been told that the pd has reconsidered.

If stations refuse to play artists who are too sexual, they'd lose half their music. Fascinating that in this one case, Adam was being singled out.

[overboard]

People do realize that it is possible to not like Adam for reasons other then his sexuality, right? His personality is very abrasive and he is constantly trying to stir up controversy. Also, his voice is not everyone's cup of tea.

Anyway, songs experience stalls and bumps in the road. You cant possibly expect a song from a polarizing AMERICAN IDOL contestant to sweep top 40 adds, getting all of them before even reaching the top 10. The only problem I see here is the ridiculous expectations some people have had for the song (#1SMASHSEHHAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!). The only thing that possibly hinted at this going #1 was the quick adds by the top 3 markets and z100 putting it into power early, though all of these hint at payola more then #1.

[ƒreakshow]

Feb 23, 2010 13:14:24 GMT -5 overboard said:

People do realize that it is possible to not like Adam for reasons other then his sexuality, right? His personality is very abrasive and he is constantly trying to stir up controversy.

Exactly. I can't stand his personality, he's just awful. And his recent remarks about Susan Boyle didn't help his cause...

[DimWitty]

Feb 23, 2010 13:16:57 GMT -5 ƒreakshow said:

Exactly. I can't stand his personality, he's just awful. And his recent remarks about Susan Boyle didn't help his cause...

Adam addressed that in a tweet
"Oh joy! MisQuoted again... Becoming quite funny actually."

The RMGED post at AO referenced above was very interesting-
"In fact, the head of the promo dept. is on a personal crusade about it, and this guy's a legend, who was breaking Barry Manilow records in the early 70s, so if he can't do it, no one can. Patience and faith, alright? We're on the case."

I hope their efforts are effective!

[overboard]

Just because he claims he never said that doesnt mean that he didnt. My guess is that he was told to make that tweet. I remember an appearance on a radio show where Adam did an "impression" of SuBo singing Wild Horses. Keeping that in mind, I dont think these recent remarks are too much of a stretch.