Charts. Why they are no longer relevant.

[Born Brave 2,072]

When Gaga first burst onto the scene I admittedly was a little angry. I had known about Gaga for a while and had been an avid Myspace user and I discovered Gaga through this guy I was talking to at the time.... (Personal note- in the bedroom the size of him was WAY more than enough). We were at Sonic and he played Boys Boys Boys for me while we were waiting on our drinks so we could pour our Hypnotic in it and catch a buzz. (Another personal note, I was a bad kid.. I was 19 at the time). 

Needless to say, I was hooked on her. 

For a while Gaga was my best secret. I would play her to my friends and they would fall in love then one day she was on the radio and she was no longer my secret gem. lol. I got really jealous and pissed because damn it, I liked her first (in my town at least). Suddenly I realized that it was a good thing because she was going to be a huge commercial success. So I started getting involved with chart information since she wasn't a secret anymore. 

I couldn't believe the success she had. Just Dance grew into a smash on radio, then Lovegame (I thought they'll never play this on the radio because she says ride your disco stick). Then Paparazzi and the VMAS happened and damn. **** got real. Bad Romance debuted and Kesha cock blocked her number 1 but oh well right? Still went on to be her most anthemic hit to date. 

People cease to remember that back then, it was all about airplay and sales. Streaming wasn't even thought of yet. A song really had to be played and good to make it to number one. Fast forward to 2016. Billboard has changed their tally scoring rules completely. Streaming, Sales, Radio airplay, and all these variables are thrown in for this gigantic mess that is currently the Billboard Top 40. The music industry has suffered for it in my honest opinion. A couple of years ago, PI would have debuted in the top 3 with the numbers that it debuted with. 

 

Here is my point. I was happy with Gaga way before she had chart success and I will be regardless if she can't perform well in the currently rigged scoring system. It's not about wins anyway, if you want wins watch football- there are 32 teams- pick one. Music is honestly about what you feel in your heart at the moment you hear it. Kid Rock said it best:

 "If it looks good you'll see it. If it sounds good, you'll hear it. If it's marketed right, you'll buy it. But if it's real, you'll feel it."

Top 40 radio is such a joke.. there are so many outlets for new and upcoming artists now... there are more artists signed to record deals at this very moment than ever before in history. I am just happy that Gaga got her big break and got a deal too, because if she didn't, we wouldn't be on here discussing people's disappointments with a top 15 debut. (Which couldnt matter less). 

And let's be honest, does anyone actually like the music that's on Top 40 right now? This is how it's working: Some handful of songwriters are colluding to shape the topic list of what should be on radio, they send their music to a puppet pop star like Rihanna, Britney, or Katy and they collect the royalties off the streams and the digital buys and tours and so forth. (I'd much rather be a songwriter than an artist right now- luckily Gaga is both). There is no motivation to make something better because listeners have become less concerned with quality and more concerned with quantity. They throw their 7 dollar earbuds on and get blazed, or go for a run, and they don't put thought into what they are hearing. And the selection of music readily available at our fingertips now is un-****ing-believable. 

 

In summary. TOP 40 is quickly dying. No one cares or listens to radio anymore... everyone streams and has more control over what they listen to. The current top 40 system is skewed to those who want to pay to play. 

[tomdsgn 1,913]

Question: Why charts don't matter anymore?

Answer: Because Gaga is flopping on them

Question: What would happen if Gaga saw some chart success?

Answer: Everyone would obsess over chart placements 

[Born Brave 2,072]

Just now, tomdsgn said:

Question: Why charts don't matter anymore?

Answer: Because Gaga is flopping on them

Question: What would happen if Gaga saw some chart success?

Answer: Everyone would obsess over chart placements 

To be perfectly honest with you. Me being a Gaga fan is irrelevant to the main point of this post. But you're right, some people care and dont care based on convenience. I was making this post for people to understand that it's okay NOT to care about a system that is broken anyway. 

[TSUNAMI 20,948]

[Decodekid 28,197]

5 minutes ago, tomdsgn said:

Question: Why charts don't matter anymore?

Answer: Because Gaga is flopping on them

Question: What would happen if Gaga saw some chart success?

Answer: Everyone would obsess over chart placements 

that's so true but still he's got a point, before or after PI, the radio is full of ****. 

[Bambino 24,267]

Everyone is confused because she's just not the same person they loved. She's changed and she doesn't seem to care about all of this. It's like she's starting from the scratch but fans can't forget who she used to be.

[President Trump 3,508]

YIKES! Charts have never mattered historically. Queen has many iconic songs that when you look on chart performance on Wikipedia you wouldn't know they were iconic. Amy winehouse singles chart positions don't appear as though she was iconic. Nirvana, you wouldn't know for many of them, etc etc.

 

it's ridiculous that little dumbsters here are so focused on the constantly changing field of chart positions when there are labels that purchase YouTube views, that inflate rules, change rules, etc and to them it doesn't matter. Chart position means all. I think they're a total waste of time and it's no wonder an established successful worldwide famous artist no longer visits websites devoted to her, because her fans are idiots who treat music performance like sports  when there are constant varying factors. YIKES!!!!!!!!!

[Born Brave 2,072]

Just now, Bambino said:

Everyone is confused because she's just not the same person they loved. She's changed and she doesn't seem to care about all of this. It's like she's starting from the scratch but fans can't forget who she used to be.

This is very true. It's like a breakup.. but we get to love and bang a new Gaga in less than a month.. so im just getting off on Tove Lo as a rebound. 

[Ahri Under You 410]

3 minutes ago, Bambino said:

Everyone is confused because she's just not the same person they loved. She's changed and she doesn't seem to care about all of this. It's like she's starting from the scratch but fans can't forget who she used to be.

Are we supposed to forget who she used to be? 

[Born Brave 2,072]

3 minutes ago, Ma Ma Pa Pa Pa said:

YIKES! Charts have never mattered historically. Queen has many iconic songs that when you look on chart performance on Wikipedia you wouldn't know they were iconic. Amy winehouse singles chart positions don't appear as though she was iconic. Nirvana, you wouldn't know for many of them, etc etc.

 

it's ridiculous that little dumbsters here are so focused on the constantly changing field of chart positions when there are labels that purchase YouTube views, that inflate rules, change rules, etc and to them it doesn't matter. Chart position means all. I think they're a total waste of time and it's no wonder an established successful worldwide famous artist no longer visits websites devoted to her, because her fans are idiots who treat music performance like sports  when there are constant varying factors. YIKES!!!!!!!!!

Preach. 

[Bambino 24,267]

4 minutes ago, Ahri Under You said:

Are we supposed to forget who she used to be?

Where did I say y'all should do that?

It's like she wants y'all to let go of the old Gaga because, according to her, she wasn't happy and felt fake before she got a new management.

[Born Brave 2,072]

4 minutes ago, Ahri Under You said:

Are we supposed to forget who she used to be? 

Remember the times you had together and hold them dear in your heart and move on. You still have TF, TFM, BTW, AP to listen to whenever you want. Fortunately she's still selling those records and they are still available to be heard at any moment you wish to hear them. 

To be able to move on, you must first be able to let go. 

[Prada 1,200]

GP doesnt listen songs to place them in top 100.

They listen songs because they like them and have fun.

Charts formed that way.

No one has an itention to put a song in top 10,except of the stans of artist.

For example; PI was not high on charts,becauseeeee GP doesnt like the song.Not because they hate Gaga so they stayed away from purchasing it.

[ferretti 5,808]

I generally agree that charts are not the most important factor in a musicians life and that we should all pay attention to the music first. However, they have purpose and I think it's totally fair to be a little obsessed with them. It's fun, honestly, to track things with numbers - I love it in all areas. It's also an indicator of how an artist you love (if we're talking about music strictly) is registering with the GP. I love knowing that things I love are also enjoyed everywhere, not that I don't want to have many things I/few appreciate, but it's a nice feeling that I can put on a Gaga record at a party and EVERYONE knows the song and is ready to dance to it.

Gaga specifically has created a super rich world of both music and visuals that can truly be impacted by her success and how much money she has to spend, promote and perform. That's not to say she needs all the bling and all the stages to create onto, but there's a power in knowing she can spend any amount of money she wants on a video or performance for TV, for a tour or whatever else. I LOVE those things and want her to be financially supported for them and have the interest of the GP so she can go on and do a Super Bowl or another OMG performance at an awards show or whatever. And if Gaga wants to build another castle-like monstrosity of a set for a future tour, I damn well hope she can.

All in all, charts aren't super important, but they have a place and I don't mind the minor meltdowns here and there, just gotta remember we're still jamming to new amazing Gaga music as the stans melt.

 

Spoiler

PS. you're crazy cute, ha

 

[Sakrai 4,759]

Charts were relevant when Gaga wanted to become popular. Charts are no longer relevant because she already got popular so she doesn't need them anymore. They are a necessary evil and fortunately Gaga already went through that critical stage (incredibly successfully may I add), so now she's free to do whatever she wants.

And on a personal note, I really like you Justin. Used to watch you on radio ARTPOP and really liked your comments.