Should singles still be picked based on radio?

[sexy 3,100]

With the success of songs like Bad and Boujee, Bounce Back, Black Beatles, Panda, Closer, Fake Love – all songs that are not "traditional" hits, but have found success, largely due to streaming and not radio airplay. Bad and Boujee, for example, hit #1 with streaming numbers upwards of 30 million.

With YouTube and Spotify playing an increasingly potent role in the success of a song, should Gaga move forward with a more traditional, radio friendly single (i.e. A-YO), or attempt something that might be a little bit catchier and controversial (i.e. John Wayne, Dancin' in Circles, Diamond Heart) that likely wouldn't catch onto most mainstream radio stations? 

(I was previously very against DiC as a single, but I'm starting to feel like it might do well given what's doing well on the charts right now)

[Runway 27,876]

She's not a black rapper so yes

[Luke78619 22,411]

Yes for John Wayne  

/thread. 

[The Z 17,951]

Closer is nothing else than a traditional hit

[JustAnotherDay 8,402]

For Gaga, yes

[sexy 3,100]

Just now, kevindjibouti said:

Closer is nothing else than a traditional hit

Traditional in what sense? Maybe in the context of 2016 as a whole.

[JustAnotherDay 8,402]

Also, John Wayne and Diamond Heart will flop, no matter what you say, no matter what you do, it will flop. 

[Neight Shayde 7,925]

2 minutes ago, NickARTPOP said:

Also, John Wayne and Diamond Heart will flop, no matter what you say, no matter what you do, it will flop. 

[RonnieGagz 4,300]

8 minutes ago, kevindjibouti said:

Closer is nothing else than a traditional hit

It isn't traditional but its basic as fvck

[Anderson123 31,249]

Radio hits are very unpredictable sometimes. It's either a catchy song or got famous because of some viral video that got people to listen to the song.

[JustAnotherDay 8,402]

31 minutes ago, BrothaGaga said:

it's too loud for radio, I wish the gp had taste and could accept it though 

 

[The Z 17,951]

41 minutes ago, HighwayUnicorne said:

It isn't traditional but its basic as fvck

I can't find the difference 

[Neight Shayde 7,925]

7 minutes ago, NickARTPOP said:

it's too loud for radio, I wish the gp had taste and could accept it though 

 

i think Diamond Heart is just as loud as Shawn Mendes' "Treat You Better" (except for DH's bridge).

I think it has a really good shot, to be honest.

but then again, we're talking about Gaga, an artist who totally gets ignored on the radio.

[JustAnotherDay 8,402]

Just now, BrothaGaga said:

i think Diamond Heart is just as loud as Shawn Mendes' "Treat You Better" (except for DH's bridge).

I think it has a really good shot, to be honest.

but then again, we're talking about Gaga, an artist who totally gets ignored on the radio.

not really, DH uses much more instrumentation while TYB has a lot less. Not to mention, Shawn has a much better relationship with radio right now. Unfortunately, rock just isn't big right now 

[sexy 3,100]

15 minutes ago, kevindjibouti said:

I can't find the difference 

The way I see it is being "traditional" relates more to the musical makeup of a song while what constitutes being "basic" is its lyrical content. So, generally, a song that is traditional isn't necessarily basic and a song that's traditional isn't automatically basic.

For example, I Kissed a Girl. Sonically, there's nothing special about it. It's typical pop rock. Its subject matter, conversely, is very edgy and pushed the envelope – especially with cleverly naughty innuendo like "cherry chapstick." It's a traditional song musically with subject matter that is very risqué.

Closer. Lyrically, it's about as basic as you can get. But I wouldn't call it musically traditional. It's EDM, but EDM in a rawer form that has only recently become popular in the mainstream. Therefore, it's a basic song, but you can't really call it "traditional" in the sense that it sounds like other songs before it (I'm not saying it's anything revolutionary, I actually don't care for it, but this song wouldn't've happened in the 2000s, it has a sound rooted in the mid-to-later part of this decade).