Collabs that you're surprised didn't become hits?

[StrawberryBlond 13,262]

So often, we're told that collabs are ready-made, engineered, guaranteed hits, especially if they feature big names. We especially encountered this concept a lot when Rain On Me hit, with many, even Gaga's own fans, claiming that Ariana's presence on the track was purely the reason why it was such a hit and a solo version or even a version with a less successful name on it wouldn't have achieved the same feat. Whether this is true or not, it's undeniable that we assume collabs will be hits by design. But there have been many collabs that have failed. Which ones surprised you the most and why? Was it because they had big names on the track? Because there were so many names on the track, therefore, should've pooled a lot of fanbases? Was the track as super current, relevant sound that had already proved a hit recently?

Here's some of mine:

Failed to chart in the US, only charted at #22 in the UK despite having 2 British artists on it and didn't chart in the top 10 for the most part worldwide. I thought this would cause Rita to truly break through in the US but apparently not. I also thought Charli's association with the #1 of Fancy, Bebe's recent hit with Meant To Be and Cardi's massive debut would have made it a hit for sure.

Charted at #96 in the USA, #25 in the UK and didn't chart in the top 10 worldwide. I thought this bunch of names would have automatically propelled it to top ten regardless of how the song sounded. This was really when it was clear Calvin's power was fading as Feels was released around this time and that has been his last #1 and proper hit to this day.

#42 in the USA, #20 in the UK, didn't chart in top ten worldwide. After their last big smash collab, I expected another Nicki/Ariana song to get to automatic top ten but sometimes collab hits can be one-offs.

#59 in the US, #37 in the UK, didn't chart in top ten worldwide. This one is probably the one that mystifies me the most. Katy, who was still getting hits at this point, the very successful Migos, a very generic sex song, a raunchy music video. Would have automatically translated to success at any time in the last 20 years. What happened?

#32 in the US, #7 in the UK, didn't chart much worldwide. The UK at least got it top ten for hits inclusion but I'm sure now it would be even bigger. Ed was becoming a bigger deal in America at the time so I'm surprised this wasn't elevated more. I'm sure it would be a huge hit if released today.

#12 in the USA, #35 in the UK, didn't chart in the top ten worldwide. This is the kind of A-list hip hop collab that would've debuted at #1, top three at least. Was it too overly specific to Nicki's situation for people to relate to?

#18 in the USA, #49 in the UK despite Ed being on it and mostly didn't go top ten anywhere worldwide. Another Taylor/Ed collab that failed to meet expectations, even with the addition of another name thrown into the mix. Probably one of the most baffling flop collabs of all time, I'm sure it had the record labels scratching their heads too. This just goes to show that sometimes, even when you've got two titans of pop on the same song, there's no guarantee it'll work out.

I realise that you can simply say "it was a bad song" but bad songs have never had a problem becoming hits since the dawn of time. Sometimes, I think there's more going on that something so simplistic. So, do any of you know of any more?

[bionic 37,666]

the original Nicki Minaj pop collab

[asfittingasmcqueen 1,745]

this one surprised me the most. Peaked at #8 in the UK and #54 in the US, which is not that bad but I was definitely expecting it to be more successful. 2020 was the year of female collabs (ROM, WAP, Say So, Savage...) yet Prisoner was the only one that didn't go number one

[Chic 20,830]

I came here just to post End Game. That was expertly made to be a success and still didn’t achieve it. No idea how.

[Evan Peters 10,298]

6 minutes ago, gagaliens said:

this one surprised me the most. Peaked at #8 in the UK and #54 in the US, which is not that bad but I was definitely expecting it to be more successful. 2020 was the year of female collabs (ROM, WAP, Say So, Savage...) yet Prisoner was the only one that didn't go number one

This song is absolutely awful, that’s why 

[bionic 37,666]

Just now, Evan Peters said:

This song is absolutely awful, that’s why 

Its not a bad song but Physical >>> by a long shot. The two aren't that different so I may as well just listen to Olivia Newton John

[Chromatography 9,512]

i remember when girls came out. a lot of people took it as a queer baiting tactic 

[A MESS 3,938]

37 minutes ago, bionic said:

the original Nicki Minaj pop collab

Woohoo????? THE SIMS????? YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAS

[Shawniqua Mendes 3,893]

 

[Lucas 20,561]

Guess it was a medium hit but I always expected it to peak at #1 and stay there for weeks. But it peaked at #15 in the US and #11 in the UK and only sold 370k in the US which is quite shocking considering it's RIHANNA and SHAKIRA

[Chlorine Sevigny 45,507]

1 hour ago, StrawberryBlond said:

 

#59 in the US, #37 in the UK, didn't chart in top ten worldwide. This one is probably the one that mystifies me the most. Katy, who was still getting hits at this point, the very successful Migos, a very generic sex song, a raunchy music video. Would have automatically translated to success at any time in the last 20 years. What happened?

Bone Apple Tea was my shhhhh**t. What a bop. 

[Poissonche 12,365]

8 minutes ago, Lucas said:

Guess it was a medium hit but I always expected it to peak at #1 and stay there for weeks. But it peaked at #15 in the US and #11 in the UK and only sold 370k in the US which is quite shocking considering it's RIHANNA and SHAKIRA

can't remember to put music out / pay my taxes

I'm actually surprised by these numbers! I felt like that song was everywhere back then.

[Chromatography 9,512]

17 minutes ago, Shawniqua Mendes said:

 

charli looks so beautiful in this thumb nail 

[StrawberryBlond 13,262]

1 hour ago, Chic said:

I came here just to post End Game. That was expertly made to be a success and still didn’t achieve it. No idea how.

I wonder if Taylor fans thought she was selling out? I know for a lot of them, this was the one song on the album they didn't like. But I know, it was clearly designed to be a single if the era wasn't going according to plan in order to swoop in and save it. Sure enough, when it was clear that post LWYMMD, there was going to be a struggle for any more #1's or longer-lasting hits, this was released and when it failed, the whole era was basically over, save Delicate at the tail end just because the era needed perhaps one last proper single. You can see why, coupled with the struggle for #1's with the Lover era, that I honestly thought Taylor's days as a #1 hitmaker were behind her. The success she had with Folklore and Evermore made it all come full circle and proved to me that "there are no guarantees in this industry" is a phrase that can be taken many different ways. Popstars are made to fall and come back, what can I say?

55 minutes ago, Chromatography said:

i remember when girls came out. a lot of people took it as a queer baiting tactic 

Yes, but in a world where I Kissed A Girl went #1, it wasn't crazy to think it couldn't be a hit. But that was 10 years ago at the time and I guess we were a bit more evolved by 2018. I like the track as a guilty pleasure, myself. All the women in it claimed to be bi which is really admirable as normally it would be straight girls singing this stuff but I can totally see why people had an issue considering that none of them have publicly dated women and the lyrics are a bit objectifying, stereotypical and conform to straight male fantasies of bi women.

10 minutes ago, Lucas said:

Guess it was a medium hit but I always expected it to peak at #1 and stay there for weeks. But it peaked at #15 in the US and #11 in the UK and only sold 370k in the US which is quite shocking considering it's RIHANNA and SHAKIRA

Forgot about this one. It was meant to be solo originally and then I guess it was suggested that she needed a big name on it in the hopes of having a comeback. It just shows how much Shakira had lost ground in the US market and worldwide by this point. She just took too long a break for anyone to truly care, I think.

[Anveeroy 56,891]