Nielsen released its Top 10 lists for 2006, which were formulated using hard data from SoundScan and BDS–no critical judgments, or Joanna Newsom tracks, here. Topping the digital downloads list was Daniel Powter’s “Bad Day,” which was purchased 1,880,000 times; No. 1 on the albums list went to the High School Musical soundtrack, which sold 3,480,000 units. Remember, some of these lists reflect what music people were willing to pay for:
THE GOOD: The top two slots on the radio-airplay list are occupied by the totally unhateable Mary J. Blige (“Be Without You,” 395,995 spins) and Natasha Bedingfield (“Unwritten,” 336,276 plays). Blige is one of two artists to have songs on both the airplay and album-sales lists; the other is Beyonce, whose Pink Panther tie-in “Check On it” was the eighth-most-played track this year. Also, are we missing something, or did James Blunt’s seemingly ubiquitous “You’re Beautiful” really get less airplay than Ne-Yo?
THE BAD: We will never understand how The Fray (No. 4 on the digital-download chart, No. 10 on the airplay chart) became such a dominant pop-music force–their dishwater-dull tunes make even the likes of Powter seem edgy.
THE WHAAA? Nestled among the hip-hop snippets dominating the Top Ten Mastertones chart: Hinder’s “Lips Of An Angel,” which was purchased 1,090,000 times. Because nothing will make you want to answer your phone quickly like a hoary power ballad that’s all about how you want to get back together with your ex.
Daniel Powter – Bad Day [MP3, link expired]
Nielsen Issues Most Popular Lists for 2006 [PR Newswire]
T.I. was on “Sexyback”? Really?
Is this my cue? Oh, okay…
Topping the digital downloads list was Daniel Powter’s “Bad Day,” which was purchased 1,880,000 times
You’d barely even know it, but “Bad Day” is actually also the official #1 Single of 2006 according to Billboard (i.e., it’s the #1 Hot 100 song of the year, statistically). Normally Billboard makes hay about this feat, because the Hot 100 (singles) and Billboard 200 (albums) lists are the magazine’s two biggies. But I notice they’re keeping real quiet – no big announcements on their awards telecast, no big stories in the magazine – about how this Idol-pimped, undeniable one-hit-wonder defeated the likes of Blige, Gnarls, Timberlake and any number of other huge acts to take the top slot. It’s right up there with Ace of Base (#1 single AND album of 1994) in the annals of let’s-pretend-this-never-happened chart champs.
Also, are we missing something, or did James Blunt’s seemingly ubiquitous “You’re Beautiful” really get less airplay than Ne-Yo?
Sure, because BDS aggregates airplay from all formats, and Ne-Yo got, effectively, double the airplay thanks to his massiveness at R&B radio, added to his similar massiveness at Top 40. (This, by the way, is why R&B and hip-hop have been demolishing pop records on the charts since the mid-’90s: records by honkies have one hand tied behind their backs, numbers-wise, since they rely almost entirely upon one half-dead radio format, Top 40 – and a smattering of modern rock/AC – to boost their stats.)
We will never understand how The Fray…became such a dominant pop-music force–their dishwater-dull tunes make even the likes of Powter seem edgy.
Really? If you’re going to sing to me about having a bad day, I’ll take melodic but bummed over chirpy and perky any day. But hey, that’s just me.