Comments on: Glimmers Of Light: Other Formats’ Top 10s Juice Up Sleepy Summer Charts

By: rina

rina — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 06:31:28 +0000

@Tauwan: Every time I hear the line "double your pleasure, double your fun" I want to punch him in the neck.

By: DocStrange

DocStrange — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 04:41:30 +0000

@breedavies: The Modern Rock chart doesn't usually suck like this (and really, that Offspring song is AWFUL, but the Death Cab and Coldplay songs are good). If you looked at more than the Top 10, you'd find music by Vampire Weekend, Black Kids, The Kooks, The Ting Tings and Beck in the Top 40 right now. Actually that awful "I Kissed A Girl" has somehow climbed to #27. This is troubling because Beck's "Gamma Ray" is currently at #26.

By: Chris Molanphy

Chris Molanphy — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 01:10:18 +0000

@Luiis: Confession: digital sales numbers are going to continue to be represented erratically and irregularly here, which has to do with the weekly report I receive. Some weeks I might not have time to produce those numbers.

The problem is the multiple versions of each hit that appear on the chart, which Billboard (rightfully) combines in compiling its Digital Songs chart. For example, the Katy Perry song has two versions selling at iTunes, and you have to combine the weekly tally for both versions to get the accurate total number. Most other hits have only one version selling, thank God.

Anyway, the report I receive lists the top-selling digital tracks, with all versions listed separately. It's a bit tedious, but in order to produce the sales totals you see above, I have to figure out whether a Top 10 digital seller has multiple versions (swear to God, when "Lollipop" was on the list there were usually at least four versions!) and then add them up. I don't mind doing that, and in fact for my own work writing the column I have incentive to do it, anyway; but some weeks it's just not possible.

This week, I had time to do it, but you'll see no sales number for Rihanna's "Take a Bow." That's because there's two versions of that one, but because my report only lists the top 200 sellers, and the second version of "Bow" fell below No. 200 on the list, I have no idea what the actual total was. So I left it out. Expect to see "N/A" here some weeks.

By: breedavies

breedavies — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 11:53:46 +0000

Why do the "Modern Rock" charts scare the shit out of me? Oh, maybe it's because the bands I thought sucked in the 90s when I was in high school are still around, and still making records, therefore still continuing to suck...minus Weezer. I'm trying to pretend I like the red album more than I do. But I still like it.

Or, maybe I'm displacing my crush on Brian Bell and trying to pin it on "Pork and Beans."

p.s.- Thank god for Lil' Wayne. Someone's finally bringing a decent flow back to radio rap.

By: Tauwan

Tauwan — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 10:30:46 +0000

Can someone please tell me the allure behind Chris Brown’s Forever? It just seems to go on and on and on with no end in sight.

By: Rob Murphy

Rob Murphy — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 10:16:46 +0000

Chris, excellent as always...

"Remind me never to get wrapped up in rooting for a country song again, ever-it's so tiresome..."

Agreed, but the chart geek in you may find something of interest in Rissi Palmer. Rissi Palmer last year became the first African American female artist in 20 years to crack the Country chart. She's back again now, with her highest-charting single to date -- her cover of fellow-Pittsburgh-native Jordin Sparks & Chris Brown's "No Air". Palmer's "No Air" lands at #49 this week in only its fourth week on the chart. I'd say that's quite an accomplishment on the radio-only chart in the whitest-of-white formats.

If you wish to repay me any alleged favors you don't owe me, please keep an eye on the progress of this single:

-- DHMBIB

By: Luiis

Luiis — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 10:06:37 +0000

Great column, as always. Very happy to see digital sales numbers back up!