Blinding Lights now Billboard's Biggest Hit

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whuntva
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Blinding Lights now Billboard's Biggest Hit

Post by whuntva »

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/entertainment ... ar-AAR3mik

It took over 60 years, but "The Twist" has been surpassed. The Weeknd made a song that conquered the charts for nearly two years. Honestly, it feels appropriate. Having a song that was #1 for four weeks and stayed on for 90 feels right. This was everywhere, on every station regardless of format, and made an impression across the music scope. It did not win our EOY last year though...it was #3.

I was thinking "All I Want for Christmas is You" would win. Since it is the annual Christmas anthem, it had ample opportunities to steal #1. But "Blinding Lights" just ...feels right, you know.
jamieW
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Re: Blinding Lights now Billboard's Biggest Hit

Post by jamieW »

For the record, though, it's difficult to compare Billboard hits pre-1991 vs. post-1991, which is when they completely changed their methodology. Songs moved up and down the chart much more quickly when sales and airplay were just being reported by record stores and radio stations instead of electronically. (Which is obviously more accurate, but has completely ruined the charts for me. I much preferred seeing more new songs each week than songs that have been on the chart for a year because people prefer the old and familiar.) I think Billboard uses a "weighted" method to account for this difference, or else (by a pure "points" system) about 50 songs would've eclipsed "The Twist" by now, but it still makes comparing the different eras of the Hot 100 difficult. (With all of that said, I do prefer "Blinding LIghts" to "The Twist" personally.)
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Re: Blinding Lights now Billboard's Biggest Hit

Post by panam »

I really hate the methodology of Billboard Hot 100 in the 90s. Many hits were restricted because its rules. Nowadays no restrictions at all and good budget just needs to maximize streaming tactics for creating a massive hit.
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Re: Blinding Lights now Billboard's Biggest Hit

Post by jamieW »

panam wrote: Wed Nov 24, 2021 3:36 pm I really hate the methodology of Billboard Hot 100 in the 90s. Many hits were restricted because its rules. Nowadays no restrictions at all and good budget just needs to maximize streaming tactics for creating a massive hit.
Yes! That was another thing. Many huge airplay hits in the late '90s (such as "Don't Speak" and "Iris", just off the top of my head) never charted because Billboard stubbornly held onto its rule that the song needed to be released as a commercial "single," even when that very thing was quickly becoming antiquated. I think this changed around 1998 or so; but, by then, it was too late for some of the most ubiquitous pop songs of the decade.
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Moonbeam
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Re: Blinding Lights now Billboard's Biggest Hit

Post by Moonbeam »

I've actually put in a fair bit of time to come up with an alternative to Billboard's methodology. Their rankings are based on a fairly strange system which really values tenure in the top 10. I've used a few different models to come up with a more balanced list, but haven't updated it in awhile. If there's interest (and I find time), I might share a spreadsheet with my results.
jamieW
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Re: Blinding Lights now Billboard's Biggest Hit

Post by jamieW »

Moonbeam wrote: Fri Nov 26, 2021 8:19 am I've actually put in a fair bit of time to come up with an alternative to Billboard's methodology. Their rankings are based on a fairly strange system which really values tenure in the top 10. I've used a few different models to come up with a more balanced list, but haven't updated it in awhile. If there's interest (and I find time), I might share a spreadsheet with my results.
There would definitely be interest from me when you find time, Moonbeam! I began keeping track of the Hot 100 in 1982 when I was 11 years old and never stopped - even if I no longer care for their methodology. Since 1991, I also began tracking the ARC charts, which can be found on www.rockonthenet.com, since it most closely resembles the way the "pop" charts used to be compiled before Billboard's big change. It also has a monster "all-time" chart that's constantly being updated using the Billboard charts from 1955-1979, and its own chart, which originated in 1980.
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Re: Blinding Lights now Billboard's Biggest Hit

Post by WE2012 »

This is surprising, but as you all mentioned - the methodology has changed. Because of that it's not really that comparable.
In this case what helps this song so much is how old style and classic it sounds. I know some people who didn't even it was Weeknd's song. They were truly surprised!
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