Today’s thread is brought to you by the numbers 6, 103K, 17.4M and 38M.
Rihanna and Drake notch another number one on the Hot 100 with “Work” (Rihanna is lead and Drake is featured, but they both get credit for a number one). Rihanna moves into sole 3rd position of most number ones ever behind The Beatles and Madonna. She had been tied with Michael Jackson with 13. The song also topped the streaming chart and its video was released yesterday (and getting a lot of views).
Justin Bieber has to settle for second in a close race, but his “Love Yourself” tops the radio airplay chart. His “Sorry” is 4th on the chart. Splitting his two songs is twenty-one pilot’s “Stressed Out”. Flo Rida’s “My House” is fifth (top of the digital chart), G-Eazy is 8th and the Chainsmoker’s are 9th. We have a new song in the top 10 with DNCE (between The Weeknd and DNCE vowels are getting short shrift) and their “Cake by the Ocean”.
X-Factor’s ZAYN moves “Pillowtalk” up one spot to number 6th. The song is a strong streamer moving from 3-2 on Streaming Songs charts with 17.4M streams last week (+3%). Digitally, he sold 103K copies (up 20% for 5th on that chart) and the song debuts on the Radio Songs chart at 36th (38M AI, +33%).
Adele’s “Hellow” slips down a spot and she is having an interesting run. It’s not often a song starts at number one and when it starts to fall falls 1-2-3-4-5-6-7. It would be kind of fun if she completes the set in the top 10.
Streaming and subscription services have been good for UMG. 52% of their digital revenue comes from those sources. Overall, those services account for 24% of their recorded music revenue. Digital revenue is down 18%.
UPDATE: The Voice 9 winner Jordan Smith sold 9,906 US downloads of his single “Stand in the Light” in its debut week, according to Nielsen Music. It was the week’s #133 digital song. It goes for hot adult contemporary radio adds on March 7. (via Headline Planet)
Here is an article about Adele’s roll-out of “25”. Her manager makes a salient point about streaming – it isn’t for everybody. He believes Adele’s market is mainly physical and he is probably correct. Managers and promoters have to properly figure out how their artist fits into the market.