NLOTH Singles Chart Watch

[doctorwho]

We're finally having a bit of good news on the chart-front? That's good, because I was busy not caring about the charts.

Frankly, I'm surprised Krazy Tonite is doing anything at all on the charts... really, it seems to be helping the album more than Magnificent, which is extremely surprising.

I'm puzzled by this too. "Magnificent" seemed to have that classic U2 sound (i.e., 80's and early 90's sound) with a modern twist (i.e., disco beats - which, of course, is actually a throwback to the 70's). I felt for sure the soaring vocals and the overall optimism of the song would create a huge hit for U2. This does lead me to believe that those rumors of a "conspiracy" against Bono may have had a touch of truth.

Then again, when I listen to "Crazy" I hear songs from ATYCLB and HTDAAB. In other words, "Crazy" is the song that sounds most like U2 from THIS decade. And if one loves songs like BD, "Vertigo", "Kite", "Stuck in a Moment...", "Sometimes...", etc., then "Crazy" blends in. "Crazy" is the one track on NLOTH that sounds most like prior U2 (just like "One" sounds most like U2 from the late 80's and "Pride" sounds like U2 from the early 80's, etc.). It's U2's transition song. And as a result, it is allowing audiences to connect to the new U2 and to NLOTH.

Even if one isn't a big fan of "Crazy", the song is ridiculously catchy. While I thought "Magnificent" would be big, I also felt "Crazy" would do well. NLOTH has moved up and seems to be floating between #50 and #51 in the U.S. on the iTunes chart (#51 right now). "Crazy" has also jumped up on the iTunes rock singles chart. As of late Sunday night (Aug. 2nd), it is #43, which is the highest U2 song on the chart (it overtook BD, which is #46 at this moment). That's a jump of 8 spots from my post earlier today. Hopefully it continues up the charts.

 

[cjboog]

Magnificent cracked the top 100 on downloads alone when the album was released, so Crazy has a long way to go before then

I realize that Magnificent had a lot of downloads initially, but what I meant was during its single run (when it was getting 2-3 thousand plays a week on US radio) it sometime broke into the top 100 rock songs chart in the upper 90's and then left. Right now Crazy Tonight is #43 on the rock songs chart. It has risen about 30 spots in a couple days which says to me that a lot more people are downloading this song than were downloading Magnificent during its chart run. We shall see.

And I think when you type in U2 on itunes and see the popularity of the songs, that chart is either out of date or runs over a certain period of time. Because right now on the rock songs chart, Crazy is the #1 downloaded U2 song in the US, two slots ahead of Beautiful Day at #45. Great news!!

 

[doctorwho]

And I think when you type in U2 on itunes and see the popularity of the songs, that chart is either out of date or runs over a certain period of time. Because right now on the rock songs chart, Crazy is the #1 downloaded U2 song in the US, two slots ahead of Beautiful Day at #45. Great news!!

The popularity chart is definitely cumulative. This is why BD, "Vertigo", WOWY, etc. still have more overall downloads than "Crazy". However, as of this moment, "Crazy" is the top downloaded U2 song. It's now #40 on the U.S. iTunes rock chart.

This brings me back to that "conspiracy" idea.

First, Coldplay had a huge hit with "Vida...". Listening to that song, I couldn't help but think that if audiences loved that song, then a song like "Magnificent" would be perfect. It has a softer rock sound, is catchy, has a classic U2 feel, etc. Yet radio stations claimed that it's not what their audiences want to hear. Really? They want Coldplay, which is basically U2, but they don't want U2?

Now I look at iTunes and see that Kings of Leon have a huge hit with "Use Somebody". I really thought "Sex on Fire" was a great song, but in terms of iTunes, that song was a comparative "flop". "Use Somebody" is the top downloaded alternative song and the #3 downloaded song overall. As a result, it's caused both versions of the album, "Only by the Night", to be in the Top 3 downloaded albums (all albums, not just rock or alternative) (NOTE that KOL is on the alternative charts while U2 is on the rock charts). A quick listen to "Use Somebody" shows how once again, U2 would readily blend in. There's little doubt that KOL has U2 influences, like Coldlplay. And these two artists are huge (on iTunes at least). But their iTunes success is also due to radio play. Why isn't U2 there? How can bands that U2 influence - in some cases heavily - be what audiences want to hear, but not U2 themselves? I find something odd in that.

Regardless, at least "Crazy" seems to be gaining momentum!

 

[powerhour24]

Because there's a childish backlash against them because they're older and more successful, and the people that the radio programmers are aiming for (and likely the programmers themselves) are too unaware about music composition (or even band interviews) to hear/see that influence, or new creativity when it hits them in the face. Fools.

 

[Native_Son]

The popularity chart is definitely cumulative. This is why BD, "Vertigo", WOWY, etc. still have more overall downloads than "Crazy". However, as of this moment, "Crazy" is the top downloaded U2 song. It's now #40 on the U.S. iTunes rock chart.

This brings me back to that "conspiracy" idea.

First, Coldplay had a huge hit with "Vida...". Listening to that song, I couldn't help but think that if audiences loved that song, then a song like "Magnificent" would be perfect. It has a softer rock sound, is catchy, has a classic U2 feel, etc. Yet radio stations claimed that it's not what their audiences want to hear. Really? They want Coldplay, which is basically U2, but they don't want U2?

Now I look at iTunes and see that Kings of Leon have a huge hit with "Use Somebody". I really thought "Sex on Fire" was a great song, but in terms of iTunes, that song was a comparative "flop". "Use Somebody" is the top downloaded alternative song and the #3 downloaded song overall. As a result, it's caused both versions of the album, "Only by the Night", to be in the Top 3 downloaded albums (all albums, not just rock or alternative) (NOTE that KOL is on the alternative charts while U2 is on the rock charts). A quick listen to "Use Somebody" shows how once again, U2 would readily blend in. There's little doubt that KOL has U2 influences, like Coldlplay. And these two artists are huge (on iTunes at least). But their iTunes success is also due to radio play. Why isn't U2 there? How can bands that U2 influence - in some cases heavily - be what audiences want to hear, but not U2 themselves? I find something odd in that.

Regardless, at least "Crazy" seems to be gaining momentum!

i think age is the main reason. ok KOL are 'new' (ok theyve been around for a good few years) but have only just broken through. everyone loves the 'cool' new band, once they bring out the new album is likely to flop (without any disrespect to KOL, but thats how it works)

 

[CosmoKramer]

Dont look know (well if you want) but Crazy tonight has hit the overall UK itunes singles chart at 79 (as of right now) and it is in Canada at 82. I find this interesting since there is no "official" single yet (at least I dont think so).

 

[digitize]

For what it's worth regarding Krazy, the Blackberry commercial caused one of my best friends to buy NLOTH, and he now considers Krazy to be his favorite song.

 

[powerhour24]

Say what you want about the inclusion of the song as them playing it safe, but its winning them some new fans, and more copies sold of NLOTH, and bringing some much needed positivity to pop music. Magnificent may have just been too positive and loving for the mainstream, no negativity or violence/drugs, oh well.

 

[fedeu2]

Dont look know (well if you want) but Crazy tonight has hit the overall UK itunes singles chart at 79 (as of right now) and it is in Canada at 82. I find this interesting since there is no "official" single yet (at least I dont think so).

I hope this is not again a case of terrible timing for the official release date.
Oh well, at least we have an early video release this time.

 

[fedeu2]

Say what you want about the inclusion of the song as them playing it safe, but its winning them some new fans, and more copies sold of NLOTH, and bringing some much needed positivity to pop music. Magnificent may have just been too positive and loving for the mainstream, no negativity or violence/drugs, oh well.

Well, with a few exceptions (U2 being one of them occasionally) every single band out there play it safe when it comes to release singles. Otherwise, what´s the point of releasing them at all?

 

[macphisto54]

When is this single 'officially' released in the UK? I though it was supposed to be in a week's time, but Absoulte Radio has it as 07/09/09!!!

 

[beLIEve]

Just got my Billboard Magazine for last week, and looks like their new, consolidated chart formats are going to be what gets into print from now on. While a few articles do talk about Triple A and some of the other formats, there is one "Rock" chart that shows the Top 50 positions, and it's a combination of the Rock formats.

Anyway, Crazy rises from 50 to 42 w/bullet in it's 2nd week on the chart. Magnificent is at #12 on the "Hot Dance Club Play" chart. NLOTH is up to #11 on the Eurochart Top 100 albums.

Per mediabase as of today, Crazy is rising still on Triple A, Rock, Alternative, and Adult Top 40 formats. I'm kinda surprised that it jumped from 40 to 38 on Alternative Radio in the last 24 hours, picking up spins and new stations. Also saw a "quick take" on the Crazy Cartoon video, where the author states "...but I was completely surprised by this U2 video...which is easily the best one released by anyone in 2009."

No boxscore info for U2 in the magazine this week, which is strange. Interesting, though, that many of today's singles chart toppers cannot sell out arenas, including Coldplay, Beyonce, Jonas Brothers, etc.

 

[Native_Son]

BBC radio2, Crazy is new on the B-list. usually songs do not move on this chart, but 3rd single on the B-list is good. nothing on radio1 sadly, whats going on!

 

[fitz]

Here are - finally - the newest figures:

1 U2 Croke Park Dublin, Ireland, July 24-25, 27, 2009, $28,815,352
243,198 / 243,198 3 / 3 $214.07, $130.15


2 U2 Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands, July 20-21, 2009
$12,583,998, 125,866 / 125,866 2 / 2 $213.66, $78.34

 

[fitz]

New Totals:

U2
360 TOUR
EUROPE 1ST LEG
GROSS: $112,727,444
ATTENDANCE: 1,035,375
Average Gross: $8,671,342
Average Attendance: 79,644
Average Ticket Price: $108.88
Shows: 13
Sellouts: 13

By the way, where is an open Boxscore-tread?

 

[sgera]

The magnificent music video was #1 on the Much More Music (MMM) Canadian top 10 mmtop10.ca today. This a daily countdown selected by the viewers and differs from the regular top 10 chart where Magnificent peaked at #6 two weeks back.

Pretty amazing that U2 videos still reach #1 in North America....especially considering the rest of chart contained Black Eye Peas, Lady Gaga etc etc.

 

[powerhour24]

U2 singles always seem to chart better in Canada than in the US.

 

[Danny Boy]

Mostly because they still release singles in Canada. At least until recently.

 

[digitize]

U2 singles always seem to chart better in Canada than in the US.

God, I wish I lived in Canada (for more reasons than that).

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

God, I wish I lived in Canada (for more reasons than that).

what the hell, you dont like Texas?

 

[Irishteen]

Mostly because they still release singles in Canada. At least until recently.

Yeah but the Canadian charts up until last year have been worthless U2 had number 1s in a chart that was lucky to have a top 10. The new Canadian Hot 100 is an actual chart that has some degree of relevance

 

[cjboog]

Mediabase update for I'll Go Crazy...

July 24th-30th

AAA
Up from #8 to #7
366 plays (+45)

Hot AC
Up from #44 to #34
308 plays (+89)

Alternative
Up from #46 to #40
243 plays (+24)

Rock
Up from #44 to #33
28 plays (+14)

945 TOTAL PLAYS on these formats this week...

Here are the most recent Mediabase #'s...

August 3rd-9th

AAA
Up to #7 from 8
413 plays (+18)

Alternative
Up to #36 from 40
315 plays (+70)

Rock
Up to #29 from 31
34 plays (-1)

Hot AC
Up to #32 from 33
399 plays (+59)

No sign of Crazy on the other radio formats, at least in the top 40. So this week it has a total of 1,159 plays on these four formats.

 

[U2freakboy]

Hmm .. I'm getting a bit concerned. It seems to be slowing down in its ascent up the charts, but maybe that's fairly typical. I also haven't seen the Blackberry ad recently.

 

[KUEFC09U2]

Heard crazy for the first time on UK radio yesterday thats one more than i ever heard magnificent (none)

 

[solar]

On this chart CHARLY 1300 - USA Airplay Hot 200 Crazy is #119.

 

[U2freakboy]

Yep ... that's up from the 134 spot the week before. A jump of 15 in one week is pretty good!

 

[U2freakboy]

"I'll Go Crazy" is now at NUMBER 16 on the U.S. Itunes rock chart!! And it's on the cusp of entering the top overall 100! This song continues to pick up steam.

 

[fna692002]

#14 now. Its starting to happen for this song

 

[KUEFC09U2]

WOW great to see this song start to gain a bit of interest in the US shame it doesnt seem to be happening here in the UK

 

[doctorwho]

As of this moment, "Crazy" is #15 on the U.S. iTunes Rock chart, so it's bouncing a little, but fairly stable. "Beautiful Day" is #37 (U2's only other song on that chart - at least in the Top 100).

I finally saw the Blackberry ad on TV too! It was on the SyFy (formerly SciFi) station, which is a more remote cable network. This suggests U2 and/or Blackberry are expanding the ad. With U2 due to come to the U.S. in less than a month, all of this may be peaking just right. The song is "released" in Sept., the ad picks up steam, and U2 starts their U.S. tour. With a big hit song, this should help fill out any stadiums that haven't quite sold out yet and perhaps could give a lot of life to the album.

Speaking of albums, NLOTH is #6 on the U.S. iTunes Rock charts. "U2-18" is the only other album on that chart at #47. NLOTH is #37 on the overall albums chart on iTunes - which I think is the highest it has been in a while. I wonder if this will translate to a jump up on this week's Billboard charts?