COBL is on U.S. radio
U2WaTCher said:
Does anyone know what spot or how good COBL is doing in the USA charts, also does anyone know how good sometimes did in the USA. I have a friend that broadcasts music to stores in the backround IBN (In store Broadcasting Network) www.ibnads.com which competes with Muzak, which IBN is my provider where I work. Anyways he bases music he plays off the charts so can someone give me some info on if "sometimes" did in the USA, and "COBL"
Thanks
Thomas
I haven't been posting the radio play charts, but since there is now download or CD available for the COBL release, that's the best way to see how the song is doing on radio in the U.S...by looking at each radio format. Also, the video has only been out in the U.S. for several weeks, and it's at 19 on VH1's countdown, up one spot from 20, and MTV just put it into their rotation.
Here is how the song is doing on radio according to Mediaguide:
Triple A Rock Format
Triple A (C)
LW TW Artist Song Label
1 1 Coldplay Speed Of Sound Capitol
2 2 Jack Johnson Good People Universal
3 3 Dave Matthews Band
4 4 Snow Patrol Chocolate A&M
6 5 U2 City Of Blinding Lights Interscope
and...
16 15 U2 Sometimes You Can't Make It... Interscope
Mainstream Rock Format
LW TW Artist Song Label
23 22 U2 City Of Blinding Lights Interscope
Alternative Rock Format (Top 50)
LW TW Artist Song Label
-- 50 U2 City Of Blinding Lights Interscope
As usual, Triple A grabs the latest U2 release and puts it in high rotation. While this format does cover over 50 of the top markets in the U.S., the typical listener to this format already has the album. As for Billboard, they still don't have Triple A covered in their chart system. Also, they combine these two formats, Mainstream and Active (i.e., harder) Rock, into one chart, and call in Mainstream Rock on the BB charts page. COBL is not going to make a dent on the Active Rock charts, so unlike the "harder" edge songs like Vertigo and ABOY, COBL won't make it on this BB chart, unless it goes to #1 on the Mainstream FORMAT, which I doubt will happen.
Finally, Billboard's Modern Rock Chart is picking up Radio Play from Alternative Radio Stations, and while COBL doesn't seem to be an Alternative song to me, it did debut at #50 on Mediaguide's chart, and it showed up at #52 on Radio and Records Alternative Radio play chart last week as well. IF COBL makes it into the Top 40 on the Alternative Radio play charts, then it should chart on Billboards's Modern Rock. That's really the only way COBL will get any exposure on Billboard.
If U2 wants to generate and "buzz" from singles here in the U.S., they have to at least make it available for download with some good b-sides. Seargent Pepper's is at #48 on the BB Hot 100 based only on downloads, as it's radio play is almost nil. I hope that the next single(s) are released for download in the U.S., with something like this to garner a hit song and hopefully album sales:
Original of the Species (Single Version)
OOTS acoustic live from London (or wherever)
Mercy (best b-side ever)
and then
Miracle Drug or Crumbs (Single Version)
Yahweh acoustic live from New York (or wherever)
Smile (very good b-side)
This seems so easy for U2 to do...but I doubt it will ever happen.