Another Year In America January 15, 2009

[koganbot]

Posting a couple of days late since I was celebrating my birthday rather than listening to the Top 40 on Thursday.

Only two new tracks, which makes for a grand total of two this year. Why so few? The only thing I can think of is that, with downloads hence sales ever more important in the Billboard formula, the chart is weighted towards consumers who are fairly comfortable where they are rather than bizzers trying to sell them on ever-new product. But then this phenomenon of low turnover should be even more pronounced in Britain, where charts are sales-only without airplay or videoplay taken into account. And while the turnover has slowed in Britain, their chart is not nearly as static as ours.

In any event, a couple of good ones:

T.I. f. Justin Timberlake "Dead And Gone": Hip-hop on the regretful side, Justin sounding big and sentimental like Ryan Teddy, the whole thing obvious and predictable, but not a bad listen. BORDERLINE TICK.

Ne-Yo "Mad": The fellow doesn't want to go to bed angry, though when this song is playing in the background and I'm half-listening all I'm taking in is that he doesn't want to go to bed period, presumably because HUMAN RELATIONS ARE SCARY. TICK.

Comments

Sample size

[koganbot]

Another explanation of the difference between Britain and America is that the difference is simply statistical. We've got a larger population, hence less randomness and fewer idiosyncrasies show up in the numbers.

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

I really love both of these songs, like, both unquestioning 10/10 for me. 'Dead And Gone' is Timberlake's finest vocal performance in ages.