Top 40 Music on CD Forum : "My Boo" - Ghost Town DJ’s

"My Boo" - Ghost Town DJ’s : The database currently states...

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 14:10:32 +0000

Author: Paul C
Subject: 113
Posted: 04 November 2024 at 2:10pm

The database currently states "commercial copies all run
(5:45)". As far as I have been able to ascertain, the only
commercial single format issued in the US was a twelve-inch
vinyl single which, according to Discogs, contains six
versions of the song.

As Aaron stated eight years ago, the 'LP Radio Edit' on the
promo CD is an early fade of the LP version.

The LP version and the Hitman's Club Mix both run about
5:45-5:46. The version of "My Boo" on the digital So So
Def Bass All Stars album is erroneously described (at
least on iTunes) as the Hitman's Club Mix. It is in fact the
LP version. The stand-alone single currently on iTunes is
similarly misidentified as the Hitman's Club Mix.

"My Boo" - Ghost Town DJ’s : Jody, I think Jeff sums it up...

Sat, 21 May 2016 09:55:38 +0000

Author: aaronk
Subject: 113
Posted: 21 May 2016 at 9:55am

Jody, I think Jeff sums it up nicely by saying the charts represent a snapshot of what is popular that week. I think we, as collectors and chart enthusiasts, often times like to compare old charts to new charts, but it's always going to be apples to oranges. The charts simply rank what is most popular in a given week but do not give you actual numbers. They don't tell you how many copies of a song have been sold (unless certified Gold or Platinum), nor do they tell you how many spins/streams a song is getting. Without knowing those numbers, I don't know one would ever truly reach an accurate conclusion when comparing two songs based solely on peak position and number of weeks on the chart.

I do, however, still think that the number of weeks can be a good indication of "fly by night" hits. Even if a song makes the top 10 but only stays on the chart for a few weeks, that to me is an indication that it didn't truly reach "massive hit" status.

"My Boo" - Ghost Town DJ’s : Most albums are still released...

Sat, 21 May 2016 05:25:40 +0000

Author: JL328
Subject: 113
Posted: 21 May 2016 at 5:25am

Most albums are still released on a physical CD, but there are a bunch
of exceptions. Over the last few months, I think the most notable
exceptions are Drake's "Views"* and Kanye West's "Life of Pablo."
These are both digital only releases. Beyonce's "Lemonade" was
originally out digitally but didn't have a physical release until May 6.

I don't know if it's a function of having a digital only release, but
Beyonce's 8 Top 40 hits a few weeks ago was the result of some form
of savvy marketing. Lemonade" is priced at $17.99 on iTunes, which is
more than the aggregate cost of ALL of the songs on the album
(although album buyers also get a video). So, aware buyers bought all
of the songs individually as opposed to buying the (digital) album.
Obviously, a bunch of people aren't going to do the math on that kind of
thing, so they bought the whole album. So the album charted high and
all of the individual songs charted high because they were bought as
individual tracks.

I actually don't have a problem with the charts for the most part. Those
8 Beyonce songs really were pretty popular that particular week.
People were obviously buying them and streaming them online. The
streaming was also bolstered by the fact that the whole "Lemonade"
project had a visual component to it. But those songs really were some
of the most popular songs that week.

What I have a problem with though is songs like "My Boo", "Livin' On a
Prayer", and other songs that chart as a result of viral video that aren't
actually videos for the song. They're just background tracks. "My Boo"
shouldn't have charted in my opinion. The videos that caused it to
chart aren't videos for the song but videos for the "Running Man
Challenge." People didn't watch those videos for the song.

Regardless of how we feel about this, i have a feeling that the recent
invasions by Prince, Beyonce, and Drake will cause Billboard to adjust
the power of streams and change the way that downloads are
measured. They adjusted to squash the Glee and American Idol
phenomena and I bet they do it again here.

*EDIT: I just realized that Views does have a physical release, so there
are really very few albums that don't have a physical release.

Edited by JL328

"My Boo" - Ghost Town DJ’s : So Aaron, should we then disregard...

Sat, 21 May 2016 04:35:56 +0000

Author: Jody Thornton
Subject: 113
Posted: 21 May 2016 at 4:35am

So Aaron, should we then disregard the fly by night tracks, so that only the success of the long range "hits" can be compared to say, Elvis?

Maybe what is needed is the removal of labels from the equation since it appears that artists no longer even need them as a promotional tool. I'm a bit removed from music promotion now, so I need to ask, are most releases now WITHOUT any physical carrier? Or is a CD always at least available?

Edited by Jody Thornton

"My Boo" - Ghost Town DJ’s : I like your analogy, Jody. If...

Thu, 19 May 2016 09:40:50 +0000

Author: aaronk
Subject: 113
Posted: 19 May 2016 at 9:40am

I like your analogy, Jody. If anything, the new chart methodology is more accurate than ever before. In 1986, there would be no way for Billboard to know which records you were playing on your Dansette portable player. In 2016, they know exactly which songs are being streamed on YouTube, Spotify, Pandora, etc.

For us "old timers," the charts can be frustrating, because there are no "singles" like there were in the days of physical music releases. People simply buy songs, regardless of whether the record label is promoting them or not. Regardless, the most popular songs will still rise above the rest and remain on the charts for a longer period of time. Sure, Drake may get 20 chart entries in a week, but how many will stay on the chart for several weeks, and how many will make the top 40? I think that's the key difference when comparing old charts to new. You have to look at not only peak position but number of weeks on the chart.

"My Boo" - Ghost Town DJ’s : torcan wrote:I agree with you...

Thu, 19 May 2016 08:27:01 +0000

Author: Jody Thornton
Subject: 113
Posted: 19 May 2016 at 8:27am

torcan wrote:

I agree with you about BB and the Hot 100. To me it
doesn't make sense these old songs re-entering for a
week or two, often with no explanation as to why.

I also don't like how they allow songs onto the charts
these days - like Drake having 20 entries at once. I
think it should only be what's officially promoted as a
single, rather than album "preview" tracks which will be
gone in a week and skew the whole chart. Drake has
already broken a record for most charted songs from one
album, but when comparing it to "Thriller", or what the
Beatles did, is it really a record?

The problem is though, what you describe as a charting method (which I prefer too by the way) is now a dated "radio-ish" method of promoting music, where the music reps used to visit the MD and drop off a promo single and asks the station to add it. Problem is, that isn't how music gains traction anymore. Young people don't even download MP3s anymore. They just play YouTube videos, over and over and over again. It's all disposable now. Songs come and go now.

To be honest, I don't even think charts can be really used the way they were any more. To give anything close to an apples to apples comparison between now and say 1986 would be something like this:

You are a music director, and in the spring of 1986, you bring home the promo 45 copy of "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" by Jermain Stewart, remember that one? Now you phone me up (I'm your buddy in this scenario ...lol), and you tell me about the record. So I come over with my Dansette portable record player (OK wrong era). And you and I play the almighty s--t out of the poor 45, for two days straight. Now of course, the record is now trash, but then again, we've heard enough of it now. So we throw it away.

Next week, you call me with this cool Mr Mister song you brought home, so I come back over again with my trusty portable phonograph. Before you know it, "Broken Wings" is transformed 250 plays later into "Broken Record". :p

So see how that was done without regards for charts, radio or any other promotional tool, other than buddies? Millenials and Gen Ys don't respect brands. They listen to what their buddies think on social media and their smart phones. Radio and charts mean NOTHING to them (yes I know you all can give me countless exceptions) but that's not typical.

Sad, but true.

"My Boo" - Ghost Town DJ’s : JL328 wrote:So just so I'm...

Mon, 16 May 2016 12:43:15 +0000

Author: aaronk
Subject: 113
Posted: 16 May 2016 at 12:43pm

JL328 wrote:

So just so I'm clear... "segued" means there is no break between songs but that each song could be separated from the ones before and after it without compromising the beginning or end of the track, correct?

Actually, your earlier statement was more accurate when you said "the album is a dance party type comp and wouldn't be the best source for the song since the beginning or the end of the song is probably compromised or at least not clean." <-- Exactly correct!

When I think of a "segue," to me that means the songs transition into each other with little or no change in volume between songs. Continuous dance mix CDs and the So So Def Bass All-Star CDs are good examples.

When I see something in the database that reads "tracks into next selection," to me that means the song doesn't quite reach its full fade out or ending before the next song starts. In other words, if you were to separate the track, the beginning or end might sound slightly truncated, but not like a song that has an intended "segue."

This is just my interpretation, though. Others may read into it differently.

"My Boo" - Ghost Town DJ’s : I think your terminology is correct...

Mon, 16 May 2016 06:00:46 +0000

Author: JL328
Subject: 113
Posted: 16 May 2016 at 6:00am

I think your terminology is correct and this was my misunderstanding.
For some reason, my mind was conflating "segued together" and
"tracks into the next selection." The "tracks into the next selection"
designation is what I was thinking of.

So just so I'm clear... "segued" means there is no break between songs
but that each song could be separated from the ones before and after it
without compromising the beginning or end of the track, correct? And
"tracks into the next selection" obviously means some overlap? That's
completely my mistake. My mind saw "segued" on the So So Def Bass
All Stars listing and read "tracks into the next selection" for some
reason. Sorry about that.

I am curious about Stevie Wonder's "Song Review" though. I hear
breaks between the songs of that CD.

"My Boo" - Ghost Town DJ’s : Pat, I think your terminology...

Sun, 15 May 2016 10:32:40 +0000

Author: aaronk
Subject: 113
Posted: 15 May 2016 at 10:32am

Pat, I think your terminology is correct and works the way you have it. I can't speak for the Stevie Wonder example above, but the songs on So So Def Bass All-Stars are definitely segued together. I only pointed out above that the segues on this disc are not like a traditional "continuous dance mix" CD where the songs often overlap for a period of time. On the So So Def comp, the songs rarely overlap; they are mostly just segued together with a hard splice or extremely quick crossfade.

"My Boo" - Ghost Town DJ’s : Regarding the term "segued"...

Sun, 15 May 2016 07:17:15 +0000

Author: Pat Downey
Subject: 113
Posted: 15 May 2016 at 7:17am

Regarding the term "segued" I guess I am using it to describe zero timing between tracks. If anyone has a suggestion for better terminology let me know.