She botched the hell out of the release. 

 

1st it was a surprise release

2ndly it was only available of Tidal

Then 2months later it was finally on iTunes 

 

Messiest release ever. This just shows how powerful she is for pulling those Lemonade numbers with a tragic rollout.

 

Would it have been bigger if it got a proper release on all platforms?

People like to bring TIDAL's fake streams but forget that if it weren't for that messy ass platform her whole rollouts could have been far more effective. I hate that her and Jay actually thought they were doing something with it. 

Of course it would’ve. Anyone who says otherwise is lying. She ****** up that whole release by waiting 3 years to put it on spotify. A few weeks was enough. She is crazy for doing that. 

She had the entire SB week in the palm of her hands. Formation wouldve easily done what Gambinos "This is America" did a few months later

18 minutes ago, Jjang said:

People like to bring TIDAL's fake streams but forget that if it weren't for that messy ass platform her whole rollouts could have been far more effective. I hate that her and Jay actually thought they were doing something with it. 

but they did? Even failed or underwhelming business ventures still inspire and teach lessons to either owner or other business people. Tidal wasn't quite my cup of tea (already had a bunch of other subscriptions) but I can appreciate artists taking business risks, especially if it's in the spirit of trying to get artists more money for their work. 

Edited May 11, 20224 yr by Soda Pop Queen

No

The unlisted video that was viewable by link only cracking 50 million views in days tells you all you need to know. Couple that with the top 10 debut after 3 months of being given away for free, just shows it was begging to be multi week number 1. Her sabotage knows no bounds.

Yes. It would have debuted at #2 superbowl weekend if it were available everywhere and charted for at least 20 weeks

To answer OP: it could've been bigger but I don't think it wasn't bigger for lack of her caring about the song, because she did premiere it at the Superbowl, which has millions of viewers, but maybe she didn't intend for it to be a typical single. 

it was a #1 in everything but a name. 

though only chart watchers like us would know or care about this. for GP it was a huge hit 

I mean obviously? The song would have been a smash if she dropped it around the Superbowl performance. She can so annoying.

 

Everyone was talking about it/the performance and the video made so much noise despite being accessible only by link. It would have definitely been much bigger. It's one of her signature songs so she kinda won already (although its recurrents are meh and deserves better).

Edited May 11, 20224 yr by State of Grace.

Could’ve been bigger but she did what she wanted to do with it lol.

You forgot the unlisted video mess for 10 months

If you mean bigger statistically, yes for sure. After all, it:

 

• Was not on streaming for THREE YEARS
• Was given away for FREE for its first quarter of a year during which it was NOT AVAILABLE FOR SALE
• Was not sent to radio
• Was premiered with an UNLISTED video available only with a link (meaning no streams of it would count for BB Hot 100)

Meanwhile it:

• Broke the internet the day it was released
• Was performed at the Super Bowl
• Won VOTY at the VMAs while the video was still unlisted
• Caused Red Lobster's sales to soar after 1 lyric
• Added several new catchphrases into the cultural lexicon
• Managed to get the term "bama" officially added to the dictionary by the end of 2016
• Debuted at #10 the instant it was for sale
• Is one of the most awarded song/videos

 

But Beyoncé knew what she was doing here, even if it sacrificed its statistical potential and maybe even stifled its cultural impact by not allowing it to become the ubiquitous hit that it was roaring to be. Given the content of the song and its message, giving it for free, and making it ineligible to chart was a pretty bold and humble move, truly making it about the music/message, not the bling.

Yup. Would’ve been her 6th #1 

Formation just proves that a hit isn't defined by a chart position, and that even songs that are completely ineligible to chart at the time of their release can be sizeable, memorable, well-known hits that impact culture and even become signature songs for the artist.

 

I can't think of many popstars who would even consider releasing their lead single for free, let alone not release it to radio or streaming or for sale at the same time and with a music video that doesn't count towards the Hot 100. I'm sure there are some examples, but it happens so infrequently its hard to name them. The fact that Beyoncé can stand so tall and basically say "no" to a very likely #1 hit says a lot about her.

 

The only other time I can think of a hit being so known yet never charting is Stevie Wonder's Happy Birthday which was recorded to campaign for MLK Jr.'s birthday becoming a national holiday but wasn't released as a single. I think it was played in commercials, making it one of his most known songs, but again shows that a Hot 100 number doesn't define the importance, impact or success of a single.

 

Edited May 11, 20224 yr by swissman

46 minutes ago, swissman said:

• Was not sent to radio
•  

What? I remember that song tearing UP the radio back in 2016 even before Lemonade coming out!!! After that Sorry and Hold Up were cute radio hits as well for Bey. 

 

 

OT: it would have been an INSTANT first week number one the way this song was discussed. It was a moment. If I could compare it to a recent song that had cause a big stir it would be MONTERO (Call My Name) ... It was discussed for it huge video production, the message of the song, and she was even on the news for being boycotted. Formation should have been released omg could have been so huge on the charts 

 

 

 

but then again ... music not the bling

Edited May 11, 20224 yr by dreampop

32 minutes ago, dreampop said:

What? I remember that song tearing UP the radio back in 2016 even before Lemonade coming out!!! After that Sorry and Hold Up were cute radio hits as well for Bey. 

 

 

OT: it would have been an INSTANT first week number one the way this song was discussed. It was a moment. If I could compare it to a recent song that had cause a big stir it would be MONTERO (Call My Name) ... It was discussed for it huge video production, the message of the song, and she was even on the news for being boycotted. Formation should have been released omg could have been so huge on the charts 

 

 

 

but then again ... music not the bling

Yes, the song was big on radio...in fact it was her highest radio debut of her career, BUT the song was not serviced to radio, they just played it a lot on their own.

 

Edited May 11, 20224 yr by swissman

No. The song is bad.

The fact that "This is America" went #1 makes me feel like this would have too. They had very similar off-cycle releases with full on pandemonium.

3 hours ago, *-ChriZ-* said:

She had the entire SB week in the palm of her hands. Formation wouldve easily done what Gambinos "This is America" did a few months later

This. And he unrightfully gets most of the credit for that era in music 

 

OT: Yes, it probably would’ve been a #1 debut 

Edited May 12, 20224 yr by luckythisway

Yes. All she needs is right time management

Yeah, the unlisted video and no streaming or digital until album release was a total disaster, it would have been way, way bigger and this has always been annoying to me.

Yes, it would have been #1 and a huge one but let's not dwell on things we hate her for, she might take another 6 years. 

10 hours ago, swissman said:

If you mean bigger statistically, yes for sure. After all, it:

 

• Was not on streaming for THREE YEARS
• Was given away for FREE for its first quarter of a year during which it was NOT AVAILABLE FOR SALE
• Was not sent to radio
• Was premiered with an UNLISTED video available only with a link (meaning no streams of it would count for BB Hot 100)

Meanwhile it:

• Broke the internet the day it was released
• Was performed at the Super Bowl
• Won VOTY at the VMAs while the video was still unlisted
• Caused Red Lobster's sales to soar after 1 lyric
• Added several new catchphrases into the cultural lexicon
• Managed to get the term "bama" officially added to the dictionary by the end of 2016
• Debuted at #10 the instant it was for sale
• Is one of the most awarded song/videos

 

But Beyoncé knew what she was doing here, even if it sacrificed its statistical potential and maybe even stifled its cultural impact by not allowing it to become the ubiquitous hit that it was roaring to be. Given the content of the song and its message, giving it for free, and making it ineligible to chart was a pretty bold and humble move, truly making it about the music/message, not the bling.

All of this plus most searched song of 2016!