discussion For those who are chart-obsessed, why?

[Space Cowboy]

For those who eagerly wait for daily Spotify updates, closely track the Hot 100 or Billboard 200, know exactly how many #1s every pop girl has, and understand the charts point system, etc... why?

 

Is it because you enjoy analyzing the numbers and trends? Or maybe it's just a fascination with the way the music industry operates?

 

Or is it because you belong to a fanbase that prioritizes chart success over artistic quality and you think charts are the ultimate measure of an artist's impact? 

 

Is it the thrill of seeing your favorite artist "win"? Or is it a way to fuel stan wars dragging artists who do badly in the charts and prove a point online?

 

 

[єѕℓαм]

I wanna know too cos it's giving mental illness 

[Raphy23]

I'm not obsessed about a particular artist on the charts, but following streaming, billboard, and radio charts is fun for me. 

[Cruel Summer]

Personally, I already generally like numbers and data, and on top of that it's cool to see an artist that's already my favorite - because of the subjective quality of the music and how I connect with it personally - do well. It's interesting to see consumption patterns even when it's not my favorite. You can think of it a little bit like how some people get over sports teams, I guess. Taylor is an especially interesting case study because her consumption patterns are genuinely anomalous, not something we've seen before, and it's interesting to see how she brings so many people together - plus she was already my favorite artist anyway. On that note, even as someone who eagerly anticipates every HDD and Billboard update every time she releases, the vast majority of my time engaging with my favorite artist is either listening to her music or discussing her music with other fans here. At the end of the day, enjoying the music is the still most important thing.

[Illuminati]

Same reason sports fans check for scores

[tost1]

When I first got into it it was really fun. I love stats in general and the charts weren't that predictable so you would root for your favorite songs and couldn't wait for the charts to see where they landed. Nowadays I don't really give af

[Alaska.]

I don't have a life and like to live vicariously through my faves.

 

And it's even harder when your own faves struggle to chart on the Hot 100  

[Galaxy]

It's just a hobby. What's the big deal?

[Trent W]

It was fun years ago, like when you get behind a sports team

 

It only was exciting with sales

 

With streaming is not exciting, once you get deep into the industry you know that labels are just buying streams.

 

The artists on top these days are just the ones that they put the most cash on. There is nothing exciting about being at the top of spotify when the label can just print a number in the screeen

 

With sales there also was payola but it was a lot harder and usually the success was 100x more organic

[RoseBud]

16 minutes ago, Illuminati said:

Same reason sports fans check for scores

                    

[bielneira]

My theory is that chart-obsessed people don't have anything great in their own lives to be proud of, so they cling into their fave's stats to feel that bit of proudness they lack in real life.

[BlackoutZone]

It's just a hobby like any other, some of us like statistics

[Into The Void]

I'm not. I usually only know what's on top because of ATRL lol

[Hexchromatica]

to see your faves new single performance and reaction is fun, what I don't get is the endless misogyny and ".. only charted 2 weeks on the chart, why?" Threads. And the endless OGH's posting in chart performance threads trying to drag down other people's faves 

 

its honestly giving massive loser energy. 

[BrokenMachine]

Math is fun

 

[Redstreak]

I mean I don't follow numbers obsessively but I do like when things I like get some recognition

[Pheromosa]

its not just a music thing

some people just enjoy it

 

[CristianGarcia]

It's just a part of pop culture. It's the same way the beer bellies root for their fave football team every weekend… 

 

The charts are fun, yet controversial and unpredictable 

[Katamari]

 No fun allowed

[Minto]

charts are fun when you're supporting an underdog, like I enjoyed watching "nasty" by tinashe's chart journey or chappell's rise to fame, but I think people who obsess over watching artists like taylor or the weeknd who are already huge smash records that they clearly were going to anyway are just genuinely bored lmao

 

 

 

[SupremeGoddess]

it's mental illness luv give it a few decades and it'll be named on DSM-5

[SupremeGoddess]

with that said why the **** did japan not make Alarm a top 10 hit it back in 2005, it was her only song that didn't hit the mark. stuck at an iconic #11 position  i demand a recount! 

[Raphy23]

1 hour ago, Galaxy said:

It's just a hobby. What's the big deal?

Omg I hate this question in interviews. I'm not about the tell them I'm obsessed with radio and following popgirls on spotify and billboard weekly

[dumbsparce]

I think it's an age thing. I used to be like that in my teen years but once I became an adult and was forced to touch grass I lost interest almost overnight. I might use stats against a girl I don't like for some kikis from time to time though.

[Material Girl]

comparing it to sport stats isn't exactly right, sports fans have a reason to follow stats because that determines how well their team is doing and sports are a competition 

 

the analogy only makes sense if you see music as a competition