Why ‘Me Against The Music’ Stalled In U.S. Charts
Contributed by Potpot:
It only takes a watchful music fan to know why Britney Spears’ ‘Me Against The Music’ failed to break the top 30 in the Billboard charts.
Foremost, ‘Me Against The Music’ definitely is not a flop. It peaked at a decent No. 35 in Billboard 100. In fact, it was the most successful Spears single since Lucky came out in September 2000. However, it still failed to deliver a long-awaited 4th top 10 hit for Spears. Here’s the reason why…
‘Me Against The Music’ was on heavy rotation in only one format. A song in heavy rotation means it is played more than 10 times a day in a radio station. ‘Me Against The Music’ was played only in pop-format stations, and barely got airplay in Rhythmic, Urban, Adult Contemporary, and of course Rock format stations. Unlike Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake and Beyonce Knowles, who all decided to take on a more hip-hop/r’n’b musical direction with their songs thereby gaining the advantage in being in heavy rotation in at least 3 different formats (pop, urban and r’n’b), Spears decided to continue with her dance pop tune, as proven in Me Against The Music. To illustrate it further, take a look at this example: Christina Aguilera’s Can’t Hold Us Down had the same amount of airplay ‘Me Against The Music’ had in pop stations.
Christina’s song peaked at No. 12 because she got additional airplay in Urban and R&B Stations because of Lil Kim being featured on her song. Same for Beyonce and 50 Cent. Britney, on the other hand, had to take the backseat because her song was only played on pop stations, and the number of pop stations in the USA is just half compared to the number of all urban and R&B stations in America.
Overall, ‘Me Against The Music’ was really designed as a pop song. With that, it actually achieved its goals of being a big hit in pop stations, not in urban or hip-hop. To get a Top 10 hit, one should release a single that can be played virtually in all radio stations.
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12 thoughts on “Why ‘Me Against The Music’ Stalled In U.S. Charts”
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I never heard it on Kiss 103.5 Chicago. I hear Christina’s songs all the time on the station. Thank goodness!
I basically said the same thing a few days in a debate about MATM. Fact is it is a lot harder for more pop sounding stuff or dance to chart high because the US charts unlike any other charts is a mix of airplay and singles sales. In most countries singles determine the song charts,,,but the US does not have a large market for CD singles. Fact is R-n-B pop is especially favored by the charts because it is played on general pop and urban/r.n.b stations plus the market for R-n-B is bigger than with other singles.
Please don’t make excuses for her. If it was a flop it was a flop get over it.
Britney was never a diverse artist…..she only has a few options….straight up pop dance beats and 1 or 2 cheesy ballads.
Britney is not radio friendly but that’s only in USA. Just look at other countries peak of MATM. It’s very good. But Christina is radio friendly here in the USA. Because some DJs believe that her songs are all uprising and has a very good meanings. Both girls are my favorites and I hope ITZ will do well. Go Britney and Christina!
MATM was a huge it on KIIS FM here in L.A. But like you said, that is a pop station. Britney should release “Boom.”…..that would get her a lot of play, the songs rocks and is hip hop/pop
Why do people keep posting some worthless essays about comparing artists????!!! Its so dumb! Especially that fact that “potpot” chose to talk about Britney and her singles. How stupid. MusicMan should stop allowing these kind of posts get on the website.
I think MATM is a flop by Britney standards. When her other singles came out nothing else could be heard on the radio except the latest Britney single. I’ve yet to hear MATM on my radio station. (104.7 KISS FM, in Phoenix, which is a POP (Top 40) radio station) Personally, I think Madonna ruined the song all together, she makes it sound crappy.
Oh my god so true.. I said this as well in another article… also MATM isn’t released in the US yet.. I’ve heard it will be released on Dec. 9th.. How stupid is that!
Well you say Britney is doing only ‘pop’ but MATM is not only pop. now I c that people don’t use pop only. ex:Justin uses pop with r&b, Beyonce wit r&B, Christina rock,hip hop. so pop is just an addition and its the same for Britney.
POTPOT, Just shut the heck up. You’re denying the fact that either way, Britney’s album didn’t break top 30 ALRIGHT? Accept it, and just move on…damn you’re really taking this I’m-Britney’s-biggest-fan thing a little too far. You just can’t accept the fact that your idol’s newest album isn’t an overall big success. But that doesn’t mean Britney’s less or more to you or her fans okay? Get a life!
Who cares uk Charts? It topped UNITED WORLD CHART and stayed there for weeks!