0 Contemporary R&B Chart Toppers Challenged by Staying Power
- Commentary
- by Kingsley H. Smith
- 10/18/2006
What's the relationship between sales popularity and music quality?
I was curious about this question while reviewing one large online retailer's current R&B music chart.
A quick scan of these two charts (for the week of October 16, 2006) reveals a big difference between buying preferences and personal evaluation of the quality of the music by the buyers.
Here are the top 25 R&B CD's in order:
- Janet Jackson, 20 Y.O. (2006)
- Justin Timberlake, FutureSex / LoveSounds (2006) Parental Advisory
- Fergie, The Dutchess (2006)
- Ludacris, Release Therapy (2006) Parental Advisory
- Gladys Knight, Before Me (2006)
- Solomon Burke, Nashville (2006)
- Lupe Fiasco, Food & Liquor (2006) Parental Advisory
- South Park Mexican, When Devils Strike (2006) Parental Advisory
- Aaron Neville, Bring It On Home...The Soul Classics (2006)
- Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Thug Stories (2006) Parental Advisory
- Lloyd Banks, Rotten Apple (2006) Parental Advisory
- Tego Calderon, El Subestimado (2006) Parental Advisory
- Crunchy Black, On My Own (2006) Parental Advisory
- Lionel Richie, Coming Home (2006)
- Various Artists, What It Is! Funky Soul And Rare Grooves: 1967-1977 (2006)
- Roots, Game Theory (2006) Parental Advisory
- Ras Kass, Eat Or Die (2006) Australia; Parental Advisory
- Beyonce', B'Day (2006)
- Danity Kane, Danity Kane (2006)
- Jedi Mind Tricks, Servants In Heaven, Kings In Hell (2006)
- Young Jeezy, Can't Ban The Snowman (2006) Parental Advisory
- Daz Dillinger, So So Gangsta (2006) Parental Advisory
- Natalie Cole, Leavin' (2006)
- Method Man, 4:21... The Day After (2006) Parental Advisory
- Dave Hollister, Book Of David - Vol 1 The Transition (2006)
Here's another version of the list from the same retailer. It's the top 25 R&B best seller chart, this time based upon customer ranking and reviews of the music...
- Aaron Neville, Bring It On Home...The Soul Classics (2006)
- Lionel Richie, Coming Home (2006)
- Natalie Cole, Leavin' (2006)
- Dave Hollister, Book Of David - Vol 1 The Transition (2006)
- Willie Clayton, Gifted (2006)
- Governor, Son Of Pain (2006) Parental Advisory
- Cormega, My Brother's Keeper (2006) Parental Advisory
- Mr. Marcelo, Son Of Magnolia (2006) Parental Advisory
- K-Ci, My Book (2006)
- Big Rich, Block Tested, Hood Approved (2006) Parental Advisory
- Justin (Ft Timbaland) Timberlake, Sexyback Pt.2 (Enhanced) England
- Ike Turner, Risin' With The Blues (2006)
- Intruders, Best Of The Intruders: Cowboys To Girls(1995)
- Pete Rock, Underground Classics (2006)
- Lil Cuete, #1 Gun (2006)
- Aretha Franklin, Amazing Grace: The Complete Recordings (1999)
- Millie Jackson, Caught Up/Still Caught Up (1974)
- Stevie Wonder, At The Close Of A Century (1999) Box Set
- Daz Dillinger, So So Gangsta (2006) Parental Advisory
- Sweet Inspirations, Sweet Inspirations
- Angela Bofill, Angel Of The Night (1979)
- Various Artists, Disco Dance (2001)
- Jibbs, Chain Hang Low (2006)
- Roots, Things Fall Apart (1999)
- Paul Butterfield, East-West (1966)
What do the differences indicate? First, people really like the CD's by the artists at the top of the second chart.
Second, more classic soul artists dominate the second chart. Many of the releases are not even from 2006.
Janet Jackson is number one on the sales chart, but doesn't even rank on the second chart! This is no error.
"20 Y.O." has sold just over 500,000 copies, and is now being considered a flop. After listening to this CD a couple of times, I agree with the masses. See my review in a future Powerhouse Radio Newsletter.
Third, the crew of artists in the "Parental Advisory" club drops dramatically in the second chart.
These trendy R&B/hip hop releases dominate the sales chart, but seem to be less valued when reviews are written by the community of music lovers who rank the tunes in chart two.
How we feel about music influences whether we'll like a certain amount of exposure to unknown tracks. Too often we typecast artists and genres. We don't listen first before forming opinions.
But what if your favorite music betrays you?
One writer who has been doing a lot of recent listening is Lonnae O'Neal Parker. Her October 15, 2006 high profile article in the Washington Post, "Why I Gave Up On Hip-Hop," is a confessional laced with conclusions you could easily draw from just eyeballing the trends of these charts.