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 What About Us, Fourteenth Single / Living For The Weekend |
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 8th February 2016, 07:44 PM
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#1
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 BuzzJack Gold Member
Joined: 23 March 2013
Posts: 3,902 User: 18,512 
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What About Us
UK Release Date: 17th March 2013 Peak: #01 Weeks: 26 Certified: Gold  Week - Date - Position - Sales 01 - 24/03/13 - #001 - 114,292 02 - 31/03/13 - #003 - 70,152 03 - 07/04/13 - #004 - 39,810 04 - 14/04/13 - #008 - 29,684 05 - 21/04/13 - #013 - 22,000 * 06 - 28/04/13 - #018 - 16,500 * 07 - 05/05/13 - #023 - 13,682 08 - 12/05/13 - #027 - 10,400 * 09 - 19/05/13 - #039 - 07,400 * 10 - 26/05/13 - #036 - 08,600 * 11 - 02/06/13 - #043 - 05,800 * 12 - 09/06/13 - #055 - 05,200 * 13 - 16/06/13 - #063 - 04,500 * 14 - 23/06/13 - #068 - 04,300 * 15 - 30/06/13 - #066 - 04,400 * 16 - 07/07/13 - #086 - 03,800 * 17 - 14/07/13 - #109 - 02,400 * 18 - 21/07/13 - #116 - 02,000 * 19 - 28/07/13 - #132 - 01,914 20 - 04/08/13 - #144 - 01,500 * 21 - 11/08/13 - #181 - 01,000 * 22 - 18/08/13 - #158 - 01,476 23 - 25/08/13 - #170 - 01,350 * (OUT) 24 - 20/10/13 - #178 - 01,179 (OUT) 25 - 29/12/13 - #177 26 - 05/01/14 - #172 - 01,971 (OUT) Most Recent Sales Total: 407,563 [August 2014] United Kingdom #1 Scotland #1 Serbia #1 Hungary #2 Poland #2 Europe Digital Songs #3 Ireland #6 Estonia #12 Australia Hitseekers #14 Ukraine #18 United World Chart #24 New Zealand #27 US Dance #27 Bulgaria #38 Germany #44 US Pop Digital Songs #50 Austria #57 Canada Digital Songs #58 Canada #79 Belgium (Wallonia) #90 Slovakia #97 Belgium (Flanders) #105 US Digital Songs #127 "What About Us" is a single released by English-Irish girl group The Saturdays. Their first international single, it is the lead single from their first American-only release EP, Chasing The Saturdays (2013). It also acts as the second single from their fourth studio album Living for the Weekend (2013). The single was first released in the United States and Canada on 18 December 2012 via digital download, before being released in the United Kingdom on 16 March 2013 via CD single and digital download. The single was written by Camille Purcell, Ollie Jacobs, Philip Jacobs. There are two different versions of the track which have been recorded and released: a solo version, which was released exclusively in the US and Canada, and a version featuring Jamaican rapper Sean Paul, which was released internationally. Music critics gave the song positive feedback, but questioned the heavily auto-tuned chorus and the move away from the group's traditional sound. |
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9th February 2016, 09:32 PM
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#2
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get me started, hot like fire
Joined: 21 June 2012
Posts: 6,221 User: 17,262 
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Their best single, or literally top 3. The melodies are so strong, and it's genuinely hook after hook. It's mental really. |
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9th February 2016, 09:35 PM
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#3
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BuzzJack Legend
Joined: 11 October 2013
Posts: 31,028 User: 19,931
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Unpopular opinion alert:
One of their worst, most generic songs. They had plenty of other singles that were more worthy of #1, and what a poor chart run and sales for such an initially fast selling #1?! All in all though, I'm glad they DID get a number 1 in the end even though Higher, Ego, All Fired Up, Up, Disco Love, Not Giving Up, Notirous were all much stronger pop songs. |
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9th February 2016, 09:50 PM
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#4
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tempted by kings with the finest of things
Joined: 22 September 2014
Posts: 1,808 User: 21,231
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I love it, but have to agree with Joe. Compared to the likes of Ego, Higher, All Fired Up, Disco Love, etc, it doesn't stack up. Although i'm so glad it got them their first number 1, and it definitely deserved to number 1, they should have had so many before this, and they deserved it more
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9th February 2016, 10:34 PM
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#5
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get me started, hot like fire
Joined: 21 June 2012
Posts: 6,221 User: 17,262
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QUOTE(Joe. @ Feb 9 2016, 09:35 PM)  Unpopular opinion alert: One of their worst, most generic songs. They had plenty of other singles that were more worthy of #1, and what a poor chart run and sales for such an initially fast selling #1?! All in all though, I'm glad they DID get a number 1 in the end even though Higher, Ego, All Fired Up, Up, Disco Love, Not Giving Up, Notirous were all much stronger pop songs. |
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10th February 2016, 01:38 AM
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#6
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BuzzJack Gold Member
Joined: 23 March 2013
Posts: 3,902 User: 18,512
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Buzzjack Reception
It was a little hard to gather Buzzjack reception since we got the song in phases. First the live version, then the remixes, then the extended, then the single version. I think the song would've had more of an impact on me had I heard the single version first rather than the gradual buildup to the single version. Sort of ruined it for me tbh. QUOTE(shadow2009 @ Oct 29 2012, 11:08 PM) My only gripe is the lifeless "na na na"s. They just sound so awfully robotic. QUOTE(Silver Rocket @ Oct 29 2012, 11:22 PM) Well, I can already tell it's leaps and bounds better than '30 Days', so I'm kind of hopeful. QUOTE(Encore @ Oct 30 2012, 08:15 AM) The na na na's really should be faster and a bit more energetic. QUOTE(J-o-e @ Nov 4 2012, 12:01 PM) This sounds amazing, I can't wait for the full version. I'm still pissed off with how On Your Radar went considering how amazing it was, but what are you going to do. QUOTE(Hurricane @ Nov 11 2012, 04:03 AM) I love it.  The beat is a lot more better than I thought it would be. QUOTE(shadow2009 @ Nov 11 2012, 11:07 AM) http://eryckhappiness.tumblr.com/post/3544...t-us-12-version I think it sounds pretty good. Not as good as the live version but it's much better than the preview suggested. I just f***ing hate the stupid Jamaican accent on the "suffocating" lines. (oh, and it should be a tiny bit faster) QUOTE(missingyou @ Nov 11 2012, 11:12 AM) thank you  I. LOVE. IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #1! QUOTE(Encore @ Nov 11 2012, 11:22 AM) I think it's awful, and I hate to say that.
 I really don't like the production that much or the robotic na na na's, but it does stick in your head even if they are a bit too slowed down for my liking. Disappointed doesn't cover it. It sounds so basic and dull. Whoever makes their single decisions needs to be locked away, lol. It's criminal... they've got their single choices wrong time after time. This was their chance to shine and bring out something big (not big as in 'huge', but better than this), strong, unique... a song that makes a bold statement about them and gets people talking and sitting up and getting all audiences onside... and they bring this out. Lol. They're capable of much, much better and this is a bad move. This just sounds tacky, amateur and cheaply produced, doesn't sound like much of a hit let alone an international one. I hope there's far superior material on the album. The subpar 30 Days... and now this. Gawd. They're never going to reach the heights of Higher and All Fired Up again are they? Since AFU they just seem to have descended rather than continue to ascend.And should I get accused of being a 'bad fan', I'm anything but... I'm not going to pretend the sun shines out of their a*ses and pretend this is amazing or what not. Being a fan, you can disagree with their direction and decisions whether we all agree or not... doesn't mean I don't care and so on... if anything it shows I do when I'm disagreeing with their choices because I feel they can do better than this and I want them to do better and improve. I wish they'd take on feedback a bit more and wake up rather than act oblivious and continue to make the wrong moves when it's so clear to a wider audience that they've got this so wrong. They seem to settle for anything rather than push to make something truly outstanding or great, they seem to fall short most of the time. It feels like they never go that little bit further with material, it all feels a bit rigid and 'that'll do, that's fine, that's enough'. There's no real excitement or spark around them anymore. They're better than the track IMO. Fair enough if you don't agree, that's fine, we all have differing opinions and that's cool but just thought I'd say that as recently people have been jumping on members who have a slightly negative view on the girls' careers around here. This post has been edited by (Zach): 10th February 2016, 01:39 AM |
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10th February 2016, 01:38 AM
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#7
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BuzzJack Gold Member
Joined: 23 March 2013
Posts: 3,902 User: 18,512
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QUOTE(shadow2009 @ Nov 11 2012, 11:35 AM) On one hand I do think that it's underwhelming. I mean, besides the '30 Days' release (that seemed to come and go within a month), we've waited on new material from the girls since On Your Radar flopped. They've been working with tons of new writers and had lots of time to come out with a killer song and this is the best they've came up with? This is supposed to break them into America? It looks like it's got flop written all over it and you have to wonder what possessed them to choose this as a lead single when they're capable of so much more. On the other hand, the song ISN'T bad. It's much better than '30 Days' and 'My Heart Takes Over', so it's a step in the positive direction. Whether you like the hook or not, the "na na na"s do stand out and will probably help the song get stuck in people's heads. All members get a solo, there's a nice beat behind the chorus and it's a very fun and radio friendly song. The live performances have been fantastic so far so even if the official version doesn't appeal to people on the radio, maybe seeing the girls perform it live will change their minds. Songs don't need to be massive sounding to be a hit in the US. All it needs is airplay (which The Sats should be fine with due to their E! and Ryan Seacrest connections and the fact the song is catchy), promotion (again, they have connections) and people to take interest in them (again, the E! show should help them with that). They also need to really hype up the British girl band thing because it's going to get people interested in them. They might not achieve a big hit with What About Us, but i'd say as long as it goes top 40 and goes Gold i'd count it as a success especially considering it's The Saturdays. I'm sure the song will grow on people anyway. We get the "worst single ever" thing after every leak/premiere and eventually by the time the release rolls around we all are pretty fond of it. QUOTE(Ryan741 @ Nov 11 2012, 01:11 PM) I think its fantastic!! It's not overly dancey, and has such an incredibly catchy chorus!! QUOTE(aprilj @ Nov 11 2012, 02:10 PM) It seems to get better with each "leak". I'm still reserving full judgement until I hear the official single version, it's seems unfair to judge on remixes/extended mixes etc. QUOTE(JosephSwift @ Nov 11 2012, 02:17 PM) I really like that version. I don't think the studio version will be much different, the extended mix for All Fired Up wasn't much different bar the extended intro, outro and an extra chorus. I honestly can't see a problem with the "na na na"s, they sound perfectly fine to me. And the Jamaican accent is fine too. QUOTE(Jaynote @ Nov 11 2012, 02:54 PM) I LOVE this song waay too much. it's like an improved 'California Gurls', especially with that intro! I just think it's an all round American sounding song. The production is brilliant, I think a bit more of a dub-step influence on the breakdown would've just taken it to another level though, as well as a bit more life on the overall sound. But all in all it's for me their best single yet, they're not trying too hard "AFU" and it's not subpar "30 Days", for me it's just RIGHT! Brilliant tune. QUOTE(Liаm @ Nov 11 2012, 06:46 PM) Oh it's very good  I'm not getting that same 'OMG MUST REPLAY THIS 20 TIMES' like I did with All Fired Up, 30 Days and even My Heart Takes Over but it sounds good from that mix - and it shouldn't be too far off the original.I'll hold off charting it and giving a proper opinion until the original mix comes out though. QUOTE(Hurricane @ Nov 11 2012, 07:03 PM) They already knew they were going to release What About Us when they were promoting 30 Days in May, so they had barely recorded anything at that time. Sadly, the Xenomania tracks are most likely shit or not single material, that's why they didn't choose one of them. Girls Aloud's albums weren't 6 All Fired Up and 6 Get Ready Get Set, there were some very very bad tracks in there, so I wouldn't rule out the fact that their studio sessions with Xenomania didn't work out and they just didn't have the hits they wanted. However, I looooooooove the track.  The beat is so uplifting. It reminds me of a way better White Lies.QUOTE(2ndAdventure @ Nov 11 2012, 08:16 PM) I've been hearing this since August, and for me personally it still sounds great.
This post has been edited by (Zach): 10th February 2016, 01:39 AM |
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10th February 2016, 01:41 AM
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#8
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BuzzJack Gold Member
Joined: 23 March 2013
Posts: 3,902 User: 18,512
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Radio Airplay: 75-50-49-24-23-07-06-05-05-06-09-15-14-13-14-13-21-31-61-65-68-67-66-68-83
TV Airplay: 27-22-19-07-12-10-09-10-17-02-02-02-03-08-12-15-19-28-21-33-35-35-X-36-39 This post has been edited by (Zach): 10th February 2016, 01:41 AM |
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10th February 2016, 01:43 AM
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#9
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BuzzJack Gold Member
Joined: 23 March 2013
Posts: 3,902 User: 18,512
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Critical Reception
The song received mainly mixed reviews from critics. Robert Copsey of Digital Spy said that Rochelle Humes asks in a "curious Jamaican-flecked timbre" during the intro of "What About Us". During the lyrics "Oh why are we are waiting so long I'm suffocating", and he went onto say that it is in reference to "man-related drama" and also pointing out that there is plenty of that on their reality series, Chasing The Saturdays. Copsey later went onto tip the band for their first number-one single as he said: "but we suspect it could also be a sly wink at their enduring quest for a number one single". He said that track was "radio-friendly" due to the "trace beats" and "demanding their contrary lover to give up the hard-to-get schtick sharpish". Although he didn't think that the song was "original" enough for the band, but is "strangely addictive" and he would be happy to see the song at the top of the charts. 4Music described the song as a "electro-pop affair with a bucket-load of synths thrown in for good measure. It's quite good, but we wonder if they should reconsider this single choice if they truly want to launch an invasion on America's charts." Idolator wrote a mixed review criticizing the track for lacking the group's signature style; "While the beat is pounding enough to nab the girls a chart hit, it doesn’t feel true to the spirit of The Sats. Then again, maybe it isn’t supposed to." Jessica Sager from PopCrush also touched on the departure from their original sound; "It’s a pretty big departure from their usual sugary oeuvre, but not necessarily in a bad way." She went on to praise Sean Paul's feature; "His presence on the track gives it an air of authenticity and fun, but pretty much only during his own verses and interjections." However, she criticised the mediocre attempt at dialect the groups sing in throughout the track; "When the Saturdays try to emulate island tones, it sounds a little awkward and they start out like that right off the bat, but go in and out of the undistinguished dialect throughout the song." She also felt that the heavily Auto-Tuned chorus was not need; "The Auto-Tune seems extraneous, because the Saturdays can actually sing well without it." She end the review by labeling their latest effort as "generic" and "not the best the Saturdays have to offer", also rating it two and a half stars out of five. |
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11th February 2016, 05:55 PM
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#10
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 Break the tension
Joined: 7 March 2006
Posts: 88,970 User: 51
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I love this song so much, it has so many memories. I remember moving in to the best place I ever lived in the week it made #1.
Although the version on my iTunes is Sean Paul free, I like to pretend his version doesn't exist. This post has been edited by mr_pmt: 11th February 2016, 06:02 PM |
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11th February 2016, 07:14 PM
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#11
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BuzzJack Gold Member
Joined: 29 September 2007
Posts: 2,632 User: 4,429
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f*** i called it number on 20 November 2012. shoulda put a bet on.
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12th February 2016, 06:56 PM
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#12
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get me started, hot like fire
Joined: 21 June 2012
Posts: 6,221 User: 17,262
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It's just soooo sooooo goooooooooooooood. |
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13th February 2016, 08:55 PM
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#13
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BuzzJack Gold Member
Joined: 23 March 2013
Posts: 3,902 User: 18,512
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*Chart Data Incoming* Chart Runs UK Top 100: 1-3-4-8-13-18-23-27-39-36-43-55-63-68-66-86-out Ireland Top 100: 6-7-7-9-15-20-19-22-23-35-46-48-71-58-86-70-89-out Scotland Top 40: 1-1-5-8-11-19-20-26-32-33-38-out Euro 200: 75-36-37-41-45-47-50-54-77-106-106-124-131-161-out World Top 40: 24-out German Top 100: 44-56-47-50-52-61-out Austrian Top 75: 75-57-69-out-67-out New Zealand Top 40: 36-27-37-out Airplay Peaks UK Airplay Official Peak: 5 UK TV Airplay Official Peak: 2 UK Airplay Rolling Peak: 4 UK Commercial Airplay Rolling Peak: 5 UK TV Airplay Rolling Peak: 1 Irish Airplay Rolling Peak: 13 German Airplay Rolling Peak: 56 US Pop Airplay Rolling Peak: 64 French Airplay: 148 US, Canada, UK & Ireland iTunes Peaks What About Us Single: #102 US, #31 US Pop, #47 CAN, #22 CAN Pop, #1 UK, #1 UK Pop, #3 Ireland, #1 Ireland Pop What About US EP: #1 UK, #1 UK Pop, #4 Ireland, #2 Ireland Pop UK iTunes First Week Run (12 Hour Intervals) 1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1 *Highest % on Kworb = 100% Ireland iTunes First Week Run (12 Hour Intervals) 14-5-4-3-5-6-6-8-6-6-7-7-7-7 *Highest % on Kworb = 78% Year-End Charts UK Singles Chart 37 (2013) UK Airplay Chart 29 (2013) UK TV Airplay Chart 7 (2013) Hungary Airplay Chart 34 (2013) Radio 1 A-List Vote 7 (Five Years) Certifications UK: Gold Venezuela: Gold |
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13th February 2016, 09:27 PM
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#14
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tempted by kings with the finest of things
Joined: 22 September 2014
Posts: 1,808 User: 21,231
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It did surprise me that a song that did so well, and their biggest hit, only lasted 10 weeks top 40, when something like Ego did almost double that
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14th February 2016, 03:32 AM
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#15
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get me started, hot like fire
Joined: 21 June 2012
Posts: 6,221 User: 17,262
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QUOTE(Jimmy Jam @ Feb 13 2016, 09:27 PM) It did surprise me that a song that did so well, and their biggest hit, only lasted 10 weeks top 40, when something like Ego did almost double that I know what you mean, but it was slightly different, 'Ego' being a post-album single, meaning before impact week it couldn't really do anything but stand around the top 40. |
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14th February 2016, 05:55 AM
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#16
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🙄
Joined: 14 February 2010
Posts: 53,654 User: 10,643
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I feel like 'What About Us' would be on similar sales to 'Black Magic' had it been released during the streaming era.
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14th February 2016, 12:39 PM
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#17
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Julian Nial
Joined: 13 March 2013
Posts: 6,382 User: 18,454
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QUOTE(LushLifeLee @ Feb 14 2016, 05:55 AM) I feel like 'What About Us' would be on similar sales to 'Black Magic' had it been released during the streaming era. I second that. It done pretty well on streaming aswell, just they didn't count.  But then it makes me wonder how the other singles would have handled. |
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14th February 2016, 01:51 PM
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#18
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BuzzJack Gold Member
Joined: 29 September 2007
Posts: 2,632 User: 4,429
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Disco Love® would have also done super well I think. Black Magic is basically a complete rip of it.
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14th February 2016, 03:19 PM
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#19
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BuzzJack Gold Member
Joined: 23 March 2013
Posts: 3,902 User: 18,512
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Disco Love should've done super well but I don't think it spent more than two weeks in the Top 100 on streaming. So not sure adding those in would've affected sales much.
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14th February 2016, 05:29 PM
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#20
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tempted by kings with the finest of things
Joined: 22 September 2014
Posts: 1,808 User: 21,231
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QUOTE(Hurricane @ Feb 14 2016, 03:32 AM) I know what you mean, but it was slightly different, 'Ego' being a post-album single, meaning before impact week it couldn't really do anything but stand around the top 40. QUOTE(LushLifeLee @ Feb 14 2016, 05:55 AM) I feel like 'What About Us' would be on similar sales to 'Black Magic' had it been released during the streaming era. I agree with all of this actually. I forgot that Ego spent a good 6 or 7 of those weeks hanging round the bottom part of the top 40. Had Ego been released as the lead single, it probably would have performed similarly to WAU WAU was definitely the Sats Black Magic Moment, unfortunately they weren't quick enough/didn't release the right new material after which would have boosted WAU sales a but more, and keep some momentum with them *sigh* |
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