Sales > Chart positions.

To me...a hit is something that reaches or exceeds it's expectations. A flop...is a song which fails to reach it's expectations. :P

 

One example of a hit...

Taio Cruz - Break Your Heart...now who honestly expected that to go to #1???

 

One example of a flop...

Lady GaGa - LoveGame...the surefire Top 10 that never was.

I agree that a hit should be defined by sales in most cases.

 

BUT, so much music is available each week that Top 40 is a hit for the vast majority of artists.

Top 5, pretty much regardless of sales, is, and should be, considered a big hit by most music fans, artists and labels.

Number One, or sales over 250k in the first 6 months, is very rare, and thus surely can be considered a massive hit.

Basing on sales only is also not pretty accurate. For example, 'Girls' by Sugababes outsold 'Hole In The Head' but clearly HITH was FAR more huge than 'Girls'?

 

 

Yes, that's what I'm saying. We should also take into account the fact that the overall sales differ so much in different periods, so basing on sales only also can't be optimal, IMO. :)

Sales should be used, but should be period adjusted to reflect market trends.

 

I can't see how any other method than sales should be used.

Sales should be used, but should be period adjusted to reflect market trends.

 

I can't see how any other method than sales should be used.

 

If you're going to do that, then shouldn't you adjust for the time of year, too...

 

In my opinion, a flop is something thats very obvious, theres no need to define it by sales figures or chart positions.

 

When an act who usually gets top ten gets a top 40, its a flop. Things like that.

I have to agree that songs that didn't reach the expectations will be considered at least a minor flop. (e.g. Kelly Clarkson, MLWSWY [#1], then IDNHU [#36]).

 

So if you're a new act and etc., and you most of the time reach the Top 40, it's not exactly a flop, but then you have a very limited time of popularity with those tracks. So, still a flop?

 

Sales are not always important as different years have their different sales.

 

But I think a song that didn't reach the Top 40 is a flop, no questions asked. :P

If you're going to do that, then shouldn't you adjust for the time of year, too...

Agree.

But I think a song that didn't reach the Top 40 is a flop, no questions asked. :P

 

So Journey's 'Don't Stop Believin'' was a flop.

One example of a flop...

Lady GaGa - LoveGame...the surefire Top 10 that never was.

 

See, despite the pretty dismal peak, this song has hefty sales...

See, despite the pretty dismal peak, this song has hefty sales...

 

This is mostly because it was selling fairly consistently on album d/ls due to it having been so massive in the USA, I'd think, which may have also forfeited it a better peak. LG should have been third and Paparazzi fourth.

This is mostly because it was selling fairly consistently on album d/ls due to it having been so massive in the USA, I'd think, which may have also forfeited it a better peak. LG should have been third and Paparazzi fourth.

 

Regardless, the song has sold between 100-150k so far and will probably come close to 200k in total... that's not a flop in any way, shape or form.

Regardless, the song has sold between 100-150k so far and will probably come close to 200k in total... that's not a flop in any way, shape or form.

 

I'm not saying it's a flop, just saying most (or at least a fair amount) of its sales will be from album d/ls prior to video/promo/physical release. It was selling fairly consistently for 20+ weeks from album d/ls.

Edited October 23, 200915 yr by Pmomc Bray

So Journey's 'Don't Stop Believin'' was a flop.

I think that's an exception. It's just my opinion that non-Top 40 songs are basically flops. But you could argue about that.

Edited October 23, 200915 yr by I Am FM11