Why are people so sure this song is going to be popular with the public? Its performance on US/AUS iTunes certainly doesn't suggest so.

As if those are any indicators. None of Rihanna's lead singles went to the top in their first week out on US iTunes (except for Russian Roulette which only occupied the top spot for a few hours) and Only Girl has never topped the iTunes US charts at all and it was huge all over the planet (including the US, where it eventually topped the Hot 100). We Found Love also never reached the top in Australia.

I think SOS and Umbrella went straight to #1 on release in the US. ^

"Only Girl" was never going to top the digital charts right away as, at that point, she'd lost a lot of momentum because of the disastrous "Rated R" era. As for "We Found Love," "Cheers" was top ten on both the Hot 100 & the iTunes chart when it debuted so the public's focus was on that single.

I don't know about S.O.S. but, while its true Umbrella went straight to the top on US iTunes, it's completely unfair to compare then and now especially because, back then, releases were held back in the US and now they aren't. Umbrella was already on high rotation on radios when it was released for sale.

 

"Only Girl" was never going to top the digital charts right away as, at that point, she'd lost a lot of momentum because of the disastrous "Rated R" era. As for "We Found Love," "Cheers" was top ten on both the Hot 100 & the iTunes chart when it debuted so the public's focus was on that single.

Weak excuses imo. Rihanna's momentum was HUGE when Only Girl came out considering she had two number 1 smash hits under her name -- Rude Boy and Love the Way You Lie -- and the American public focus much more on her singles than her albums. Besides, Rated R was hardly disastrous -- it sold 1 million in the US, the same amount as Talk That Talk.

As if those are any indicators. None of Rihanna's lead singles went to the top in their first week out on US iTunes (except for Russian Roulette which only occupied the top spot for a few hours) and Only Girl has never topped the iTunes US charts at all and it was huge all over the planet (including the US, where it eventually topped the Hot 100). We Found Love also never reached the top in Australia.

 

Her last 2 lead singles were dance songs. I can't see this being as big as those 2.

"Only Girl" was never going to top the digital charts right away as, at that point, she'd lost a lot of momentum because of the disastrous "Rated R" era.

 

We also have a certain Miss Cole to thank for that.