What a tangled web the chart system weaves.
For, in what some might put down to ignorance, chart systems the world over still seem to be under the impression that ‘black’ acts fall under the umbrella of ‘urban’ by default….even when those acts aren’t supported by urban radio.
Now, by way of this controversial system, Def Jam singer Rihanna has spent her 11th week atop Billboard’s R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart with her Pop number, ‘Diamonds’.
Full story below…
@rihanna‘s Diamonds stays at #1 on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for an 11th week and leads Radio Songs for a 3rd week (139 million).
— Chart News (@chartnews) December 19, 2012
Despite technically being a Pop cut and receiving little support from R&B radio outlets upon release, ‘Diamonds’ now spends its 11th week atop the nation’s US R&B tally, by way of- as uncomfortable as this is to say- her race.
A fact that oft plays to the advantage of performers who lend to both generes, the inaccurate addition of songs like ‘Diamonds’ on urban charts has ensured that genuine R&B numbers are refused entry to #1, as they aren’t afforded the Top 40 airplay Rihanna‘s star power gives her no choice but to enjoy.
This, sees R&B acts forced to compete with songs that are A. not of the same genre and B. given endless promotional platforms- especially if these songs tick today’s EDM box.
On the matter, ‘Disparate Youth‘ singer Santigold said the following when her 2008 single ‘Lights Out’ was made available on iTunes’ ‘Hip Hop/R&B’ chart:
“It’s racist. It’s totally racist. Everyone is just so shocked that I don’t like R&B. Why does R&B keep coming into my interviews? It’s pissing me off. I didn’t grow up as a big fan of R&B and, like, what is the big shocker? It’s stupid.”
Here’s hoping coming years will see the industry categorize songs according to their genre, and not by the skin tone of the act behind them.
Honestly you can’t blame Rihanna for this. Blame BILLBOARD for changing the damn rules! It is what it is.
The worst thing is that Rihanna is the only one who comes out on top, because her pop songs get played on all radio stations but Nicki’s pop songs only get played on Pop radio. So her Pop songs flop on the hip hop charts but slay on the hot 100, which isn’t fair if Rihanna slays on both.
Yes Billboard is to be blamed. Its like they made these new rules just to favour certain acts. The biggest benefitters of this change have been Rihanna and Taylor Swift…
It’s about time something good Happens
for Rih & Taylor, don’t you think @TinaMinaj,,,
Not Rihannas problem billboard needs to change their rules back…it isn’t fair to real r&b artist ….at this rate diamonds might stay number 1 for ATLEAST another month…no other black artists is selling as much as Rihanna
‘No other black artists is selling as much as Rihanna’.
The delusion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWoEyocvO6Q
That two minutes 9 seconds slayed anything Rigangbanginmytrailerna has ever done.
how’s that being delusional at this very moment no other black artist is selling as much as her she’s the only black person in the top 5 on iTunes & hot 100
@Onika It might have Slayed and
Rih still isn’t going no dam where!!
THE ONLY THING R**** IS SELLING IS DIGITAL DOWNLOADS. HER ALBUM STILL FLOPPED!!!!
NOT EVEN A HIT SONG FOR 11 WEEKS COULD SAVE HER!!!
FLOP!!!! FLOP!!!! FLOP!!!! FLOP!!!! FLOP!!!!
@Rihanna Suck,,,Why so Bitter over Rih’s Much Success, Deery?
But… it’s R&B
What’s up with Billboard?
I mean it’s not R&B,
I guess it gives her another title (for nothing)
If Billboard Says it’s R&B what “Wood Head’ is
going to Fight Them,,,,lol.
Billboard made a HUGE mistake by changing the chart rules. Diamonds is about to become the longest running #1 song of all time on that chart and it is not even a r&b song.
More people should send emails to Billboard regarding this issue. It is retarded and completely unprofessional on Billboard’s part.
Salty much hands you a gun
shut the f*** up it’s true b****
The R&B should stop being complacent with the R&B charts, they simply need to step their game up. Billboard is simply adapting to the times, don’t blame them, blame the consumers of music.
R&B doesn’t have to change to fit into the pop trends. R&B has been around for decades and will continue to be around.
Some artists don’t want to conform to what’s happening at pop radio and they shouldn’t have to compete with pop songs on a r&b chart.
Billboard can do what they want to do and
nobody’s going to change their minds,,,
Those categories won’t survive the next generation
We shall see if the Survive But Right Now it seems Rih
is on Top,,,
Rock >>>>>R&B, Pop, Dance, Disco, Country, Gospel, Soul, Funk……Sorry folks.
ROCK? Give me the name of an artist! I don’t know how to classify anyone/group any more! LOL
**side note: I use to love Grunge Music back in the day! Nirvana, STP, Garbage, NIN……
Rock CAME FROM RNB JACKASS!! JUST SAYING
@Y
The stupidest thing i’ve ever heard, Rock comes from R&B, LMAO.
so what are you doing on this blog?
Not true at all. I like rock but it can beat out EVERY category in the music business.
Soul > R&B > Jazz > Blues > Rock > Indie > pop (old pop) etc……. > s*** > more s*** > electroshit
This is a f***** joke. TGJ hit the nail on the head about endless promo platforms. How can Brandy really compete with Rihanna when radio and tv will bend over backwards to have her perform her music on their shows. The only way this can be stopped is the R&B girls started to get militant and forced them into stardom. Like for real, i want to cry reading this.
These b****** need to up their game cos this is tragic. It’s probably gonna stay at number 1 for months because none of the other songs on there get as much radio airtime.
But don’t get mad , just keep working like Rih does
nobody got mad when Billboard came up with the “Millium Award” for Beyonce’s Ass ,,,,Now less watch and see who the next artist is who will get that Millium award Okay!
Billboard is trying to kill R&B yes Rihanna has made some R&B songs but Diamond is a mid-tempo pop ballad point blank period we need to start a petition to get Billboard to change it back honestly there should be a R&B chart and a Hip Hop chart nowadays R&B acts need a rapper on the song or the urban radio wont play them #SAD
Grape juice walked inside my head and wrote my thoughts in this article! Yes! This is the problem, the REAL r&b songs don’t stand a chance. OTTR is more r&b than Diamonds tbh.
They had the “Century Award’ and Rihanna and many Others was Named now that Millium went straight to Beyonce now as much as Adele has sold, Mariah, celine, Barbara, Rihanna, Britney, Pink, Christina, Mary J, Aretha and others Awards For Greatness,,,,
@Lana you are never Happy or Satisfied,,,,
Maybe in Billboard’s eye Diamond is modern RnB ( Something the FlopN B artists are failing to do) cause rihanna is using a lot of vibratos in diamonds just like in rnb, it’s also mid-tempo….
anyway you b****** will deal while rihanna will stay #1 on the Rnb chart for another 3 months LMAO!
Are you serious?
Vibrato is a vocal technique that can be used in EVERY MUSICAL GENRE which features vocals.
Using vibrato DOES NOT define R&B music.
Your comment just shows the sheer general ignorance and STUPIDITY of “The Navy”.
Co-sign!
@HOTSTUFF I See you told them,,,,lol.
f*** flop keyshia cole ,rihanna is winning and shitting on keyshia that’s why she stays coping queen rihanna with hairstyle salty b****!!!
lmao
Haters stay pressed!!
But you cant get mad at keyisha cole tho! QUEEN RIHANNA IS NOT AN R&B ARTIST SHE IS POP WITH AN URBAN TWIST
Yall should thank Rihanna for making the RnB chart relevant cause if it is left up to those flops, that chart could disappear altogether !
Sam is just mad cause her fav Rita Ora and keyshia cole could never!!! Go eat a big d***
and this is nothing new Taylor swift also chart on the country chart with pop songs…stop this ‘im black etc’ b*******.
The Country chart is having the same problem with Taylor Swift. Before the chart change in October, Taylor Swift was barely in the top 10 on the Country singles chart. Then after the change she jumped to #1 with a pop song.
Just because it’s happening doesn’t mean it’s right.
but Billboard takes into consideration, sales, radio airplay, streaming.
If Diamond gets heavy airplay on radio ( this also includes RnB radios) + high sales and streaming. it will chart on the RnB chart.
Same for taylor she gets airplay on country music radios….
“If Diamond gets heavy airplay on radio ( this also includes RnB radios) + high sales and streaming. it will chart on the RnB chart”
But these high sales and streaming came from POP radios. POP radios are 5 times bigger than any other genre radio. They’re the one who makes the artists sell singles and get streaming. Everyone who’s #1 on the genre charts are also on the top 10 of POP radios while most of artists who’s #1 on the genre airplay aren’t getting touched by POP radios and won’t top the genre chart.
What I’m saying is that to top the genre charts is more important to have the support of POP radios then the support of the genre radios. Pop radios are the one who’s choosing who’s gonna top the genre charts.
I am not blaming Rihanna and Diamond. I’m just saying that these rules are discrediting R&B/Rock/Country/RAP songs which are popular on their genre radios and don’t get spins from POP radios.
@Gilberto perfectly laid out
You’re missing the point. The problem with this is they are also factoring in Pop radio airplay which should never count toward an urban chart. They actually give bonus points to songs on the r&b and country charts that get play on pop radio. Not fair!
Pop has a larger audience and will automatically give a pop song more points than a r&b song therefore alienating it on it’s own genre chart.
THIS!
And pop radios sell singles unlike R&B.
If an artist only has the support of R&B radios, ironically it will never top the R&B Charts. Even if that song had the biggest airplay of all time on R&B radios, it wouldn’t top it. But if a song that have support of Pop radios and a minimal support of R&B radios, it’ll top the R&B charts.
I get what you and Gilberto are stating, but if a RnB song is successful won’t it be played on pop radios ??? Mariah Carey and her successful rnb songs is the perfect example for this.
@HOTSTUFF
“I get what you and Gilberto are stating, but if a RnB song is successful won’t it be played on pop radios ??? ”
No. Pop radios are always about trends. They don’t play a song because it’s good or not, they play because they’re currently cool among teenagers. Pop radios have always been about trends. As we know, R&B isn’t the trend anymore. A real R&B song struggle to hit the top 20 on Hot 200 nowadays.
In early 2000 to 2006, R&B was the factor for POP radios. If you didn’t have an urban-ish sound, you wouldn’t be played. Can you tell me at least one artist that came with dubstep and smashed on the charts back then? No! 99% of the hits were urban. See how Black Eyed Peas, J.Lo, Britney had a urban-ish sound and used to work with R&B producers and then they completly changed their sound to fit the market. Pop radios were just about R&B and Rap, but they changed after 2008. Today Pop radios are now demanding electronic and pop-indie-ish songs. If you don’t have this kind of song, then you won’t get played.
Did you forget how pop radios completly ignored Rihanan’s ‘Birthday Cake’ even when it’s one of the biggest urban hits of this?
The top 10 most played and popular R&B song on R&B radios aren’t even on the top 20 of the most played songs of POP radios and one of the biggest hits of POP radios is topping the R&B Charts.
Yes a successful r&b song would be played on pop radio and therefore would chart on the pop chart based on it’s airplay at pop radio.
The reason for having a r&b chart is to track the success of urban songs in the urban community. If they wanna track r&b songs on pop radio they need to create a mainstream r&b chart or an urban pop chart.
For example: Brandy & Monica’s “The Boy Is Mine” was #1 on the Hot 100 for 13 weeks because pop radio supported it but only #1 on the r&b charts for 8 weeks because it lost airplay at urban radio after 8 weeks. Kelly Price took over at #1 on r&b chart but was never played on pop radio.
Thats the clear difference between what is being played at pop and urban radio. Thats how it should be.
@MUSIC HEAD
But when ‘The Boy Is Mine’ was #1 on Hot 100, pop radios were still playing many other R&B songs as well. Destiny’s Child, TLC, Usher, P. Daddy, R. Kelly, Mary J Blige were popular on POP radios. Pop radios used to be diversified. R&B and POP (and many other genres) co-existed on pop radios, today they don’t.
There isn’t a single R&B song on Pop radios anymore. Nowadays, you can’t see a R&B song being played on a pop radio. The biggest hits on R&B radios aren’t hits on POP radios. This says a lot of how the media is treating R&B. Pop radios are ignoring R&B songs because they’re R&B.
On my radio they play pop, r&b, soul, spiritual, ect,,,,,
@Lax
Are you sure that your radio is Pop and not Rhytimic? I am not saying that every POP radio refuses to play R&B, but most of them do or just play one urban track out of 50 pop songs. Miguel’s ‘Adorn’ is the biggest hit on R&B radios right now, but it is no where to be found on the top 40 of pop radios.
@Gilberto and that’s the reason why r&b needs it’s own chart to reflect it’s own trends and not how popular those songs are at pop radio.
Right now pop radio won’t even play a r&b song unless it does well at urban radio first (for the most part). Now they don’t have to play r&b at all because it no longer has it’s own genre chart.
@HOTSTUFF LMAO,,,
Well remove Starships, VaVaVoom and Pound The Alarm from Hip Hop chart.
F*** off you funky b****. F*** right off!
Deal
Yeaaah Rih give them something to
“Talk” about,, many artist or pop and
r&b, so that is just the way it is.
@YOLANDA I HEARD THAT!!!
If the rules don’t change the only people that will be topping this chart are Usher Beyonce Chris Brown Rihanna Nicki Minaj Drake & Lil wanye established acts that are popular mainstream artist everyone else from Keyshia Cole Miguel & Brandy etc won’t stand a chance sad but it’s the truth….
Usher Beyonce Chris Brown Rihanna Nicki Minaj Drake & Lil wanye all had to start from somewhere. They didn’t just drop one song and all of the sudden they’re superstars. Rihanna was considered a one hit wonder with Pon De Replay, it is only when SOS and Unfaithful dropped that she started getting recognition, Umbrella changed everything.
All of these artists had to start somewhere, all the Brandy’s, Ciara’s, Miguel’s need to step their game up. RnB artists have not innovated since the 90s, they sing about the exact same thing. Either put up or shut up, the industry has changed a lot. Blame the consumer, not Billboard. Billboard has simply changed the rules to capture more of what the consumers are listening to. So blame music consumers, not the artist, not Billboard.
@DIAMONDS
@MONSTAREBEL
Right on!
Its not RnB but you cant blame Rihanna though, Billboard are confused and its very stereotypical because Rihannas face is brown she automatically considered RnB? NO Diamonds is pop through and through. Katy Perry could sing that song but would it still be RnB? Hell No.
Very true!! while people like elle varner and fantasia are flopping because of this
Rihanna doing the dam thing and they list many as pop
artist, while the Grape just wrote about Beyonce and called
Her Pop so.
If Diamonds is requested on RnB radio, it’ll chart on the RnB charts. This is not a difficult concept.
Rihanna charting on Radio that plays, r&b, Pop, Rock,
Spritual isn’t Rocket Science,,,
TGJ be trippin over nothing…Beautiful picture! 🙂
Then you’re a clueless idiot…
Many of those who visits here are
Trippin also because it’s about that
Caribbean Queen!!!
Rihanna keep them sweating cold sweat,,,
if irreplaceable and if i were a boy can be r&b so can diamonds,,,,,BISHES DEAL!!!!………..+ UNAPOLOGETIC IS MORE OF A URBAN ALBUM!!!
You sho Right!
@WAITUVTURN,,,So TrueOfc,,,
Yes those songs charted based on urban airplay. Diamonds wouldn’t even be top 10 based on airplay. It would be somewhere in the 30’s.
http://twitition.com/wpzfj/ Sign this petition to Billboard
Its at 13 on airplay, where it should be on the main chart
@THOSE WHO DON’T LIKE IT,,,,TELL ME WHAT YOU GONNA
DO ABOUT IT,,,,
Rihanna has an R&B voice so that’s why they got her on the R&B charts. Rihanna is POP/R&B.
There is no such thing as a r&b or pop voice. A song is considered pop or r&b based on it’s song arrangement and instrumentation not based on the person who is singing the song. I think thats why a lot of you are confused.
Just because a person is black it doesn’t mean they are r&b and just because a person is white doesn’t mean they are pop. It’s all in the the song arrangement.
Lmao, so the navy gets mad when the hive is excited for an r and b number one , they say the chart is irrelevant . But now all of a sudden since “queen Rih” is topping, it’s relevant ? Make up your mind .
it’s still irrelevant Rih gets number 1s on the hot 100 ain’t no one sweating this s*** I rather Rihanna not be on this chart with this song it isn’t r&b…. its a difference when beyonce is only getting number 1s on r&b charts when that same song that’s number 1 on that chart can’t even get into the top 50 on hot 100 that’s the real issue hun
Billboard still consider Beyonce one of their most valued artists when it comes to the Hot 100 aswell as Rihanna because shes spent more weeks AT #1 than any other female artist in history. They recently confirmed this on that chart beat thing they do a few days ago.
averaged weeks*
Beyonce might be one of their Most Valued artist, I
supposed that is why RIHANNA was named Queen
of Pop for the last two decades, or Twenty years
simply because of her “Assault on the BB Charts”.
I just typed queen of pop into google to get a more general idea of who the general public consider more the queen of pop and the faces that regularly came up were Madonna mainly (of course), Lady Gaga and Beyonce. Rihanna not so much #Justanobservation.
Oh and Britney
It’s pretty much irrelevant. The Navy is not claiming that the R&B is the best chart. All we care about is world charts and Hot 100.
Hummm, I have seen this chicks name bantered around but WTF Santagold. Girl have several seats! Alhough,I do agree that the disgusting biased lowlifes that dictate music category classifications have ruined the music industry. What happened to R&B/SOUL? WTF is R&B/HIP HOP? Why is HIP HOP not paired with the RAP category as they are of the same genre?
I’m not sure why it’s a problem all of a sudden and for some ppl? Bruno Mars is being placed in the Best R&B category at the music award programs. Since when is this POP ACT an R&B Star? If the POWERS THAT BE could get away with tossing Adele into the R&B/SOUL category and giving her every R&B Award they would.
@MOBWIFE,,,,You are
so right on and perhaps they
can find a spot to put Susan
Boyle in because She to sold her ass off and with
some of the soul songs.
Y’all mad? Rih stays winning despite the charts! Haha
When was the last time Janet had a number one anywhere?
The only thing Janet is topping are those dieting pills chile.
Number 1 on the N.Y. Best Seller back in 2010! #POW #BOO
Taking charge of different lanes in the industry…MAYBE BEYONCE CAN WHEN HER ILLITERATE ASS CAN PULL OFF AN INTERVIEW
you h*** be throwing shade and aim it at the wrong ppls stay pressed b******
but Janet a LEGEND beyonce & lady caca not so much so hush h***!!!!
People saying its not problem, it actually is problem for music in general, its things like this that make genres completly loose their worth and harder for real artists of the genre to thrive in their lane properly. So many RnB artists are crossing over into the mainstream pop sound which makes them POP now they are no longer RnB. Especially not a song like Diamonds. The Billboard rules are a total biased mess now anyway.
If a song is getting played on RnB radio, it’ll chart on the RnB charts. Blame the consumer not Billboard. Why are the consumers of music requesting Diamonds on RnB radio? Blame the consumers requesting it.
BEFORE that’s how the chart works but Billboard recently changed R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart to incorporate sales and OVERALL radio play.
This means it is simply the Hot 100 with all the “pop” songs removed…yet Diamonds is sat at #1
I like that Keysha Cole song you put up! Should’ve release it in the UK.
Lol, why are people are being pressed! Some people only want to hear about their precious illuminati s***!
yeh yeh. it’s only wrong on the r’n’b/hip hop chart. still fine on r’n’b/pop. showing them others how to do it. that genre mixing is still tough competition for natural r’n’b. yo. can’t help it. 🙂
just thought tho. hiphop exposure looks good for upcoming things. singles. perhaps pushing the album alil. dunno who watches charts and selects and values what to play like that tho. radio do that?
mmh.
to be honest Billboard probably aint have no time to deal with struggling flops so they just decided to leave one of the few black entertainers in the game rule the chart with her undeniable success, only on that grape s*** rihanna is this big flop…But the truth is, she has just scored her 12th #1 single, a #1 album, she is gold in 3 weeks in the US , Platinum WW, platinum in the UK, in france Gold in countless countries….Diamond is #1 in germany for a 7th consecutive week, this made her the best selling digital artist of all time in germany….Lord yall will have to deal with that reign….
xoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Slaying internationally Yaaas >>>>>
Yass If there’s one reign that is not letting up, it’s that Rihanna International reign !
It aint got nothing to do with them handling flops its whats what in music! You narrow minded piece of s***! Its only OK cos it your fav and ‘one of the few black entertainers in the game’ really? You obviously don’t listen to much music if you think you think theres ‘only a few’ black entertainers in the game.
@LOuise
There are only a few successful black artists out right now which rihanna is apart of ….i know honey, the truth is hard, but you’ll have to deal or have a seat => _/
xoxo
No there isnt LOL! And Beyonces my girl so why would the thruth hurt cos she definatly would fall in your little category!
The truth will set you free, and the Rih haters
are trying to find fault as usual. And just like Adele sings soul, r&b, pop no one says a word.
Rihanna can’t help that She sings different Generes isn’t that the way it’s supposed to be. DON’T Nicki sing some pop songs?????
actually diamond has been #1 for 8 weeks not 7
Soon the appropriate chart for the flops Sam stans for will have to be the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles!
lmaoooOooOo
Bahahahahahahahahaha…..right Kelly Flopland &C-Errors new home Awwwww
IKR!!!! lmaooooo
billboard still has the rnb airplay chart dont they? or urban airplay chart? meaning the old chart is still there
http://twitition.com/wpzfj/ Sign this petition to Billboard
Stop all the hate. How would it look if Kanye West tops the billboard chart. And white people talk s*** about him not making pop music so he has no place on their chart? I listen to the radio often and Diamonds does get heavy airplay on r&b stations they even play that flop RIP song. So sit. Diamonds is the kind of song that can cross genres. Pitch a fit when A terrible song like Ciara’s Got me Good tops a chart! Not a beautiful song like Diamonds…
“Diamonds does get heavy airplay on r&b stations”
Really? So why didn’t it peak on the top 10 of R&B Airplay? Explain.
This is honestly B*******!! The music industry is officially F***** UP and the record companies that agreed with this are JACKASSES! They made it harder for their own artists!! REAL B*******!
IT IS DEFINTELY RACIST!!
monsterebek said it best; these rules r stupid & racists: diamond aint no dang r&b., brandy keyshia & alicia need to be #1 on that chart not rihanna., not hatin on her just sayin its not r&b
THIS IS FOR SYBIL:
Three quarters of British women have said that a figure with a small waist balanced by larger b****** and hips is the ideal figure, a new survey has revealed.
They said that rather than wanting to emulate the stick thin figures of Kate Moss, most of them would prefer to have the figures of curvier celebrities like Kelly Brook, Holly Willoughby, BEYONCE and Kate Winslet.
The survey, undertaken on behalf of Debenhams, found that most women were less concerned with becoming a model size eight or ten and instead wanted a figure that “goes in and out.”
Almost a fifth of respondents said that they wanted a body with defined muscles, like Olympian Jessica Ennis, or Victoria Pendleton.
Just six percent of women felt that a typical catwalk model’s tall and thin size eight or below silhouette, with a smaller difference between waist, chest and hip measurements, was the one for them.
Only three percent of women wanted an “out of proportion” figure with bigger breast measurement like glamour model Katie Price, or larger hips and bottom, like singer Nicki Minaj.
LOL
Urban stations don’t play R&B anyway 🙁 with the exception of trey songz whack behind! The last R&B song that really got heavy rotation was Miguel “Adorn”. And before that it was “Put It Down”. All they play is rap now!!! That’s why I don’t listen to the radio!!!
Kelly Rowland’s Ice is top 10 at urban radio. Frank Ocean is top 5.
The Weekend and Keyshia Cole are in the top 20.
I think r&b is representing well at urban radio.
No Ice is freefalling on Rhythmic and Urban now and has been for the past week and a half.
Kelly’s label waited TOO LONG to put out the video. It was already starting to peak when the video debuted and it hasn’t picked up enough play on TV I guess to revive radio interest and sales.
It’s peaked and dying.
Her Neva End (Remix) with Future is racing up Rhythmic and Urban though – it’s gonna be a big crossover hit
@Jonathan you’re right, Ice has fallen to #12 at urban radio but r&b is still very much present
#3 Miguel- Adorn
#5 Frank Ocean- Thinkin About You
#7 Chris Brown- Don’t Judge Me
#10 The Weekend- Wicked Games
All of these songs are ahead of Rihanna at urban radio and yet Diamonds is #1 on the Billboard r&b chart? Sounds crazy to me.
OH… GET A F****** GRIP.
Diamonds topped the R&B sales/digital chart also for five weeks which means that he single was being bought by r&b audiences. I also hear diamonds receiving heavy rotation on r&b/urban stations here in Chicago… Even when I was in Mississippi last week.
It’s nobody’s fault that Ciara and Keyshias FLOP songs wasn’t being bought not to mention that I also heard those songs being played on r&b radio over the past few weeks but the audience impressions for those songs were low. I heard diamonds come on Chicago’s WNGG R&B station almost 15 times in the space of four hours yesterday so… WTF.
R&B hasn’t been “True r&b” since the Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson and Whitney Houston “Contemporary r&b” 1980’s – that is when rhythm and blues truly died.
Diamonds sounds like real modern r&b juxtaposed with electronica and alternative influences. WTF IS THE PROBLEM. In 25 years… People will be saying they want this kind of r&b back. Today’s hip hop based r&b is S***.
*cough*
i’d like to say sales/digital charts don’t or shouldn’t count. they are irrelevant to any genre topic. just sales. nobody knows or should know who bought it. i’d rather not have itunes spy the customers for their music taste and categorize. so or the sake of that thought this should be just made up and they stuffed rihanna in a sold genre category to boost some stupid but irrelevant numbers.
just saying.
those s/d are the real deal tho. huh? 😉
Let correct you:
There is no way to determine what audience is buying what song. The only way a song can top the r&b sales chart is if it’s labeled a r&b song by billboard- which is the problem at hand!
But if urban radio is not playing it then it is not a r&b song.
And if you were in Chicago you would know that WGCI is the top urban station and they are not playing Diamonds here.
” which means that he single was being bought by r&b audiences.”
Charts can’t measure that. Stop stating what you don’t know. You really lack of charts acknowledgment. Diamonds topped it because Rihanna is black, and black singers are automatically R&B singers. Diamonds isn’t R&B. It’s a pop song, written by a pop singer (Sia) and produced by a dance/pop producer (Benny Blanco).
What the f*** is wrong with some of these music industry people ( FOOLS)? Billboard is def racist! Think about it, why was rnb and hip hop on the same genre chart when they are 2 DIFFERENT genres, why? BECAUSE they are “BLACK ” genres!! POINT BLANK PERIOD!! Hip hop and rap should be on the same genre chart NOT RNB AND HIP HOP that makes it UNFAIR for artists of all both of those genres.! B*******!!! B*******!! B*******!! They gon separate the charts after they then changed the rules to make it seem like they really GIVE A S***! that IS NOT GON make no difference! THE CHANGE OF RULES IS STILL GON MAKE THE GENRE CHARTS MIXED WITH OTHER GENRES THAT DOES NOT FALL INTO THE CATEGORY OF THE CHART!! DUE TO ASSUMPTIONS SUCH AS IF THEY ARE “BLACK” THEN THEY ARE RNB! THESE ASSUMPTIONS CAUSE THOSE WITH A MORE ESTABLISHED OR MAINSTREAM FANBASE TO HAVE ADVANTAGES ON CERTAIN GENRE CHARTS EVEN IF THEIR SONG IS NOT OF THAT GENRE HENCE IT MAKES IT HARDER FOR THOSE WHOSE SONG IS REALLY OF THAT GENRE! THESE RULES MAKE IT HARDER FOR THOSE WHO ARE NEW ARTISTS AS WELL BECAUSE THE ESTABLISHED MAINSTREAM ARTISTS IMMEDIATELY HAVE AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE EVEN IF THOSE IN THAT GENRE’S COMMUNITY ARE NOT THAT INTO THE SONG! WHEREAS WITH THE OLD RULES AT LEAST IF THE NEW ARTISTS’ SONG IS HOT IN THE COMMUNITY, HE / SHE CAN MORESO GRADUALLY CROSSOVER! ALOT OF TODAYS ESTABLISHED AND MAINSTREAM ACTS GOT THEIR FIRST NUMBER ONE SINGLE FROM THEIR GENRE CHART SUCH AS BEYONCE WHOM GOT HER FIRST NUMBER ONE SONG FROM THE RNB CHART!!
I always hear diamonds on the radio. As a matter of fact I’ve heard EVERY Rihanna single on the radio (minus SOS). The urban audience loves Rihanna…
Another day and another sad attempt at staying relevant by posting a Rihanna story . This is aint “Controversial” to no damn body but yall . Urban Radio heavily supports Rihanna check the stats boo
No urban radio does not. She has only had a few top 10 songs at urban radio. Most of them have a feature from a rapper and thats the only reason it gets played.
As much as i love me some Rihanna these days, the song has no right to even be toping the chart as it is not even Top 10 on urban gurlbye. Just more B******* rules from Billboard that skew the charts in favour of some and try to rewrite history. Like how songs #1 on sales for weeks arent #1 on the Hot 100 or how 80s and 90s classics never made an appearence on the Hot 100 meanwhile 383652 s***** and forgettable Taylor Swift and Glee songs hog up the chart. B**** please. Act a fool Billboard
Billboard R&B Chart (and the other genre charts) become irrelevant right after Billboard changed their rules. Basically it’s the Hot 100 without the white people. That’s it. It’s like ARIA and UK URBAN/R&B charts where ‘Scream and Shout’ can go #1 because will.i.am is black.
Billboard’s new rules made completly unfair for real R&B/Hip-Hop singers. Now without the support of POP radios you can’t top the R&B charts. Why? Because POP radios are the one who sell singles. Real R&B singers barely have support of POP radios, so they don’t sell single as strong as a pop singer. Diamonds is only #1 because POP radios, it didn’t even peak on the top 10 of R&B Airplay. And the same thing applies to the other charts. Just see how a generic dance song like Flo Rida’s I Cry and PSY’s Gangnam Style are the biggest hits on the RAP charts right now. LOL. PATHETIC!
Diamonds isn’t R&B. It was written by a pop singer Sia and produced by a pop dance producer Benny Blanco. I really don’t know how two pop artists can magically make a R&B track. If Sia had released it, it wouldn’t have charted there. It’s a fact.
Billboard and labels are forcing everyone to have a commercial and pop-ish sound, or will struggle to chart. It’s pathetic that they changed their rules to that. Every sub-chart is suffering from those rules. It’s funny that Billboard didn’t even dare to touch on the pop charts. LOL.
The Lumineers’s ‘Ho Hey’ is #1 Rock Chart while Muse’s ‘Madness’ is #1 Rock Airplay. ‘Ho Hey’ is also on the top 10 of Pop radios, but Madness isn’t even on the top 50. See? Without the POP radios support you can’t no longer top the sub-genre charts. All these charts are irrelevant, what really matters is the Airplay one.
Billboard sucks.
Billboard is trying to keep its own relevancy.
We already know Diamonds will not get a Grammy nod in the R’nB field in 2014.
The song was written by an Aussie for God’s sake, it’s all about pop, down there!
This is along the same lines as Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” being put on the Country charts. It’s not a country song, it’s pop, even if Taylor is traditionally knows as a country artist.
That song is pop. Period. F*** billboard.
S****** Blond why u saying rock over other genres but u r in a blog promoting r&b and Pop pretty much like everyday?? And u are a madonna stan? Isnt she a pop artist? Boy/girl bye!
Diamonds is an RnB cut.
Shut the f*** up
Rihanna fans are just supporting Billboard’s decision because it’s convenient for them right now. The moment another black artist tops the chart with an EDM song while Rihanna fails to reach #1 with an actual R&B track, their opinion will change.
The same with beyonce stans!! the only people that are selling in the black music market is rihanna and beyonce.
it’s because R&B has no growth and we are living in an age where POP/Dance music is taking over. The R&B singers have to step outside the box and stop only making one kind of song. Maybe sing about something more current or something because just like there are generic pop songs, there generic R&B tracks too.
Like get some originality and start singing about something that the public can relate to now, not 20 years ago.
That still doesnt make Diamonds R&B!
I didn’t say it was, I don’t think Diamonds is a true R&B track. It may have R&B influences within it’s rhythm but other than that it mainly a pop based song.
However back on topic, I want R&B to live on but the truth is they will always be outclassed unless the R&B hopefuls bring out some new material and when I say new I mean totally ORIGINAL lyrics. Too many generic R&B songs out there, we do not live in the late 80s and 90s anymore. It’s 2012 so if Rock, Rap, Pop, Country, even J pop (Japanese music) can survive then why can’t R&B? This is not a Black issue it’s a music one. R&B singers need to move away from the old and come in with the new. Trey Songz is actually on the right direction even though his songs suck but he’s trying to reinvent the genre
Billboard’s problem with the r&b chart is crediting Diamonds for sales generated by massive exposure at pop radio. For the r&b chart, if Billboard calibrated sales to match the percentage of airplay actually received at r&b radio, you’d have a very different outcome.
For example, if Diamonds receives 10% of it’s airplay at r&b radio, then only 10% of its total sales should be included in the calculations for the r&b chart.
Interesting.
What bugs me is the fact that Pop Charts are still only based on airplay while the other genre charts are based on airplay + single sales + streaming. They did this because they knew that if they put singles and streaming on Pop Charts, it’ll end up being exactly like the Hot 100. 9 out 10 artists charting on the top 10 of POP charts are also on the top 10 of Hot 100! Its more than clear that POP radios are in charge of the other genre charts. If they have the power to put 9 out of 10 artists’ singles on the most popular songs of the country, then they clearly have the power to top the genre charts.
I don’t care if r&b is dying. It obviously isn’t if Tamar could get a hit on iTunes. I will continue to support r&b cuz its the best type of music with good singers and the most soulful. Pop and electro is okay but can be empty and depthless sometimes.
Y’all can’t blame the singers blame the board the runs billboard but diamonds gets a lot of airplay guys especially on those urban stations so blame the ppl who plays it on their show and you know what ppl still request song on radio so blame the listener I’m sure mariah didn’t get her hits on just sales billboard it just a summary of what ppl listening to and buying and sadly r&b is just are not what people are buying or supporting we listen to them but its really fallen from its great place in mainstream music in the 90s if u want to be successful just do something out of the ordinary like adele and I know plenty of ppl irritated by her success but she really is a good example and r&b music today is mostly about s** where in the 90s it was about everything maybe that’s why r&b is failing today its so bland even brandy kind of fell into it it her CD great but her whole direction has fallen compared to afrodisac and full moon I feel like a lot of r&b artist just don’t know what they want to do or what direction they want their music to go into so they record hundreds of songs and then release an album and expect their team to know what to do and they don’t so you do other things that will make ppl buy something you’re not even dedicated to once you know what you want failure never happens if you’re confused and unsure about your music everyone is to because of your energy and that’s mostly everyone in r&b right now are confused they just need to find their way #thatsall
“For, in what some might put down to ignorance, chart systems the world over still seem to be under the impression that ‘black’ acts fall under the umbrella of ’urban’ by default….even when those acts aren’t supported by urban radio.”
First of all it doesn’t matter what race the artist is, if the song is requested and played on urban radio, it deserves to be on the irrelevant urban charts.
“Despite technically being a Pop cut and receiving little support from R&B radio outlets upon release, ‘Diamonds’ now spends its 11th week atop the nation’s US R&B tally”
I would like to see the numbers for this rubbish. Diamonds has little support on RnB radio?? Radio which likes to make money and would not be bothered playing some irrelevant Keyshia Cole song (which will earn them less listeners) over Rihanna’s smash hit.
The Radio is in the business of making money, if they’re not getting listeners, they get less advertisers which means less money. Even Urban radio like this supposedly “urban blog” knows that Rihanna’s name brings in the hits/listeners which brings in money. You tried though.
“A fact that oft plays to the advantage of performers who lend to both generes, the inaccurate addition of songs like ‘Diamonds’ on urban charts has ensured that genuine R&B numbers are refused entry to #1, as they aren’t afforded the Top 40 airplay Rihanna‘s star power gives her no choice but to enjoy.”
Well this industry is shrouded with competition. Artists know who their competition is and make music to compete for that top spot. That top spot means more gigs, endorsements…etc. RnB should stop being lazy and compete if they want to see the top of the irrelevant RnB charts ever again.
“Here’s hoping coming years will see the industry categorize songs according to their genre, and not by the skin tone of the act behind them.”
If a song gets played on RnB radio, it will be on the RnB charts. What Billboard has done is categorize music closer to the consumer. With music purchases, streaming and radio airplay, the consumer is much more in charge of who gets the top spot.
Billboard has simply adapted to the current times. If RnB acts are scared of change and the competition, they should simply GET USED TO IT. It’s happening whether they like it or not. Either put up or shut up. In fact, blame the consumers of music and not Billboard.
So how is it that Diamonds is #1 on the r&b charts but not even top 10 on urban radio? Do you not see the problem with that?
humm that’s funny NYC R&B and Hip Hop stations are playing the hell out of the song
No they are not! New York Rhythmic stations are playing the song heavily. There is a big difference.
Isn’t it IRONIC that a supposedly Urban blog posts 1,000 articles about a supposedly POP act (because of hits) and has the nerve to complain about supposedly Urban radio playing a supposedly POP act’s songs (because of impressions)??? Hmmmmm???
POT CALLING THE KETTLE BLACK????
**sips healthy Vita Coco Coconut Water**
Just like That Hood Juice knows Rihanna’s name pays Samantha’s mortgage, Radio also knows that Rihanna’s music pays their rentals and other overheads. It’s nothing personal, it’s just business.
I don’t understand why people want to blame POP for R&B music dying. The only thing you have to blame is these R&B artist for bringing Lil Wayne, Gucci Man and Waka Flocka into their songs. Hip Hip has destroyed R&B. Hip Hop artists are selling better than R&B artists.R&B artists need a rapper to help sell their music. POP can stand alone. Rihanna doesn’t need a Hip Hop artist to make it on the BB Hot 100. Rihanna is the last hope for R&B so deal. The R&B/HipHop chart is relevant when Rihanna is there.
Question for people saying “Diamonds” isn’t R&B :
Do you not consider “Best Thing I Never Had” – which reached #4 on R&B charts and was the most played song on African radios of 2011 – an R&B song?????????
Just stop with your double f****** standards.
Best Thing I Never Had was a r&b song. It was rhythmic with traditional guitar riffs and beats. A crossover pop r&b song it was. Diamonds is a pop/rhythmic/dance song.
And you just proved my point. Urban radio played the song therefore it went top 5. Urban radio wasn’t even playing Diamonds and it was #1. That’s the problem with this chart change.
Diamonds is an RnB song, wtf yall talkin about? Is it pop? NO. It’s modern RnB.
There is no such thing as “modern r&b”. But since u want to make that term up, Billboard should create a “modern r&b” chart and leave the regular r&b chart as it has always been.
shut up b****, log the f*** out n dnt reply to my posts u idiot!
ridicoulous.