Though earning no shortage of critical acclaim upon its January 9 release, Alicia Keys‘ ‘Underdog’ – the second single from her long-awaited seventh studio album, ‘A.L.I.C.I.A.’ – was commercially panned.
Struggling to a #93 peak on the Hot 100, the Johnny McDaid-produced cut – which boasts chart-topper Ed Sheeran among its list of songwriters – seemed poise to suffer the same fate as its Miguel-assisted predecessor, ‘Show Me Love’ (which peaked at #90).
In an ironic twist of fate, ‘Underdog’s chart story could be set to reverse. Response to the global coronavirus pandemic, the very reason the release date of the song’s parent project was postponed (click here to read more), is giving it an unexpected second wind.
See what we mean inside:
As of time reported, ‘Underdog’ has bested the sales of some of its higher Hot 100-charting contemporaries to seize a seat at #5 on the real-time iTunes tally.
Real-Time iTunes Charts
Enjoying a boost due in great part to a partnership forged with Amazon Music, the streaming giant selected the song as its theme to promote the use of its app with Amazon Alexa.
Although the commercial (seen below) was released weeks ago, its message – fueled by ‘Underdog’s uplifting lyrics – has been converted to an anthem of hope for people impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, namely the working class and “essential workers” commissioned to continue serving the public despite the health crisis.
“So I sing a song for the hustlers trading at the bus stop / Single mothers waiting on a check to come / Young teachers, student doctors / Sons on the frontline knowing they don’t get to run / This goes out to the underdog /Keep on keeping at what you love /You’ll find that someday soon enough /You will rise up, rise up,” she wails on the tune’s chorus .
The response to the advertisement has encouraged Amazon to increase its rotation on television and Web platforms alike, a feat that’s not only awakened interest its accompanying tune but could also spell a new chart peak on next week’s Hot 100.