i'm just rambling you really don't have to read any of this. i just find it so weird, all the sudden hand-wringing re: the supposed sanctity of the #1 spot on the Hot 100, like it's this prize that isn't cloaked in decades of industry fckery.

there has probably never been a time when it completely "organically" measured interest in a song. the commerce is inextricable from the art. labels have traditionally had to lean on a variety of methods to get a song to the top.

the listening population in the US is so diverse and consumes music in so many different ways that it's almost impossible to truly gauge what the 'biggest' song in a given week is (unless it's, like, OTR). the sheer number of #1s we've seen this year is evidence of that.

because it's so hard to capture the totality of public opinion, what the hot 100 measures is ultimately a combo of industry influence, general population interest, and fanbase engagement, using a constantly shifting algorithm that no one ever seems to be able to get just right.

some artists lean more heavily into the industry support. others rely more on gp/going 'viral' to get them to the top. even fewer artists can rely on their fanbases to help them get to that top spot. but rarely can an artist get to #1 without some amount of help from all three.

which method is best? which is worst? do any really measure impact? it's hard to say. i find it more genuine to work creatively within the framework and find new ways to deliver music to fans and the gp, than to rely entirely on the industry/commerce to stay afloat.

like i just can't fault artists that look at the pitfalls of the industry and say "ok... how do i use this to my advantage?" when the whole system is set up to arbitrarily be for or against them, taking the reins and saying "i know my strengths and i will use them" is smart.

so, if your strength is a passionate and highly organized fanbase who know how to buy your music, why wouldn't you leverage that? when you and your fans have a common goal in mind -- reaching the top of the charts, why not work with that? it would be stupid not to, tbh.

the music industry is broken!!! like literally everything else in the world it's been corrupted by money and power, and anyone who has to navigate it will ultimately have to make concessions to meet their goals, and some do it far, far more than others! it is what it is!

if you're gonna call artists desperate for using the methods at their disposal to chart their music then you should be prepared to call *all* artists desperate. especially those that rely more heavily on sales of dozens of non-musical items in order to rank high on a music chart.

call artists that encourage their fans to use VPNs, whose labels churn out press releases that put down other artists and their fanbases, who wait until after they've secured top spots with concert bundles to postpone their tour dates.

all this to say, if this song goes to #1, it's not because they're "desperate," but because it did what it needed to do. after the boys worked diligently for years to foster relationships, the industry has been more supportive. the gp likes it. and, as always, they have us.

also, if it *doesn't* go to #1, it's not evidence of failure on any of those fronts. it's about timing and kismet and all of that as much as it's about doing everything right. they have nothing to be ashamed of, i'm so proud of them no matter what happens.

let's keep streaming!