From 2011-13, several artists/labels used questionable tactics to get (or try to get) #1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100. Let's look at three songs which used such tactics and made it to #1 as a result:




see also: "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" discounted to $0.69



Which of these three songs was the least deserving of the #1 spot? (Not quality-wise, but from a commercial standpoint.)

TGIF

What did Bruno do though?

Bruno

"Undeserved"

Harlem Shake, sis. Your delusions are just

Last Friday Night since it reached #1 because of a remix and then a spent a second week at #1 because of a discount the following week. Missy didn't even get credit because the remix barely contributed but gave it enough of a push to go #1.

I'm going with Bruno, because the song that was blocking him was "Thrift Shop", which would have spent 11 weeks at the top if not for "Harlem Shake" (and 12 weeks if Bruno didn't discount).

LFN, the remix one week and the discount the next.

S&M

I think it's a tie between Last Friday Night and When I Was Your Man.

S&M, I guess.

But didn't LFN do that too? Plus a remix?

It's not easy to be the #1 song in the Country

People doesn't HAVE TO buy a song. Of they but it then congrats to the song

There is no such "underserving" #1 thing

And what about S&M (besides the remix)?

Yes. But if I remember correctly, the remix was discounted when it came out, and the song still managed to spend a second week at #1. And "Party Rock Anthem" was dying down by this point, so I'm inclined to think it wasn't that much of a stretch for Katy to get the #1.

The timing of the remix was very tacky. So I included it.

So they did a remix, and discounted the remix too? THAT'S how much they wanted the #1?

LFN simply because the song is terrible, all things considered.

When an artist like Katy Perry remixes and discounts a song voraciously solely for the purpose of topping the chart for the 5th time in a row or whatever it was, than I think theres validity in saying its undeserved. Its a little gross, but hey it did what it set out to do, she knew most people wouldn't acknowledge the desperation and at the end of the day all that will be known is that it got to the top. Now she can say Teenage Dream had a long ass streak of #1's. Did it deserve it? Arguable. But it can be said.