US iTunes
14. Where Have You Been

While the song is not flopping here, I can't help but think that it would be Top 5 already was it not for her recent urban smash BC & TUtM remix with Chris Brown. While I am aware that BC smashed & that the song received less than expected press coverage, I wonder if it still left some pop listeners hesitant to buy new music. Now, I am also aware that WHYB hit #10 on iTunes & never got the chance to gain exposure that way, I feel as if it would've returned quickly of it was truly meant to be a smash. With Idol, it will SOAR into the Top 10, & probably peak high, but idk, something feels off. The song is very ideal for a smash yet it is stagnant in the Top 15 while new songs jump over it day after day.

It will probably end up with a Top 5 peak when all is said & done but I just feel something is not as it usually should be by Rihanna single standards, as a fan. Maybe this era is a dud, singles-wise except for the mega-smash We Found Love?



EDIT (July 3) : the overall digital performance is still lackluster, even with 100 million AI. But it did get a Top 5 peak. Thoughts?

Yeah it is quite obvious that she is finally suffering from overexposure, this era should never have happened.

It did?

IMO, I think US listeners have gotten sick of her. She needs a break, like seriously. And, not just so people won't get tired of her, but for her mental well-been.

My know if this was meant to be sarcastic or not, but I agree.

They should have kept pushing Loud. It's a flawless album. TTT on the other hand...

I think she confused smash with flop

Birthday Cake was a huge urban smash.

You're kinda reaching, it's not smashing because people are sick of this messy era, WHYB would've done better if it was released as 2nd or 3rd single.

It has nothing to do with the remixes Shes just overexposed.

The remixes aren't to blame.

She's 24 and has 11-12 #1s??
She said herself she knows what's a hit and what isn't a hit.
I'm very surprised WHYB isn't #1 though, the performances and videos are slaying.
Though she vacating to London for a while in the summer, i'm sure she'll be getting an array of #1s overseas, but it's not like her music is trashy.
It's catchy, it sounds good, and gets people talking.

Her team know exactly what they're doing.

Loud should've just been rereleased with a few more songs. The TTT era will only be remembered for the mega smash We Found Love and a surprisingly flop-filled Rih album, unfortunately.

Rihanna is everywhere, and even when she's not promoting her songs she still features on others' artists tracks, so people are probably fed up with her.

She should end the era with WHYB and start a new one next year.

Anyway, WHYB is doing ****ing great.

She just needs to take a break, then she'll come back and smash again. I don't think the remixes or her behaviour have anything to do with it, it's just overexposure, mainly from how huge WFL was.

She's suffering overexposure and we all saw that coming, the song still has chances to be a major hit, once she performs it in AI it will be top 10

I think her public image and the way she has been acting is affecting it and her career