[umich]

OP UPDATED:

ALREADY-ANSWERED QUESTIONS:

Favorite artists?
Presently faves include Janelle Monae, pink, katy, gaga, Miranda Lambert, Luke Bryan, Frank ocean, Miguel, Drake, kanye, ed sheeran... all-time faves tend toward the classics: Ramones, velvet underground, Johnny Cash, Beatles, NWA.

Bill sis can u sneak Gaga in the top3 this week?
Just in case anyone really doesn't understand: the billboard charts are pure math. Tho I never share my personal wishes for the charts, that's are plenty of times I'm disappointed or surprised or elated by the results. But I cannot affect them.

Does Xfinity OnDemand count for streaming?
Dunno. Will check.

Are there changes soon to come in the billboard chart data format from the hot 100 (as we have seen the inclusion of streaming sites and youtube)?
What should be included that isn't? Nothing planned right now, but we stay nimble. Presently considering the album chart and how/if to count giveaways a la Magna Carta

Bill, are you disappointed with Applause's chart position?
No. For a leaked/rushed first week and a lyrically atypical (for hot 100) song I think it's doing well.

Do you have an access to Nielsen Soundscan data? If yes, are you willing to post the requested data on ATRL?
I do have access. But I don't give it away. That said, I'm sure I'll cite numbers in context at times.

Hey Bill, do you like Taylor Swift's music?/What do you think of Taylor Swift?
I'm a fan, of her music and of her personally. We put her on billboard.com playing our cafeteria before anyone knew her. So I feel a sense of pride at her career development. I've spoken to her over the years and I'm always impressed with her dedication to fans and her interest in being a good person.

Do you believe The Wanted will ever have another chart hit in the US?
I think they may have one building now? Have to see how "night" is doing

Leak ARTPOP.
No. I'm very anti piracy and very pro artist rights to control the distribution of their art.

Hey Bill, what exactly happened with the sudden rule change when BLACKOUT (AKA THE GREATEST POP ALBUM OF THE LAST DECADE) was snatched off her #1 throne?
This was before I had oversight of the charts. But the chart director at the time went into the week thinking we couldn't get accurate data from Walmart on an exclusive (the Eagles album) and then Walmart came to the table with verifiable data. The reality was - and this is from memory so I could be off a little - the Eagles sold roughly twice as many copies as Britney that week. The Eagles unquestionably had the top v selling album in the US that week and so the head of the charts dept made the call that the charts being accurate was the most important thing.
The rest, as they say, is history.

Do you like how electronic dance music has changed since the '90s? Oh and, The Beatles or the Rolling Stones?
Dance was a ghetto when I went to raves - a style of music that was largely confined to the clubs, and a few more progressive producers like timbaland. Today dance production dominates almost every format at radio - its even creeping into country!
Can't say I like one better than the other, though I guess I liked it better when there was more diversity on the radio. Either way, we can all listen to what we want to, when we want, now more than ever.
Can't pick between Beatles and Stones. It's like choosing between eating and breathing. Sorry.

And do you think LORDe will smash on the HOT 100?
Yes VERY bullish on Lorde right now. Amazing songwriter and presence for her age. Or for most ages.

What's your fave Nicki Minaj song?
Super Bass. I once rapped a verse onstage in front of 300 people from the music biz, including Nicki! But I changed lyrics to be about executives in the audience. I won't be quitting my day job anytime soon.

BEYONCÉ, Britney, or Gags? JANET, Mariah, or Whintey? AALIYAH, Brandy, or Monica?
I've loved music from all of these artists. So picking one is NOT shade to another. But: Britney - by far, the hardest of the three sets to choose my winner. Whitney, and Aaliyah

Is Nicki Minaj the best female rapper to ever grace the Billboard charts?
I'm not sure who is on top based on all-time chart points. But personally, I think I'd still put salt n pepa just a notch ahead. Left Eye belongs in conversation too. But Nicki could be my top with another great song or two.

BILL, can you tell the whole community of ATRL how did this ACTUALLY happen? (Ciara becoming Woman of the Year)
I can't. She was the last WoY picked before I took over editorial/content/charts for Billboard, including choosing WoY

Who is your favorite female indie artist (Lana, Lorde, Sky Ferreira, Charli XCX, etc.) of the moment? And who do you see going mainstream first?
Lorde. And she's going mainstream right now.

What's your favorite Whitney Houston album and song?
Her first album. And "I will always love you" remains one of the greatest recorded vocals of all time.

[elvenOCEAN]

Bill, do you think there's any chance for artists like Celine Dion or Mariah Carey to go back on top of the charts like they used to in the '90s? If so, how?
Oh, and what is your favourite song from both of them?

Thanks.

[umich]

Originally posted by Brando

Add the "fave artists" answer from New Member Orientation thread. Those are the most frequently asked ones.

Done

[XoutrageousX]

Originally posted by Bwerde

Britney

I knew u were part of the B Army

[MrTiko]

Do you think Beyonce's album is coming this year? Do you think she can compete among the other major pop singers this time around?

[Hector]

Here's a good one...

How does Billboard able to properly categorize what song goes into the selective genre charts? All of Justin Timberlake's songs from his current album are considered R&B except for "Mirrors".

[MrTiko]

Originally posted by Hector

Here's a good one...

How does Billboard able to properly categorize what song goes into the selective genre charts? All of Justin Timberlake's songs from his current album are considered R&B except for "Mirrors".

Yas good one!

[Euphoria]

When Billboard changed how the country charts were calculated last year, why did they decide to include crossover airplay when tabulating the Country Songs chart? I understand why digital sales and streaming were incorporated, but wouldn't including pop/crossover airplay give an even more unfair advantage to crossover songs?

[Tsuko]

Originally posted by Hector

Here's a good one...

How does Billboard able to properly categorize what song goes into the selective genre charts? All of Justin Timberlake's songs from his current album are considered R&B except for "Mirrors".

Yeah, that's a good question, but I think someone said before that they just have a panel of music experts decide or something.

And also I noticed Ariana Grande's songs don't chart on the R&B/hip hop chart, but I think they should.

I also don't understand why they put some trap songs on dance/electronic, and others in R&B/hip hop. Mercy, Harlem Shake, Wild For the Night, they're all the same genre, but got put in different charts. I'll be interested to see where they put the Baauer/Just Blaze/Jay-Z song if it charts. I personally think all trap songs should be put in the R&B/hip hop chart.

I also saw Bubble Butt by Major Lazer in the Dance/Electronic chart, but I don't see how that's dance at all.

Originally posted by MSTI

Hello Bill
What do you think of Ciara?
Do you think she has mainstream appeal and could do well? (she did good with Love sex magic)

Well, she's had loads of top 10 hits, so clearly she can have mainstream appeal.

[Mezik]

Hello Bill,

Do you think if Carrie were to actively promote her songs to HAC/Pop that she'd have more crossover success? It seems that she'll make add dates for HAC but from there she does nothing. Is it possible Blown Away (Song) could have had a lot more longevity and success (Although 2x Platinum / 2x Grammy winning is amazing) had it been promoted on Pop stations?

[Flashing Lights]

Favorite Mariah album/song?

[Walk_Away21]

I need you to spill the tea on the Bionic sabotage once and for all Bill!

[Marioland]

Hello Bill!
The billboard hot 100 charts for me have no credibility anymore... You did try to rectify it a little bit with downloads counting more than airplay some years ago but now the radio producers along with record companies can affect the charts and "fix" the music tendencies AGAIN,,, Or did we already forget the plasmatic and phony RnB mania of the late 90's and 00's. Why don't you just count the sales like they do in the uk charts? Streaming is a more accurate source of measuring the popularity of a song than what radio stations impose! Still though you count that the least of all! I bet the corporational lobby pushed you alot to reverse the rules for counting airplay as the dominant source of popularity again!

[liveasong]

Do you like Carrie Underwood?

[XIAN]

Originally posted by Walk_Away21

I need you to spill the tea on the Bionic sabotage once and for all Bill!

omg yes! and why did radio refuse to play Just a Fool when Just Give Me a Reason could?

[Kool_Aid_King]

I can't believe how opposite he is from me

Beyonce > Britney > GaGa
Mariah > Whitney > Janet
Brandy > Monica > Aaliyah

[Tylerbv]

Originally posted by Euphoria

When Billboard changed how the country charts were calculated last year, why did they decide to include crossover airplay when tabulating the Country Songs chart? I understand why digital sales and streaming were incorporated, but wouldn't including pop/crossover airplay give an even more unfair advantage to crossover songs?

I like this question
Blown Away was robbed and Cruise has benefited even though it's completely pop right now

[BPD]

Hey Bill.. Do you happen to know anything about the Christina sabotage during Bionic??

[BLaCKPoWeR]

Originally posted by Kool_Aid_King

I can't believe how opposite he is from me

Beyonce > Britney > GaGa
Mariah > Whitney > Janet
Brandy > Monica > Aaliyah

Beyoncé > Gaga > Britney
Janet > Mariah > Whitney
Aaliyah > Brandy > Monica (must ALWAYS be last in the order)

[ManyUses]

I'm not sure if this was asked already but: Since your a Beatles fun what's your fave album and song?