[BlackoutZone]

It went Top 5 on mediatraffic though, but it still could be #1

[blackbeatxx]

Originally posted by LovingYourCareer

If it was released to cassette, the peak position would've been higher and if even to CD, it would've been another number-one hit, but for some odd reason Zomba held back.

Just so you know guys, Zomba and BMG only released the song in the U.S., literally and exclusively to an 7'' inch vinyl, there was no way this song would be a commercial hit back then.

wait. cassette in 2001?

but back then, single sales were low, streaming didn´t exist and radio was the main factor in how a song fared on the charts. and for contractual (?) reason with Clear Channel, radio didn´t play Britney´s song for some years iirc

[LovingYourCareer]

Originally posted by blackbeatxx

wait. cassette in 2001?

but back then, single sales were low, streaming didn´t exist and radio was the main factor in how a song fared on the charts. and for contractual (?) reason with Clear Channel, radio didn´t play Britney´s song for some years iirc

Yes. Cassette didn't completely die until later 2000s

EDIT: Yes, it also depended on radio and its odd how she was banned, was Madonna banned after 2002? Its not wonder why Hung Up flopped on Pop 100 and Mainstream Top 40.

[Roman Holiday]

Originally posted by Tropez

The song had a weird release. We have to remember this was before digital downloads took off, and after the death of physical singles. If you didn't have a radio hit, the song was not going places.

In fact 2002, almost all the songs on the chart had no single release and was based purely on radio play.

Why did they stop selling physicals if digital hadn't even taken off yet?

[blackbeatxx]

pop-rnb songs dominated back then, since they were cross format radio hits

[edifierbass]

Originally posted by that G.U.Y.

The music video was controversial, the vma performance was iconic. Britney was truly a genius

So if Britney released Make Me original video + Made a better VMA performance, maybe it can have the same treatment given to Slave

[Same Ol' Mistakes]

Iconic and best singles usually gets dragged in US, like American Life.

[blackbeatxx]

Originally posted by Roman Holiday

Why did they stop selling physicals if digital hadn't even taken off yet?

it´s more like ppl stopped buying b/c singles were too expensive and they bought the albums instead, pressing singles are expensive when you consider the cost and Revenue, so when sales started to dwindle, fewer and fewer singles were physically released. and by then, downloading illegally had already become a thing, i remember doing it myself.

[LovingYourCareer]

Originally posted by Same Ol' Mistakes

Iconic and best singles usually gets dragged in US, like American Life.

So wasn't Madonna banned after that specific song?

[AlphaOmega]

It isn't a flop to me and that's all that matters.

/endthread.

[LovingYourCareer]

Originally posted by AlphaOmega

It isn't a flop to me and that's all that matters.

/endthread.

It never flopped, peaking at #100 on the B100 US is.

[Tropez]

Originally posted by Roman Holiday

Why did they stop selling physicals if digital hadn't even taken off yet?

Because they were pushing albums. This was common from the 90s till mid 00s when iTunes changed this.

Basically, labels would release a single as a limited run, or not at all and make it air play only. In Britney's case they hardly released physical singles, or released them in limited or unpopular formats. In the few cases where her singles got a full release they sold a lot for that time like BOMT or ...Broken Heart. People had dial-up internet so pirating didn't take off. By the times iTunes rolled out everything changed.

Why do you think albums were selling so much back then? This is one of the main reasons.

[HAPPI•LIL•PILL]

Urban plays radio a lot. Now look at these urban "smash hits" being forgotten while Britney's Billboard Hot 100 flop stays iconic.

••

[americanshameless]

Originally posted by mdnazn

The radio ban has been disproved many times.

Not enough to outnumber the truth, troll

[prézli]

Originally posted by xxxlamb

She was banned from radio? I don't remember that..what happened? Why?

Her songs were too sexist.

[Artemisia]

It is a flop, who told you it wasn't?

[Pop]

Back in the day, we didn't really care about charts. There was no strong "stan" culture yet and people liked it for what it was - a good song and a good video.

In short: Music, not the bling.

[Pristine]

Originally posted by Anticipating

Slave didn't get a physical release + she was banned from the radio at the time. It still went Top 10 everywhere except the US and NZ.

.

Thread cancelled in one post. And this has been known forever.

[Reinvention]

Music not the BLING!

I literally don't know why ya'll mock that phrase so much - it's tea.

[Tristan]

@ the radio ban excuse again