CMJ RECAP ISSUE 1312 WEEK 35

Things are getting fun out there. I just wish more of you were back to enjoy it.  I thought we would see a big  uptick in reporting from the summer weeks but I guess that is still a week or so away.  This week we hover around those same low, I would rather be outside than inside reporting, chart numbers.

I am sure you have all seen the many articles talking about exciting fall records, if not here are a few:

Pitchfork

Spin 

Metacritic 

What are you excited about?  This week we saw a few of those Most Anticipated go for Adds in : Nine Inch Nails,  King Khan and the Shrines, Volcano Choir, and Neko Case.  

Of course going in I thought it would be a tough race between all four big names but in the end it was a runaway victory for Neko Case. At no point did I check and have her behind and in the end she won by over 25 ADDS.  In talking to some other promoters Nine Inch Nails proved to be the most hard to predict.  While some thought the record would do better, others were shocked at how well it did.   I find it very interesting as it still did get top five most ADDEd but I saw it as a top 3 or potential #1 add and others thought it would only be a top 10 most added at best.   Could be that some people really like NIN while others hate them.   Could be some overvalued how good the record could do while some undervalued.   What do you think?

The chart this week was FULL of surprises!  I recall last week week saying something like no way Washed Out will be #1 again and it would come down to Ty Segall and No Age. Well I am not above admitting when I am way off. And that I was. Washed Out dominated yet again.  Ty did move up to #2 and Superchunk and No Age round out the top 4 but another big shock was the move made by Franz Ferdinand to #5.  But that can happen in the transition from Summer to Fall. People are eager to move in the new records and move out the old ones.  But there are a few things I would like to talk about.

Lets start with Washed out. Well done. I can see why they decided to continue pushing Washed Out. The numbers for No Age suggest that they really had no chance to take #1. The smart thing to do if you realize that you have no chance is go with what you do have a chance with.  So while you would never give up on No Age, you have the #1 record why not work to keep it.  Its a good situation to be in. Sometimes it can be fun to block one of your competitors as well.

Secondly, you will recall last week Franz Ferdinand came in at #1 most added with 108 adds.  Exactly half the stations reporting ADDS added the record and also debuted at 99.  They obviously went for it. They saw the opening and decided their best shot is to get the record up there as fast as possible to have a shot at #1.  This time of year it is a great strategy. In about 3 weeks the top 10 will be full of records that, had they gone for adds in the summer, could be #1 records.  So this weeks #1 most added record Neko Case can she do a Franz?  Well she debuted at 83 in her add week and had 54% of the stations add her.  So the numbers line up. We will have to see.

This next week should be pretty interesting as it has gotten a bit crowded up at the top. We have Washed out, who we cant count out after what we saw this week. Ty Segall, the record I proclaimed would be #1 this past week. No Age, Franz and all the above mentioned ADDS that will surely jump most of last weeks ADDS.   That should be interesting to watch actually.  We can look at what Last weeks adds Jacuzzi Boys ( 10), Deer Tick (11), Crocodiles (17),  Dodos (21)  did in their first week of pushing and compare how next weeks ADDS do. I bet that the big ones debut higher than the lowest at 21. I would even go as far as to say higher than 17.  

So I have no real idea what will happen on the charts but if Washed Out is able to hold on to #1 that would be very impressive. If it is not Washed out I have to think it is Ty Segall although Franz Ferdinand could make a legit push.  And what of this weeks big add Neko Case.

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Hit me up on twitter at @theanimalarrg  and thank you for reading.