CMJ ISSUE 1356 WEEK 31

Oh hello August! I don't know about you but I am excited about these weeks as I am going to soak up every last bit of summer that I can.

We saw a few weeks of more stations reporting but this week we drop down to our second lowest station total of the summer with 215 reporters.  For adds we barely stayed above 200 at 201.

I had a feeling ADDS would be pretty easy this week as SPOON dominated with 62% of stations! I was expecting them to debut a bit higher on the charts and make a jump to #1 next week but a debut in the 70's most likely means a 2 week climb to #1. Raveonettes come in at #2 with 99 adds and because this summer chart is so weak they will surely see a top five in their future.

Lets talk about these charts though. What a weird summer. Records that take number one only to leave and then comeback and a host of other records that maybe in other times of the year would go #1.   This weeks #1 does come as a bit of surprise to me as it is rare that a bands first record goes #1 but some how Alvvays did it.   My first guess is timing.  For a while we have seen a handful of records make a nice push towards the top of the charts only to have Jack White and Parquet Courts keep them out.  I thought How to Dress Well would be the next one to take it, that or Antlers or A Sunny day in Glasgow but all three of those missed the window. Perhaps if they had gone for adds a week or 2 later they would have a shot.

But Alvvays did it in 2 weeks. Without tons of good reviews ( ok reviews) and only one indie working it.  Perhaps that is part of the key. Maybe those records with just one indie tend to do a little better because neither team has a crutch.  I know when I work with another indie I don't work any less and I am sure if you were to ask every company they would say the same but maybe there is a little bit less urgency when two indies are on a record and perhaps each team works on their other records a little more than that one. Who knows really. I would love to have the answer as to why Alvvays goes #1 yet A sunny Day in Glasgow only goes to #4 ( only is relative a lot of records would love to be top 5!) I really think it does come down to timing and who is working it at the time.

Would love to hear what you guys think about how/ why a record goes #1.  In this case I think it really comes down to timing.

Lets continue the conversation on the twitter. 

OH and I was tossing around the idea of an all College Radio Fantasy Football League. Let me know if that is something you would be into email me at Doug at Piratepirate . com

thanks

8/7/2014 update
The discussion has continued on for the last day about Alvvays and what was the last debut record to go to #1. Not counting supergroups.  You can follow along on Facebook

Originally we thought the debut from Bush was the last one... but it looks like we have discovered many records after Bush that have done it..

Some fun facts though that the first Arcade fire only peaked at #7
The First R.E.M peaked at #2 as did the first Strokes and first Vampire weekend.
Fun stuff.

douglas