Why did Nothing Really Matters flop in America?

[Gonzus 2,674]

Every Madonna's fourth and/or third single from Bedtime stories onwards flopped. I don't think ROL was "experimental", maybe it was for the mainstream. What what truly experimental was "Music", I mean, the Mirwaïs section (Orbit's songs are appalling here).

[Pootz333 2,806]

1 hour ago, wtg1987 said:

It’s an ok song imo - I don’t think Americans like dance music then ? They were too obsessed with the Britney’s and r n b music ? 

It's weird because that was the last few years of great dance radio here in the states(before it became just Ryan Seacrest playing the same 6 songs), big megaclubs still open etc. And certain dance tracks and even remixes would blow up (ROL, Believe, I'm Blue, It's Not Right But It's OK, You're Still the One, even My Heart Will Go On!). But it still felt sort of niche, kinda underground, and most importantly G A Y. Hip hop, R&B and Pop were the It Girls. Which at the time, and I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir here but, it was a very different world a decade before Stefani and pre school drag pageants became the norm...

 

[MaDöner Kebab 7,200]

4 hours ago, Blue Jean said:

I very vaguely remember this but I think it was because the NRM physical single and maxi were released several months after it went to radio. I assume they held it back cos they wanted to encourage album sales after her Grammy wins. Someone who followed chart history more closely will be able to clarify. I don't believe it was going to be a big hit but could have peaked a fair bit higher, maybe top 40.

There were also big changes in the way the hot 100 was calculated in late 1998. It became based more on radio play, although sales were still a component. If this change did not happen TPOG would have been top 10 but they changed the rules as it was heading toward its peak. With the old rules I think NRM would have done fairly well.

The rule change allowed for songs that were not released as singles to be able to appear on the chart, as far as I can remember reading.

Either way, I think Nothing Really Matters could have done really well if the entire release schedule wasn’t so odd. In general, throughout the entire ROL campaign, Warner tried to push the album sales more than the singles because they didn’t believe that Madonna would still be able to get big hit singles.

[Prayer 15,134]

5 minutes ago, MaDöner Kebab said:

The rule change allowed for songs that were not released as singles to be able to appear on the chart, as far as I can remember reading.

Either way, I think Nothing Really Matters could have done really well if the entire release schedule wasn’t so odd. In general, throughout the entire ROL campaign, Warner tried to push the album sales more than the singles because they didn’t believe that Madonna would still be able to get big hit singles.

I think it was a label strategy more than believing or not in Madonna. She was selling millions of the album, so surely they were happy. 

While other labels were doing the impossible to get the hits (aggressive singles discounts, endless payola, etc. etc.), Warner always pushed for the album sales back then.

[BringUrLUV 1,114]

I think that one factor was that the album version's arrangement/mix was too quirky to be radio-friendly in 1999 & they didn't push the club 69 radio mix enough which I think would've made it a bigger hit on the Hot 100. 

 

[Blue Jean 16,078]

2 hours ago, MaDöner Kebab said:

The rule change allowed for songs that were not released as singles to be able to appear on the chart

Yes.

2 hours ago, MaDöner Kebab said:

In general, throughout the entire ROL campaign, Warner tried to push the album sales more than the singles because they didn’t believe that Madonna would still be able to get big hit singles.

Once again, no.  This wasn’t the reason. It was to sell more albums and make more money. This was the period where Sony were discounting Mariah singles to 99c to ensure she’d get to #1. Im sure if Warner wanted to get Madonna more chart hits they could have but that clearly wasn’t their goal. They were also quite happy to see Beautiful Stranger and American Pie miss out on becoming big chart hits just to force Madonna fans to buy some crappy soundtrack albums. If Madonna and her label had the mentality of a Mariah or Taylor she’d probably have had 20 or more Billboard #1’s in total.

[Voguerista 12,373]

I’ve never thought NRM was a flop. I loved it. I love to dance quirky like to it. The video is one of her finest and most creative! Ya know… it’s not always about numbers! Think about it! 

[mikenmark 432]

13 hours ago, mysweetaudrina9 said:

awww it's that your attempt of getting newcomers banned so that you are safe in your cocoon? are you so threatened?

Except you aren't a newcomer, you were here a few years before. Don't try and play the newbie just because you've added a 9 to the last user name you had on this forum.

[Adonna 18,119]

18 minutes ago, Voguerista said:

I’ve never thought NRM was a flop. I loved it. I love to dance quirky like to it. The video is one of her finest and most creative! Ya know… it’s not always about numbers! Think about it! 

From a fan perspective you are so right.  Unfortunately, the song lacked airplay and like some pointed out, her record label were hoping to push more album sales, so they prolong the single release.  I remember being so pissed that they took forever to get the single and maxis out at the time.  I suspect if the album benefited from it, then it's a win, but I do think it would have been a bigger hit, if the physical release happened sooner and there was more of a push to get it played on the radio.  I don't recall ever hearing it on any top 40 station I was listening to at the time.  Vh1 played the video a lot, but I don't recall MTV did as much.  A few months later Beautiful Stranger came along and that song was all over radio. But again, they held back a single in the U.S., to push the soundtrack to Austin Powers.

[A. A. Aardvark 4,921]

14 hours ago, mysweetaudrina9 said:

that is not true, she was on top of people's minds in 1999 and beautiful stranger was a huge hit.

an angel told me

https://fotpforums.com/topic/134909-why-nothing-really-matters-flopped-in-us/

[mysweetaudrina9 26]

1 hour ago, mikenmark said:

Except you aren't a newcomer, you were here a few years before. Don't try and play the newbie just because you've added a 9 to the last user name you had on this forum.

are you getting your fascist knickers in a twist?

[mysweetaudrina9 26]

7 hours ago, wtg1987 said:

It’s an ok song imo - I don’t think Americans like dance music then ? They were too obsessed with the Britney’s and r n b music ? 

it's not ok, it's one of her best actually.

[Ian 2,351]

9 hours ago, bstranger said:

If I remember well, Billboard changed the rules by the time of The Power of Goodbye, so it failed to reach Top 10. About the time of Nothing Really Matters, Warner wasn't interested to promote the single in favor for the coming of Beautiful Stranger. 

the rules changed right after (like, the literal week after) POG's peak, if you notice the week after the change the single fell a lot (from #11 to #30) , it all happened because those rules meant -in short- that pop radio got less weight and had to compete with country and R&B, and all of those airplay-only singles that were not eligible before got to chart... I think we got lucky POG got to #11 BUT had they released the CD single+maxiCD at the same time one or 2 weeks before (with the radio peak) , we for sure would've got another top 10.

They took too long , again.

[Adonna 18,119]

14 minutes ago, Ian said:

the rules changed right after (like, the literal week after) POG's peak, if you notice the week after the change the single fell a lot (from #11 to #30) , it all happened because those rules meant -in short- that pop radio got less weight and had to compete with country and R&B, and all of those singles that were not eligible before got to chart... I think we got lucky POG got to #11 BUT had they released the CD single+maxiCD at the same time one or 2 weeks before (with the radio peak) , we for sure would've got another top 10.

They took too long , again.

Yes, I agree about the releases of those singles.  They took too long to release them and when it did, radio wasn't playing the songs as much.  POG should have been a top 10 in the U.S. and they could have made it happen if they made sure the single was out earlier. 

I think the non-single release of Beautiful Stranger irks me the most because that song would have definitely been a top 5 if not another #1 for her.  It reminds me how they handled Into The Groove in the U.S.  There is no doubt in my mind ITG would have been a #1 hit for her as well.

[mikenmark 432]

16 minutes ago, mysweetaudrina9 said:

are you getting your fascist knickers in a twist?

No denial I see.  You're getting DARVO wrong, it's deny, attack, reverse victim order. Anyhoo this thread is about NRM.

I seem to remember the remix pack not being popular on the club scene. Loved the kruder and dorfmeister remixes personally, but not very late 90's queer club. 

[Ian 2,351]

2 hours ago, Blue Jean said:

Yes.

Once again, no.  This wasn’t the reason. It was to sell more albums and make more money. This was the period where Sony were discounting Mariah singles to 99c to ensure she’d get to #1. Im sure if Warner wanted to get Madonna more chart hits they could have but that clearly wasn’t their goal. They were also quite happy to see Beautiful Stranger and American Pie miss out on becoming big chart hits just to force Madonna fans to buy some crappy soundtrack albums. If Madonna and her label had the mentality of a Mariah or Taylor she’d probably have had 20 or more Billboard #1’s in total.

Heartbreaker was 69 cents back then '(99)

btw One Sweet Day ('95)  was 49c for the cd single and 99c for the cd maxi

 

Madonna at the time was charging 2-3.99usd for a CD single and 6-7.99usd for a CD maxi

[mysweetaudrina9 26]

2 minutes ago, mikenmark said:

No denial I see.  You're getting DARVO wrong, it's deny, attack, reverse victim order. Anyhoo this thread is about NRM.

I seem to remember the remix pack not being popular on the club scene. Loved the kruder and dorfmeister remixes personally, but not very late 90's queer club. 

don't break your finger hitting the report button, sweetie. we know you have to.

[Ian 2,351]

8 minutes ago, Donna said:

Yes, I agree about the releases of those singles.  They took too long to release them and when it did, radio wasn't playing the songs as much.  POG should have been a top 10 in the U.S. and they could have made it happen if they made sure the single was out earlier. 

I think the non-single release of Beautiful Stranger irks me the most because that song would have definitely been a top 5 if not another #1 for her.  It reminds me how they handled Into The Groove in the U.S.  There is no doubt in my mind ITG would have been a #1 hit for as well.

absolutely!

it was so difficult back then

nowadays Tay farts and gets 1000 top tens

[mysweetaudrina9 26]

I guess maybe the public just didn't like the song, isn't the commission of many remixes a sign of the label's commitment? it's a great single like what it feels like for a girl that also had a lot of mixes but didn't do well in charts.

[Prayer 15,134]

1 minute ago, mysweetaudrina9 said:

I guess maybe the public just didn't like the song, isn't the commission of many remixes a sign of the label's commitment? it's a great single like what it feels like for a girl that also had a lot of mixes but didn't do well in charts.

You've been explained why it failed, just read again the explanation.

Nothing to do with the public, but the release strategy. Remixes were sent to the clubs weeks in advance, then the radio release and months later the physical single release. The peak position of the single suffered due to those decisions, but album sales kept steady.

"What It Feels Like For A Girl" did well on the charts, for a third single with the album version served to radio versus a remix with almost none of her vocals used on the video, a #23 peak in the US was just fine. Plus it did well all over Europe and Australia, with many Top 10 positions.

[Adonna 18,119]

6 minutes ago, mysweetaudrina9 said:

I guess maybe the public just didn't like the song, isn't the commission of many remixes a sign of the label's commitment? it's a great single like what it feels like for a girl that also had a lot of mixes but didn't do well in charts.

No. It just didn't get the physical release it deserved and lacked airplay.  Radio was already apprehensive in playing Frozen and ROL.  Each single released got less and less radio airplay.  MTV really helped the first two singles.  I was actually surprised how radio wasn't playing her music as much as they use to especially when the album was critically acclaimed from the get-go.  At the end of the day, her record label was pushing album sales and that's okay, but I do think her singles from ROL would have done better if they push them more and released the singles sooner.

[mysweetaudrina9 26]

3 minutes ago, Prayer said:

You've been explained why it failed, just read again the explanation.

Nothing to do with the public, but the release strategy. Remixes were sent to the clubs weeks in advance, then the radio release and months later the physical single release. The peak position of the single suffered due to those decisions, but album sales kept steady.

"What It Feels Like For A Girl" did well on the charts, for a third single with the album version served to radio versus a remix with almost none of her vocals used on the video, a #23 peak in the US was just fine. Plus it did well all over Europe and Australia, with many Top 10 positions.

the explanation makes no sense at all. Also, doesn't she have enough fans to assure at least some chart success? it's kinda interesting how none of her singles chart anymore. like where are the fans?

[Prayer 15,134]

Just now, mysweetaudrina9 said:

the explanation makes no sense at all. Also, doesn't she have enough fans to assure at least some chart success? it's kinda interesting how none of her singles chart anymore. like where are the fans?

You should try harder if you want to create controversy here and get attention.

[mysweetaudrina9 26]

2 minutes ago, Prayer said:

You should try harder if you want to create controversy here and get attention.

i didn't know facts were controversial.

[mysweetaudrina9 26]

also, do you think chart position is the reason why she ignored this song for 30 years?