Did Christina Aguilera use payola back in 1999?

[Style.]

How in the world Baby One More Time the song out streamed Christina Aguilera’s debut album when Christina had three #1 hits and a song peaking at #3 on Billboard Hot 100, and winning different awards including a Grammy? 

The song Baby One More Time has 518,000,000 million streams and Christina’s album in total has less. Christina chew Britney up with her debut album chart wise, so my question is did Aguilera use payola or was is it all fan love? 
 

[Britney'sBish]

There were all sorts of shady games back then.

Just look at JLo and Mariah.

RCA was arguably a bigger label than Jive, so it wouldn't surprise me if strings were pulled. Either way it doesn't matter at this point.

[ICouldntThinkOfOne]

There's a few things to consider. Firstly, everyone was payola-ing their way at the time because it was before downloading or streaming. The bigger thing to remember is that at this point, the age of the bubblegum pop all singing and spectacular popstar was well underway. Xtina came at the right time because it was when the world was tuned into the new releases. Thirdly, its a fun song. Are we surprised it did well?

[PaMisMuchachas]

Christina's album was big in US. Britney's album was bigger worldwide. That's why it has more streams. 

[Moscow]

Nothing really questioning here, thriller didn't peak at No.1 and now one of the most famous songs of all times. I think fans think of charts in a different way then industry does, christina album was a big one in USA while Bomt was big everywhere. 

Bomt made an iconic costume for the future, used in Funko Pops - Halloween costumes etc so slowly and slowly it achieved that popularity status and maintained it. 

It's not like christina debut is forgotten it's just that it couldn't popularise anything for future! Britney BOMT video popularised looks. 

People need to understand US =/= whole world! 

Jive was a small label, it's like Britney needed a label and Jive needed a act which can make them profits payola was something they never used because they couldn't afford! 

Recently, UK charts revealed most radio played female acts and Britney was not in their top 20 but Britney sold most than most of the people radio played there! The thing is Britney is a prime example of organic smashing which people underestimate a lot and even fans! Not saying that Xtina wasnt organic or everything but BOMT even in it's debut days was far more popular than any song in Asia. 

[Leolileinstein]

49 minutes ago, Britney'sBish said:

There were all sorts of shady games back then.

Just look at JLo and Mariah.

RCA was arguably a bigger label than Jive, so it wouldn't surprise me if strings were pulled. Either way it doesn't matter at this point.

Mariah never used Payola lol. 

OT: Maybe

38 minutes ago, PaMisMuchachas said:

Christina's album was big in US. Britney's album was bigger worldwide. That's why it has more streams. 

I think maybe Payola worked in a way for Xtina

[Style.]

38 minutes ago, Avenger said:

Nothing really questioning here, thriller didn't peak at No.1 and now one of the most famous songs of all times. I think fans think of charts in a different way then industry does, christina album was a big one in USA while Bomt was big everywhere. 

Bomt made an iconic costume for the future, used in Funko Pops - Halloween costumes etc so slowly and slowly it achieved that popularity status and maintained it. 

It's not like christina debut is forgotten it's just that it couldn't popularise anything for future! Britney BOMT video popularised looks. 

People need to understand US =/= whole world! 

Jive was a small label, it's like Britney needed a label and Jive needed a act which can make them profits payola was something they never used because they couldn't afford! 

Recently, UK charts revealed most radio played female acts and Britney was not in their top 20 but Britney sold most than most of the people radio played there! The thing is Britney is a prime example of organic smashing which people underestimate a lot and even fans! Not saying that Xtina wasnt organic or everything but BOMT even in it's debut days was far more popular than any song in Asia. 

I get your point, but Christina had three major #1 hits there compared to Britney. US is a the most biggest music market in the world though, and I don’t think people were listening to Baby only based on the music video’s impact. Something’s off. It’s like she had quick hits and they burned out quicker than expected.

[Britney'sBish]

35 minutes ago, Leolileinstein said:

Mariah never used Payola lol. 

OT: Maybe

I think maybe Payola worked in a way for Xtina

Was moreso talking about the JLo/Tommy Mottola rug yank on Mariah. aka Shady Business dealings...

[Style.]

1 hour ago, Britney'sBish said:

There were all sorts of shady games back then.

Just look at JLo and Mariah.

RCA was arguably a bigger label than Jive, so it wouldn't surprise me if strings were pulled. Either way it doesn't matter at this point.

You can’t compare Britney/Christina with Mariah/JLO because Mariah is winning in every department. I like some JLO, but girl is far away from Mariah. 

[JP9101]

Baby outsold with the album so it is logical that the singles did not very well since everyone has the album 

[Spicechinodiva]

RCA released all 4 singles in both cassette and compact disc formats. 

 

Jive only did for her debut single, sometimes peaked at #21, just on radio airplay alone, imagine if we had that as a physical single.

 

Crazy was only available in a 12" vinyl, add the massive airplay compared  to sometimes, you have a top ten single only peaking at #10..

 

Heart peaked at #14 physical single, but lack of radio airplay due to being a ballad, nothing to see here 

 

Jive was an independent label at the time, hint why it was either a BMG group, or EMI/Virgin for distribution. 

RCA just did better marketing for the singles. 

 

 

 

 

[Jordan Miller]

Lol well the industry was different back then. She was and is genuinely talented and was also part of the MMC so people were a little more aware/interested. 

[The Greatest Show]

Britneys album sold more but Christina's singles did better 

[LeavinExhaleByYearEnd]

Oh no this again... the pitting war

[that's hot y'all]

5 hours ago, Leolileinstein said:

Mariah never used Payola lol. 

 

was Tommy Mottola LOL

[Moscow]

5 hours ago, Style. said:

I get your point, but Christina had three major #1 hits there compared to Britney. US is a the most biggest music market in the world though, and I don’t think people were listening to Baby only based on the music video’s impact. Something’s off. It’s like she had quick hits and they burned out quicker than expected.

Well, nothing is off you really think Mimi debut smashing on charts was just a like 'omg we've never heard anything like this' she married a person who is well connected to the industry and BB charts are flawed because of their inclusion of radio! 

If you have connections, you can literally push the song in people's throat. RCA was a big label and they had a pressure from seeing BOMT success but payola is not something I would use here because idk! 

BOMT song has achieved a lot of iconic status and remembrance because of how it has gone through over the years - it has a funko pop (one of the best selling) it has a iconic video and it was a international hit! 

BOMT sold 14M in pure sales in USA and yet it was able to sell more than 27M+ WW that's how huge it was. 

christina songs are not about appeal, cute hits and now they are forgotten because the debut didn't push anything except charts hence you see this situation now! 

streaming doesn't work like that, a song that has streams of 500M+ of 99 has a lot of weight of having a song go 2020 having 2B streams! 

Earlier songs were about visuals much more than the song and that's why Britney was ahead of her peers always! 

[bas che]

Simple answer: longevity.

christina is talented and had a good run for almost a decade which is above average for a pop star. Her constant reinvention did not work on her favor. Being versatile is great but it also confuses the GP. Britney on the other hand, stayed grounded and on-brand but kept evolving her image without straying away too far from what made her successful. She stuck with the tried and tested and it worked out for her. Christina took risks; sometimes resulted in major rewards and other times in… lotus.

 

back to your question, it is not unlike when artists score a number 1 hit on the charts but on the second week it falls to bubbling under the 100 chart. More often than not, singles that don’t hit number 1 are more successful in the long run than the ones that do. year-end charts is proof enough for that. 

[The Queen]

Life is to short to care about #1s.

Artists don't even care anymore, why should we?

[IsraeliMatt]

BOMT is way more iconic than Christina's debut even if Christina's debut had high chart positions. I'm not going to trash talk Christina because she's very accomplished, but I think everyone would agree that Christina's most beloved works are Stripped and Back to Basics. 

[Leolileinstein]

3 hours ago, that's hot y'all said:

was Tommy Mottola LOL

F that evil. 

MJ the King of Pop said it best, Tommy Mottola is the devil