r/Music • u/ebradio • 11h ago

article Taylor Swift sparks chart-blocking accusations with new “Patient Zero” alternate versions

https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/taylor-swift/taylor-swift-sparks-chart-blocking-accusations-with-new-patient-zero-alternate-versions
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u/Physicist_Gamer 11h ago

Genuine question — do charts even matter in present day?

Never in my life have I made a decision about listening to a song or not based on its position in any chart.

Is Olivia Rodrigo is going to have meaningfully less exposure?

I honestly dont get why any of this matters in a world of streaming platforms and social media. The whims of the algorithms probably have more impact on exposure.

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u/Maccai3 10h ago

Charts absolutely matters for lesser known artists. I'd agree I don't look at a songs chart position but some people would only know about certain songs because of radio play and they play charted music mostly. A song thats top of the charts will get more airplay, the knock on effect of the charts will be pretty big.

I think the problem people have with Taylor Swift doing it is the amount she does it and how little she needs to do it, she's a billionaire blocking younger artists from potential success. Her last album has roughly 30 versions.

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u/Justboy__ 9h ago

Yea so it’s radio play that matters, no one pays any attention to the charts anymore. Would you even know what was currently number 1?

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u/Maccai3 9h ago

I couldn't tell you what's been number one in any period of time in the past decade but like I said, radios will play songs that are number 1 moreso than ones that arent

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u/YOwololoO 8h ago

Mainstream Radio stations play the songs that record studios pay them to promote. That’s always been true and it will always be true.

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u/Justboy__ 7h ago

No it’s the other way round. Things get to number 1 BECAUSE of radio play. DJs aren’t checking the charts before they go on to determine what they’re going to play.

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u/GuitarzanWSC 4h ago

Individual DJs? No. A station's music director? Yes, they *are* looking at charts to see what's up-and-coming to decide if they're going to add it too.

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u/permafrost1979 3h ago

That's what I thought 🤔 what determines the charts: radio play, streaming, sales?

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u/Justboy__ 14m ago

It’s a mix of streaming and sales, which is why you often now get songs from decades ago popping up in the top 10.