Call My Name is the number #1 song on the Urban A/C chart in this weeks Radio And Records magazine!

http://www.radioandrecord..._Chart.asp

You really do have too many charts in America, you do realise that?! What exactly does 'Urban' mean? If you buy the single and you live in the countryside, does it still count?!

Is Prince top of the Urban Adult Contemporary Chart for Artists Whose Name Begins With The Letter P?!

Goodie for you, Prince!

Mazerati said:

metalorange said:

Urban is code for black in America. Very racist.

PurpleCharm said:

It's not racist, it's coded. They may as well say BLACK, and be done w/ it. As for CMN reaching #1, deservedly so. I cannot stop listening to that song. It's been seriously competing w/ my Pink Cashmere & Erotic City time, which have been in regular rotation in my changer all summer...

PurpleCharm said:

Let's be honest here. There are different radio stations that cater to different types of people. If a radio stations plays rock, 10 to 1 the majority of the listeners will be white. If they play R&B(which is what Call My Name is) 10-1 the majority of the listeners will be black. If this song is #1 on the "urban" charts, it's because it is more popular with the black audience than with the white audience. That does not mean the chart is racist.

Yasetshego said "they may as well call it "black" and be done with it. Well they may has well call the pop, rock and metal charts "white" and be done with it.
[Edited 9/6/04 15:24pm]

For a time in the 80s, Billboard did call the R&B chart the "Hot Black Singles" chart (in the 40s it was called the "Race" chart!). Radio & Records calls it "Urban" although Billboard more accurately now calls it the "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop" singles chart. And yes, it is music that predominantly appeals to a black audience. And it's usually performed by black artists. But white acts can chart there, as evidenced by Eminem and Teena Marie right now. And black artists occasionally make the Rock and even Country charts. I don't think having an "Urban" chart is racist at all. Wouldn't it be worse to not have one?

I have issues with the term 'urban' period. Not just as it relates to music. When someone says urban youth, that's code for black youth., just like when the media uses the phrase 'suburban soccer mom' they are clearly meaning white women in the suburbs. Not every black person in America lives in an urban area. Like I said before, the term urban has become associated with negative connotations IMO.

All of you have valid points, but I've seen many "urban" white people and blacks in country & rock. It's actually not racist, but refers to a style of music.

Mazerati said:

Yes! Can someone tell me where and if the video is being aired? It is my favoirte, from Musicology and I have yet to see it on TV.

Other debates aside (on this post) [i]I am happy when P moves up the charts...any chart ...

renfield said:

Actually..in my opinion "r&b/hip hop" isn't accurate... Two different genres of music.....

It's not just the 'urban' thing I didn't get, although thanks for all the comments. Contemporary I can understand, in that it has to be music released within a recent time period as opposed to hits of yesteryear. But ADULT? What's that all about? What's the difference whether the radio station is aimed mainly at adults or adolescents or children? It just seems to me unnecessarily slicing the chart up into smaller and smaller chunks.

PurpleCharm said:

"I hate EVERYBODY EQUALLY!"-Chris Rock.

Raijuan said:

Rhondab said:

They are two different styles, but they should be on the same chart together. Billboard has a separate Rap singles chart. But is a song like Beyonce's "Crazy In Love" R&B or hip-hop? Both, I think. And that's the chart for it. For folks who only want to hear Anita Baker-styled R&B, with no skittery beats or guest rappers, that's where the Adult Contemporary R&B chart comes in (and that's where Prince is finding his chart success these days). I think the main R&B chart in Billboard is called "R&B/Hip-Hop" because Prince, Anita Baker, Usher, Ludacris, and Kanye West can all appear there, and they all get played on "hip-hop" stations (except for maybe P .

But maybe they should just call it the "hip-hop" chart, 'cause R&B and rap fused together into hip-hop years ago, and it's the dominant style of music on the radio these days. Even the Hot 100 should just be called hip-hop now. It's become very difficult for pop, rock, and country acts to compete with hip-hop on the pop chart. Look at this week's top 20, there are only 4 non hip-hop songs on the list. Music has become so dull...

metalorange said:

Yeah wat the hell is the deal with all those charts. U should keep it simple like us in the UK. ONE Album chart and ONE Singles chart.

What's wrong with having different charts? They have the hot 100 which is the all-around best sellers. But then if you want to know which classical album is selling the best, you can find that out without having to go through 1000 hip hop & rock albums first.

Since charting records is what Billboard does, they might as well be complete about it.

metalorange said:

Well to me all these charts are like championship belts in boxing just too damn many to care about.

That much being said I am glad the single went #1 somewhere because I love that song and like it or not in today's climate that stuff really seems to matter. I guess the adult charts are.....oh I am not going to bullshit you I don't really know either.

Peace

Rhondab said:

Oh you know that have to throw those black folks in one little area. God forbid they actually stop pigeon holing long enough for all kinds of artistry to be born. This is the type of foolishness that has Jay Z winning best R&B album a few years ago.

Peace

I call Prince's name all the time! WHere are you Prince? Do you hear me??

PRINCE