Despite several people's speculation that "S.S.T." would make the Billboard chart's Top 40, the single did not even make this week's Hot 100. Sales just weren't strong enough.

I don't know yet how it might've performed on the R&B chart.

You just killed GoldenGlove

renfield said:

i dont know maybe next week...if SST isnt on the r&b chart tommorow then for sure you know that its possible the sales will go towards next weeks chart..but i doubt it

What a surprise [/sarcasm]

Mazerati said:

No, "S.S.T." debuted on iTunes along with the new singles by the John Mayer Trio, and one of those debuted on the Hot 100 based on sales (that song outsold "S.S.T." all week on iTunes). If Prince was going to chart, it would've been this week.

But on the plus side, between iTunes and the NPGMC, "SST" had tens of thousands of downloads, at least, and that means tens of thousands of dollars, at least, for Katrina victims. Charts be damned.

It debuted in the:
Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart @ #11.
Pop 100 @ #67.
Hot Digital Tracks @ #48
Hot Digital Songs @ #56
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Did not chart.

cryndove said:

Thanks for that info!

It deserved to do better, but of course, this does not include NPGMC download figures. If SST had only been available on iTunes then I believe it would have performed significantly better.

However, if most people are like me, I can state that I have a very poor view of 'charity' records. Usually they are very dodgy.

Of course, Prince does 'SST' with style, but the general public aren't likely to know that are they?

Spookymuffin said:

i know, right? and ya'll wonder why i keep pushing the mantra of expect NOTHING. your ass will get shot down quick.

renfield said:

and that was the main reason for the song in the first place, lest ya'll forget.

renfield said:

It takes several weeks for downloads to chart.

GoldenGlove said:

Yes, two. And "S.S.T." had two weeks. I know you love the song, but dude.....it's over.

renfield said:

I couldn't care less... at least the money went to the right place.
[Edited 9/22/05 8:34am]

God...Do you all live in a bubble? Listen closely to "SST". It sucks.
The music is cheap sounding and the style is dated beyond hilariousness!
Don't get me wrong. I love the man behind the music and worship a lot of his material, but give me a break! Sometimes I wonder if any of you people get out and listen to NEW music. It's changed. Long gone are the cheesy electric piano breaks and layered solos. It WAS cutting edge about oh, I don't know...25 years ago!!!! C'mon Prince!!! Step up to the plate and write a record that will sell and chart w/out forcing it on unknowing concert goers or riding the tail of a national disaster for christ sakes! You have it in you. Let go.

mschirmer said:

Some of us are old skool fans

GoldenGlove said:

You sure you wanna stand by that statement? I recall a couple dozen threads to the contrary.

I was hoping it would crack the Hot 100 too, but what can you do? Hopefully the first single from his next album will get him back in the top 40.

It was only #48 sellin song therefore it didnt chart

i dont know how u guys were lookin at the charts some reporting it was as high as #15,

I didnt realise it wasnt sellin as well.

I bet he can report the npgmc sales and soundscan will have to count??

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

I believe and agree with the cause, but the song was absolutely certainly nothing special; it's never going to get anywhere, and evidently never did.

asg said:

It was up as high as #15 on iTunes' downloads chart. It spent most of the week in the 20s and 30s at iTunes though. Overall it was #48 for the week on Billboard's sales chart.

interesting it charted where it did, someone on the official thread insisted their maths proved it will enter the top40 in two weeks, which obviously seems to be wrong seeing as its charted now.

shame, though when people stopped reporting every day on its position on iTunes i realised it must have peaked and dropped off.

renfield said:

It doesnt make much sense at all if it was in the top 20-30 whole week

that means it would be at the very least be #25 in sales if not in the top20 and not #48 since itunes owns 82% of all downlaod sales

Something doesnt add up

Mazerati said:

If SST isn't on the R&B chart then it simply means people really think it's a piece of shit. When you can't get a single to chart on the R&B charts it's time to stick to "greatest hits" tours.

Doesn't chart position also depend on radio airplay? I guess I don't really pay enough attention to really care, but the whole thing just seems fishy to me. But then again, this is the music industry we're talking about so, as far as I'm concerned, nothing about it is on the up and up.
That was the beauty of Musicology and the concert CD's. Billboard didn't think Prince would be filling arenas from coast to coast so they said "Sure, we'll let you add your minuscule number of concert CD's to your sales totals". One million CD's later, added to the one million sold, and Prince was having one hell of a laugh.
Prince threw S.S.T. together in one night, and it's a great song for a worthy cause. Isn't it enough that thousands have bought the song and the money will be going to help some folk in need?
And to those who say S.S.T. isn't good enough to chart higher, I have to ask if you believe every song on the Hot 100 is the greatest song ever recorded? I didn't think so.

RepoMan said:

Sorry but, it is some of the bullshyt that does dominate on the R&B charts that has stopped me from listening to the radio altogether. Over half of the stuff on there is someone else's greatest hits, it's just mangled so badly that u don't know what ur listening to.

shygirl said:

Yet you find it important enough to complain about it. The music industry won't change, accept it. Prince nor his fans had a problem with it until the industry wasn't exactly in his favor anymore. PR wasn't the best album he recorded (1999 was much better) and it didn't deserve as much airplay as it got, but I bet you weren't complaining about it back then, did you?



Why are you making up shit?



Prince recorded in one night and you can clearly hear it too. Thousands of people have bought it, which means thousands of dollars are going to people in need when BILLIONS are needed. That's really generous of the man who grossed $85 million in ticket sales last year.

purpleizpassion said:

Bullshit or not, charts are about sales and popularity and that's the way it has always been. When Prince was hot my parents thought he was bullshit too.

asg said:

thats why i'm thinking the download's are reported a week later than we think..

GoldenGlove said:

I'm sorry you like it.