How Miguel’s ‘Sure Thing’ Topped Pop Airplay 12 Years After Its … – Billboard
In early 2011, Miguel was a rising R&B singer who had just released his debut album, All I Want Is You, and was seeing his single Sure Thing gain traction on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart. The song would eventually reach No. 1 that May, while also climbing to the summit of Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and peaking at No. 36 on the Hot 100, where it spent 23 weeks between March and August, when it fell from the chart. After 59 weeks on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, it eventually fell from that chart in 2012.
And that was the extent of its chart run until this year, when a TikTok trend led to an explosion in streams, catapulting it back onto the charts and to entirely new territory. Earlier this month, Sure Thing broke the record for most weeks on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at 76 (it is now at 78), and this week it achieved a mainstream crossover, 12 years after its initial debut on the charts, by reaching No. 1 on Pop Airplay, the longest trip to the top of that chart from a songs release in history.
Its the latest example of older songs being reinvigorated and reaching new chart heights in recent months, following The Weeknds Die For You (after a remix featuring Ariana Grande) and Lady Gagas Bloody Mary, which also benefited from a TikTok trend. And it helps RCA senior vp of digital marketing Tarek Al-Hamdouni earn the title of Billboards Executive of the Week.
Here, Al-Hamdouni explains how the track came back after such a long break, and how RCA helped spur it into a new realm. We know activity can spring up at a moments notice, and when it does, the best labels are able to move quickly and turn a spark into a flame before it goes out, Al-Hamdouni says.
This week, Miguels Sure Thing reached No. 1 on Billboards Pop Airplay chart, 12 years after its initial chart run. What key decisions did you make to help make that happen?
The climb to No. 1 began in November of 2022 when we first saw the signs of organic growth and engagement on Sure Thing across socials and streaming services. The first major decision came in us validating the opportunity and investing in sustaining the activity across TikTok, Reels, Shorts & Snapchat. The initial goal was to see how far we could take the trend, knowing every jump in creations and streams was broadening our listener base and building familiarity, which would eventually result in bigger opportunities.
We knew the record was already a favorite among fans since its release, but the key component to this new activity is that it was coming from new listeners. This led us to make the key decision to treat Sure Thing as a new record in our marketing efforts, also giving us the new task of turning listeners into fans. To connect the dots, we worked closely with Miguel who deserves all the credit in the world for leaning in with curiosity, passion and optimism around this new activity to start to engage with fans and content across socials.
Our promotion team did a fantastic job in following along with all the activity we were generating and timed their impact such that we were already receiving pull from the markets and stations. The last key decision Ill offer up is the move to leverage the activity around Sure Thing to prime the market for new music from Miguel, something that we kicked off with his new single, Give It To Me.
In its original run, the song was an R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay hit. Why did the song work at Pop radio this time around?
I think the beauty of an artist like Miguel is that hes always been ahead of his time. While often thrown into the R&B box, his music and artistry have always pulled from diverse corners of the music spectrum. And when you look at the freedom streaming has given Gen Z to bounce from record to record and genre to genre with such ease, its no wonder they gravitate towards a forward-thinking artist like Miguel.
Its also worth noting that the dynamic between data and radio has strengthened at a rapid pace over the last few years. This has given us the opportunity to build our case in advance of an impact, showing the audience potential and, in a lot of ways, letting the story and streams reach critical mass with core Gen Z music fans before taking it to the broader audiences that only radio can reach.
The songs resurgence originated on TikTok with a sped-up version. How did that come about? How often are these sped-up versions of tracks spawning new life for songs?
The sped-up version of Sure Thing emerged purely as organic UGC on TikTok. It wasnt necessarily a surprise to see the activity come from such an edit, as sped-up sounds have been a trend on TikTok and across UGC for quite some time now. That said, I do think its fair to say that sped-up sounds hit a bit of critical mass in early 2023 as we started to see platforms like TikTok create specific playlists centered around the phenomenon, all of which gave us more editorial placements and ways for Miguel to lean in.
The opportunities to breathe new life into a record through a sped-up sound are plentiful, but its important to note the viral success of a record like Sure Thing is still a huge outlier in terms of how much effect a campaign could have. At this point, I expect most singles to be accompanied by a sped-up version at some point in their life cycle.
This is the latest example of an older track coming back to be a force at radio and in pop culture something that almost never used to happen. Are you guys increasingly focused on working catalog songs in a similar manner to new songs?
We dont focus solely on the catalog aspect of any record at this point as much as were focused on using the influx of data we receive from social and streaming platforms to ensure we never miss an opportunity. We know activity can spring up at a moments notice, and when it does, the best labels are able to move quickly and turn a spark into a flame before it goes out.
The reliance on data is important because our core mission as marketers is to create this activity and engagement out of the gate. By collaborating with our internal data teams, we can build tools to monitor the key aspects we believe drive streaming growth while spending the majority of our time and energy collaborating with our artists and building next-level marketing campaigns.
Although to be fair, I think the rediscovery of music by the next generation of listeners is something that has happened for quite some time. Prior to shortform video, syncs played a huge role in this rediscovery, going back to examples like Nick Drakes Pink Moon in Volkswagens 2000 Cabrio commercial to the much more recent lift of Kate Bushs Running Up That Hill off the back of its inclusion in season four of Stranger Things.
The song also broke the record for most weeks ever spent on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, now at 78. How did you help market the track beyond radio and TikTok?
Outside of those two platforms, we worked to ensure this record and Miguels content was spread far and wide across the internet. We built custom campaigns for Instagram and YouTube, we drove awareness and engagement through savvy ad spends and boost campaigns. And we worked closely with media accounts and press outlets to drive consistent presence in front of a wide range of audiences.
What have you learned from the songs surprise success that you can use moving forward on other projects and songs?
When you zoom out far enough, you start to see that the equation were chasing with a resurgence is new context for a great record with a new, young and engaged audience. Additionally, the benefits of driving engagement through a catalog record doesnt require the type of success were seeing on Miguel to be meaningful. Going forward, we see this as a key way to drive engagement and build demand for new music for any artist with an established catalog.
Follow this link:
How Miguel's 'Sure Thing' Topped Pop Airplay 12 Years After Its ... - Billboard
- Hilarious new TikTok advertising trend is peak Gen Z - Creative Bloq - May 1st, 2024 [May 1st, 2024]
- Sports partnerships in the era of streaming services - Optimising Digital and Offline Marketing - Indiantelevision.com - May 1st, 2024 [May 1st, 2024]
- The Bliss Group opens London Office to Support Clients in the UK - Martechcube - May 1st, 2024 [May 1st, 2024]
- Satellite Internet Market Poised for Remarkable Growth, Forecasted to Reach USD 162.04 Billion by 2030 As R... - WhaTech - April 9th, 2024 [April 9th, 2024]
- The AI Revolution: News and Tools for Business with Melih Oztalay - mitechnews.com - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- Top 16 eCommerce Web Development Companies To Grow Your Sales - Influencer Marketing Hub - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- Top 100 Digital Marketing Interview Questions and Answers for 2024 - Simplilearn - March 28th, 2024 [March 28th, 2024]
- Connecting the Dots: The Role of Affiliate Platforms in Modern Marketing - Luxury Lifestyle Magazine - March 28th, 2024 [March 28th, 2024]
- Digital Marketing Spending Market size is set to grow by USD 353.53 bn from 2024-2028,shift in consumer behavior ... - PR Newswire - March 28th, 2024 [March 28th, 2024]
- Top 15 Digital Marketing Software Tools To Try Out - Influencer Marketing Hub - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- Digital Marketing Market Size To Grow With A CAGR Of 11.8% During 2024-2032 - WhaTech - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- Google Assistant's evolution: Is this the new search? - Napa Valley Register - February 6th, 2024 [February 6th, 2024]
- China's Temu in US online ads blitz in challenge to Amazon - Financial Times - February 6th, 2024 [February 6th, 2024]
- Overcoming Entrepreneurial Fear: Essential Strategies for New Business Owners - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Who Is Ross Kernez, the Internet Marketing Expert? - OK! - November 9th, 2023 [November 9th, 2023]
- Athletic Brewing Company Partners with Viral Internet Granny to ... - PR Newswire - November 9th, 2023 [November 9th, 2023]
- The Current State of AI - Elmhurst College - November 9th, 2023 [November 9th, 2023]
- The Tech Stocks That Will Eventually Become the New Magnificent ... - InvestorPlace - November 9th, 2023 [November 9th, 2023]
- Wilkinsburg tries to demolish 'deplorable' buildings, avoid ... - TribLIVE - November 9th, 2023 [November 9th, 2023]
- Atlas 5 launches Amazon Kuiper satellites for tests of space-based ... - Spaceflight Now - October 11th, 2023 [October 11th, 2023]
- Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) Market Size to Surpass USD ... - GlobeNewswire - October 11th, 2023 [October 11th, 2023]
- Federal Judge Throws Out $32.5 Million Win For Sonos Against ... - Slashdot - October 11th, 2023 [October 11th, 2023]
- [New Report] Internet of Things in Retail Market Set to Surge ... - GlobeNewswire - September 7th, 2023 [September 7th, 2023]
- Global Consumer Internet of Things (IoT) Market Size to Reach USD ... - GlobeNewswire - September 7th, 2023 [September 7th, 2023]
- Team Internet Group looks to AI initiatives to drive digital marketing ... - Proactive Investors UK - September 7th, 2023 [September 7th, 2023]
- The global internet of medical thing market is expected to reach an ... - GlobeNewswire - September 7th, 2023 [September 7th, 2023]
- How SRK's Jawan is winning the brand integration 'jung' - Exchange4Media - September 7th, 2023 [September 7th, 2023]
- Reshaping biopharma marketing with point-of-care messaging - MM+M Online - September 7th, 2023 [September 7th, 2023]
- The Truth About Gigs, Gs and Other Internet Marketing Jargon - Forest Grove News times - August 28th, 2023 [August 28th, 2023]
- Fall SCORE Webinars Can Help Keep Your Business Out Front - VISTA.Today - August 28th, 2023 [August 28th, 2023]
- St International Holdings Company Limited Announces Executive ... - Marketscreener.com - August 28th, 2023 [August 28th, 2023]
- This agency's 'clean graffiti' is stunning the internet - Creative Bloq - August 28th, 2023 [August 28th, 2023]
- Semiconductor Wireless Sensor Internet of Things Market Size to ... - Taiwan News - August 28th, 2023 [August 28th, 2023]
- Enabling innovation: Microsoft at Automotive News World Congress ... - Microsoft - August 28th, 2023 [August 28th, 2023]
- Best imaXcash Affiliates Review | Massive 70% Rev Share on ... - Born2Invest - August 28th, 2023 [August 28th, 2023]
- Proceed Innovative Reaches One Year Anniversary as the Preferred ... - PR Web - August 1st, 2023 [August 1st, 2023]
- Innovative Marketing Expands Internet Marketing Service in Houston ... - Digital Journal - August 1st, 2023 [August 1st, 2023]
- Industrial Internet Market is Expected to Reach at a CAGR of 9.40 ... - University City Review - August 1st, 2023 [August 1st, 2023]
- Internet of Vehicles Market Size to Hit USD 678.94 Billion by 2030 ... - GlobeNewswire - August 1st, 2023 [August 1st, 2023]
- Internet Protocol (IP) TV Market is Set to Experience a Revolutionary ... - University City Review - August 1st, 2023 [August 1st, 2023]
- Internet of Everything (IoE) Market A Comprehensive Study Explores ... - Taiwan News - August 1st, 2023 [August 1st, 2023]
- Navigating the internet of (too many) things: contending with digital ... - Transform magazine - August 1st, 2023 [August 1st, 2023]
- Internet Of Things (IoT) Device and Service Market Biggest ... - University City Review - August 1st, 2023 [August 1st, 2023]
- Alabama's Statewide Broadband Expansion Update Elmore ... - Elmore Autauga News - August 1st, 2023 [August 1st, 2023]
- Japan's Population Drops by Nearly 800,000 With Falls in Every ... - Slashdot - August 1st, 2023 [August 1st, 2023]
- The Weekly Listen: Will Threads replace Twitter, is the internet ... - Insider Intelligence - July 19th, 2023 [July 19th, 2023]
- Can Internet 'It Girl' Mia Khalifa Build a Lasting Business? - The Business of Fashion - July 19th, 2023 [July 19th, 2023]
- The omnichannel magic of connected TV - Search Engine Land - July 19th, 2023 [July 19th, 2023]
- Marketing Automation Software Market Revenues to Reach USD ... - GlobeNewswire - July 9th, 2023 [July 9th, 2023]
- India's first hospitality-focused agency, Internet Moguls is leading the ... - Tourism Breaking News - July 9th, 2023 [July 9th, 2023]
- FutureTech and Criteo Partnership: A Potential Advertising ... - TechCabal - July 9th, 2023 [July 9th, 2023]
- 10 things you hate about Google Analytics 4 - MarTech - July 9th, 2023 [July 9th, 2023]
- Leveraging the power of digital marketing in health care - Medical Economics - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- It's time to expect more from EHRs - Medical Economics - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Digital Marketing Expert Empowers Small Business Owners - Northeastern University - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- 10 things we hate about Google Analytics 4 - Search Engine Land - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Physician compensation going up in primary care - Medical Economics - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Here's to 30 years of navigating the digital seas with one of ... - Castanet.net - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- DBS' digital banking disruption caused by 'human error', according ... - Marketing Interactive - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- To Improve Privacy, Apple to Strip Tracking Parameters From ... - PCMag - June 9th, 2023 [June 9th, 2023]
- Global Metrics Playoff: Who's Doing Best With Their Email Marketing ... - MediaPost Communications - June 9th, 2023 [June 9th, 2023]
- The Internet of Behavior and its Impact on Marketing Strategies - CityLife - June 9th, 2023 [June 9th, 2023]
- Unleashing the potential of digital transformation and the role of TEF ... - The Tony Elumelu Foundation - June 9th, 2023 [June 9th, 2023]
- Published book presents 10 essays about the nuances of individual ... - PR Web - June 9th, 2023 [June 9th, 2023]
- Global Online Reputation Management Market is Segmented by ... - KaleidoScot - June 9th, 2023 [June 9th, 2023]
- Scott Wilson Joins Big Rig Media as VP of Digital Marketing ... - RV Business - June 7th, 2023 [June 7th, 2023]
- US Surgeon General Sounds the Alarm on Harmful Social Media ... - Boston University - June 7th, 2023 [June 7th, 2023]
- Temple's web collaboration center strengthens brand and user ... - Temple University News - June 7th, 2023 [June 7th, 2023]
- This 26-year-old went from trading Air Jordans to starting three ... - Morningstar - June 7th, 2023 [June 7th, 2023]
- The Looming Algorithmic Divide: Navigating the Ethics of AI - Knowledge@Wharton - June 7th, 2023 [June 7th, 2023]
- Ikea invests in Auckland plastics deep tech firm Nilo - Stuff - June 7th, 2023 [June 7th, 2023]
- Global Online Reputation Management Market is Segmented by ... - The Navajo Post - May 27th, 2023 [May 27th, 2023]
- Why podcasters are selling subscriptions through third-party vendors - Digiday - May 27th, 2023 [May 27th, 2023]
- What are the Fundamentals of Digital Marketing? - Southern New Hampshire University - May 26th, 2023 [May 26th, 2023]
- Developing an Effective Online Presence Made Easier with Texas ... - Digital Journal - May 26th, 2023 [May 26th, 2023]
- Yay or nay? Pride campaigns the internet has loved and hated in 2023 - Marketing Interactive - May 26th, 2023 [May 26th, 2023]
- Salary and Career: Kathleen Voboril can make martech sing - MarTech - May 26th, 2023 [May 26th, 2023]
- Give Your Business a Boost with These May SCORE Programs - VISTA.Today - May 26th, 2023 [May 26th, 2023]
- Comparing Different Types of Canning Lids Mother Earth News - Mother Earth News - May 26th, 2023 [May 26th, 2023]
- Five years in, the GDPR has had a double-edged impact on the ad ... - Digiday - May 26th, 2023 [May 26th, 2023]