Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 9:50 am
I think I understand the problem, and I'm going to try to explain where I think the discrepency is coming from.
In addition to the "Hot 100"/"Bubbling Under" chart, at the time "Billboard" also had a unique "Hot 100 Singles Sales" chart. The magazine currently has a chart just titled "Hot Singles Sales" on its web site, which I assume is the same chart.
Anyway, according to my vague notes, "Gump" did show up on this other chart in addition to the "Bubbling Under" chart. From time to time Al's singles would also show up on other singles-related charts outside of the standard "Hot 100." One recent example would be "White & Nerdy" charting on the "Hot Digital Tracks" chart.
The sales chart, I imagine, measures sales of actual physical singles, such as the CD or cassette single in this case. "Gump" probably did as well as it did on this chart because a lot of people no doubt bought it to get "Spy Hard." Why this would differ so much with the single's placement on the normal "Hot 100" is because, as you pointed out, radio airplay also factors a lot into the chart positions. That's not the case with just the sales chart.
So yes, while "Gump" did relatively well on the sales chart, its position there shouldn't be counted as its "official" chart position. That kind of general designation usually only refers to a single's placement on the "Hot 100"/"Bubbling Under."
In addition to the "Hot 100"/"Bubbling Under" chart, at the time "Billboard" also had a unique "Hot 100 Singles Sales" chart. The magazine currently has a chart just titled "Hot Singles Sales" on its web site, which I assume is the same chart.
Anyway, according to my vague notes, "Gump" did show up on this other chart in addition to the "Bubbling Under" chart. From time to time Al's singles would also show up on other singles-related charts outside of the standard "Hot 100." One recent example would be "White & Nerdy" charting on the "Hot Digital Tracks" chart.
The sales chart, I imagine, measures sales of actual physical singles, such as the CD or cassette single in this case. "Gump" probably did as well as it did on this chart because a lot of people no doubt bought it to get "Spy Hard." Why this would differ so much with the single's placement on the normal "Hot 100" is because, as you pointed out, radio airplay also factors a lot into the chart positions. That's not the case with just the sales chart.
So yes, while "Gump" did relatively well on the sales chart, its position there shouldn't be counted as its "official" chart position. That kind of general designation usually only refers to a single's placement on the "Hot 100"/"Bubbling Under."