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[Ulysses]

Im surprised to see T-boz above Janet. I realize CrazySexyCool was massive, but I thought that was because of the pop charts with Waterfalls.

Waterfalls didn't take off until the video was released. Radio was reluctant to play at the time.

I would have to politely disagree with this statement unless you have evidence of such

On Clive Davis [the head of Arista Records in 1995] not wanting to release "Waterfalls" as a single:

"I don't think he really got the song at the time. 'Creep' was still out and he loved 'Creep,' so when he heard 'Waterfalls,' I don't think he understood why we were so excited about it. But we were very adamant about doing a video for the song. We begged [co-founder of LaFace Records, a joint venture with Arista Records] L.A. Reid, 'Please! We have to do this!' Once the song was out, it actually wasn't doing that great at radio. I think it simply was because people didn't understand it. They were like, 'Don't go chasing waterfalls? Huh? What do you mean?' So Lisa wrote a note on a poster board asking him to let us do the video and gave it to L.A. ― I think he has it to this day ― and we were like, 'Please! You don't understand how important it is that we get this video out!' But we've all had to work so hard and kick so many doors down, so this was just another battle for us. I never spoke to Clive about how he felt about the song's success but I know he was definitely proud of what came out of it [laughs]."

Link

Thanks. But that didn't prove the point. The reason for releasing videos is to further promote a song. But to say a song didn't have pop success because it didn't have a video doesn't make sense. Videos are promo and the whole point. The song was gonna smash regardless.

[Lazarus]

Im surprised to see T-boz above Janet. I realize CrazySexyCool was massive, but I thought that was because of the pop charts with Waterfalls.

Waterfalls didn't take off until the video was released. Radio was reluctant to play at the time.

I would have to politely disagree with this statement unless you have evidence of such

On Clive Davis [the head of Arista Records in 1995] not wanting to release "Waterfalls" as a single:

"I don't think he really got the song at the time. 'Creep' was still out and he loved 'Creep,' so when he heard 'Waterfalls,' I don't think he understood why we were so excited about it. But we were very adamant about doing a video for the song. We begged [co-founder of LaFace Records, a joint venture with Arista Records] L.A. Reid, 'Please! We have to do this!' Once the song was out, it actually wasn't doing that great at radio. I think it simply was because people didn't understand it. They were like, 'Don't go chasing waterfalls? Huh? What do you mean?' So Lisa wrote a note on a poster board asking him to let us do the video and gave it to L.A. ― I think he has it to this day ― and we were like, 'Please! You don't understand how important it is that we get this video out!' But we've all had to work so hard and kick so many doors down, so this was just another battle for us. I never spoke to Clive about how he felt about the song's success but I know he was definitely proud of what came out of it [laughs]."

Link

Thanks. But that didn't prove the point. The reason for releasing videos is to further promote a song. But to say a song didn't have pop success because it didn't have a video doesn't make sense. Videos are promo and the whole point. The song was gonna smash regardless.

It does prove my point because 1) the song wasn't doing great at radio, at the time radio didn't get it or understand Waterfalls and 2) before it became the success it did they had to fight to get a video made because Clive Davis wasn't feeling Waterfalls at all. The music video helped pushed Waterfalls into the success it became hence why I said the song didn't take off until the release of a music video. Waterfalls was an MTV staple and played around the clock.

[Lazarus]

Chilli

When it first went to radio, nobody got it. They didn't understand what we were talking about. It needed the video to bring the words to life. Even I don't think I really fell in love with the song until I saw it. The moment I did, I knew it would be a hit.

T-Boz

I wanted Waterfalls to be our version of alternative music. When I heard an early version, I thought: "My god, this is perfect." It was so left of what we'd done on our first album. It was amazeballs. When we had finished recording it, we played it for Clive Davies, the big kahuna at the label. He was the boss of Arista, which distributed our label La Face. He didn't like it. He said it was too deep. He didn't think people would bump up the street to it.

So went went to LA Reid, who ran LaFace. We bought a giant poster and wrote on it: "Please believe in us, we'll make the best video ever." He went against Clive and put up the money. We called in F Gary Gray to direct the video. The first time he showed us the concept – which showed a kid getting killed selling drugs and a guy contracting HIV – we started crying. Aids was an epidemic at the time. Not long after the song came out, I was doing a book-signing and a man came up to me and held my hand. "I didn't kill myself because of you," he said. "I felt like nobody understood. But I felt like you guys understood how people can end up in my situation."

Link

[stillpretty]

Chilli

When it first went to radio, nobody got it. They didn't understand what we were talking about. It needed the video to bring the words to life. Even I don't think I really fell in love with the song until I saw it. The moment I did, I knew it would be a hit.

T-Boz

I wanted Waterfalls to be our version of alternative music. When I heard an early version, I thought: "My god, this is perfect." It was so left of what we'd done on our first album. It was amazeballs. When we had finished recording it, we played it for Clive Davies, the big kahuna at the label. He was the boss of Arista, which distributed our label La Face. He didn't like it. He said it was too deep. He didn't think people would bump up the street to it.

So went went to LA Reid, who ran LaFace. We bought a giant poster and wrote on it: "Please believe in us, we'll make the best video ever." He went against Clive and put up the money. We called in F Gary Gray to direct the video. The first time he showed us the concept – which showed a kid getting killed selling drugs and a guy contracting HIV – we started crying. Aids was an epidemic at the time. Not long after the song came out, I was doing a book-signing and a man came up to me and held my hand. "I didn't kill myself because of you," he said. "I felt like nobody understood. But I felt like you guys understood how people can end up in my situation."

Link

GODlli was such a visionary 🥹

[ReVonIsMine]

Brandy has always been above Mo.

That is crazy seeing all the love Mo has always had and how people used to dog Brandy.

Monica's fans never really showed up for her in the grand scheme of things.

  

[oph.]

arguing that music videos can't (and haven't) boost songs from a flop to a hit is insane

 

[Nine]

Mariah was really that bitch from the jump huh?

[Scott.]

I agree but Monica should'nt be top 10

why shouldn't she be. She got the stats to be there.

[Scott.]

Brandy has always been above Mo.

That is crazy seeing all the love Mo has always had and how people used to dog Brandy.

Monica's fans never really showed up for her in the grand scheme of things.

  

[Ulysses]

arguing that music videos can't (and haven't) boost songs from a flop to a hit is insane

 

Hmmm as usual, you don't quite understand shit.