Insofar as “Roar” was essentially the perfect realization of the sound Katy Perry had been developing throughout her “One of the Boys” and “Teenage Dream” album cycles, it made sense to go in a different direction for its follow-up.
Unfortunately, not all directions are good directions, and while the song she chose as the second “Prism” single had critical support, it did not resonate with the market. Unless it makes a sudden, unexpected push, it will end its run as the first Perry single since 2009’s “Waking Up in Vegas” to miss the top five on Billboard’s Hot 100. That song, the final release from “One of the Boys,” ended its run at number nine.
Presently number fourteen, “Unconditionally” is thus far Perry’s worst performer since 2009’s “Thinking of You,” which also came from the “Boys” album.
While most assumed “Unconditionally” would have ridden the Perry brand name into a stronger run on the charts, there was still an aura of surprise concerning that song’s selection as a single. If Perry wanted to follow “Roar” with a “different” sound, why not go with “Dark Horse?”
Considered a standout from “Prism,” the Juicy J collaboration “Dark Horse” had garnered significant buzz as a promotional single. While fellow promotional release “Walking On Air” faded after its initial period of excitement, “Dark Horse” lingered on the iTunes sales charts. It seemed like a surefire winner.
And even though the song was not being pushed by Perry’s label, major radio stations recently began spinning the presumed hit.
Given all the momentum, Perry’s label Capitol Records opted to officially confirm “Dark Horse” as the third “Prism” single. That move appears to have added to the fire: after spending much of the past few weeks in the 15-35 range on iTunes, “Dark Horse” officially returned to the top ten Wednesday.
At press time, it was number eight on the store’s overall single sales chart. “Roar” was nineteen, while “Unconditionally” was only clocking in at 25.
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