Rachel Platten [ABC]
Pop radio callout scores have arrived for Rachel Platten’s “Stand By You,” and they confirm a relatively weak listener reaction.
According to the most recent Mediabase/CMM listener callout report, the song’s positive, negative, net positive, and favorite scores are all below the pop format’s median. The positive, net positive, and favorite ratings are particularly low-ranking.
The song holds a positive reaction from 50.9% of surveyed listeners, a negative reaction from 26.1%, and a net positive score of 24.8%. 12.2% of the survey panel issued a “favorite” rating to “Stand By You.”
Of the 35 current pop songs featured in this week’s report, “Stand By You” has the 4th-lowest positive score, the 12th-greatest negative score, the 7th-lowest net positive score, and the second-lowest favorite score.
While the favorite score is potentially bottlenecked by virtue of the song’s low familiarity (60.5%), the other scores are clear in their portrayal of a tepid audience reaction.
It is worth noting that Platten’s breakthrough single “Fight Song” also posted underwhelming callout scores.
The reality is that Platten’s sound tends to resonate better with adult contemporary and hot adult contemporary listeners. While “Fight Song” still managed a Top 10 peak at pop radio, it went all the way to #1 at AC and Hot AC.
Absent the cultural impact of “Fight Song,” “Stand By You” may face even more difficulty overcoming the subpar reaction from pop listeners.