It is unclear whether Centricity is eyeing a mainstream crossover push for Lauren Daigle’s Contemporary Christian hit “You Say.”
It is hard, however, to deny that the song’s potential.
Beyond its accessible sound and lyrics, “You Say” is proving immensely resonant with music consumers.
Since arriving earlier this summer, “You Say” has fared well on the US iTunes sales chart. “You Say” currently sits at #13 on the store’s all-genre listing, and five of the higher-ranked songs are by the late Aretha Franklin. One is a buzzy track from Ariana Grande’s new album (“breathin”), while another is Janet Jackson’s just-released collaboration with Daddy Yankee (“Made For Now”).
The only mainstream radio hits selling at a faster pace are Cardi B, Bad Bunny & J Balvin’s “I Like It” (#7), Grande’s “god is a woman” (#9), Drake’s “In My Feelings” (#10), Maroon 5’s “Girls Like You (featuring Cardi B)” (#11), and Imagine Dragons’ “Natural” (#12).
No other Christian or Gospel track currently boasts a Top 100 position (the closest is for KING & COUNTRY’s “joy.” at #101).
While it is not a behemoth on the streaming front, “You Say” is still faring decently in that regard. The song boasts roughly 5 million streams on Spotify and 11 million views on YouTube.
It has also spent four consecutive weeks on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100.
Reminiscent of Adele’s “Someone Like You,” Daigle’s track certainly sounds like a fit for mainstream radio (particularly the hot adult contemporary format). The lingering question is the extent to which mainstream formats would support a Contemporary Christian song (with undeniable religious sentiment in the lyrics).
At least one station has given it a chance. Per Mediabase, Milwaukee Hot AC station 99.1 The Mix offered two plays this week.
Whether or not a mainstream push happens, “You Say” is clearly making a major impact within Christian music. It is set to notch a fifth consecutive week atop the Billboard Hot Christian Songs chart. It is also making big gains at Christian AC radio.
