The Weeknd currently has two songs near the top of the Mediabase pop radio airplay chart: “Heartless” is inside the Top 10 and “Blinding Lights” is just outside.
Some credit for that success belongs to his stature in the industry. Some credit belongs to the strong consumption numbers. Some credit belongs to strong support from his radio team.
There is also another, arguably more straightforward factor: pop listeners simply like the music.
According to the latest Mediabase/Critical Mass Media callout report, “Blind Lights” is one of the format’s most resonant songs. It is receiving a positive reaction from 63.9% of listeners, a negative reception from 15.9% and therefore a “net positive” score of 48.0%. Of the 16 songs in this week’s report, “Blinding Lights” has the best (lowest) negative and best (highest) net positive score.
“Heartless” is also faring well, boasting a 65.1% positive score, a 19.2% negative score, and a 45.9% net positive score. It is #5 for net positive.
