Drake's 'Views' Album Becomes First to Reach Over 1 Billion Streams on Apple Music

[loekf]

Had to google who Drake was

Congrats to both Apple and Drake on the billion streams

I mostly know him from the masterpiece he did with Rihanna, another "artist" who knows nothing else to do with her life.

The guy can't sing and his "songs" have an extremely boring beat. Usually I have to change station when they play it on the radio. I might fall asleep.

 

[TechGeek76]

I love coming on here and reading all the comments of people who hate rap.

oVo is one of the best!

Or, you know, some people do like rap, just don't care for certain "artists"... that's all it is.

 

[jonnysods]

Wow thats crazy. I don't listen to drake, but that's quite a milestone!

 

[saudade]

Drake is da best man no other sounds that good he says all da true

 

[LordVic]

This is silly...
They pretty much helped him with the production of the music / videos, etc. and he was a spokesperson when Apple Music was announced. His music and album was plastered in every playlist, chart, recommendation, radio and cramped into any possible corner of Apple Music...
Unfair & meaningless statistic IMO.

The power of a billion dollar marketing juggernaut taking mediocre pop and making it insanely profitable

but thats been the story of Pop music since the dawn of mankind

Taking that kid from Toronto's streets of Forest Hill without anything to his name (except you know, staring on a Canadian TV show), but you know. Started from the bottom!
[doublepost=1474982665][/doublepost]

Had to google who Drake was

Congrats to both Apple and Drake on the billion streams

I mainly remember him frmo his role as a wheelchair bound kid in Degrassi Hi that I tried to watch (out of nostalgia for the original)

and for the constant media attention (lots bad, and lots good) that his attitude gets him in, in the Toronto area. (he's got a reputation for being an arrogant and conceited jerk)
[doublepost=1474983866][/doublepost]

Wake me up when Apple Music stops focusing & promoting silly hiphop/rap and the like of wannabe gangstas like Drake...

while i'm not going to comment on "wannabes"

its one of the reasons Apple's radio is really not something I can listen to. It's all pop and hip hop whenever i turn it on. NOT genres I can just sit and listen to. it's my own personal taste, but hard rock, metal and the like is severely lacking and under-represented by Apple.

but thats not a surprise. Apple is in it for listens and making money. they are aiming for stuff that has the biggest audience appeal, not to address wide range of tastes

 

[vkd]

1 billion streams? As Lux Interior sang, "You've got bad taste."

 

[shinkansenwarrior]

I remember the good old days when I HAD to go to the record shop to get my 7 or 12 inch analog vinyl disc with beautiful cover art as there was no internet. The joy of getting on the bus for a day out and grabbing one the limited pressings at the record shop to physically hold brought a big smile to my face. Sales were counted in lower millions for very successful and talented artists back then .... hard to judge apple for apple the real quality of an artist by the number of downloads they get alone. Longevity and sustainability is key I guess so we shall see with Drake in the future if he manages to sustain his 1 billion downloads.

Apple is of course only too happy to rake in the cosh using the power of the internet....which is, really, why they are all smiles, especially Eddy.

 

[LordVic]

I remember the good old days when I HAD to go to the record shop to get my 7 or 12 inch analog vinyl disc with beautiful cover art as there was no internet. The joy of getting on the bus for a day out and grabbing one the limited pressings at the record shop to physically hold brought a big smile to my face. Sales were in the thousands not millions for A

I was going to call you a cantankerous old bastard who is living in the past

then I had a nostalgia trip and remember the joy I had doing a day long trek to downtown and going from CD shop to CD shop and spending my summer money on music

 

[lunarworks]

The poster I replied to said there's "nothing available". Which is a pretty ridiculous statement unless they:

- only listen to the very small number of artists not available to stream (like Garth Brooks)
- listen to a very odd selection of music such that none of them has ever put their music up for streaming

Either scenario is odd. Even more ridiculous to claim there are a lot of people in the same position.

Those people probably don't need a streaming service anyway. Why spend $10/month when all the music in the world that you like fits easily in your pickup truck's sun visor CD holder.

 

[Mr. McMac]

Never heard of him. I guess it's because I hate rap. It's not music!! It's worse than chalk being scraped across a chalkboard!

 

[bpeeps]

Just asked around the office... seriously nobody (including the youngsters) said yes.

Guess we're just all out of touch with pop music trends in the USA. No big loss.

I don't have any cookies to offer.

 

[ladycsr]

If streams are the new way of measuring money & success.. apple should pay Ireland in "Drake Streams". Thats billions and billions of "Drake Streams".
Poor Ireland.

 

[shinkansenwarrior]

I was going to call you a cantankerous old bastard who is living in the past

then I had a nostalgia trip and remember the joy I had doing a day long trek to downtown and going from CD shop to CD shop and spending my summer money on music

Cantankerous old bastard. eh? Mmm.... I like it. LOL. Thx for the feedback. We have to be careful as we age. I was brought up between the analog/Redbook CD era and I built my audio system around this .... so downloads have never my favourite way to listen to music ...but looking forward it is important to embrace change.

Your last few lines in one of your previous post summed it up nicely though about Apple...the commercial pop focus and not hard metal and rock ....well of course you go where the money is.

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

what state is that?

You know, the state of believing that reality is anything on Youtube. The state of not watching where you are going because you're constantly staring at your smartphone. The state of truly believing you have 457 "Friends" even though you've never seen a single one of them in person. The state of labeling a boy you've never met in person and with whom you only Facetime with "Your Boyfriend". The absolute inability to "disconnect" and still be happy. The inability to stand in line at Starbucks (or ANY LINE that involves waiting) without staring at your smartphone the whole time. The list goes on and on... THAT generation.

 

[neoelectronaut]

I'm so confused, I always thought everyone considered Drake a joke, a sort of living meme. Is that not the case and I've been ridiculously misinformed?

 

[lunarworks]

I'm so confused, I always thought everyone considered Drake a joke, a sort of living meme. Is that not the case and I've been ridiculously misinformed?

You've been misinformed and/or living in a bubble.

 

[StevieD100]

Is the money being made from the sale of this product going to be parked in Ireland? Or will those photographed American citizens be bringing that money back to the United States and paying taxes?

The Irish have their own music and far too much sense to listen to {c}RAP.
I honestly can't call RAP or modern R&B Music. Now early 1960's R&B is a different beast entirely.

 

[RedOrchestra]

I always thought everyone considered Drake a joke

Torontonians don't have much to cling to ... Drake is pretty much it.

 

[lunarworks]

Torontonians don't have much to cling to ... Drake is pretty much it.

This list is a few years old, but:

http://www.blogto.com/music/2013/10/the_25_most_famous_toronto_bands/

Neil Young and The Band are also from Toronto.

I went to a Metric concert the other night. Such an amazing band.

 

[Mr. Dee]

I heard that his next album will be called Peking Duck.

 

[LordVic]

I'm so confused, I always thought everyone considered Drake a joke, a sort of living meme. Is that not the case and I've been ridiculously misinformed?

Its funny. those of us in the GTA pretty much do. We remember his younger years. we know the stories of him and his attitude. We see him making a fool of himself courtside at raptors games and opening his mouth pretending to be part of the organization (he's even now "ambassador to the raptors" lol).

There are lots of tales and urban legends of lots of people he's dealt with where he comes off as arrogant and rude.

we all remember him from his acting career on Canadian TV.

Its his international fame that has prompted Toronto to "adopt" him as our face... not the other way around. Toronto is trying to milk his international popularity as best they can (and why not). But Toronto didn't give a crap about him when he wasn't huge.

The "meme" ness of his music comes from the "start from the bottom" image he's trying to portray, which is 100% a lie. He wasn't "rich", but he grew up in a very affluent neighbourhood (Forest Hill). His family / mother were not poor. He had a decent sized role as a kid on Canadian network television that paid him an ok (80kish / season when you're a young kid is a hell of a income).

So when we see the mass marketting machine of Apple and the like propping him up as some cultural icon it is kind of amusing.
[doublepost=1474999581][/doublepost]

This list is a few years old, but:

http://www.blogto.com/music/2013/10/the_25_most_famous_toronto_bands/

Neil Young and The Band are also from Toronto.

I went to a Metric concert the other night. Such an amazing band.

I had no idea Billy Talent was Canadian!

didn't realize F*cked up was still around. (I'm sort of related to a band member, but does explain the odd family event he's missing from still lol)

 

[steve333]

I always love that argument.

Aside from The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, those other bands barely charted. They were up against insipid pop music like Englebert Humperdink, Paul Anka, Nancy Sinatra, Sonny & Cher, the Bay City Roller, and ABBA. (Nothing against ABBA, I like them.) Only after the people who listened to that insipid pop music grew up, forgot, and moved onto other insipid pop music like Barbara Streisand, Michael Bolton, Celine Dion, and Whitney Houston were the bands you love remembered as iconic of those eras.

The same will happen with today's music.

Barely charted? The charts were full of rock bands and songs, you're talking about the late 50s and early 60s.

Not surprised by this. I was never the biggest Drizzy fan however, I thought Views was a fantastic album. Dude is talented. Give him his props. Him, Kanye, and Beyoncé killed it this year. Three talented individuals (even tho Kanye does kinda annoy me at times)
[doublepost=1474950748][/doublepost]

Drake is a talented dude. I was never the biggest fan but I won't deny his talent. I don't know why older people act like music talent stopped 25-40yrs ago. There's still some amazing talent going today. IMO, Beyoncé is true talent. The woman's voice is amazing. Adele, Sia, Kanye, Lady Gaga, etc all amazingly talented individuals.

I remember when Lady Gaga did the National Anthem at the Super Bowl, many older people were like "omg she can actually sing?" And I'm like....if you would've taken the time to give her a fair chance, instead of prejudging her b/c she's not from your generation...you would've known how well she could sing. Easily one of the best vocals going today

You're listing singers, I'm talking about bands that wrote music. Real music.

 

[Cineplex]

In Tim's Office:

Eddy: So we are going to give Drake the 1 billion streamed award.
Tim: Is that even a thing?
Phil: ....No, its marketing. He feels good, our customers feel good....
Tim: I don't have to do anything, right?
Eddy: Well you've got to hand it to him...maybe....
Phil: Write an inspirational quote on the plaque!
Tim: ....okay.....did he even stream one billion times?
(Eddy and Phil look at each other)
Phil: Well....its.....ummm...you have to look....
Eddy: We have no idea. Sounds good though right?
Tim: You don't think he can tell from his royalty check?
Eddy: No way! Fractions of pennies...come on. He has no idea how that works...I have no idea how that works....our record lawyer has no idea how that works.
Tim: Just give me the damn plaque.
(writes "thanks!")
Tim: Now get out, I've got tons of non-Apple stuff to work on.
Eddy: Hey Phil, I just sent you my heart beat.
Tim: Jesus guys, it does other things.

 

[RedOrchestra]

You're listing singers, I'm talking about bands that wrote music. Real music.

Damned interesting article on the state of "music writing" in today's world - pretty pathetic really

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articl...-her-own-music-and-does-it-really-matter.html

 

[MS_Hedrick]

So you're saying Apple should have stuck to computers?

iPod/iTunes, iPhone, and iPad made Apple a success.

Notsomuch since