Baby Shark by Pinkfong (Chart Anomaly)
On Friday 31st August 2018 the viral children's song 'Baby Shark' by Pinkfong climbed into the UK Top 40 and sits at no. 37. Its popularity grew from a 2016 video by YouTube channel Pinkfong in which this song first appeared, that is if you're not including the 2007 original with extra verses and a less child friendly story of a diver bleeding to death.
Swiftly back onto the chart smash at hand, 'Baby Shark' has only grown in popularity these past months. The first time I heard it was in December and if you'd told me then it would go on to becoming a Top 40 single I wouldn't believe you. It seems ridiculous that a minute-and-a-half video kids tune could do so well but you have to remember that with the recent inclusion of music video watches factoring into success in the charts it makes sense why now is the time that this has happened. Really, it couldn't have happened before; after all, who's going to buy it or play it on the radio when everyone that wants to listen to it watches the YouTube video.
I am all for music videos contributing towards units on the charts and I cannot stand the song, it is possibly one of the most annoying things I've heard that isn't Jason Derulo or Justin Bieber's 'Baby' but I find it absolutely hilarious that 'Baby Shark' has become a Top 40 single.
There are so many fantastic songs that have missed out on Top 40 success like 'Everything Now' by Arcade Fire and 'Sorry' by Nothing But Thieves and here we have what's essentially a novelty act for kids sitting at no. 37 pretty much purely because of the YouTube video's views. The crazy thing is, it is currently above 'I Like It' by Cardi B, a song that had a huge music video.
I half expect the success to burn out quite quickly but really anything could happen. It might continue to rise up the charts. Perhaps it'll reach the next significant milestone and become a Top 10 single. The point is, this is something very new and intriguing. It may forever be remembered as the next milestone in the charts after Ed Sheeran's 16 songs in the Top 20 and The Greatest Showman Soundtracks many, many weeks at no. 1 in the albums chart.
Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments and let me know how you think the song will perform in the future. If it ends up on the Year End Charts it becomes eligible for my Best/Worst Hit Songs of 2018. Could it get to that point??
Swiftly back onto the chart smash at hand, 'Baby Shark' has only grown in popularity these past months. The first time I heard it was in December and if you'd told me then it would go on to becoming a Top 40 single I wouldn't believe you. It seems ridiculous that a minute-and-a-half video kids tune could do so well but you have to remember that with the recent inclusion of music video watches factoring into success in the charts it makes sense why now is the time that this has happened. Really, it couldn't have happened before; after all, who's going to buy it or play it on the radio when everyone that wants to listen to it watches the YouTube video.
I am all for music videos contributing towards units on the charts and I cannot stand the song, it is possibly one of the most annoying things I've heard that isn't Jason Derulo or Justin Bieber's 'Baby' but I find it absolutely hilarious that 'Baby Shark' has become a Top 40 single.
There are so many fantastic songs that have missed out on Top 40 success like 'Everything Now' by Arcade Fire and 'Sorry' by Nothing But Thieves and here we have what's essentially a novelty act for kids sitting at no. 37 pretty much purely because of the YouTube video's views. The crazy thing is, it is currently above 'I Like It' by Cardi B, a song that had a huge music video.
I half expect the success to burn out quite quickly but really anything could happen. It might continue to rise up the charts. Perhaps it'll reach the next significant milestone and become a Top 10 single. The point is, this is something very new and intriguing. It may forever be remembered as the next milestone in the charts after Ed Sheeran's 16 songs in the Top 20 and The Greatest Showman Soundtracks many, many weeks at no. 1 in the albums chart.
Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments and let me know how you think the song will perform in the future. If it ends up on the Year End Charts it becomes eligible for my Best/Worst Hit Songs of 2018. Could it get to that point??
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