Another in my very occasional series in The Lesson on the Billboard R&B chart.

- On the 5th try, Beyonce's album 4 finally yields an elusive #1 hit this week, as "Love on Top" completes its long march to the top of the R&B chart. After early unsolicited airplay and a surprise #20 showing on the pop chart after her MTV performance of the song, her label officially decided to promote it, and it pays off. "Top" is also the 3rd top-5 R&B hit from 4, equaling the mark set by her first 3 albums.

- Melanie Fiona's making inroads at R&B radio. "4AM" becomes her 2nd top-10 R&B hit this week. Her Grammy-winning duet with Cee-Lo only reached #13, but it's showing longevity, as it logs a 45th week on the chart.

- Mary J comes *this* close to finally notching a top-10 hit from My Life II, as "Mr. Wrong" continues its slow march up the R&B chart and parks at #11 this week. If it stalls there, this would be the first MJB studio album not to notch at least 1 top-10 R&B hit.

- The "Birthday Cake" remix rockets from #71 to #20 this week. Safe to say hip-hop radio is all over that track.

- That Monica & Brandy duet isn't making much of a buzz. It's kinda surprising that, after Monica had a comeback of sorts with her last album, R&B radio has been VERY cool to the singles from her new project. "Anything" stalled at #25 and "Until It's Gone" at #22.

Go Smack yourself and then apologize to your hand for looking stupid - Case_One

http://i54.tinypic.com/nxros2.jpg

I know it's sort of her lane, and one she helped establish, but at 20 years deep into the game, and 40+ years old, do people want more of those "Mr. Wrong" type joints from her still?

A girl I work with who's a big fan said something to that effect, that she's too old to be making those kinda songs and to leave 'em to Jazmine Sullivan, Keyshia, etc.

___________________________
OL' DIRTY BASTARD on himself:
"I may curse, I may have a bad mouth, whatever whatever. I'm not that bad, yaknow'mean. Bad to y'all, I dunno how y'all... I don't give a fuck. Um, I'm a good person at heart, for real and shit.

it's 1 of the worst songs on the album. it fits with the sound of radio right now, but ugh, did we really need to go THERE for a mary hit?

there are 2 songs on the album that had single potential: a collab with busta rhymes called "next level" that was a really cool dance song, and a ballad called "irreversible" that just was very well-done and had a great message.

and her label really fcuked up by not promoting the album's tour de force, "empty prayers." she shoulda been singing that EVERYWHERE live when that album dropped. it's vintage mary, too, but in a good way, unlike "mr. wrong," which is just dumb and has a terrible message.

Go Smack yourself and then apologize to your hand for looking stupid - Case_One

http://i54.tinypic.com/nxros2.jpg

I think it introduce mary to some younger fans who just knew her by name and respect factor

http://twitter.com/Menphyel7


"F you Im better in tune with the Infinite"

it's just tired to old-school mary fans.

Go Smack yourself and then apologize to your hand for looking stupid - Case_One

http://i54.tinypic.com/nxros2.jpg

If you look at MJB's career trajectory, the stuff that was most successful in the last 10 or so years was the celebratory, "I'm finally happy" shit (the No More Drama album, basically) and then the "it ain't workin but I love you" joints ("Be Without You", etc.)

All the other stuff did well because her brand is established, but it's like, she's STILL making songs about how dudes wronged her? STILL?

I get the vibe people want more, dare I say, "grown up" shit from her? Leave the love scorned stuff to the younger girls who are more connected to the teenagers and those experiences.

___________________________
OL' DIRTY BASTARD on himself:
"I may curse, I may have a bad mouth, whatever whatever. I'm not that bad, yaknow'mean. Bad to y'all, I dunno how y'all... I don't give a fuck. Um, I'm a good person at heart, for real and shit.

Go Smack yourself and then apologize to your hand for looking stupid - Case_One

http://i54.tinypic.com/nxros2.jpg

i.e. the joints with Nas, Ross, etc.

___________________________
OL' DIRTY BASTARD on himself:
"I may curse, I may have a bad mouth, whatever whatever. I'm not that bad, yaknow'mean. Bad to y'all, I dunno how y'all... I don't give a fuck. Um, I'm a good person at heart, for real and shit.

i swear to god I was just having a conversation with my brother the other day about this. the song came on the radio while we were on the car and the unanimous sentiment from everybody in the whip was that "She's too old for this shit."

she needs to be in the female anthony hamilton-esque lane.

that first joint with Weezy and Diddy didn't generate no real buzz and so now they had to go back to the butter and bread formula and it still is struggling.

MJB needs a new back and still can pull it off I truly beleive.

mistermaxxx R.Kelly, Michael Jackson,Stevie wonder,Rick James,Marvin Gaye,El Debarge, Barry WHite Lionel RIchie,Isleys EWF,Lady T.,Kid creole and coconuts,the crusaders,kc sunshine band,bee gees,jW,sd,NE,JB

Miami Heat, New York Yankees,buffalo bills

I liked Anything but after the whole drama with Biggie's mom that kinda fell off for her and Kim.

Until it's Gone and It All Belongs to Me....pretty much awful to me :/

I feel like maybe the should've kept that vibe throughout the album. This could have been an 80s concept project.

maybe do a christmas album or remix album in between
"4" didn't live up to beyonce's expectations
be a 'mommy' for a minute, come back stronger

she did an R&B album....it did R&B album numbers. 1.1M sold is pretty good nowadays. and it's by pretty much every account a very good album.

now, if she thought she was gonna bring R&B back to pop radio...you're right, she failed. but in terms of entertainment and/or art, she succeeded imo.

however, i agree she should fall back for a couple years lol

Go Smack yourself and then apologize to your hand for looking stupid - Case_One

http://i54.tinypic.com/nxros2.jpg

:^/

Like if she got the people that her & Jay listen to (Panda Bear, Bon Iver, ?uesto, etc...) to remix the whole LP it would be cool.

phemom's the name, all-star writer/
searching 4 journalistic fame, mindframe igniter....www.twitter.com/hayabusaage