Commentary

Billboard Launches "Social 50" Chart

Rihanna

"If in other sciences we should arrive at certainty without doubt and truth without error, it behooves us to place the foundations of knowledge in mathematics," said Roger Bacon, and there is no question that measuring things is important -- not least because it allows us to rank them, which in turn enables us to judge their relative merits.

On that note, Billboard is launching a "Social 50" for contemporary music, based on stats like unique page views, number of fans, and streams of songs and videos via social network sites including the inevitable Facebook, YouTube, MySpace, and Twitter. However, it's not just raw numbers: one interesting formula used to determine Social 50 rankings divides the number of page views by the number of fans to yield something like engagement.

The number-one artist on the list at launch was Rihanna, who indeed seems never to set a foot wrong, either online or in her traditional media appearances (for example, making fun of gangsta-pop conventions in this recent digital short with SNL's Andy Samberg, with a surprise cameo by Jon Hamm, Mad Men's Don Draper).

Lately the beautiful diva has scored hits with "What's My Name" and "Only Girl (In the World)," both in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100.

Rather predictably, Rihanna was followed by Justin Bieber (#2), Eminem (#2), Lady Gaga (#4), and Nicki Minaj (#5).

Things are always more interesting once you get out into the weeds: sure, Bieber and Gaga are no surprises, but who's hovering, say, down in the 40s? Interesting you should ask: The Beatles are number 41, thanks in part to the new deal making their songs available on Apple's iTunes, and perhaps also the upcoming anniversary of John Lennon's assassination by Mark David Chapman on December 8, 1980.

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