Second. Second. Still second.
For three consecutive weeks, "Roar Hey" has been stuck at the second spot on the Billboard singles chart.
However, as much as it might make one sigh, there's not much to argue about when it comes to the chart rankings—
Currently, the track firmly holding the number one spot on the Billboard singles chart is none other than "In Da Club" by 50 Cent.
50 Cent, who grew up in Queens, New York, was the typical kid from the ghetto, raised on the streets, and immersed in all sorts of criminal activities until he found his focus in life in his twenties and became passionate about rap.
In 1999, 50 Cent signed with Columbia Records and completed an album, but just before the album's release, he was shot. Upon learning of this, Columbia Records not only canceled the album's release but also terminated his contract.
Afterward, 50 Cent began creating independently, staying active in the underground music scene until the summer of 2002, when he caught the attention of Eminem and Dr. Dre. He then got another chance to sign with a label.
When 50 Cent finally released his debut album this February, he was already 28 years old.
However!
As soon as this album hit the market, it caused a sensation throughout North America, selling 870,000 copies in just five days. This made it the fastest-selling debut album since the establishment of the sales statistics system in 1991.
Without a doubt, it took the market by storm.
"In Da Club" is the lead single from this album.
The single was a massive hit, climbing the Billboard singles chart for eight weeks before claiming the number one spot and beginning its reign.
When "Roar Hey" was on its ascent, no other competitors could shake "In Da Club" from its position. The latter held the top spot for two whole months, with no one able to touch the throne.
Undoubtedly, "Roar Hey" emerged as a bright and surprising highlight; however, in the face of the champion's throne, it seemed to lack something—
Stuck in second place repeatedly.
Even so, "Roar Hey" making an unexpected entry into the public eye was already a grand miracle, and it was hard to ask for more; it deserves applause.
So, what's next?
Will the reign of "In Da Club" surpass ten weeks? Will "Roar Hey" end 50 Cent's long-standing domination and claim the top spot? If not "Roar Hey," then who will take over the throne?
From the ghetto came 50 Cent, and from out of nowhere came August 31st. Each group of artists has its own story, and the journey of these two singles sweeping across America is full of tales.
The next chapter is even more eagerly anticipated.
To be continued, unfolding as we speak.
The bustling eyes gather around, and the clamor never stops.
So, what about the band?
Or more precisely, what about Anson?
Anson and the August 31st band left Paris and headed south.
Initially, neither Anson nor the band members realized the far-reaching impact of their Paris performance—
Their show in Berlin also caused a minor sensation, comparable in scale to Paris; but subsequent performances didn't differ much.
During their time on the European continent, the band gradually got used to Anson being just Anson, with the aura of a movie star quietly hidden. It took some time to adjust, and they continued on their journey.
However, this didn't last long. The band soon realized that things were off-track when TV stations showed up and the police got involved. The "Anson Wood" halo quietly returned to its familiar figure.
The band didn't stay "quiet" for long before being swept into the storm—
Wherever they performed on the street, crowds gathered early, three hundred or five hundred people, densely packed. Traffic jams were an issue, but the bigger problem was that the band couldn't even get to the performance site.
The main performers were blocked outside the stage, looking at the bustling crowd in front of them, finding it both amusing and absurd.
Soon, the band identified the key issue:
They couldn't announce the performance location and time in advance, or they'd be surrounded.
Previously, the band's street performances were so unnoticed that they were saddened; now, their street performances are too lively and crowded, which turns out to be a problem too.
The key is that the band's primary goal in doing a street tour across Europe was promotion. They couldn't keep the performance location a secret like a flash mob surprise; it wouldn't work.
So, Anson came up with an idea—
Guerrilla performances.
Upon arriving in each city, the band would announce the street performance time in advance but not the location. The latest location would only be refreshed on the website ten minutes before the performance began.
Additionally, the band's street performance would only last one hour.
After an hour, regardless of the crowd size, the band would leave.
If the website activity didn't attract much attention and the audience was sparse, the band wouldn't mind. They'd still give their best performance, just like their previous street tour.
If the website activity exploded in popularity and the live audience was overwhelming, the band would enjoy the show just the same and perform with the audience.
Bit by bit, the August 31st band's street performances became a surprise event—
Regardless of whether people lived in the city or even in the time zone, or if they had time to go to the scene to watch the performance, thousands of netizens eagerly waited on the band's tour website to refresh the location and see where the band was performing.
Once the performance started, someone would immediately post photos on the forum or write about their experience, impatiently sharing their experiences.
Then, it evolved into a collective carnival, a grand event for netizens.
Not just music lovers or Anson's fans, more and more onlookers joined in, like watching a live event.
The situation deviated from the track, gradually evolving from a simple street performance to a special event celebrated by a small group of netizens.
Intentionally or unintentionally, the August 31st band's street tour in Europe was becoming one of the global internet's hottest events of 2003, generating countless traffic—
In 2003, the concept of the "cloud" hadn't been born yet. Cloud watching, cloud travel, and cloud concerts didn't exist at all, so media experts and communication scholars were shocked and puzzled, not knowing how to perceive or respond to this event.
"Flash mob surprise event" could at least be traced, with some rules and experiences to sum up, which other marketing teams could copy and paste; but what's happening now goes far beyond the times, overturning concepts and perceptions, sparking widespread discussions.
A key question: Is this a one-time event, or can it be replicated?
However.
There is no answer, at least not at this stage.
The netizens were just joining in the fun, not realizing they were making history, but communication scholars and news experts turned to Anson:
Similar news events occurred repeatedly around Anson. Unless Anson was the chosen one, it couldn't be a coincidence.
Once? Twice? This has already happened three, four, or five times, and each time it breaks expectations and norms, already surpassing common understanding.
So, what's the reason?