Lizzo’s shocking first week sales have us all wondering what happened?
Before we begin, I want to establish some ground rules. We do not hate Lizzo. In fact, we love her. She’s such a talented artist, from the mic to the flute. But, the music business is strange and ruthless.
Lizzo used to have the music industry in the palm of her hand. Today, she’s got one of the year’s biggest commercial disappointments. And now everybody is trying to explain why. What happened?
The numbers are rough. Really rough.
According to Luminate data, Lizzo’s new album, B####, sold just 2,649 units in its first week before falling to only 650 in its second week. Unbelievable. The project did not reach the Billboard 200. That’s a staggering decline for an otherwise ubiquitous artist whose last studio album, Special, debuted with roughly 69,000 equivalent units and reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200. That project was released on April 14, 2022, reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and to boot – Top 10 in 12 other countries.
So what happened?
The internet is trying to find an answer. I want to hear from you. Drop a comment.
Firstly, we know where Lizzo stands with this:
“…The industry changed so much in the last 3 yrs. streaming replaced radio & I was a radio darling. Not to mention the very obvious & public attack on my career changed things.”
The 2023 lawsuit filed by several of Lizzo’s former dancers. While Lizzo has consistently denied the allegations, and portions of the lawsuit have since been dismissed, the controversy unquestionably changed the public conversation surrounding her. Whether fair or unfair, controversy can reshape an artist’s image, particularly when authenticity is central to their brand.
There is the other side that she mentioned: The Business.
The music business has changed dramatically and rapidly too. Is the idea that streaming has completely overtaken the radio ecosystem legit? Clearly, that helped make her a household name, but is that fair as other pop artists have prospered in the DSP Era? During her rise, songs like “Truth Hurts,” “Good as Hell” and “About Damn Time” were radio and streaming juggernauts that reached audiences far beyond her core fan base.
Then there’s the new music itself.
That’s always subjective, but when albums fail to connect commercially, we inevitably ask whether the songs simply didn’t resonate. Several reviewers have argued that B#### lacks the unforgettable hooks that fueled Lizzo’s previous success. Also, none of the album’s singles managed to become significant chart hits before the album arrived.
Perhaps we changed?
Conservatives have suggested everything from changing cultural tastes to elaborate theories involving institutions secretly promoting certain artists. Did “The Machine” withdraw their support? There are buttons that can be pushed. There is no credible evidence supporting claims that government agencies or organized political interests artificially manufactured Lizzo’s popularity. Those remain opinions and speculation rather than established fact.
The bigger question may be whether audiences have simply moved on.
Pop music changes fast. Streaming rewards constant engagement, social media shortens attention spans, and even massive stars can lose momentum after several years away. Four years between albums is an eternity in today’s music business, especially when that gap is filled with controversy instead of hit records. And, at the end of the day, she may not have “owned” her following at all. People like Rihanna, Beyonce, Kanye West and more have cult-like followings that do not waver.
Still, writing Lizzo off completely would be premature.
She’s a blockbuster hitmaker, she’s an accomplished performer, and talented as anybody in the industry. We have seen other artists rebound after disappointing releases. The challenge now isn’t convincing people she can sing or perform. It’s giving listeners a reason to care again or perhaps get to know her better. This is a defining moment for her.
If B#### represents the end of one chapter, the next one may depend less on controversy and more on rediscovering Lizzo. And that seems to be within as much as externally. Can she rediscover the music inside of her that made millions of people press play in the first place?
Answer in the comments.
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