The chipping away has finally worked. Adele’s “Hello” has been dethroned from its long run at number 1 on iTunes. It’s still number 1 in amazon, but on iTunes Justin Bieber’s “Love Yourself” has overtaken it. “Love Yourself” is written by Ed Sheeran, with input of some kind by Bieber It’s one of the few songs on Bieber’s “Purpose” album that isn’t ornamented by digital bird noises.
Adele needn’t worry. Her album is still number 1 and leading Bieber– number 2 on the album charts– by tens of thousands. Interestingly, Bieber’s sales numbers are hugely increased by streaming, while Adele is almost all physical sales. Bieber’s fans don’t need to own his music. They just like listening to it. Adele’s fans want the product in their possession.
