Sam Smith - Gloria

[DirtyPornStar]

I finally (forced) myself to listen to this song… and I’m confused at people having issue with Sam being sexy when the song isn’t even about them having an affair with a daddy? It’s so completely unprovocative and vague. Like if you’re gonna go for a “so bad it’s good” slut anthem, I would have maybe appreciated it more if they actually went the full mile.

Kim, just put out a whole EP called Slut Pop, and the best she can do is… name shoe brands.

 

[popzone]

My eyebrow definitely raised a bitsy when I heard that this is apparently one of the top ten global Spotify debuts of all time? Hmm.

 

[Lately]

My eyebrow definitely raised a bitsy when I heard that this is apparently one of the top ten global Spotify debuts of all time? Hmm.

As bad as we think it is, tiktok ate it up. It's basically the same strategy Olivia Rodrigo had for Driver's Licence. If streams were easily manipulated huge artists would have no flops in their career.

 

[popzone]

As bad as we think it is, tiktok ate it up. It's basically the same strategy Olivia Rodrigo had for Driver's Licence. If streams were easily manipulated huge artists would have no flops in their career.

I see the TikTok aspect, and while I don’t think streams are manipulated, per se, I do wonder how a Sam Smith and Kim Petras collaboration shot to number one on every top playlist…organically. Not trying to be a conspiracist, because I truly know nothing about how that all works, but it doesn’t seem like either artist truly has the pull for that.

 

[Tracy Jacks]

This is like… not sourced, but is probably not far off if streams hold and radio picks up?

 

[mindtrappa]

I’m not surprised, but both of them have better songs than this that deserved way more success, so I’m just like

 

[Jones322]

Good for them I guess!

 

[spaceship]

Nothing about the song’s commercial performance is making sense to me.

 

[Jones322]

How’s it doing on radio? How much of the streams can be explained to Tiktok buzz and good playlisting?

 

[Sanctuary]

2.4M streams in the US..... mama what the fuck ddddd.

 

[-Jay-]

It was certainly in the best interests of streaming platforms to give Unholy an immediate push, given that it had already proven itself to an extraordinary degree. It’s omnipresent on TikTok. This level of exposure/traction is what labels dream of!

One of Sam’s videos using the sound has 6.4m likes & 40.7m views. There’s numerous other TikToks with millions of views as well, and overall it’s been used in approaching 350,000 videos. It becoming an instant #1 with big numbers was pretty much an inevitability.

Obviously whether or not we feel this song deserves the success is another matter entirely. I don’t love it or hate it, though I do find it to be ludicrously catchy. I feel like I understand why it caught people’s imaginations on TikTok.

People are of course entitled to think the song is awful & that it sounds unsexy or whatever. However some of these opinions spilling over into veiled criticism about Sam in terms of sex appeal and their worth in that respect, to release a song like this... that was unnecessary. Sam has every right to be feeling themself, as we all ideally should! I love to see their confidence (which they have in abundance on TikTok).

 

[Mr Blonde]

The mummy and daddy line is so corny. It’s a very sanitized “sex” song so no wonder the straights and no kink at pride queers are eating it up.

The constant anchor imagery and calling their fans "sailors" is most likely album related but at this current moment, with no context, it just comes off baffling to me

Isn’t it just because they have an anchor tattoo? Nn

 

[selectual]

Literally how is it doing so well?

 

[nooniebao]

Literally how is it doing so well?

It was mega viral on TikTok prior to release.

 

[sexercise]

I knew this had TikTok hype but not THAT much.

Kim getting a top 5 hit after the year she’s had… Dark sided.

 

[drewsky]

I knew this had TikTok hype but not THAT much.

Kim getting a top 5 hit after the year she’s had… Dark sided.

It'll be her one and only entry in the top 10, probably ever. I doubt this propels her into success.

 

[aboutyounow]

At least she will be right at home in the Top 10 with that other rapist supporter.

This song is so….blah. I’ll admit, my curiosity was piqued from the clip but yeah, this goes absolutely nowhere. The verses are so Radio Disney compared to the chorus, which with the choir and vocal layering presents something more dark and sinister.

 

[mindtrappa]

Something about the choir actually repulses me from the song. Like it makes everything clash even more than if it were just Sam.

 

[verth]

My eyebrow definitely raised a bitsy when I heard that this is apparently one of the top ten global Spotify debuts of all time? Hmm.

I just forced myself to listen to the song because of that and the other news I read on twitter and… i hated it so much. What is going on?

 

[Tracy Jacks]

Isn’t it just because they have an anchor tattoo? Nn

Apparently, Sam’s called their fans little sailors since the debut era after an unreleased song of theirs?! I only noticed it in their mailing list emails from the Love Goes era.

The nickname “little sailors” comes from a song by the same name that Sam Smith wrote when they moved to London, about the difficulty they faced in trying to break into the music business. Some lyrics include: “Hold on little sailor. It will be alright. I know you’ll be braver, best behavior tonight. We got so close to the fame and the lights. Watching the stars tonight. Little sailor, let’s sail tonight.”