Huayu: Starting from the top talent show

Chapter 565 He will be the next king of the era

On his way home, Shen Juan put on his Bluetooth headset.

I'm listening to music while checking unread messages.

"Shen Juanjun is really popular. I just saw on Weibo that there are so many pretty girls surrounding you."

Hearing the girl's voice coming through the earphones, Shen Juan immediately sensed the hint of jealousy that was spreading along with the signal.

I couldn't help but chuckle softly.

Then he replied in Japanese with a voice message: "Eh? You've already learned how to browse all-Chinese websites on your phone so quickly? You're amazing!"

"Am I awesome?"

"I think I'm better."

"Eh?"

"Because I know someone as amazing as you!"

Using a deliberately youthful and gentle voice, Shen Juan calmed Hamabe Minami, who had been coaxed into a state of utter agitation and was now rolling around on the bed, before opening other chat windows. Xiao Ye, Xiao Xiao, Wang Chuan, Xiao Hu, and others had all sent him messages. However, after chatting for only a short while, he received another WeChat message from Sister Tian.

She told Shen Juan to check Weibo.

Immediately, right now, right now!

Shen Juan was intrigued by her eagerness and didn't ask any more questions. He opened Weibo and soon saw Sister Tian's name.

She updated her status five minutes ago.

Tian Xiwei: [I, Tian Xiwei, am back!]

The accompanying photos are several selfies of her and her Shiba Inu, Bonmei.

Without a doubt, Sister Tian's ban period has ended.

Considering that she was banned from all platforms during this period, many scoundrels and those who dare not look her in the eye have emerged, taking the opportunity to stir up trouble on Weibo, Douban, and other platforms, either maliciously smearing her, instigating conflict, or spreading rumors, making the already terrible and decadent fan culture even worse.

Moreover, a group of fans of "Sister-in-Law 202" took advantage of her absence to promote their favorite sister-in-law across the internet.

Oh shit!

Swordman's fans are still Swordman himself!
Damn it! Isn't this just taking advantage of her because she can't speak out against her suffering? How can you take advantage of someone in such a vulnerable situation?
They have absolutely no martial ethics.

They've completely lost all sense of shame!
That's why she wanted to announce her return in a very high-profile manner, in an attempt to deter evil spirits and villains.

I will return like lightning!

She successfully fulfilled her promise.

Whether this deterrent will have any effect remains to be seen, but the fans and netizens who rushed over upon hearing the news have already gone wild, flooding the comment section to express their longing for the leaderless group or simply to join in the fun and make fun of Sister Tian. It was quite a lively scene.

The one-month period has arrived; let us respectfully welcome King Tian back to the throne!

[Sister Tian, ​​you're not dead? I thought you were permanently banned!]

[Your youth will be infinitely revived by my Last Field!]

[Sister Tian: Children, I'm back.]

[Sister Tian is back after winning the revival match, but where's Lao Da?]

【Mamba out!】

[Fun fact: Tian Jie's opponent in the revival round is Lao Da.]

【Seriously? Even this kind of delinquent girl can make a comeback? Then why is Hengheng still banned? I don't think Hengheng swore at anyone, right?】

[Don't be so harsh on her. Although Sister Tian isn't a good person, she at least taught me how to swear. Compared to Zhang Yixing, who calls himself the Confucius of the Chinese entertainment industry, I think Sister Tian deserves that title more. Her achievements in education are unparalleled by any talent show mentor. She enlightened the fandom.]

[It's just dogs fighting. Do you really think there's a good person among them? My suggestion is to permanently ban them both.]

Has the instigator once again vanished into thin air?

Shen Juan was a little flustered, not expecting to be mentioned again.

Tian Jie's fans are indeed a diverse group.

I feel that the vast majority of them are people who enjoy themselves.

Anyway, they're not quite the same as regular fan groups.

However, he did not intend to pay too much attention to this incident.

His attention was drawn to something far more important: Billboard's year-end review was released today.

As expected, Shen Juan's name topped the charts, and for the third consecutive year, he was the singer with the most songs on the charts.

Therefore, after the news from the Billboard website was reposted back to China, it immediately became a powerful tool for many self-media marketing accounts to generate traffic, attracting countless fans to spontaneously spread the word and participate in the discussion.

Nianjiao7: [Billboard releases 2020 year-end charts! Even though the "Tired God" is currently in China, his brilliance remains undiminished and continues to shine!]

This marketing account posted screenshots of all the annual chart rankings published on Billboard's official website.

First up is the annual artist rankings.

Shen Juan won first place without any doubt.

This is the first time someone has achieved this feat since Adele won Artist of the Year in both 2011 and 2012.

Then, the second to tenth places are Malone, Roddy Ricch, DaBaby, who have been suppressed by Shen Juan for two consecutive years, Duck, whose reputation has been ruined, The Bonsai, who has a super-popular order, Juice WRLD, Lil Baby, Taylor Swift and Pop Smoke, who have passed away.

It can be seen that it is basically dominated by rappers.

That's why the white-skinned village songs need to rise!

Morgan Warren: We can't let the dark side get too rampant!
Album Artist Annual Ranking.

Despite the unfavorable conditions, Sisyphus achieved phenomenal sales results and still maintained its first place. Second to fifth place were Malone, Taylor, Juice WRLD, and Duck.

Single Artist Annual Chart.

Shen Juan came in first place again.

Malone, Roddy Ricch, DaBaby, and Juice WRLD ranked second through fifth (Bottled Duck lost its hot spot).

Then, in the remaining sub-lists, such as the annual sales artist list, the annual streaming artist list, the annual digital artist list, and the annual social artist list, Shen Juan also undeniably won the top spot in all of them.

It can be said that apart from radio, which is really hard to compete with (Shen Juan's radio rating is also very impressive, but it can't achieve the same level of dominance as streaming media sales), Shen Juan is almost an invincible entity with no weaknesses.

This overwhelming dominance, from data to word-of-mouth, has made his reign on the North American music charts a resounding success. In the past two years, he has continuously broken records and refreshed history, with almost no rivals to compete with him, which once again proves his absolute appeal in the current pop market.

B200 Album Chart.

今年5月发行的AS3也是不出所料的拿下第一，去年4月发行的AS2则排在第10名。

It has an initial movement and a sustained momentum.

This shows that Shen Juan has both a huge fan base willing to spend money to support him, and a very broad base of casual listeners.

As for the annual singles chart, which receives the most attention from the outside world...
This blogger cropped the long image of the top 100 singles on the annual chart into many separate images, posting them in groups of ten.

1. STAY, Alex Shen & Justin Bieber
2.Leave The Door Open by Alex Shen
3. Blinding Lights by Alex Shen
4. The Box, Roddy Ricch
5. Don't Start Now, Dua Lipa
6. Rockstar, DaBaby Featuring Roddy Ricch
7. Life Is Good, Future Featuring Drake
8. Memories, Maroon 5
9. The Bones, Maren Morris
10. INDUSTRY BABY, Alex Shen & Lil Nas X
The top five account for three, and the top ten account for four.

I'm the champion, runner-up, and quarter-finalist every year!

In addition, there were songs in the 10-20 range: "Levitating" (AS2's song), "Go Crazy", "Ghost" (AS2's song), and "my ex's best friend", and songs in the 20-30 range: "Toosie Slide" and "HEARTBREAK ANNIVERSARY".

"Rain On Me" in the 30-40 range, "Good Days" and "Stuck with U" in the 40-50 range, "Mood" (AS2's song) in the 60-70 range, and "Anyone" and "Circles" (AS2's song) in the 70-80 range.

80-90区间的《Cruel Summer》（演唱会大电影效应重新回榜）和《Senorita》（AS2的歌）、《Adore You》（AS2的歌），以及排在90-100名区间的《Goodbyes》和《exile》。

In the same year, 21 of their singles entered the annual chart TOP100!

After dominating the North American music scene with an absolute advantage last year, Shen Juan once again demonstrated his unparalleled musical influence this year.

Especially during this special period when the physical record market was teetering on the brink of collapse due to the sudden impact of the pandemic, he was not only unaffected by the overall environment, but also directly reshaped the existing order of the North American music scene with his strong abilities.

To some extent, this action effectively saved the market. Therefore, the significance of this achievement far exceeds the list itself.

It not only made the outside world re-examine his creative talent, but also made his musical symbols deeply rooted in the core of the charts.

During this special period, he has become a core force that the music scene and even the entire pop culture circle cannot ignore.

So much so that years later, when people look back on this period, what comes to mind may not only be those difficult years, but also those melancholic songs intertwined with memories.

At the same time, the dominance of this chart, which is like a carpet bombing of mold to steal oil, is no longer simply about breaking records with data. Instead, it is a phenomenon-level spectacle of "universal auditory coverage" that has appeared again in the global pop music scene since MJ ushered in the "era of single explosions" in the 80s.

What's even more astonishing is that Shen Juan broke the record he himself set last year.

Just as MJ constantly refreshed his own definition of the ceiling of pop music with new achievements, Shen Juan is now setting a new benchmark for the new generation of pop music with his self-transcendence.

Many fans and netizens who were excited, shocked, and proud flocked to the comments section to express their opinions and views.

[Congratulations to STAY for becoming the first number one single of the 2020s, congratulations to Door Close for unfortunately finishing second, and congratulations to Blind Light for ranking third! Speaking of which, Blind Light is about to reach 100 weeks on the charts, plus a number one and a number one seasonal single, it seems no song has ever achieved this before. Is this going to become the number one single of the 21st century?]

When I saw Alex ranked number one on the Artist of the Year chart, Album of the Year chart, and Singles of the Year chart, I just shouted it out loud at the screen! Especially considering how tough the physical market has been this year, the fact that he could still achieve such overwhelming sales is truly terrifying! It's like he's turned Billboard into his personal showcase.

[Back then, Michael Jackson ushered in an era with "Thriller," ultimately crowning him King of Pop. Now, Alex Ferguson has defined the glory of our streaming era with 21 hit singles. What's most impressive is that he's breaking his own records. This kingly attitude of constantly surpassing himself truly embodies the legacy of legend!]

I used to hear elders talk about how crazy the MJ era was, but now, seeing Shen Juan's chart dominance, I finally understand that feeling of everyone around you listening to the same songs and going crazy for the same person. Alex is the king of music; perhaps he is the pop legend of our time.

[As someone who's been closely monitoring the data and charts all year, I can say with absolute certainty that Alex's dominance is all-encompassing! Drake's accusations against him are completely unfounded. Not only do his new songs easily reach number one, but even last year's older songs have seen a significant return to the charts thanks to the concert and movie effects. He has not only die-hard fans spending money to boost sales, but also a large casual audience providing streaming data. This kind of setup is practically a bug in today's music scene. You can't argue with that. This young singer from East Asia has truly taught all Americans a lesson; he's shown all singers how to survive in the streaming age.]

[It feels like the music scene has really been affected by the "loyalty" incident this year. So many songs I've never heard before, so many songs from 19 have made it onto the charts. Leviathan alone has seven songs on the charts, and even BTS managed to reach number 48. It feels like the overall quality of music has declined since the "loyalty" incident, to the point that fresh blood needs to be introduced to revitalize the music scene.]

If Taylor Swift hadn't latched onto Shen Juan's coattails this year, her streak of having a single on the year-end charts for over a decade would have ended.

[Sister Xingcai has been riding on Shen Juan's coattails this year, and it seems she's gotten four or five first-time champion singles. This is a concrete example of how choices determine destiny.]

I watched "Mr. Hua" again today, and I was still moved to tears. I'm still so proud of this man.

I think Sisy should sweep the Grammys, I think AS4 will be even better, and I think Alex will become the king of pop.

Billboard's official website commented: "In the uncertain year of 2020, Alex's music became a shot in the arm for listeners worldwide. His feat of having 21 singles on the year-end Hot 100 chart not only broke his own record but also made history for Billboard. His music spans pop, R&B, hip-hop, and many other genres, accurately capturing the spirit of the times. This ability to create a multitude of hit singles is reminiscent of Michael Jackson's peak in the 80s. Alex is setting a new benchmark for pop music in this new era with his undeniable talent and influence."

Rolling Stone published a lengthy article continuing to laud their chosen new king of pop: "[Without a doubt, 2020 belonged to Alex Shen. While the physical record market suffered a severe blow due to the pandemic, he defied the odds and reversed the decline thanks to his powerful fan base. His works were scattered like stars across the year-end charts, almost completely dominating the chart landscape. This was no accident, but the result of his exceptional songwriting talent and massive global fanbase. He is not just a pop singer who can sing and dance; he has become a bridge connecting listeners of different races, cultures, and ages, and his influence has long since transcended music itself.]"

Vairety: [Shen Juan's performance in 2019 and 2020 redefined the meaning of pop star. He no longer relies on the accidental success of a single hit, but has built a music empire that sustainably produces hit works. It's worth noting that his work has extremely strong staying power and freshness; many songs released last year still maintain strong popularity this year, which is especially rare in the fast-paced streaming era. It can be said that Shen Juan, through this achievement, has reshaped the order of the North American and even global pop music scene. If I were to find a new era's king of pop music in today's music scene? This is it!]

Many fans and media outlets were right.

Shen Juan has indeed been continuously cultivating his strengths and overcoming his weaknesses, and in doing so, he has gradually become the king of pop music in this era.

In fact, when the public lays out Shen Juan's impressive list of honors, each of his achievements is a dialogue with the legends of the era.

With over 100 million followers on Instagram, 70 million on Twitter, and the number one YouTube subscriber count among celebrities, MJ's global phenomenal fan base is a tribute to and continuation of the internet's digital age.

However, back then, MJ mainly crossed national borders and broke down racial barriers by releasing physical records and touring the world.

Nowadays, Shen Juan only needs to update a few social media posts to make his influence instantly transcend national borders.

His musical achievements further echoed the legendary career of MJ: 14 Billboard number one singles, surpassing MJ's record of 13 number one singles and making him the male artist with the most number one singles, and also making him the artist who achieved this metric the fastest since the founding of Billboard.

The staggering 1.1 million listeners of The Voice of China have given the ultimate definition to popular status in the streaming era.

Just as MJ's record sales dominated the entire 1980s, Shen Juan's voice has now broken through the barriers of streaming data, becoming a concrete manifestation of humanity's shared auditory choice.

22 hit singles with over 10 billion plays, each a bestseller that transcends language and culture.

Just as MJ's works were sung all over the world, Shen Juan's works have also become a shared auditory memory for listeners of different skin colors, races, cultural backgrounds, and even ages.

As for his global tours and achievements on the big screen, they are a tribute to and a breakthrough in MJ's status as the "King of Live Performance".

Tickets were also extremely difficult to obtain.

Both shows were sold out.

They were also received and thanked by high-ranking officials from various countries.

It continues to make history and break records.

This also excited fans to the point of fainting.

However, Shen Juan took advantage of the technological advancements brought about by the times, not only building upon MJ's achievements but also incorporating the tour design ideas of several top-tier singers. This successfully extended the infectiousness of live music and the emotional connection with the audience to a broader dimension, achieving a cross-generational upgrade.

Michael Jackson's self-directed and self-acted "Moonwalk" pioneered the music film genre. Now, Shen Juan's concert film allows fans who cannot attend in person to immerse themselves in the charm of pop music. The record-breaking box office results are essentially a collective desire of global audiences for high-quality live music.

Furthermore, the honor of topping the Forbes Global Celebrity List for two consecutive years is not simply a symbol of commercial success.

Just as Michael Jackson became the first artist in human history to truly define popular culture across multiple fields through his influence in music, fashion, and charity, Shen Juan's continued dominance on multiple charts and his expanding influence mean that he has long since transcended the categories of "singer" and "artist".

He is not only a trendsetter in the music industry, influencing the market landscape with each song release; he is also a muse in the fashion world, whose style can spark a global trend of imitation; and he is a creator of cultural symbols, where even a lyric or a melody can become a social code for contemporary young people.

Such achievements have built up a legacy that transcends ordinary phenomenal artists, becoming a tangible representation of a new generation of popular symbols.

Just like MJ's most classic and memorable moonwalk, white gloves became a cultural symbol of the 80s and 90s.

Shen Juan's music, style, speeches, and even fan culture are profoundly influencing the current global pop culture landscape.

You can hear the catchy melody of "STAY" in convenience stores on the streets of New York, see his huge, breathtakingly handsome advertisement in the Hang Lung Plaza in Shanghai, hear his melancholic "Always" in Parisian cafes, and hear his "Pretender," which was released two years ago but is still listened to with enthusiasm, in clothing stores in Tokyo shopping malls.

Even if you just stroll around the streets of London, Los Angeles, Munich, or other cities where he tours, you might bump into groups of fans wearing his tour T-shirts and friendship bracelets, enthusiastically discussing his new album, or passersby humming out-of-season tunes of late summer in the chilly winter.

This pervasive presence is reminiscent of the immense influence MJ had in those years, permeating every corner of the world.

However, in the streaming media era, Shen Juan used the terrifying power of the internet to make this "infiltration" even faster and more thorough, becoming the spiritual sustenance and opinion leader of Generation Z.

So when people around the world are speechless with awe at Shen Juan's achievements, and are so overwhelmed by his unparalleled dominance that they can't help but swear and exclaim incredulously, "fxxking crazy," this extreme emotional resonance is essentially witnessing a pop legend that will never be repeated since MJ.

That wasn't just a simple data frenzy.

Rather, it is the rekindling of musical faith in a difficult era, and the creation of a brand new pop icon.

It's close to midnight in East Asia.

It was nearing noon in North America.

Shen Juan updated his Weibo and Instagram without warning, reposting the global advertisement posted by LV's official Weibo account just one minute earlier.

When this video, which appears to be a brand collaboration advertisement but whose every frame and even every word proclaims "the new era's pop king is crowned," spread across the globe and went viral on major platforms, sparking heated discussions among the public, countless fans had tears in their eyes in front of their screens, moved to tears by their idols.

Perhaps it was the video's condensed portrayal of his growth from a newcomer to sweeping the charts and becoming number one that evoked memories of those who had stood by him all the way; perhaps it was Shen Juan's domineering monologue, "I am the trend," that accurately struck a chord with all the expectations and hopes people had for their idols to reach the top; or perhaps it was simply the overwhelming excitement of "standing tall in front of the whole world and shouting 'I am the king of the world'" that blurred their gaze as they looked at the screen.

"They compared me to Michael Jackson and called me the King of Pop of the new era. I know it's a compliment."

"But monarchy is a thing of the past, so I am not one."

"When I was young, I saw many stars appear and disappear, like shooting stars that streak across the sky and leave only a brief moment of brilliance."

"But my brilliance will not fade."

"Not everyone will step into the future."

"But I will."

"I will keep moving forward."

"Today, tomorrow, and the next hundred years."

"We are the hope of our time."

"We are forged by the future."

Shen Juan is not chasing after history.

Instead, they are writing history in their own way.

He wasn't trying to be a legend.

Instead, it is about standing shoulder to shoulder with legends and walking alongside the great.

Then, through various methods and means, do your best to become the next king of the era, admired by audiences worldwide.

(End of this chapter)