Lizzo used to be a press favorite, seemingly incapable of releasing a wrong note. That was before the weight-shaming and harassment accusations brought by her backup dancers surfaced, and before streaming overtook the way people listen to music.
Today, Lizzo’s fifth studio album Bitch has performed with disappointing sales, described by some as a quadruple aluminum moment, signaling that the public isn’t flocking to the former chart-topping artist. Rolling Stone conducted an in-depth look to uncover what shifted and why her latest release moved only 2,560 copies in its opening week, a stark contrast to Special, which debuted with 39,000 copies in 2022.
“I think the biggest reason is that she never had a core fanbase,” one former senior label executive told Rolling Stone. “She was a very song-driven, radio-hits-driven artist who lacked a core fanbase, and that’s what you need today for career longevity.”
Lizzo Credits the Industry Shift for Her Album’s Weak Sales
Even Lizzo herself tried to explain the disappointing results earlier this month when she tweeted: “The industry changed so much in the last 3 yrs. streaming replaced radio & I was a radio darling,” she wrote on X. “That’s how my fans discovered my music.”
Rolling Stone also noted that all three of Lizzo’s singles failed to crack the Hot 100. There was a time when Lizzo seemed unstoppable, racking up Grammys and hit records as if success were foreordained. She appeared to be blazing a flawless path; now her releases struggle to make an impact on the charts.
Some observers contend that her decline began in 2023, when the body-positive, wholesome image surrounding the singer was dealt a blow after her backup dancers filed a lawsuit alleging harassment and weight-based shaming created a hostile work environment.
In a CBS interview earlier this year, Lizzo downplayed the incident, insisting that the “truth is less salacious than the headlines,” according to TMZ.
Despite several attempts by Lizzo’s lawyers to have the suit dismissed, the case appears to be moving forward. A trial date has not yet been set.
You can read more reactions to Lizzo’s album’s notable flop below.
