Doing Numbers

About

Doing Numbers is a slang expression that is used to indicate that a certain something is objectively performing well with a measurable result, such as a video gaining a lot of views, a song gaining a lot of listens or a person gaining a lot of money. In terms of social media, the expression is used to highlight that a social media post has gone viral and is rapidly gaining likes and shares, but is also used sarcastically. In the late 2010s, the slang expression gained significant recognition online, becoming a subject of parodies and memes.

Origin

The first uses of the expression "doing numbers" in reference to music albums performing well in terms of sales dates back to the late 2000s. One of the earliest examples of the expression being used in media is the 2009 song "50 Bricks," released by American rapper OJ da Juiceman in 2009 (shown below).^[1]

50 bricks in the night dawg, I'm doin numbers
Bale and a half cuz, I'm doin numbers
Scale goin HAM dawg, I'm doin numbers
Ice around my neck cause I'm doin numbers

On March 6th, 2011, Urban Dictionary^[2] user maroontiger added the definition for the expression "do numbers" to the site, defining it as "when something sells alot of units or a respectable amount of units. Mostly used on forums to predict, celebrate or ridicule the performance of an album that just hit the market."

The popularity of the expression is reflected in a number of songs titled "Doing Numbers," including the 2013 track by J Money and the 2014 track by DUBBX (shown below, left). On April 17th, 2015, Young Thug released the song "Numbers" as a part of his Barter 6 mixtape,^[3] with the song significantly contributing towards the growing popularity of the expression in 2015.

I'ma tell 'em one time, ain't going farther
I'm doing numbers

Starting in 2014, a number of tweets^[4][5][6] about albums and singles selling and/or streaming that used the expression were made (examples shown below, left and center). On May 1st, 2015, Twitter^[7] user @btheuerkauf13 posted the first known tweet that used the expression to refer to a social media post gaining likes, with their tweet garnering 20 retweets and over 70 likes (shown below, right).

Spread

Prior to early 2020, the phrase saw occasional use online, with the practice of users following their viral tweet with another tweet starting with "this is doing numbers," often also including self-promotion, gaining spread. On November 10th, 2015, Twitter^[8] user @SartoricallyInc posted a joke about a tweet "doing numbers," with their post gaining 22 retweets and over 100 likes in six years (shown below, left). On May 25th, 2017, Twitter^[9] user @NathanZed made the first viral post that ridiculed the practice, with the tweet gaining over 2,100 retweets and 10,400 likes in four years (shown below, right).

Prior to October 13th, 2020,^[10] an unknown user created a reaction image based on a version of Wow, This Is Literally Me meme in which an unkempt man in glasses reacted to their tweet gaining two retweets and three likes by thinking to himself that his post "is doing numbers" (shown below, left). In the following months, the image received viral spread online,^[11][12] with users posting it both under their viral tweets and, ironically, under common tweets (examples shown below, center and right).

The reaction image was later re-edited to be used on Reddit and iFunny, with redrawn versions also being made.

Related Memes

OMG a Hit Tweet

OMG a Hit Tweet refers to a series of reaction images of people and characters striking a fancy post, usually hands on hips, captioned with the phrase in rainbow-colored lettering. The reaction images have been used on Twitter as a reaction to one's own viral tweets, often ironically.

Template

Various Examples

Search Interest

External References