I'm no chart expert, but it seems pretty evident that the current formula combined with the changing industry makes #1-debuts a lot more common. Specially when looking at the gradual trend from the digital era when there were usually 1-2 per year up until now with 7 and counting. Also, most of these songs prove to be fairly mediocre hits compared to some of the #1 debuts from previous years - six of these seven spent one week at number-one and (more or less) dropped out of the top 10 fast.

 

List of #1 debuts

 

Not that I personally have any idea how, but should Billboard adjust their formula somehow?

No discredit to these artists btw, just a general question.

I actually prefer it this way than having the same song at number 1 for half a year

3 minutes ago, Illuminati said:

I actually prefer it this way than having the same song at number 1 for half a year

same

3 minutes ago, Illuminati said:

I actually prefer it this way than having the same song at number 1 for half a year

this + it's just that fans got the tactic and are using it in their favor 

They literally just did.

 

We have no idea to what extent, but pure sales now have less weight (at least temporarily).

Edited August 25, 20206 yr by bluebirdsforever

2 minutes ago, bluebirdsforever said:

They literally just did.

 

We have no idea to what extent, but pure sales now have less weight (at least temporarily).

Ah, thanks. I didn't know. Was it this year?

Removing the millions of bundles & merch was a good decision.

 

But artists that are actually selling music shouldn't be punished for that

It just shows they have demand 

Just now, Stallo said:

Ah, thanks. I didn't know. Was it this year?

No worries sis, it was only like three days ago No offical announcement or anything, and it’s probably gonna be a while until we know exactly what changed. But yeah, the timing is suspicious considering BTS just released.

They shouldn't count stans buying the same song 100 times just to manipulate the charts.

They should count everything lower in the first week 

36 minutes ago, bluebirdsforever said:

They literally just did.

 

We have no idea to what extent, but pure sales now have less weight (at least temporarily).

 

Really? How do you know?

7 minutes ago, bluebirdsforever said:

They literally just did.

 

We have no idea to what extent, but pure sales now have less weight (at least temporarily).

Not exactly true, but you're right in that a change was apparently made. What happed is they removed about a third of the sales that were confirmed through insiders/Nielsen leaks for Miley's new song, and no one knows exactly why. So it's not that they're weighing pure sales as less, just (seemingly) becoming more critical of the sales they actually count, likely to reduce the amount of stan influence we're seeing this year on the charts. But like you said, whether this will be a long term change or something they just implemented for now because arguably the biggest stan driven hit of the year came out this week (Dynamite) is unclear.

All off this because of bts ???

Well, maybe push physicals to be a bit more important in charting again

8 minutes ago, Pop Art said:

Not exactly true, but you're right in that a change was apparently made. What happed is they removed about a third of the sales that were confirmed through insiders/Nielsen leaks for Miley's new song, and no one knows exactly why. So it's not that they're weighing pure sales as less, just (seemingly) becoming more critical of the sales they actually count, likely to reduce the amount of stan influence we're seeing this year on the charts. But like you said, whether this will be a long term change or something they just implemented for now because arguably the biggest stan driven hit of the year came out this week (Dynamite) is unclear.

Thanks for the info! But yeah, there’s definitely been a change across the board considering it even impacted Taylor’s the lakes and Dua’s Levitating remix (both of which should have charted with the current formula but just didn’t). Considering those songs were sales-driven and all digital from iTunes and the like, something has shifted beyond just counting - just have no idea what. 

Yes, artists should not be able to scam their way to that number 1 spot 

16 minutes ago, bluebirdsforever said:

Thanks for the info! But yeah, there’s definitely been a change across the board considering it even impacted Taylor’s the lakes and Dua’s Levitating remix (both of which should have charted with the current formula but just didn’t). Considering those songs were sales-driven and all digital from iTunes and the like, something has shifted beyond just counting - just have no idea what. 

Huh...that is weird.  Maybe they did a combo of both what we're saying. That's one thing I really never liked about Billboard to be honest — that they can and often do these little changes in their formula/how they count things without telling anyone and we have to figure out exactly what they did after the fact. The lack of transparency is a bit unprofessional in my opinion.

1 hour ago, Pop Art said:

Not exactly true, but you're right in that a change was apparently made. What happed is they removed about a third of the sales that were confirmed through insiders/Nielsen leaks for Miley's new song, and no one knows exactly why. So it's not that they're weighing pure sales as less, just (seemingly) becoming more critical of the sales they actually count, likely to reduce the amount of stan influence we're seeing this year on the charts. But like you said, whether this will be a long term change or something they just implemented for now because arguably the biggest stan driven hit of the year came out this week (Dynamite) is unclear.

 

I hope this is true (maybe that's the reason why "Move Ya Hips" fraudulent sales didn't count unless that Barbz account was lying about doing 80k orders or whatever)

 

2020 has become a joke when it comes to chart manipulation   

all these conversations because BTS did what western artists did and have huge demand from their big fandom 

28 minutes ago, DreamGlow said:

all these conversations because BTS did what western artists did and have huge demand from their big fandom 

BTS is part of the conversation, but this has been discussed heavily since at least May, it's not just because people are pressed about BTS. (For the record, I personally hope they do go #1, love the song. ) In fact, whenever one of these questionable #1's hits the summit, there's conversation on here about it (for example, when Heartless by The Weeknd went #1 last year). We've just been seeing them oddly often this year, so that's why it's talked about more. It's not because of BTS, they're just a part of the bigger discussion.

53 minutes ago, DreamGlow said:

all these conversations because BTS did what western artists did and have huge demand from their big fandom 

 

Not really. Did you forget Stuck with U and TROLLZ were also dragged because of this? Even Billboard called them out

2 minutes ago, Green said:

 

Not really. Did you forget Stuck with U and TROLLZ were also dragged because of this? Even Billboard called them out

where did they call them out? 

33 minutes ago, trustdaprocess said:

where did they call them out? 

 

In addition, Billboard will no longer allow sales of physical albums or singles that are bundled with digital downloads to be reported as digital sales, thereby eliminating the practice of “spontaneous” non-manufactured items being used to influence first-week chart rankings. Under the new rules, only when the physical item -- ostensibly what the consumer is buying -- is shipped will it be counted in Billboard’s official tallies.

The practice of selling vinyl, CDs and other physical releases that won’t be manufactured and shipped to consumers for weeks or months -- while offering a digital download that can be redeemed instantly -- has become widespread as of late, with artists including Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande and 6ix9ine all recently using the tactic to boost their chart positions. The latest rule changes will render that tactic ineffectual.

 

 

https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/9417842/billboard-new-chart-rules-no-more-merch-ticket-bundles

1 hour ago, BRITNEY LICIOUS said:

All off this because of bts ???

 

45 minutes ago, DreamGlow said:

all these conversations because BTS did what western artists did and have huge demand from their big fandom 

I have thought about this for months. This thread has absolutely nothing to do with BTS, as mentioned above we already have 7 #1-debuts this year, a lot more than any other year  This is about chart rules in general, like I already wrote, not aimed at any particular artist or song. 

Labels will always find a way to cheat anyway