Everybody complains about artists manipulating the charts but nobody actually have proposed a solid solution to it. Sales, radio (for h100), streaming, all these aspects can be manipulated, with the streaming being the most difficult to manipulate at the moment (since streaming platforms have been filtering fake streams recently, though it's not perfect yet). So how can charts publishers prevent or at least minimize these chart manipulation?

This thread is not an attempt to attack any artist btw, and I hope to hear serious responses instead of troll-y ones.

The solution is to listen to music that is too old or too good to chart so then you don't have to give a ****.

No variants.

Only allow 1 regular+1 deluxe edition.

Physicals must be counted for the week they're ordered vs. the week they're shipped.

I mean, streaming, radio, and physicals are all important. I am really disappointed that YouTube doesn't count for the Hot 100 anymore. I also despise the new recurrent rules. I used to be all about the charts but the changes make it so half the songs that should be charting are recurrent. BOOOO

I think the industry has been exposed to point of no return

And is not only Billboard, Spotify is owned by the gorup of labels that put whatever number they like on their artists

Its like owning a competition and putting whatever artist you want at the top

Mainstream music is death, most independent artists have realized this and no one is playing the game to reach superstardom anymore, because they know those labels can put whatever Gracie Abrams they want at the top

Streaming only 1 version only

Get rid of the charts

Get rid of Taylor Swift and BTS

No one has proposed a solid solution because simply there isn't one. Chart manipulation has existed for decades in multiple forms and will continue to exist. Whatever they do people will never be happy.

Just listen to what you like and stop obsessing over charts. I like following them as well occasionally but some of y'all act like it's your full time job and make money out of insert artist hitting #1 on Hot 100 or having x amount of streams.

The charts create incredible drama here.

Drama here causes incredible pleasure and entertainment for me.

Things are fine as is, keep the meltdowns coming : )

9 minutes ago, Graffiti said:

Get rid of the charts

12 minutes ago, Mezik said:

No variants.

Only allow 1 regular+1 deluxe edition.

Physicals must be counted for the week they're ordered vs. the week they're shipped.

This is how it was up through 2020, the problem was that artists were offering things (signed physicals, exclusive photos, etc.) for the first week tracking, and then not fulfilling the order after the tracking week and points were compiled for the charts. BB changed this to stop fraud. Now it's set when the item is delivered to the shipping logistics provider to prove it was actually fulfilled.

remove radio airplay from the chart formula or give it significantly less weight. radio is too easy to influence through label relationships and promotional budgets. instead, charts should give more weight to streaming and (limited) physical sales and force streaming users to ID-verify their accounts to defy bot farms.

but that's not the world I wanna live in

Edited June 15Jun 15 by katysuxx

19 minutes ago, Trent W said:

I think the industry has been exposed to point of no return

And is not only Billboard, Spotify is owned by the gorup of labels that put whatever number they like on their artists

Its like owning a competition and putting whatever artist you want at the top

Mainstream music is death, most independent artists have realized this and no one is playing the game to reach superstardom anymore, because they know those labels can put whatever Gracie Abrams they want at the top

It might be time to take off the tinfoil hat.

bring that youtube counts back

2 minutes ago, katysuxx said:

remove radio airplay from the chart formula or give radio significantly less weight. radio is too easy to influence through label relationships and promotional budgets. instead, charts should give more weight to streaming and (limited) physical sales and force streaming users to ID-verify their accounts to defy bot farms.

but that's not the world I wanna live in

**** no am I giving my ID to a streaming service. Wow this is a privacy nightmare. What if that service gets hacked? Now your ID is one the dark web.

Just now, Tropez said:

**** no am I giving my ID to a streaming service. Wow this is a privacy nightmare. What if that service gets hacked? Now your ID is one the dark web.

exactly, thats what I'm thinking

not caring about charts

10 minutes ago, byzantium said:

It might be time to take off the tinfoil hat.

Sony, warner and universal have ownership over spotify

The platform is botted to death, and they control all the playlists

I know some of you like to think your pop stars have organic success but all of them are plants

Is actually common knowledge

I do think radio is rated too highly but that's the only thing I'd change. People buying your music is apart of the Charts so why get rid of that aspect? And I think streaming is weighted fine.

There will always be loopholes. Billboard also needs to play friendly with labels and artists because they rely on each other for relevance and business - they're not a government organisation. A bit of payola and fraudulence keeps artists and labels happy and keeps BB relevant.

Count variants individually: Opalite is one song, Opalite featuring Future is another song, Opalite recorded at the Shower is another song, and so on.

Remove radio from the formula.

Paid and unpaid streams count the same.

Force platforms like Apple Music and Tidal to officially release their numbers.

Stanning Kyra

There isn't one high level. People will always find a new way to play the game in their favor. Billboard just has to try to keep up where they can, but they themselves have their own agendas.

follow the charts but don't take them too seriously and exert too much stress/energy into their accuracy or how they play out. Have fun, but otherwise live laugh love react and go enjoy the music.