HITSDD shades Billboard

[Wixson 5,004]

On today's HITS Top 50, Lorde's Solar Power (Republic) will debut with a total that is (intentionally) larger than what it’s expected to open with on the Billboard 200. This is because Lorde is offering a disc-free box set containing a download card for a digital copy of the album. Under a long-standing Billboard rule, however, box sets must contain a physical copy of the album. As such, the Bible is refusing to even count redemptions from this set for its chart.

When evaluating a special package, Billboard often considers consumer intent when deciding whether to include that package in a release's total chart activity. What could be more "intentional" than walking into a Target, purchasing the box set and then going home and downloading the corresponding content? The Solar Power box set contains the aforementioned download card, a 32-page booklet, poster, and limited edition four-card set. This is nothing out of the ordinary for a deluxe version, and Billboard has counted many similar packages before. The only difference is that those packages contained a physical CD.

Another reason Billboard may disallow a configuration is the likelihood of chart manipulation. It’s unclear, though, how the sales of this box set could be used to juke Solar Power's chart total. It certainly wouldn't come anywhere close to the working of the Hot 100 week after week by artist stans. Does Billboard look the other way when such shenanigans up their clicks?

The music industry and its customers are part of an overwhelmingly digital world. There is simply no reason why download cards in box sets shouldn't be counted—or redemptions thereof, at the very least. Holding steadfastly to archaic rules governing a format that makes up less than 5% of the current market is a formula for irrelevancy. Billboard should take note. 

 

[Jill 30,340]

I don't get what's Billboard incentive to turn a blind eye to BTS-levels of chart manipulation vs. not allowing digital copies to be distributed alongside box sets. I imagine that despite it being obviously inflated, BTS's sales are still sales? But that doesn't explain why they don't count digital copies. I don't get it. It's money, but how are they earning more this way?

[RAMROD 109,898]

Yeah, BB is not that relevant to me after they allow the blatant fraudTS to happen but they had to delay a chart by 2 days when Dua supposed to have her rightful #1

[weed 74,278]

BB is trash wbk! Come through HITS

[Chlorine 47,976]

DRAG HA.

[dollardays 3,943]

Drag ha 

Scalp ha 

What's she called

Everybody hates ha

Billboard 

[Hyperobject 66,771]

Get her, Jade.gif 

[COOOK 76,406]

CLOCKED 

[RichAssPiss 4,947]

It's totally weird for then to count digital downloads as a sale but not the redemption of a download card. What's the point? 

[Teletubby 150,697]

9 minutes ago, RichAssPiss said:

It's totally weird for then to count digital downloads as a sale but not the redemption of a download card. What's the point? 

if they would count download cards then we would have Sc++ter Braun fraud soon I think

 

  

57 minutes ago, Jill said:

But that doesn't explain why they don't count digital copies.

She is not selling  digital copies, she is selling boxes without CDs, with code to download album attached. These boxes are products, like t-shirts, posters or other merch and Billboard banned digital downloads with merch.

[littlepotter 75,147]

Billfroad decimated

[alsemanche 93,958]

They dragged them 

[Jill 30,340]

13 minutes ago, Teletubby said:

She is not selling  digital copies, she is selling boxes without CDs, with code to download album attached. These boxes are products, like t-shirts, posters or other merch and Billboard banned digital downloads with merch.

You might as well just execute me in plain sight. Didn't your parents teach you some respect?