(AllHipHop News) Tekashi 6ix9ine has spent the last several days spewing all kinds of conspiracy theories to explain why his new song “Gooba” failed to reach #1 on Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart. He even took direct aim at Ariana Grande, whose “Stuck With U” charity duet with Justin Bieber debuted in the top spot.
The #Hot100 top 10 (chart dated May 23, 2020) pic.twitter.com/BoTzLgUgmW
— billboard charts (@billboardcharts) May 18, 2020
Both Grande and Bieber pushed back against 6ix9ine’s accusations on Instagram. Billboard has now responded to Tekashi as well. In an attempt to present transparency about chart rules and calculations, the publication posted an article addressing the controversy.
For example, Billboard pointed out that the 180 million visible YouTube plays for “Gooba” are the music video’s global total, but only the 55.3 million U.S.-based plays counted toward the Hot 100. In an IG video, Tekashi referenced a “Hot 100 forecast” projecting “Gooba” would open at #1. Billboard made it clear it does not distribute any Hot 100 ranking projections to labels, management, or artists.
As far as the “24-hour sales spike” for “Stuck With U,” Billboard suggests that jump was likely from signed singles being made available in Grande and Bieber’s web stores on the last day of tracking. Apparently, 6ix9ine released a non-signed CD single/digital download on the last day of the tracking week via his own web store.
One of 6ix9ine’s most serious allegations was claiming a large bulk sum of “Stuck With U” were purchased by “six credit cards.” Bieber later called the credit card accusation a “lie.” He also stated on his Instagram Story, “60,000 units came at the end because we don’t disclose our numbers until the end of the week. That’s called strategy.”
This week's most-streamed songs:
1. @6ix9ine Gooba
2. @theestallion ft. @Beyonce Savage
3. @DaBabyDaBaby ft. @RoddyRicch Rockstar
4. @ArianaGrande & @justinbieber Stuck With U
5. @DojaCat ft. @NICKIMINAJ Say So— billboard charts (@billboardcharts) May 19, 2020
This week's top-selling songs:
1. @ArianaGrande & @justinbieber Stuck With U
2. @DojaCat ft. @NICKIMINAJ Say So
3. @6ix9ine Gooba
4. @theestallion Savage
5. @theweeknd Blinding Lights— billboard charts (@billboardcharts) May 19, 2020
In response to the alleged credit card manipulation, Billboard wrote:
Billboard and Nielsen Music/MRC Data conducts audits on all sales reported with access to purchase-level detail, and works with data partners to recognize excessive bulk purchases and remove those units from the final sales total. All titles this week, as in every week, were put under the same scrutiny. (Billboard has reached out to Fame House/Bravado, retailer and reporter of director-to-consumer sales, for further comment about the sales data provided for “Stuck With U.”)
Overall, Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber’s “Stuck With U” drew 28.1 million U.S. streams, 26.3 million in radio airplay audience, and 108,000 units sold in the tracking week. 6ix9ine’s “Gooba” pulled in 55.3 million U.S. streams, 172,000 in radio airplay audience, and 24,000 units sold. The song landed at #3 on the Hot 100 behind “Stuck With U” (#1) and Doja Cat’s “Say So” featuring Nicki Minaj (#2).