THE BIBLE'S CHART BOTCH: SHITSHOW,
PART 3

Did Billboard go to print while the most recent chart controversy was ongoing? Has anyone checked? Inside sources at Nielsen say 6ix9ine took the top spot by less than 200 units, but we’re hearing the Bible went to print with Travis Scott at #1, despite having noted in an email exchange with interested parties that they’d be switching the winner to 6ix9ine. The Top 200 online still reflects the 12/1 chart, with Mumford & Sons at #1.

Clearly, advertisers came ahead of chart accuracy as the controversy raged on—in the midst of an editorial restructuring that puts Hannah Karp in charge of editorial. Karp, a former Wall Street Journal correspondent, certainly has some cred; we like her and wish her well. But she doesn’t know where a single body is buried. The fact remains that Billboard has structural problems that no amount of editorial reshuffling can resolve, mainly because they’ve eroded the credibility of their charts (which currently measure T-shirt and ticket sales above all else) and their editorial (those lists, that clickbait). The company leadership lost the plot so long ago that they’ll continue to be the laughingstock of the business. Not a great start for a new administration.