There are a shocking 16 titles from Kanye West’s new “Bully” album on the new Billboard Top 100.
How is that even possible?
In the rest of the music industry, “Bully” tracks are barely making a dent.
For example: On iTunes, there are two Kanye titles.
On the Apple Streaming Music chart: just 5, all in the lower half of the chart.
There also only five “BUlly” tracks on the daily US Spotify top 100.
And yet, there are SIXTEEN on the Billboard Top 100.
Of course Billboard is co–owned by Todd Boehly’s Eldridge Industries.
It’s probably just a coincidence that Eldridge is the primary investor in Gamma Records, the label for Kanye West’s “Bully.”
Valued two months ago at $420 million, Gamma Records’ continued existence is dependent on “Bully” being a hit. Gamma president Larry Jackson already gambled on Mariah Carey’s new album, “Here For it All,” and lost big time. It sold only 70,000 copies.
He did the same with Sexxy Red, featuring Bruno Mars. That single, “Fat Juicy & Wet,” was a bust, opening in 2025 with just 5,200 copies sold.
Usher’s album, “Coming Home,” sold only 70,000 copies since its 2024 release.
So the success of “Bully” is essential. That total, through its second release week, is about 210,000.
Sixteen tracks on the Billboard Hot 100?
You’re asking, Can the Billboard Top 100 be manipulated? The answer: it’s actually in their DNA. My late friend Seymour Stein, long before he created the wildly successful Sire Records, worked at the Billboard chart. He used to regale me with stories how songs got placement and “bullets,” why records went up and down the chart.
And of course, if you own the magazine, it would be so much easier.
Hey — if you owned the creative company and the trade magazine for that company’s industry, wouldn’t you do the same thing? It’s called making lemonade out of lemons, especially if you own the lemon trees.
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