Entertainment
Billboard Makes Major Changes To Merch & Ticket Bundle Rules
Over the past few months, if not year, it has been quite evident how merch and ticket bundles have influenced the success of an album on the charts. Kenny Chesney’s move to outsell Drake earlier this year with ticket bundles drew concerns, especially since he cancelled the concert shortly after due to the pandemic.
Billboard issued an announcement on their website revealing that they will “eliminate the practice of counting albums bundled with merchandise and concert tickets on its album and song charts altogether.” This rule will be enforced in the fall. Merch and concert ticket sales that include albums will no longer be included on the charts unless it’s an add-on option.
Along with their rule on concert and merch bundles, they’re also enforcing a new rule for physical albums and single sales that are included with digital downloads. Only when a physical copy is shipped, will it actually be counted towards the chart.
Billboard pointed out the recent scandal surrounding 6ix9ine’s “GOOBA” where he called out Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber for using bundles to nab the top spot on the Hot 100. They pointed out that all three artists have used this method to boost their sales.
“Billboard is implementing these changes to address widespread concerns that an accurate measure of consumer intent — which has been the basis of the Billboard charts since their inception — is being undermined by increasingly-common bundling practices. The new guidelines will better ensure that Billboard chart rankings more accurately reflect the conscious purchasing decisions of consumers and level the playing field for all artists,” it reads on their website.
They did say that they will still measure the sales of merch, though it will be reflected on charts like the Artist 100.
Celebrity
Lil Durk Co Defendants OTF Dede and David Lindsey Seek Acquittal and New Trial
OTF Dede and David Lindsey are fighting their recent stalking convictions as the legal process in Lil Durk’s case continues to play out.
Lil Durk was facing five charges, two of them murder-for-hire related and three of them stalking related, while the two co-defendants were convicted on three counts of stalking in the same case. Durk was just cleared of all charges in that case a couple of weeks ago, but Dede and Lindsey didn’t get the same result.
The latest legal twist adds another chapter to a case that has remained tightly connected to Lil Durk’s ongoing legal troubles. Durk was acquitted in the initial murder-for-hire case, but his larger legal battle is far from over.
Read More: Meek Mill steps back from his ongoing feud with DJ Akademiks
For Dede and Lindsey, the immediate issue is their stalking convictions and whether the court will grant either of the new requests filed. The couple’s pleas carry long prison sentences, and the pending motions are especially important for their attorneys.
The court has not ruled on the Rule 29 and Rule 33 motions, leaving the next phase of litigation uncertain.
Lil Durk, meanwhile, is set to appear in court on November 4 for a bond hearing. His trial in the VICAR case was scheduled for the next few weeks, but it is likely to be delayed.
Separate legal proceedings are now moving forward in the cases of Durk, Dede, and Lindsey, who remain active. Dede and Lindsey’s latest filings ensure that the group’s legal saga continues even after Durk’s acquittal in the original case.
Celebrity
Meek Mill steps back from his ongoing feud with DJ Akademiks,
Meek Mill and DJ Akademiks’ ongoing social media beef has taken another turn, with Meek seemingly getting the last word.
The two have been feuding for around a decade, and their tensions have become closely tied to the fallout from Meek’s beef with Drake. Following Akademiks taking Drake’s side in the public feud, Meek clearly didn’t want to be featured on Akademiks’ page. Since then, they have exchanged occasional messages and renewed disagreements.
The latest chapter heated up around the Lil Durk trial. Meek Mill called out Akademiks for his coverage and commentary on the case, saying he had become a bad influence on the culture.
Read More: Lil Durk Turns to Malcolm X as Bond Hearing Looms
Akademiks fired back hard, and the beef snowballed into a back and forth of threats between the two. At one point, Meek asked for Akademiks’ address, while Akademiks showed off an arsenal of machine guns and rifles. The confrontation had been really serious before apparently cooling off in recent days.
The message is the latest chapter in a long-running feud that has flared up several times over the past decade. This latest back-and-forth could be Meek’s attempt to close the door on the feud, but given the history between the two, tensions can flare up fast.
So far, it looks like Meek is putting a line under his part of the conversation. Only time will tell whether Akademiks responds.
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