A few days ago, fans were lauding the Weeknd’s claim of the number one spot on the Billboard over Gunna. However, the tide has turned. Today, headlines read, sales numbers for The Weeknd’s “Dawn FM” are under review.
The Weeknd vs. Gunna: Road To The Top
Both the Weeknd and Gunna dropped their new projects to the masses on Jan 7. Before the release, fans made projections of who would ascend to the top of the charts. The Weeknd’s projection outshined Gunna’s by an ample margin. However, the Weeknd and Gunna’s numbers were quite close upon the release and initial sales calculation. Only a 2,000 margin of sales underlined The Weeknd’s claim of the number one spot. But, despite the proximity of the margin, the numbers certified his title.
Suspicions Abound About The Weeknd’s Win On Billboard
The triumph did not come without a fair amount of surprise. The Weeknd had not released any physical copies of his material. Without physical copies, it would prove that fans bolstered him massively, purely with the procurement of digital content. The source claims that “Dawn FM’s” physical copies’ drop date isn’t even expected until the 28th of this month. So many people are scratching their heads. No doubting the clinch was incredible, undergirding the power of fandom to boost their favorite artist to the top even without physical copies in hand.
Did The Weeknd Claim The Number One Spot On Billboard?
If anyone remembers, a tweet was released on Jan 15 at 5 PM with “Dawn FM” in the top spot. Although many thought the artist held the number one spot, no one fully validated the numbers. Because of the holiday, Billboard postponed the verification of The Weeknd’s sales. However, some maintain the delay was not solely due to the holiday. A few hypothesized the reason for a delay could also be the sales data suspicions. Billboard affirmed this following issuing a statement reading,
“In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious and unverifiable is disqualified prior to the final calculation. This can cause delays in publishing.”
Presently, there are no reports of rational findings. No one knows what the specialists presume to be dubious about the data. However, some are leaning on how the Weeknd released and marketed “Dawn FM” as a consideration.
What Are The Suspicions?
Some fans are considering the unorthodox release tactics for “Dawn FM.” A source noted that no physical copies of the project were released in the first week, and there was no real promotional run before the album dropped.
Are physical copies and promotions essential to securing a massive amount of sales?
In the wake of the controversy, Gunna is turning up. While all eyes were trained on the Weeknd, Gunna sailed by clutching the number one spot for himself with DS4Ever The revised chart was tweeted yesterday by Billboard. So who can blame him for celebrating the climb? According to Billboard, they will post the new chart officially on their site tomorrow,
“The new, Jan 22 2022-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard’s website on Jan 19 – one day later than usual, owing to the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday on Jan 17 in the U.S.”
As for The Weeknd, we are standing by to see his response to the controversy. But, it can’t be easy sinking so quickly from number 1.
Congratulations to Gunna. And FM Hip Hop will keep you informed of any developments with this Weeknd controversy as or if it evolves.
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Written by Renae Richardson
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Do you want to know more on about the initial news surrounding The Weeknd’s placement on the Billboard 200 Charts? Then check out FM Hip Hop’s retrospective article.
