Earlier this week, as noted several social media users, the iTunes singles chart seemed particularly spicy. At one point, the top five songs on the platform were as follows:
Current iTunes USA Top 5 Charts pic.twitter.com/aylJnyoEfb
— FAITH BRITNEY SPEARS (@michaelkgh987) January 30, 2024
Because the iTunes charts are updated daily, the order has continued to change, but as of this writing, each of these songs has remained in the top six, save for Spears' 2011 deep cut, which has fallen. to the number 16. In the words of TikTok userholdensmith962, “This is probably the messiest top five in iTunes history.” More on the web of intersecting dramas, lawsuits and politics that connect these songs shortly, but first, compare iTunes' top hits to Spotify's top hits as of January 30:
Spotify Top 100: US on January 30, 2024
You don't need a keen eye to notice the differences: Spotify doesn't have Ben Shapiro or Tom MacDonald rapping about so-called “FACTS,” or Britney Spears, or Justin Timberlake (which, some might argue, is deserved), and a much smaller result for Nicki Minaj. Megan Thee Stallion stands out as the only consistency, with songs that have been in the top 10 for weeks or even months (“Stick Season”, “I Remember Everything”, “Lovin On Me”, “Never Lose Me”, etc.). ) occupy most of the remaining spaces.
So what is the reason for the discrepancy? Is there some grand conspiracy that exerts power over the iTunes charts? Well, actually, more or less. While there's no singular, secret conspiracy conspiring to force you to listen to “wet with the P-word” rap, the current landscape of music consumption has left iTunes a platform open to manipulation. Relatively small organized efforts can lead to the most purchased songs drifting away from what is actually receiving the most attention.
thanks to our partners at consequence.net
