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IN REVIEW: this week, the u.s. billboard chart was called out after some sort of logistical mistake resulted in australian pop band 5 second of summer’s new release being ranked lower in its debut week than it should have been. https://twitter.com/5SOS/status/1244667175375257609?s=20
5sos fans trended hashtags for billboard to include the sales and others, started a petition, and urged people to email billboard. even the band’s lead singer mentioned billboard’s refusal to reconsider. https://twitter.com/Ashton5SOS/status/1247675355663446016?s=20
the news was picked up by multiple media outlets, and djs and other personalities also came out to voice their support for the group.
https://twitter.com/JJRyanOnAir/status/1247708848749711361?s=20 https://twitter.com/LAOnAir/status/1247332360284184576?s=20
https://twitter.com/JJRyanOnAir/status/1247708848749711361?s=20 https://twitter.com/LAOnAir/status/1247332360284184576?s=20
the hashtag was also picked up by other fandoms, including kpop stans who framed it as an objective issue where 5sos was wronged by matters outside of their control and thus should not be punished.
it’s a valid argument – the album was clearly scheduled to be released on its debut day and not earlier. but BTS fans were quick to point out parallels with their group’s comeback single “ON,” which came out in february of this year and debuted at no. 4 on billboard’s hot100.
with “ON,” billboard first tweeted that the official music video would not count for debut numbers since it premiered the friday after – which was incorrect because it was released on thursday in the u.s., likely a strategic move by bighit to boost first-week views.
after correcting the tweet, billboard’s numbers still did not seem to add up based on the numbers that are readily available from public platforms. fans asked for clarification and recounts to no response. https://twitter.com/cantorpedia/status/1234610021050261504?s=20
the only news outlet to report on the story was the korea herald, a seoul-based publication that seemed to summarize the incident clearly. https://twitter.com/hyunsuinseoul/status/1236901528318791681?s=20
fandoms that are perceived as majority young and female are often belittled and invalidated. it’s easier to dismiss stans than go up against institutional giants that pull a lot of strings in the industry. https://twitter.com/tybutdisagree/status/1195008051306254337?s=20
but 5sos is often referred to as a boy band. while this might be a misnomer depending on who you ask, even the band acknowledges that they have a boyband-esque fanbase. and yet, people outside of the fandom seemed much more willing to come to their defense.
both groups seem to have legitimate reasons to call billboard’s calculations into question. both groups are also bound by labels that have been painted in a negative light by mainstream media – kpop, boy band. but clearly, they’re not being given equal treatment.
it’s not surprising that the responses are so varied. radio djs have been combative about bts, especially lately as their refusal to play the highly popular korean group has drawn more and more frustration. western media coverage remains a sore spot. https://nowthisnews.com/pop/radio-why-wont-you-play-bts
some fans who claimed to be unaware of BTS’ previous issues with billboard were happy to broaden the scope of the hashtag, calling for the platform to fix all of their mistakes. this kind of solidarity is more effective but difficult to come by.
the 5sos issue shows that people are willing to speak out against problematic institutions, even ones with as much clout as billboard. but if you pick and choose who you fight for, it weakens your argument and reveals more about the offender than the offended party.
let us know your frustrations and scoops in regards to BTS' billboard struggle and radio struggle, as well as what you'd like to see us cover from here.
a thread by @cristinabridget
