ARMY are upset with Billboard and have been trending the hashtag #BillboardApologizeToBTS, why is it happening?
Today, Billboard surprised fans by dropping an exclusive BTS cover story and photoshoot. Fans were very pleased with the photos but problems began to show as they read the interview article.
Fans found a couple of issues with the article, let’s go over each one.
Chart manipulation
This has become a trending topic to discuss as of late as some journalists have questioned BTS’s success on the charts, the boys were directly asked about this and their fans’ involvement in the process of helping them get to NO. 1. Billboard says, “Through above-board means, ARMY has long exploited loopholes in music chart rules (including those of Billboard) to propel BTS singles’ performance.”
RM answered that with,
It’s a fair question. But if there is a conversation inside Billboard about what being No. 1 should represent, then it’s up to them to change the rules and make streaming weigh more on the ranking. Slamming us or our fans for getting to No. 1 with physical sales and downloads, I don’t know if that’s right … It just feels like we’re easy targets because we’re a boy band, a K-pop act, and we have this high fan loyalty.
Fans have an issue with the way the article brought up chart manipulation instead of focusing on BTS’s achievements.
Military service and replacing BTS
Billboard also brought up the controversial topic of Military service and connecting it with the profits that HYBE will lose as a result, they wrote,
“[Military enlistment is] bad news for HYBE. BTS is the dominant engine behind the company’s income, bringing in about 85% of its 796.3 billion won ($680 million) in total 2020 revenue.
Though HYBE has begun diversifying its portfolio of talent — signing new K-pop acts and, starting next year, partnering with Universal Music Group (UMG) on a U.S.-based boy band talent show — it remains unclear whether anything could replace BTS on the company’s balance sheet.”
Tweets by antis?
The article also included quotes from fans of singers such as Olivia Rodrigo and Dua Lipa, fans believe those quotes discredit BTS’s achievements.
Due to these reasons, ARMY have been trending the hashtag #BillboardApologizeToBTS, many are discouraging fans from buying the magazine and clicking on the article.
Billboard has not responded to the backlash as of yet.
What do you think of this?
