Billboard Says No More Merch & Ticket Bundles To Chart!!

Billboard has ceased the sales of merchandise and ticket sales — a ploy used by artists to reach the top spot.

“The announcement comes in an effort to rectify how sales are counted with respect to album bundles with merchandise and concert tickets, as well as instant digital sales attached to purchases for physical albums delivered at a later date,” Billboard writes.

Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine and Nicki Minaj recently reached the top spot with their “TROLLZ” collaboration, thanks to a slew of merch packages.

“Beginning this fall, all albums bundled with either merchandise or concert tickets must be promoted as an add-on to those purchases in order to be counted on the charts,” the outlet continues.

“In addition, Billboard will no longer allow sales of physical albums or singles that are bundled with digital downloads to be reported as digital sales, thereby eliminating the practice of “spontaneous” non-manufactured items being used to influence first-week chart rankings. Under the new rules, only when the physical item” — it will know only count when it is shipped.