[KB - SuperM Gets Called Out By Western News Sites For Album Controversy]

[Whisky23]

SuperM has recently been under fire for their album selling controversy which resulted them in being the first K-Pop act to debut in the Number 1 spot on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Western news sites have been calling out the group’s bundling tactics that they used to gain the top spot.

.American site, The New York Times, called out SuperM in an article for being able to sell 164,000 albums with only 4.9 million streams.

The boy band’s “The 1st Mini Album ‘SuperM’” arrived with packaging variations and bundles, resulting in a strong debut sales week, but modest streaming numbers.
– The New York Times

RollingStone. meanwhile, reported on SuperM’s main competitor, Summer Walker, encouraging her fans to continue streaming her song “Over It” to no avail:

But in the end, the marketing strategy pursued by SuperM, which emphasized bundles and physical copies, swamped Walker’s stream count.
– The RollingStone

BuzzfeedNews even commented on the issue, saying that the album sales of SuperM were “almost unheard of” in a time where digital streaming remains king.

SuperM prepared over 60 merchandise/album bundles available for fans to purchase on their official website, including a variety of posters and collectible cards. They also had a ticket/album sale redemption for their arena tour and eight variations of the album itself.

Sources: KB, Rolling Stone, NYT, Buzzfeed

I'm personally not a fan of all this bundling business, all for the sake of chasing chart positions. But I thought this was common practice, and that even Taylor Swift did some of her own bundling. So is there a particular reason why SuperM is being called out for their bundling practice? If the charts are going to be an aggregate of physicals, downloads, and streams... i.e. "equivalent units", then does it matter how those units are being derived? At the end of they day, SME might get those chart positions, but they are also losing out on sales since they seem to be bundling those digital albums in for free / huge discount.

I know that people have started to call out the issue of bundling recently - it just seems odd that SuperM is getting the first brunt of it.

Edit: So, the controversy involved those 4.9M streams, and 168K "equivalent units". Of the total equivalent units, 164K are from album sales. That means those 4.9M streams only represent 4K equivalent units. I'm not sure what's "normal", but that does seem like rather unusual numbers.

Messy. I'm not sure if getting that top spot on BB200 but generating these kind of headlines is worth it.

 

[pinkpanda_spirit]

It's just albums... I don't see an issue here except fans losing all their money

 

[Icy]

billboard is apparently reviewing their rules and a ton of people are calling them frauds

 

[MVSica]

I dont really care about the billboard charts personally... but it is kind of something I find interesting to see "exposed" as we know how the kpop market in korea is a lot different than the US market.

 

[OutroTearTheFirst]

Billboard has said for a while that they would change rules about bundling. I can’t remember what sparked that issue tho. I think it was the DJ Khaled v. Travis Scott thing

Edit: actually it was Tyler, the Creator not Travis I think

 

[Icy]

Billboard has said for a while that they would change rules about bundling. I can’t remember what sparked that issue tho. I think it was the DJ Khaled v. Travis Scott thing

nvm

 

[fullofjoy]

They all just making noise because it's kpop

 

[abra]

Kinda goes for all kpop although I guess SM pulled out some extra stops this time because it's a debut in a foreign market

 

[Pandaa]

just army jelious of super spems global success

 

[Whisky23]

just army jelious of super spems global success

I don't think Rolling Stones, NYT, and Buzzfeed News are ARMY. Just American.

 

[Bellamy]

mmmm....

 

[tickleme]

was it the nicki vs travis scott stuff that triggered this? or dj khaled? all the big names do bundles tho. dj khaled sold albums with his endorsement energy drink i believe and billboard wouldn't count it and he got all mad too. i wonder who started it.

also summer is an amazing artist. album is full of bops, repeat on repeat on repeat.

 

[yooamygirls]

hmmm i have mixed feelings about this. i wonder what billboard will do about bundles in the future.

 

[Whisky23]

If you can view it, this NYT article on bundling sums up the major issues and players around bundling. BB claims that they intend to do something about it this year, but the year-end is fast approaching.

A Billboard No. 1 Is at Stake, So Here’s an Album With Your Taylor Swift Hoodie (Published 2019)

About half the 39 titles that topped the charts last year were sold as part of ticket or merchandise “bundles.” Now even some who benefited from the strategy are complaining.

www.nytimes.com

 

[anh]

eh, we'll see

 

[TWICE•MOMO]

Aren't BTS the only Kpop act currently charting on BB200 who didnt use bundles? This is an issue now but what about earlier this year when thousands of copies were being given out free with concert tickets or other merch deals.

 

[Joker]

In before whites calling Asians cheaters. Oh wait they already have.