After contesting the Billboard 200 result that placed Sabrina Carpenter's 'Short 'n Sweet' ahead of Scott's 'Days Before Rodeo' mixtape, his rep insists, 'This was never about Travis versus Sabrina.'
- Sep 7, 2024
AceShowbiz - Travis Scott (II) team has clarified their intention with the letter sent to Billboard. After contesting the Billboard 200 result that placed Sabrina Carpenter's "Short 'n Sweet" ahead of Scott's "Days Before Rodeo" mixtape, his rep rells Rolling Stone, "This was never about Travis versus Sabrina."
"It's about the integrity of the process and the questionable tactics used in U. S. charting," the rep insists, before adding, "This could happen to any artist."
In a letter to Luminate, the data company behind the Billboard charts, Cactus Jack Records and Scott's retailer claimed that nearly 1,300 units sold before the tracking cutoff were not counted towards the first week's sales. The letter alleges that this would have been enough to give Scott the Number One spot over Carpenter.
According to Cactus Jack, approximately 1,000 units of "Days Before Rodeo" sold as deluxe digital editions on August 29 at 11:20 P.M. were not reported due to a delay. The label initially did not raise concerns as they held a 11,000-copy lead over Carpenter on Saturday, August 31. However, Carpenter gained the lead on Sunday through independent retail sales.
The letter also accuses Luminate and Billboard of weighting Carpenter's indie record sales more heavily than regular album sales, a practice reportedly stopped in 2024 to ensure accuracy. Cactus Jack claims that these sales "comprised 1,291 actual units verified to have timestamps between 11:45-11:59 P.M.."
Furthermore, the letter alleges that a former employee of Island Records, Carpenter's label, is currently working at Luminate and may have influenced the decision. Cactus Jack claims this employee "had a legitimate and proven crossover with her signing to Island at the top of 2021 while he was still employed by the company."
A Billboard spokesperson has stated that the company "stand[s] behind our chart data and methodology." Luminate has also confirmed receiving the letter but maintains that their numbers are accurate.
The dispute highlights concerns about the fairness and transparency of Billboard's charting process. Cactus Jack has implored Luminate to reconsider their position on counting the disputed sales, while a Luminate spokesperson has expressed confidence in their methodology.
