Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber’s single “Stuck With U” debuted at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 – and rapper 6ix9ine is calling foul.
The song, which dropped on May 8, is No. 1 on the chart dated May 23 and published Tuesday. U.S. streaming, radio airplay and sales are used by Nielsen Music/MRC Data to compile the weekly chart.
6ix9ine’s post-prison release “Gooba” is at No. 3 (behind Doja Cat’s “Say So” ft. Nicki Minaj), bumping The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” to No. 4 and Drake’s “Toosie Slide” to the sixth spot.
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On Instagram, 6ix9ine alleged “you can buy Number Ones on Billboard” and showed a significant spike in sales of “Stuck With U” that he said was the result of purchases made using “six credit cards.” The rapper also accused Billboard of cheating. “You’re a lie and corrupt,” he alleged.
Bieber countered in an Instagram Story: “60,000 units came because we don’t disclose our numbers until end of week. That’s called strategy. He said 30k was bought with 6 credit cards but that is a lie. The rules are clear one credit card can buy max 4 copies. Anything over that the entire amount gets thrown out.”
Bieber said “Stuck With U” is No. 1 because “our fans are amazing” and told 6ix9ine not to “discredit our fans base with false info.”
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Grande also responded to the accusations in a lengthy Instagram post. “my fans bought the song. JUSTIN’S fans bought the song. OUR fans bought this song (never more than four copies each, AS THE RULES STATE),” she wrote.
“to anybody that is displeased with their placement on the chart this week or who is spending their time racking their brain thinking of as many ways as they can to discredit hardworking women (and only the women for some reason.....), i ask u to take a moment to humble yourself. be grateful you’re even here. that people want to listen to u at all. it’s a blessed position to be in.”
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In its defence, Billboard explained: “Stuck With U” was available to purchase through the week as a digital download, as well as in various physical format/digital download combinations through Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber’s webstores. The sales spike is likely referring to sales on Thursday, May 14—the final day of the tracking week—when signed “Stuck With U” singles were put up for sale in Grande and Bieber’s webstores … 6ix9ine, meanwhile, released a non-signed CD single/digital download on the last day of the tracking week via his webstore.”
According to Nielsen Music/MRC Data, “Stuck With U” sold 108,000 in the week ended May 14 while “Gooba” sold 24,000.