When word spread that Jay-Z and Samsung signed a promotional deal to give away 1 million copies of his new album, Magna Carta Holy Grail, Billboard was forced to decide if it would count those on its Billboard 200 album chart. The magazine made the decision to not count them, saying that no one was actually buying the album in the transaction.
Earlier this week, Samsung and Jay-Z officially signed a deal to create an app for Galaxy users. A million users with the app will get a free copy of Magna Carta Holy Grail on July 4, three days before the general release on July 7. Samsung said that it purchased all 1 million copies and if Billboard agreed with that, the album would earn Platinum status before it was even released.
However, Billboard didn’t agree, notes The Associated Press. In a letter, editor Bill Werde explained that phone owners were actually buying an app, which was free, so in reality, no one was buying anything. The album and app were all available for free. According to Billboard rules, a new release must be sold for at least $3.49 for a week to appear on charts.
Werde praised Jay-Z for pushing the envelope for the music industry, but explained, “The passionate and articulate argument by Jay's team that something was for sale and Samsung bought it also doesn't mesh with precedent.” He added, “in the context of this promotion, nothing is actually for sale.”
Magna Carta Holy Grail is still expected to do well during its first week. Analysts predict that it will sell between 400,000 and 450,000 in its first week, which is in line with Jay’s previous albums. Without a doubt, it will be his 13th No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart.
image: Samsung/YouTube