Samsung's 1m download deal for Jay-Z's new album, in a free deal for Galaxy owners, will not be counted in the Billboard chart.
The Billboard music chart has refused to include Samsung's
purchase of one million Jay-Z album downloads for smartphone customers, it has
been confirmed.
Billboard said it will not include the platinum-ranking downloads sold by
hip hop star Jay-Z to the South Korean tech giant.
Samsung's Galaxy mobile phone users had been given the chance to get a free
copy of the album, provided they had downloaded an app.
The Samsung tie-up with Jay-Z, who was born Shawn Carter, had been announced
days earlier.
His new album, Magna Carta Holy Grail, will be released on July 7, but it
will also go out to one million Samsung users on July 4.
In a letter posted on Billboard's website, editorial director Bill Werde
said it would not count the downloads because Samsung ultimately isn't selling
the album on its phones.
Mr Werde added that it was not easy turning down Jay-Z's request to include
the downloads on the Billboard chart.
Mr Werde said in his statement: "The passionate and articulate argument
by Jay's team that something was for sale and Samsung bought it ... doesn't
mesh with precedent."
According to the Wall Street Journal, Samsung paid Jay-Z $5m (£3.2m) for the
one million copies for the giveaway.
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