Now it is the tendon of war in the recording world, since streaming has taken precedence over physical sales: the number of reproductions has become the symbol of success or failure. Tempting, for artists, to increase their numbers by resorting to the purchase of plays. Especially in a music landscape where rap and its culture of success have become ubiquitous.
“It’s the same trap as doping in cycling,” compares Sophian Fanen, a journalist for LesJours.fr and author of ‘Boulevard du stream’ (Le Castor astral). “When someone starts playing it, everyone is doomed to play it because you don’t want to pedal less than the other when you’re just as good. We want everyone to have the same weapons.”
Increase listening… and budgets
Beyond the marketing pitch, the stakes are high for artists’ careers. Inflating your own numbers is not just about image and showing off, as music lawyer Boris Khalvadjian says:
“The number is important because it includes things in the contract that we might not have gotten without them. It potentially helps increase budgets and royalty rates.”
Therefore, having good flow figures opens doors. According to those who have been researching the topic for years, even cheating the system would be very easy: “The easiest way is to pay bills, buy accounts with a credit card, and monetize the flows from these accounts. Run them all day and all night.” in a smart enough way to avoid being found out.”
According to the platforms, cheats represent 7% of the plays. I’m not sure that this will influence the sales ranking that much, but many players in the sector ask for more transparency. Sacem filed two complaints for complicity in fraud.
Source: BFM TV
