-
Paid Promotions Behind Top Rankings – Chike Says
Nigerian singer Chike Ezekpeazu Osebuka, popularly known as Chike, recently voiced concerns about manipulation in Apple Music Nigeria’s top charts, claiming that the Top 10 and Top 20 positions are often influenced by paid promotions.
In a candid conversation on the show Curiosity Made Me Ask, hosted by content creator Bae U Barbie, Chike shared insights into how artists can allegedly pay to enhance their chart rankings.
Chike highlighted, “Your Top 10 and Top 20 on Apple Music is rigged… Not always, but most of the time,” acknowledging that some entries are still genuine.
Explaining the trend, Chike noted the competitive pressure in the music industry, where artists and their teams aim for visibility and leverage promotional budgets to boost chart positions. According to him, “If I want to be in the top 10 on Apple Music, I could tell my team, ‘Let’s spend $30,000,’ and we’d get there. But it’s not authentic.”
Chike added that while some artists earn their positions organically, the influence of financial power means that many top spots are occupied by those with larger budgets, stating, “Not everyone is paying, but in many cases, this is the reality. Competing with those who have more resources can be challenging.”