#billboard interview

And LTHQ reshared it to their stories 😉 That’s the second time they post Harry’s name to their story 😂

She did. I love that.

Reassembling a shattered mirror. Even if you can’t put the pieces back together perfectly, you can create something beautiful and whole in its own new way.”

My boys are going global!

Being interviewed by Billboard Brazil 🥹 wow!

Source: https://billboard.com.br/estrelas-de-bl-tailandes-firstkhao-avaliam-desafios-em-atuacao/

Credit on the photos

I am once again not surprised by the online behavior of I-Army when it comes to what is considered a so called negative perspective from journalists in regards to BTS, and the latest Billboard piece is a clear example of that. It seems that the main issue was the mention of Armys bulk buying and mass streaming, something that was not written as a shade, with no room to respond, as it was done transparently, by directly asking BTS and giving them a chance to respond to such allegations, which RM did:

“It’s a fair question,” says RM of allegations that ARMY’s work amounts to chart manipulation. “But if there is a conversation inside Billboard about what being No. 1 should represent, then it’s up to them to change the rules and make streaming weigh more on the ranking. Slamming us or our fans for getting to No.1 with physical sales and downloads, I don’t know if that’s right ... It just feels like we’re easy targets because we’re a boy band, a K-pop act, and we have this high fan loyalty.”

The interviewer mentioned a phenomenon that is prevalent in this band's fandom. And since Army has reached a global scale, their impact is much higher than those of other bands or solo artists. There is nothing wrong with trying to examine and understand the power, impact and involvement of a powerful fandom.

There are several problems with the online responses. No, BTS and consequently Army are not the only ones who are ''called out'' for such practices. This is not a vendetta towards a K-Pop band, as much as fans would like to spin it only in that way. And I guess people would know such things if they would only read other articles. With a simple google search, we can find several pieces, such as articles on the problems that come with streaming practices, as you can find here in a Rolling Stone piece and here in a Billboard article. Rolling Stone has also written about Payola and this Washington Post article on the Billboard Charts deserve an extensive reading, since it focuses on the questioning of Billboard charts as a barometer for success, mentioning practices in connection to Drake and Kanye West and what it means to give such a high importance to charts:

“If you’re looking at charts to understand music history, the best analogy is using statistics to understand sports history,” Klosterman said. “You’re looking at something that numerically seems simple but it’s completely impacted and changed by the era it comes from.”

Plus, he added, like all statistics, “charts can be used in any way you want them to be.”

“It does seem that as often as the charts are used to validate someone’s importance, they’re just as often used to show that temporary interest in any kind of art is ephemeral and kind of meaningless,” Klosterman said, pointing to Prince and Led Zeppelin as an example. One could easily point to Prince’s five No. 1 hits as proof of his pop dominance. Simultaneously, one could point to the fact that Led Zeppelin never had a No. 1 hit as proof that singles don’t matter, since they’ve become one of the most pervasive rock bands in American history.’’

Do people really think that when it comes to Western artists, they don't get negative reviews for their singles and albums? That everyone is held on a pedestal all the time? Or the fact that indie artists are ignored so many times? That the Western music industry is not held into question? Bigger bands throughout music history have gotten negative reviews written in Rolling Stone magazine, while their albums still sold, they packed stadiums and still had a loyal fanbase. Just as BTS. So if Army wants to go with this narrative, then they better do their research and not act like they know in depth how journalism works. A piece like the Billboard one was thoroughly researched, with multiple sources, something that the interviewer has done. He reached out to Hybe representatives, asked directly the BTS members and used twitter as a source, which is legitimate. That's the online space where Army and fans of other artists reside, especially since the issue in question happens on twitter. The posts are public which means they can be used as reference. This is not uncommon, since it's a more direct way to see what fans are thinking.

Another aspect that was considered problematic was bringing into discussion military enlistment. First of all, it's a reality and ignoring it won't make it disappear. Second of all, it makes sense that enlistment was mentioned in connection to the future of Hybe and their artists and its financial consequences. BTS brings money. The music industry it's not all about music artistry, but a business as well, and the focus of the article was very clear on that. Why this aspect is so important when it comes to BTS and the criticism was that it's not brought into attention with other K-Pop bands, is that BTS find themselves in a different situation, given their cultural/financial impact. If we hold BTS at a different standard, then it makes sense for such a discussion in an interview to take place.

Lastly, I would like to point out that one of the worst outcomes of this situation was to see the online reaction which, again, consisted of threats towards the interviewer, posts demanding people to not buy the magazine, which is ludicrous because I believe people should be allowed to think for themselves. This is where Army influence makes its presence and how powerful it can be in making other fans simply follow, without question, what others deem as a ''correct'' type of action.

“I still believe that albums are important.” - x

Literally Louis used Harry’s tattoos for his Walls Anniversary on Spotify that were made by a larrie💀 They have still been seen wearing the same clothes that are one of a kind mind you. As to the whole you thinking all of Walls is about heartbreak? Um no…have you listened to the album cause like…just no. We Made It, Perfect Now, Habit, Walls, literally every single song except Two of Us. Anyways hope you have a good day.

What other topics and sounds do you explore on the album?

There’s a little bit more emotional stuff. In general, I’m just wearing my heart on my sleeve, and being honest, reflecting on a breakup. As a lyricist, I always try to be as honest as possible.

- Louis Tomlinson to Billboard (24.10.2019)