The Music Industry’s Hidden Game: A Tale of Manipulation and Deception

In the vast landscape of the music industry, where talent and artistry often clash with commerce and manipulation, there was a time when the façade of fairness was at least attempted.

The early 90s bore witness to a plethora of scandals, with record labels engaging in dubious practices to secure radio play and chart success.

Bribery, while not new, became a common term in the lexicon of music business practices, encapsulated by the term “payola.”

It was a time when the underbelly of the industry was shrouded in secrecy, but as the years rolled on, the curtain would be pulled back, revealing a world where the rules were bent and broken in plain sight.

 

 

In those formative years, record labels would lavish radio stations with cash, extravagant gifts, and all manner of incentives to ensure their artists received the airtime they desperately needed.

This practice grew so rampant that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) eventually intervened, leading to one of the largest settlements the industry had seen at the time.

However, the scars of these practices lingered, and while the blatant bribery may have been curtailed, the spirit of manipulation remained alive and well.

Fast forward to the early 2000s, when a new scheme emerged that would ensnare countless unsuspecting fans— the ringtone scam.

Young kids, desperate to customize their phones, signed up for what they believed to be a one-time download, only to find themselves locked into expensive weekly subscriptions that were nearly impossible to escape.

By the time many realized the trap they had fallen into, they had racked up hundreds of dollars in charges.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) would once again step in, launching investigations and ultimately suing the companies responsible, resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars in fines and refunds.

Yet, as the dust settled from these scandals, a shift began to occur within the industry.

The tricks and manipulation that once lurked in the shadows had become brazenly apparent, as artists and labels began to flaunt their methods without shame.

The music industry was evolving, but not necessarily for the better.

 

 

Taylor Swift: The New Era of Manipulation

No artist personified this shift better than Taylor Swift.

In 2014, the release of U2’s album Songs of Innocence became a turning point in how music was distributed and consumed.

The album was delivered as a free digital download to over 500 million iTunes users, a move that left many scratching their heads in disbelief.

Swift’s rise to fame was marked by her ability to connect with fans on a personal level, but as she transitioned into a pop powerhouse, the tactics employed to maintain her status began to draw scrutiny.

Just a year earlier, Jay-Z had tested the limits of the industry with his album Magna Carta Holy Grail.

In a groundbreaking move, he partnered with Samsung to sell one million digital copies before the album even dropped, distributing them for free to Samsung Galaxy users.

While this maneuver allowed Jay-Z to claim a million sales on paper, it raised questions about the integrity of the charts, as these sales were bundled with devices and could not be returned or refunded.

By 2025, Taylor Swift released her album The Life of a Showgirl, shattering records with over 4 million copies sold in its first week.

This achievement eclipsed the likes of The Beatles and Michael Jackson’s Bad, but the methods behind these numbers were far from traditional.

Swift released more than 33 versions of the album—18 CDs, eight vinyls, and seven downloadable variants.

Each edition counted as a separate sale, allowing devoted fans to inflate the numbers through sheer collection.

Yet, despite the staggering sales figures, the album was met with criticism.

Critics and longtime fans questioned the artistic direction Swift had taken, and the very tactics that propelled her to the top began to tarnish her image.

It became clear that the music industry was no longer about the quality of the art; it had transformed into a game of exploitation, where record-breaking numbers were achieved through strategic manipulation rather than genuine artistry.

 

 

Justin Bieber’s Desperate Measures

As if to highlight the absurdity of the situation, Justin Bieber entered the fray with his single “Yummy” in 2020.

Wrapped in pastel tones and fluffy visuals, he encouraged fans to stream the song on repeat, even providing instructions on how to use VPNs to inflate his US streams.

Detailed guides on looping the track while sleeping and buying multiple copies of the same song flooded social media.

This was not savvy marketing; it was a calculated attempt to manipulate the charts in plain sight.

The desperation behind these tactics became painfully evident when Bieber’s song peaked at number two on the charts, unable to dethrone Roddy Ricch’s “The Box,” which had climbed organically.

Such blatant attempts to game the system raised eyebrows, but the reality was that the rules allowed it, and the music business was increasingly becoming a battleground for those willing to push the limits.

 

 

Travis Scott and the Bundling Controversy

The trend of manipulation reached new heights with Travis Scott, who became notorious for his bundling tactics.

When his album Astroworld released, it was celebrated for its artistry and impact.

However, it was later revealed that a significant portion of its sales came from bundled merchandise, raising questions about the authenticity of the numbers.

In a similar vein, when his project Jack Boys 2 dropped, it was reported that a staggering 188,000 of its 252,000 first-week sales were generated through merchandise bundles.

Critics, including renowned rap journalist Elliot Wilson, voiced their concerns about the ethics of such practices.

“This guy cheats the system every time with his direct-to-consumer antics,” Wilson remarked, highlighting the growing discontent with the normalization of manipulative tactics.

 

 

The Rise of AI and Its Implications

As if the situation weren’t complicated enough, the rise of artificial intelligence in music began to further muddy the waters.

With technology advancing at an unprecedented pace, the music industry faced a new dilemma: how to maintain the integrity of artistry in an age where AI could replicate sounds, create beats, and even generate lyrics.

One of the most controversial examples was FN Mecca, an AI-generated rapper whose imagery tapped into harmful stereotypes surrounding hip-hop culture.

The project was quickly abandoned after public backlash, but it signaled a shift in how music could be created and consumed.

As the industry grappled with these changes, artists like Zania Monae emerged, signing multi-million dollar deals while raising eyebrows about the authenticity of such creations.

Critics like Young Guru voiced their concerns about the implications of AI on artistry, emphasizing the need to protect the rights of human creators in an increasingly automated landscape.

The emergence of AI artists and the manipulation of charts through bundling and streaming tactics raised pressing questions about the future of music.

Where did one draw the line between savvy marketing and outright deception? As artists pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable, the charts began to reflect not just talent, but the willingness to exploit loopholes.

Amidst this chaos, the story of Michael Jackson loomed large.

His journey from a child star in the Jackson 5 to the King of Pop was marked by both triumph and turmoil.

Michael had faced his own battles with the industry, navigating the delicate balance between family loyalty and personal ambition.

In interviews, he often reflected on the sacrifices he made to pursue his dreams, acknowledging the tensions that arose within the family.

“It was one of the hardest things I ever did,” he admitted, recalling the moment he announced his desire to go solo.

“Not the music part, the family part. Telling my brothers I wanted to do something without them felt like betrayal.”

Michael’s story served as a cautionary tale for the next generation of artists.

The music industry was a landscape fraught with challenges, where the pursuit of success could lead to alienation and conflict.

 

 

As the music industry continued to evolve, the question remained: how would artists navigate this new reality? The rise of AI, the normalization of manipulative tactics, and the ongoing struggle for authenticity painted a complex picture of the future.

In the end, the story of manipulation and deception in the music industry serves as a reminder of the importance of integrity and artistry.

As artists strive to carve out their own paths, they must also grapple with the consequences of their choices, understanding that the pursuit of success should never come at the expense of their values.

The music industry may be changing, but the heart of artistry remains the same.

It is a journey of self-discovery, of connecting with audiences, and of creating something meaningful.

As long as there are artists willing to fight for their vision, the spirit of music will endure, even in the face of manipulation and deceit.

And so, as the curtain falls on this chapter of the music industry, one thing is clear: the game may have changed, but the passion and creativity that drive artists to create will always shine through, illuminating the path forward in an ever-evolving landscape.