“The charts aren’t real” — Chike Opens Up About Apple Music Nigeria

Nigerian artist Chike Ezekpeazu Osebuka, popularly known as Chike, recently revealed that the Apple Music Nigeria top songs chart is often manipulated.

He claimed that the Top 10 and Top 20 lists on Apple Music Nigeria are regularly influenced by paid promotions, which allow artists to boost their positions. During an interview on the show Curiosity Made Me Ask, hosted by Bae U Barbie, Chike explained that artists can pay to increase their streaming numbers and, in turn, improve their chart rankings.

“Your Top 10 and Top 20 on Apple Music Nigeria is rigged… Not all the time to be fair, but most times,” Chike stated, clarifying that some exceptions do exist.

Chike went on to mention that in the competitive music industry, artists and their teams often spend money on chart placements to gain visibility.

He explained, “Right now, if I want to be top 10 on Apple Music, I can tell my guys, ‘okay, please spend $30,000,’ and we will go to top 10. But then it’s not real.”

He highlighted that, while some rankings are earned through hard work, many top spots are bought, often benefiting artists with larger promotional budgets.

Chike added, “And don’t get me wrong, not everybody. But most times that’s actually what’s going on. So I’m not going to be spending to compete against sometimes even people that have more money than me.”