Nicki Minaj blamed Spotify for her album not reaching No. 1, but the streaming giant dismissed her claims

nicki minaj

Nicki Minaj blamed Spotify in a series of tweets on Sunday for making her album, "Queen," come up short of topping the Billboard 200 album chart last week.
A Spotify representative on Monday countered Minaj's claims that the streaming service had penalized her album's promotion on its platform.
Minaj also called out Travis Scott, whose album "Astroworld" beat out "Queen" to top the chart, for selling a tour bundle that she said skewed the sales numbers in his favor.

In a series of tweets on Sunday, Nicki Minaj alternately blamed Spotify and Travis Scott (and Kylie Jenner) for making her new album, "Queen," come up short of topping the Billboard 200 album chart last week.

Minaj's "Queen" debuted at No. 2 on the chart after earning 185,000 equivalent album units, losing out to Scott's "Astroworld," which brought in 205,000 equivalent album units and topped the Billboard chart for a second consecutive week.

A Spotify representative on Monday countered Minaj's claims that the streaming service had penalized her album's promotion on its platform.

"Spotify supported Nicki Minaj with a Times Square billboard, a host of the largest playlists, New Music Friday and the new music release shelf," the Spotify rep told Variety. "Her song 'Bed' actually saw an increase based on the promotions put behind the campaign. The company continues to be big fans of Nicki."

On Sunday, Minaj wrote in a series of tweets that Spotify "took away [her] promotion" for "Queen" after she played the album prior to its release on her Apple Music radio show, "Queen Radio."

Spotify put drake’s face on every playlist but told me they’d have to teach me a lesson for playing my music 10 mins early on #QueenRadio. Even tho they’ve been giving away my music for free for years & I am one of the top Spotify artists of all time.
— QUEEN (@NICKIMINAJ) August 19, 2018

Spotify had to teach me a lesson but rewarded the man who has had an Apple radio show the longest; inadvertently helping the Apple platform the most. Oh I can’t wait for #QueenRadio on Tuesday. They took away my promotion they had promised for the 1st cpl days b/c of this. #Queen
— QUEEN (@NICKIMINAJ) August 19, 2018

My music went up on Apple so I played it. I assumed it was on Spotify & Tidal at the same time. Spotify said that Apple tweeted fans advising #Queen was up & therefore they had to teach me a lesson. But PRAISE BE TO GOD!!!!!!
— QUEEN (@NICKIMINAJ) August 19, 2018

Minaj also blamed Scott and his girlfriend, Kylie Jenner, for promoting a tour bundle that she said sold over 50,000 copies of "Astroworld" without a requirement for fans to redeem the album.

I put my blood sweat & tears in writing a dope album only for Travis Scott to have Kylie Jenner post a tour pass telling ppl to come see her & Stormi. lol. Im actually laughing. #Queen broke the record of being number 1 in 86 countries. Thank Jesus & thank you to my fans.
— QUEEN (@NICKIMINAJ) August 19, 2018

Travis sold over 50K of these. With no requirement of redeeming the album! With no dates for a tour, etc. I spoke to him. He knows he doesn’t have the #1 album this week. I love my fans for the #1 album in AMERICA! I’ll explain on #QueenRadio 4 albums in, #1 in 86 countries ♥️ pic.twitter.com/CiYEuczgm3
— QUEEN (@NICKIMINAJ) August 19, 2018

Scott and Jenner have not yet responded to Minaj's tweets.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: How a black cop infiltrated the KKK — the true story behind Spike Lee's 'BlacKkKlansman'