Independent rapper LaRussell reportedly sold around 30,000 albums directly to fans, an impressive milestone for any independent artist. But when those numbers were submitted to Billboard, the sales reportedly didn’t qualify for the charts due to how the project was marketed.

In this episode, I talk about what this situation reveals about how music charts actually work, including the role of chart tracking by Luminate and the rules around incentivized album sales.

I also share a personal experience as a songwriter on the record “My Love” for R&B artist Shaliek Rivers during his time with Pendulum Records. Despite minimal promotion and internal industry friction, the song still managed to chart—largely because of the relationships behind the scenes.

From independent fan support to radio-driven chart placements, this episode explores the gap between industry recognition and real audience connection.

If fans are willing to show up and support the music, maybe that’s the metric that matters most.

30K Streelights Playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1OFpaCqSxJn6jEzW1I8qIN?si=f80df32e6c814af2

Yore on Smith Street is a weekly culture and commentary podcast hosted by Smith Street. Blending current events, pop culture, and storytelling, each episode connects today’s headlines to the deeper narratives behind them — because every moment has a backstory.

https://www.smithstreetsounds.com/