Music star Iggy Azalea has hit out at YouTube as her new song, Sip It, was not being recommended to viewers or used on the trending tab despite her clearing it with them.
As soon as a new song or music video hits YouTube, the views skyrocket as fans flock to hear the new track.
Fans of K-Pop group BTS have been known for breaking records – and even breaking YouTube itself – when a new song comes out.
However, on the flip side, Australian singer Iggy Azalea has had a few issues as YouTube has apparently not been being featuring or recommending her new song, Sip It, despite her getting the music video cleared by the platform.
Iggy Azalea is well known for her unique music videos.
Iggy’s new song hit YouTube on April 2 with a unique music video that jumps into a deep psychedelic hole with twerking and scantily clad dancers being the name of the game.
While it was storming up the charts on other platforms, it apparently wasn’t being recommended to anyone on YouTube due to “the content of the video” which the Aussie says she had cleared with YouTube.
“I’ve waited 48 hours and still can’t get a real answer from anyone at YouTube about why they have far more controversial videos in their trending list as week speak,” she tweeted, noting that streaming music is a big thing for her given she’s an independent musician.
“I sent my video into their staff a week prior and they told me it was perfect, no issues. I don’t really feel like it’s fair, and I really wish someone at YouTube would resolve it.”
I’m really disappointed because I’m indie and I depend on things like that for streaming. I sent my video in to their staff a week prior and they told me it was perfect, no issues.
I don’t really feel like it’s fair, and I really wish someone at @youtube would resolve it. 2/2— IGGY AZALEA (@IGGYAZALEA) April 3, 2021
As fans rallied around her, Iggy continued calling out YouTube as “unfair” given similar videos had gotten featured before.
She noted that while trending is based on what new song is doing well with organic numbers, there is still a selection process at play. “They added in videos with far less traffic & when I asked why they told me they have to “review the content in the video because it may be too controversial for trending” the Aussie posted.
It’s def picked based on what’s got organic numbers spiking.
But it is still manually selected.
They added in videos with far less traffic & when I asked why they told me they have to “review the content in the video because it may be too controversial for trending” 🥲 https://t.co/2csztK6JQq— IGGY AZALEA (@IGGYAZALEA) April 3, 2021
The song has, as of writing, hit over 3 million views on YouTube and has appeared on the trending page for music. However, it is below older songs that haven’t come close to the same number of views.
It remains to be seen if things go any further and if YouTube will respond in some form.