British singer/rapper ESTELLE has suffered a massive tout to the U.S. sales of her hit single AMERICAN BOY, after track record label executives removed her album SHINE from digital download servicing iTunes.
The move by the star's bosses at Warner Music Group was aimed at forcing fans into record stores to purchase a CD version of the album - released in the first place this year (08) - instead of individual songs.
But American Boy has nowadays slipped depressed the U.S. Billboard singles chart, falling from 11 to numeral 37 afterwards her LP was made unavailable on the iTunes website.
The Kanye West-featured track, which topped the charts in both the U.S. and U.K. when it was released, has also taken a blow on the Billboard download chart, plummeting from number half a dozen to 59 in a matter of days.
A Warner spokesman tells the Wall Street Journal the move was made as part of a broad range of strategies "uniquely tailored to each artist and their fanbase in an effort to optimise revenues and promote long-term artist development".
Estelle's congresswoman has in time to comment on the reports.
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