Jay-Z: 99 problems but a chart entry ain't one


The Glastonbury effect: Jay-Z's headline set leads to a spike in sales, but his Oasis cover helps Noel Gallagher too

Rosie Swash
Wednesday July 2, 2008
guardian.co.uk

Jay-Z has appeared in the mid-week UK single charts following his headline performance at last weekend's Glastonbury festival. His track 99 Problems is set to score a top 25 position on downloads alone, four years after it was released.

The Rick Rubin-produced song, which features the chorus "I got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one", was performed as a retort to Noel Gallagher following the Mancunian singer's comments earlier this year that the Jiggerman's appearance at the festival was "wrong". After his own unique rendition of Oasis' Wonderwall, the rapper launched into a furious, and very popular, performance of 99 Problems. His single Encore, which closed the set, has also entered the Top 40.

However, Jay-Z's mocking of the 1995 Oasis single has had a knock-on effect too. Wonderwall has also experienced a sales boost that will likely see it resurface in the Top 100. Elsewhere, What's The Story (Morning Glory), the album from which the single is taken, has seen a sales increase of 200%. Other bands who are benefiting from a successful weekend at Glastonbury are Elbow, the Raconteurs and Editors, all of whom have seen huge increases in album sales.