The charts just got a lot more complicated.
Once upon a time, Billboard could tell which artists were most popular simply by monitoring radio airtime and record sales. But now that people get their music through streaming services, or simply search for their favorite tracks on YouTube, it’s harder to tell which artists really have the most listeners.
Thursday (October 20), Billboard announced their solution to the problem. In a statement, the company clarified how it would be changing its formula: “Beginning in 2018, plays occurring on paid subscription-based services (such as Amazon Music and Apple Music) or on the paid subscription tiers of hybrid paid/ad-supported platforms (such as SoundCloud and Spotify) will be given more weight in chart calculations than those plays on pure ad-supported services (such as YouTube) or on the non-paid tiers of hybrid paid/ad-supported services.”
Previously, Billboard had simply taken all listens together as equal — whether or not you had actually paid for a premium account on your streaming service of choice. Now, if you want your listens to have more of an impact on the charts, it’s time to cough up the dough for a subscription.
Contrary to rumors earlier in October, however, video streams from YouTube will not be incorporated into the Billboard 200 chart. Video streams are currently incorporated into the Hot 100 chart, and the statement reports no change on this status.
Billboard’s explanation for the change to a weighted system is: “It is Billboard’s belief that assigning values to the levels of consumer engagement and access — along with the compensation derived from those options — better reflects the varied user activity occurring on these services.”
Well good! Now you Lil Twerp and Lil Xan fans can’t count on the millions of YouTube plays just hitting replay every five seconds. They should change the rules to having to actually download (aka: purchase) the song either via iTunes, subscription to Apple Music, etc… Rewarding for plays and streams seems easily to manipulate in the big wigs favor without having to spend a dime. Just hit replay? That’s how they forcefeed the talentless suckas down your throat. You think they’re cool cause they’re moving “units” and have high stream counts when in reality they’re wick wick WACK wick WACK!
Now THIS I agree with….kids are not paying for streams….so it will at least flush out some of the poser hiphop artists. A lot less Uzi’s and Boats coming our way
YAAAAAY!! Drake is running backwards thru a cornfield somewhere. In Nebraska, a place less boring than Canada is…
“paid subscription-based services” What about Tidal? 99% of people I know just open up a gmail account and keep that free trial going.
Since there are all these different charts, how about one that is strictly sales. I know they have an all vinyl chart.
All of these artists getting platinum plaques don’t mean shit. You used to have to convince people to BUY your albums. Chance the rapper whining ass ruined it. people I know fasho arent selling millions of albums walk around disrespecting the artists that actually did work hard to go platinum. The music industry consists of a bunch of spoiled babies.
let the click farms and the bots rule the world of music