YouTube and Billboard’s decade-long chart collaboration has come to an end. The video-sharing giant had recently announced that it will stop providing data to Billboard- the American music and entertainment magazine published weekly by Penske Media Corporation.
As a result, YouTube’s music streaming data will no longer count toward Billboard’s Global Charts from next year. This decision follows Billboard’s announcement of a new chart weighting system.
About the Decision: YouTube’s Position on Fairness
On December 17, YouTube stated in a blog post that it will withdraw all streaming data from Billboard’s charts, effective January 16, 2026. This decision was prompted by Billboard’s announcement the day before that it would increase the weight of On-Demand streams starting in 2026. The move aims to reflect the changing behavior of consumers and the growth of streaming revenue.
Under this new system, paid or subscription On-Demand streams will be prioritised over ad-supported streams, with the ratio narrowing from 1:3 to 1:2.5. This means it will take 33.3% fewer ad-supported streams or 20% fewer paid/subscription streams from an album to equal one album unit.
Lyor Cohen, Global Head of Music, criticized the new formula, stating that Billboard’s weighting undervalues ad-supported streams. He argued the old formula favors subscription streams and neglects current fan engagement, especially the non-subscribers. As streaming is now the primary way fans access and experience music, Cohen calls for a fair count of each and every stream, whether subscription or ad-supported, because every fan matters.
Final Verdict: YouTube versus Billboard
Despite a decade of collaboration and extensive discussions, no agreement was reached on the new chart system. Consequently, YouTube decided to cease sharing its data with Billboard, and its music will no longer appear on their charts.
Lyor Cohen remains hopeful for a future agreement, emphasizing the importance of fair representation in charts. He encourages fans to check out the YouTube charts in the meantime to know about the latest music updates and trends.
Billboard responded by defending their new system, claiming it better measures fan activity by considering access, revenue, data accuracy, and industry input. They hope YouTube will reconsider its decision and recognize the widespread reach of artists across all platforms.
This shift, following Billboard’s new system and YouTube’s subsequent withdrawal, could significantly impact the music industry, especially YouTube. Now major music artists and labels may be discouraged from releasing their music on YouTube, affecting the platform’s relevance as the key player in the industry. Also, many popular YouTube musicians and artists might lose vital global recognition, as given by Billboard’s Charts, marking a substantial challenge for the music ecosystem.
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