YouTube has announced that it is set to stop supplying data to Billboard for inclusion in the US charts.
The decision comes after Billboard revealed changes to its chart methodology that will narrow the weighting gap between paid and ad-supported streams.
Under Billboard’s current formula for the Billboard 200, one album unit equals 1,250 paid/subscription streams or 3,750 ad-supported streams – a 1:3 ratio.
Billboard’s new methodology, announced on Monday (December 16), will tighten that ratio to 1:2.5, with one album unit now equalling 1,000 paid streams or 2,500 ad-supported streams.
This means paid streams will still be weighted more favourably than ad-supported plays, but by a smaller margin than before.
But in a statement yesterday (December 17), YouTube’s Global Head of Music, Lyor Cohen said the changes do not go far enough with YouTube wanting all streams to be counted equally on Billboard’s charts – regardless of whether they come from paid subscriptions or ad-supported services.
“Billboard uses an outdated formula that weights subscription-supported streams higher than ad-supported,” he said. “This doesn’t reflect how fans engage with music today and ignores the massive engagement from fans who don’t have a subscription.”
Cohen added: “We believe every fan matters and every play should count equally, therefore after January 16, YouTube data will no longer be delivered or factored into the US Billboard charts.”
The new Billboard streaming methodology is set to take effect on January 17, 2026 (covering data from January 2-8), just after YouTube pulls its data.
“Streaming is the primary way people experience music, making up 84 per cent of US recorded music revenue,” Cohen went on. “We’re simply asking that every stream is counted fairly and equally, whether it is subscription-based or ad-supported – because every fan matters and every play should count.”
YouTube was first included in the Billboard Hot 100 in February 2013, and was later added to the Billboard 200 album chart in January 2020.
The question of how to weight different types of streams has been contested since Billboard first introduced tiered streaming values in 2018.
Prior to that change, all streams from paid services like Apple Music or ad-supported platforms like YouTube, were counted equally.
Despite Cohen’s comments, Billboard is standing by its new chart calculations.
“Billboard strives to measure [music fans’] activity appropriately; balanced by various factors including consumer access, revenue analysis, data validation, and industry guidance,” a Billboard spokesperson said in a statement.
“It is our hope that YouTube reconsiders and joins Billboard in recognizing the reach and popularity of artists on all music platforms and in celebrating their achievements though [sic] the power of fans and how they interact with the music that they love.”
Elsewhere, Mariah Carey recently responded to ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ breaking the record for the longest-running Number One single in the US.
