The Billboard 200 albums chart will now include video and audio data from streaming platforms like YouTube, as well as statistics from Apple, Spotify, Tidal, and Vevo. This news arrived late last week. We’re happy to hear it, as music video views should count when evaluating these charts.
Five years after audio stream data arrived to the Billboard 200 chart, this new inclusion of video data from music streaming platforms is a big step. This change will affect the chart, drifting from a measure of pure sales to a consumption model. The addition of video will also impact Billboard’s genre album consumption charts, such as Country, R&B/Hip-Hop, Latin and others.
Data from YouTube streams has often been used in some of the most popular Billboard charts. Despite that, this occasion will be the first time to be used for the album charts. Furthermore, only official licensed video content uploaded by or on behalf of rights holders will be valid for the Billboard 200 and other albums charts.
Experts rate the new measure
“Our decision to add YouTube and other video streaming data to our album charts reflects the continuing evolution of the music consumption market and the ways in which consumers connect to album-related content.”
The Hollywood Reporter Media Group president Deanna Brown
This change is very important as these album charts will reflect the population’s music consumption more accurately. Lyor Cohen, Global Head of Music at YouTube, stated that this change will improve the accuracy of Billboard 200 chart. He also said that Latin music and hip-hop will now be more recognized according to their popularity.
“This is another great step in bringing YouTube and the industry together and we’re so grateful to Billboard and the music business at large for making this addition.”
Lyor Cohen, global head of music at YouTube
The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week based on multi-metric consumption. The company obtains its results by measuring traditional album sales, track sales equivalent albums and streaming equivalent albums.
This change will definitely help Billboard represent the state of the music panorama in a more accurate way.
