Billboard will now factor YouTube streams into its Billboard 200 chart

The influential music chart and heralded industry magazine Billboard is updating a policy that’s been in effect since 2017. The company announced Friday, December 13, that it will be factoring YouTube video and audio data into its Billboard 200 chart. Previously, the company only used data from Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal, and Vevo.

While the company has not compiled YouTube data in charting the top performing musical albums, it has included the popular Google-owned platform in measuring its songs charts. The Billboard Hot 100, for instance, has incorporated YouTube data since February of 2013.

“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,” says Deanna Brown, president of the Billboard-The Hollywood Reporter Media Group, of the change.

Billboard will also use YouTube data when compiling genre-specific charts, including country, R&B/hip-hop, and Latin. Lyor Cohen, who is the global head of YouTube Music, also made a public statement expressing his gratitude over the inclusion.

“Genres like Latin, hip-hop and electronic, which consistently dominate the YouTube charts, will now be properly recognized for their popularity,” Cohen writes. “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.”

The changes will take effect on January 18, 2020, which will include sales and streaming figures from the period beginning January 3 and ending January 9.

Via: Billboard.