YouTube returns to Billboard charts after streaming row

YouTube ends Billboard dispute

YouTube announced Monday it will resume sharing streaming data with Billboard in twenty twenty-seven, ending a major disagreement over how music streams count toward chart rankings.

The original complaint

YouTube stopped sharing data with Billboard in December twenty twenty-five, arguing the chart formula favored paid subscriptions and did not give enough credit to fans who listen for free with ads.

Lyor Cohen's criticism

Lyor Cohen, YouTube's global head of music, wrote that Billboard's formula did not reflect how people listen to music today, with streaming making up eighty-four percent of U.S. recorded music revenue.

“Billboard uses an outdated formula that weights subscription-supported streams higher than ad-supported.”

The old weighting system

Under Billboard's previous formula, one thousand paid streams counted the same as two thousand five hundred ad-supported streams, giving too much importance to paid listening in YouTube's view.

Billboard's new formula

Billboard updated its formula so one thousand paid streams now equal one thousand five hundred ad-supported streams when calculating album consumption units, compared with two thousand five hundred previously.

What changes for artists

YouTube's return means more artist activity counts toward Billboard performance, especially helping independent musicians and those with large international fan bases who rely on free streaming.