YouTube Pulling Out of Billboard Charts Relationship

YouTube announced Wednesday, that it will stop providing its music streaming data to Billboard for use in U.S. charts, effective after January 16, 2026. This ends a partnership that began in 2013 for the Hot 100 and extended to album charts like the Billboard 200 in 2019-2020.

The decision, outlined in a blog post by YouTube's Global Head of Music Lyor Cohen, stems from a dispute over Billboard's weighting of streams: paid/subscription streams (e.g., Spotify Premium) are valued more than ad-supported (free) streams, primarily from YouTube's free tier. 

Cohen called the formula "outdated," arguing that all streams should count equally since "every fan matters and every play should count."

The announcement came one day after Billboard revealed updates narrowing the ratio from roughly 1:3 to 1:2.5 (2.5 ad-supported streams = 1 paid stream), aimed at reflecting rising streaming revenue and consumer behavior. YouTube deemed this insufficient.

Billboard defended its methodology, stating it balances revenue generation, consumer intent, and industry standards, with paid streams yielding more per-play income for artists and labels. A spokesperson expressed hope YouTube would reconsider.

Starting with charts dated January 17, 2026, YouTube streams will no longer contribute to Billboard rankings, potentially affecting artists reliant on video-driven or viral hits. YouTube will continue submitting data to Luminate (Billboard's data provider) but not for Billboard's use, and it plans to promote its own charts as an alternative.

The move underscores broader industry tensions over measuring success in a streaming era dominated by ad-supported platforms like YouTube versus subscription services.