Why did YouTube pull out of Billboard charts? Video platform blames "an outdated formula" and urges "every stream is counted fairly and equally"

YouTube announced that it would stop supplying its streaming data to Billboard’s music charts beginning next month, signaling a major shift in how chart rankings could be calculated moving forward. The decision was disclosed by the video company's global head of music, Lyor Cohen, in a blog post published on Wednesday, December 17.

The announcement came just one day after Billboard outlined upcoming changes to its chart methodology. As part of this update, paid or subscription-based on-demand streams were set to continue receiving more weight than ad-supported streams.

However, YouTube expressed strong concerns about this approach. In the aforementioned blog post, the company explained that its decision to withdraw from Billboard’s charts stemmed from disagreements over the chart methodology, which it said failed to accurately reflect how modern audiences consume music.

YouTube argued that while subscription-based streams were weighted far more heavily, ad-supported streams, which make up a significant share of global music consumption, were undervalued under the existing system.

“Billboard uses an outdated formula that weights subscription-supported streams higher than ad-supported. This doesn’t reflect how fans engage with music today and ignores the massive engagement from fans who don’t have a subscription,” the blog post stated.

The video company further clarified that its decision was not intended to undermine music chart systems or disrupt industry standards. Instead, the company said it was advocating for a more balanced and inclusive approach, one that acknowledged all forms of listener participation, regardless of how users accessed music.

“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,” the post added.

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More on YouTube’s decision to stop supplying streaming data to Billboard charts

YouTube (Image via Getty Images)

YouTube’s decision followed a major methodological update announced by Billboard, which aimed to place greater emphasis on on-demand streaming to better reflect rising streaming revenue and evolving consumer listening habits.

On December 16, the magazine company reported that paid or subscription-based on-demand streams would continue to be weighted more heavily than ad-supported streams. However, the gap between the two was narrowed. The ratio was adjusted from 1:3 to 1:2.5.

At the time, Billboard calculated one album consumption unit as the equivalent of one album sale, 10 individual track sales from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported streams or 1,250 paid subscription streams from official audio or video content tied to an album.

Under the revised formula, which took effect for the Billboard 200 and related genre album charts dated January 17, covering data from January 2 through January 8, each album unit was recalibrated to equal 2,500 ad-supported streams or 1,000 paid subscription streams. Sales and download metrics remained unchanged.

Shortly after the announcement, Lyor Cohen publicly objected to the update in his December 17 blog post.

He first emphasized the video company's belief that all fan engagement should be treated equally, before outlining the platform’s central role in the global music ecosystem.

“YouTube is where billions of fans worldwide connect with music, from official music videos and live streams to channels like NPR Tiny Desk. The incredible work artists do to build a community on YouTube, and their massive fan engagement, is being undervalued in Billboard’s charts,” he wrote.

Later in the blog post, Cohen noted that streaming now accounts for 84% of recorded music revenue in the U.S.

He added that despite a decade-long partnership and extensive discussions, YouTube believed the magazine company was unwilling to make what it viewed as meaningful changes. As a result, the video company decided its data would no longer be provided to or factored into its charts after January 16, 2026.

“We are committed to achieving equitable representation across the charts and hopefully can work with Billboard to return to theirs,” Cohen added in his blog post.

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In response to YouTube’s decision, a Billboard spokesperson said the company continued to recognize that there were “many ways a fan can support an artist,” each of which holds “a specific place in the music ecosystem.”

The spokesperson emphasized that the company remains committed to “measuring that activity appropriately,” while balancing considerations such as “consumer access, revenue analysis, data validation, and industry guidance.”

They also added that the company hoped YouTube would ultimately “reconsider” its stance and rejoin the charts provider in “recognizing the reach and popularity of artists on all music platforms.”

Edited by Shayari Roy