YouTube announced the termination of its decade-long data partnership with Billboard charts, effective January 16, 2026.

According to YouTube’s Global Head of Music Lyor Cohen, “Billboard uses an outdated formula that weights subscription-supported streams higher than ad-supported.” The platform maintains that Billboard’s methodology undervalues fan engagement from audiences without subscriptions.

Cohen stated in a blog post that streaming comprises 84% of U.S. recorded music revenue. “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,” he said.

Billboard’s current methodology assigns different values to streams based on whether listeners access music through paid subscriptions or ad-supported tiers. Subscription streams receive higher weight in chart calculations compared to identical listening behavior from free-tier users.

Impact on Chart Calculations

The withdrawal removes YouTube’s streaming data from all Billboard chart calculations starting January 16. This encompasses consumption from YouTube Music, the main YouTube platform, and YouTube Shorts. Billboard’s Hot 100, Billboard 200, and genre-specific rankings will no longer incorporate any YouTube viewing metrics in their algorithmic calculations.

YouTube serves billions of fans worldwide through official music videos, live streams, and channels such as NPR Tiny Desk. According to PPC Land, YouTube crossed 300 million paid subscriptions across Google One, YouTube Premium, and YouTube Music in the third quarter of 2025.

Platform-Specific Measurement Continues

YouTube maintains its own chart systems tracking popular content across global markets. The platform published charts for Germany, the United States, and global territories for the week of December 19-25, 2025, displaying top songs, music videos, artists, and Shorts content based exclusively on YouTube consumption data.

Cohen stated that YouTube remains “committed to achieving equitable representation across the charts and hopefully can work with Billboard to return to theirs.” The platform directed users to visit YouTube’s charts for information about music performance on its platform.

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