YouTube will stop supplying data to Billboard‘s charts next month, the company’s global head of music Lyor Cohen announced in a blog post on Wednesday, arguing that Billboard’s formula for the charts doesn’t put enough weight on ad-supported streams.
“Billboard uses an outdated formula that weights subscription-supported streams higher than ad-supported.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,” Cohen wrote Wednesday. “Streaming is the primary way people experience music, making up 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.”
The news comes a day after Billboard updated its chart formula to put more weight behind on-demand streaming overall. Billboard had actually announced that with their formula change, the gap in its weighting for paid and ad-supported streaming was actually narrowing from 1:3 to 1:2.5. But as YouTube has made clear, it wants the gap gone entirely. Cohen said YouTube will stop giving data to Billboard effective January 16, 2026. In the blog post, he directed readers to check out YouTube’s own chart system.
“After a decade-long partnership and extensive discussions, they are unwilling to make meaningful changes,” Cohen said. “We are committed to achieving equitable representation across the charts and hopefully can work with Billboard to return to theirs.”
The dispute reflects a philosophical question in how music consumption should be measured in an era where significantly fewer people actually buy albums anymore. While YouTube argues engagement from ad-supported listening justifies an equal weighting, Billboard’s formula maintains more value from fans who are still paying for their music in some form.
“There are so many ways a fan can support an artist they love. Each has a specific place in the music ecosystem,” a spokesperson for Billboard said in a statement. “Billboard strives to measure that activity appropriately; balanced by various factors including consumer access, revenue analysis, data validation, and industry guidance. It is our hope that YouTube reconsiders and joins Billboard in recognizing the reach and popularity of artists on all music platforms and in celebrating their achievements though the power of fans and how they interact with the music that they love.”
The dispute has already inspired discussion online, where Spotify’s head of music Charlie Hellman advocated for paid streams.
“People paying ~$150 per year for music… it means more, shows a greater level of fan intent and is better for artists in the ecosystem,” Hellman said.
Editorial Note: Billboard is owned by Penske Media Corporation, which also owns The Hollywood Reporter.
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