YouTube has officially stopped providing its streaming data to Billboard as of January 16, 2026. The move ends a 13-year partnership that began in 2013 and will significantly change how the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard 200 are calculated.
The split comes from a long-running disagreement over how streams are weighted. Billboard believes paid subscription streams should count more than ad-supported streams because they generate more revenue for artists and labels.
YouTube strongly disagreed with that approach. Lyor Cohen, YouTube’s Global Head of Music, called Billboard’s formula outdated and said every listener should count the same, whether they pay for a subscription or watch ads.
Billboard recently tried to narrow the gap in its 2026 formula, but YouTube said it was not enough. Under the new plan, 1,000 paid streams would equal one album unit, while 2,500 ad-supported streams would count the same. YouTube argued the ratio should be equal at 1:1.
Because Billboard refused to move to equal weighting, YouTube chose to remove its data entirely. The company said it did not want its users to be undervalued in the chart system.
The change will likely shake up chart positions starting with the charts dated January 17, 2026. Artists who rely heavily on music video views or viral video moments may see sharp drops in rankings.
Genres like hip-hop, K-pop, and Latin music could be hit the hardest. Analysts have pointed to artists such as NBA YoungBoy, who often dominate YouTube but perform lower on paid streaming platforms.
Billboard will continue using data from Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Tidal, Pandora, sales, and radio airplay. YouTube said it is open to returning if Billboard adopts a fairer system, but for now, the charts are entering a very different era.
