Analytic Dreamz: Notorious Mass Effect - “BILLBOARD TO INCREASE WEIGHTING OF ON-DEMAND STREAMS STARTING JANUARY 2026"

Episode Date: December 31, 2025

Linktree: ⁠https://linktr.ee/Analytic⁠Join The Normandy For Additional Bonus Audio And Visual Content For All Things Nme+! Join Here: ⁠https://ow.ly/msoH50WCu0K⁠In this segment of Notorious Mass Effect, host Analytic Dreamz delivers an in-depth breakdown of Billboard's major chart methodology updates effective January 2026. Starting January 17, 2026 (tracking data from January 2-8), Billboard will boost the value of on-demand streams across the Hot 100, Billboard 200, and genre charts—adjusting premium (paid/subscription) streams to require just 1,000 for one unit (up from 1,250) and ad-supported streams to 2,500 (up from 3,750), narrowing the ratio to 1:2.5. Analytic Dreamz analyzes how this shift reflects rising streaming revenue and evolving listener habits while exploring YouTube's decision to withdraw all data from U.S. charts after January 16, 2026, over disagreements on equal stream weighting. Dive into the potential impacts on artists, fan engagement, and future chart battles with Analytic Dreamz on Notorious Mass Effect.Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Yet another discussion about Billboard. Shepard. Nah, because, you know, at the end of the day, I'm not saying that we all go through certain things, but as a corporation to first have YouTube leave, and then, of course, when you look at it in totality, a lot of musicians are flopping left and right. But then, you know what I'm saying?

I was like, damn, look at the state of hip-hop. Like, what's going on? And safe to say, Billboard has the remedy for it. As they came out with the interesting rule change, ladies and gentlemen, set to go in effect January 2026. More specifically, January 17th, 2026. But essentially speaking, Billboard has a new rule change. Streaming will now have more weight on Billboard 200 and Hot 100. One album unit will now equal to 2,500 as supported or 1,000 page slash subscribers.

on demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album and the reason why I'm clapping that up is because previously there was 3,750 ads supported streams and was equal to a thousand and two hundred and fifty paid streams and of course this begins January 17 now the main reason why this is a big deal is because I think Billboard is recognizing a lot of musicians are basically on a downward spiral as far as consumption. Now, I'm a little biased, so y'all could take this with a grain of salt. But I do believe when it comes to the content space, the long form content that you can consume for hours upon hours is eating into certain pies as far as TV, as far as the

theaters, as far as music. And I think music is maybe feeling that effect the most. Now, of course, I might say, wait, hold on now, aren't you a podcaster? you know you bias and i ain't gonna capture that to that i may say who do because i could care less at the end of day you look at the numbers as far as the top streamers and content creators of the world and the amount of content of putting out hours and i don't think if you've never just sat back and think about what one particular person and how popular they are right and just think of the hours of content they've put out and then think about music three minutes

here, two minutes there, some people just put out a minute clip, but they say that's a whole track. You know what I'm saying? And they're competing with hours of hours of content being consumed entirely. It's similar to how a popular musician will put 20 plus tracks on the album

because execs will say one fan streaming 20 times versus you only having 10 tracks on your album and that fan stream in only 10 tracks could take your sales down by 50% because you have 20 tracks. If one fan listened to 20 songs versus that same fan

listening to 10 tracks, obviously you could tell while a lot of musicians put more tracks on the album, especially if they have a major machine backing them. So the reason I'm saying that is because content creators, on the other hand, have hours and hours of content. And I believe this new rule, but not only help out musicians that are flopping horrendously, I might add,

But also, it definitely will start to even the playing field because, of course, you look at consumption and Billboard does not want to be looked at as a watered down product. You guys. See, that's the problem. And Billboard has came out to talk about this specifically when talking about the chart change. And when you look at it, they said the new system would mean that, of course, page stream. still weighted higher but less extremely so this change would definitely help out for a lot of different musicians youtube just left billboard i already covered that in totality but in lamest terms youtube left billboard is is the cut off the breakup is set to happen january 16th i know you're thinking

this new rule change is going into effect january 17 and now a light bulb goes off you're like oh they're only doing this because YouTube's leaving and ladies and gentlemen you are correct I know that ain't who I think it is so now we're YouTube leaving then breaking up because I looked up to pocket you know I had a pocket watch a segment about YouTube and Billboard

it's safe to say YouTube's worth like 3.7, 3.8 trillion dollars yes with a T, no it was a trillion it was a trillion I'm tripping I think it was billion I said trillion it was billion my fault my fault um

yeah why in world I just say trillion I almost said the whole planet earth network Let me see I think I had it right here So when you look at Billboard YouTube Yeah here we go Okay so

Billboard Has around 3.7 Oh Okay my fault Put more respect to the name It was a true I thought I thought I slipped up right quick

I was like hold on I don't know if it was a trillion Yes ladies and gentlemen alphabet which is YouTube's parent company goodness gracious they have 3.7, 3.8 trillion dollars. So yeah, you do have that information which you will. With that being said, Billboard is probably very highly trying to get YouTube back in cahoots with them as a relationship. So this type of change in streams as far as making it so that it's less streams for one unit, I think will help out a lot, especially after the breakup of YouTube that's set to go in effect, January 16th, which is why I think these revised chart rules would take effect January 17th of this year.

I don't think it's a coincidence by any stretch of the imagination. So when you look at a lot of musicians in the year of 2025, thinking on a downward spiral, I mean, hopefully you already heard me report about it as far as people who, you know, fall in notorious mass effect when I covered it October 31st of this year, I basically said no rap songs in the Billboard Top 40 for the first time in 35 years. Now, of course, quality does not equal quantity. But when it comes to the industry, investors are going to look at that and say, why invest more money for less return?

Let's invest less for the same return that we're already getting. Because if I give you $100 and you say, okay, I'm about to give you two cheeseburgers, right? Just random, you know, analogy. And then I start being like, wow, these cheeseburgers are so good. I give you $200 and then you give me four cheeseburgers, right? Like, wow, these cheese burgers are fantastic. It's phenomenal. And then I'm like, hold on now.

I just gave you $300 and I only got two and a half cheeseburgers back. You start thinking to yourself, no, no, this ain't what I signed up for. You guys. See, that's the problem. So in lamest terms, that's basically what's happening with Billboard. When you look at it, this is going to make the overall product. look much better in 2026 they're going to come out with that stat that every corporation loves to do as far as an uptick and year over year profits so year on year i forget it's like why oh why i believe

profits so anyways they always want to have a positive they never want to have a negative because why invest in something if you're going to get less back and i think this that's essentially why billboard is making this move now i've already talked about youtube and billboard splitting up in this entirety if you want to look that up for people watching after the fact um just type in youtube analytic dreams with a z and it should pop up but basically yeah youtube is is probably not going to lose any sleep over the breakup with billboard but billboard definitely has to do a lot to uh counteract youtube leaving them and i think these rule changes set to go into effect uh january 17 i think it's one of them so with that being said click my link sure in my bio

let me know one of my social medias what do you think about this billboard rule change and lowering the amount of streams you need for one unit and ultimately what artists do you think this will help out the most