Analytic Dreamz: Notorious Mass Effect - "YOUTUBE STREAMS WILL NO LONGER FACTOR INTO ALL BILLBOARD CHARTS AFTER INTERNAL DISPUTES OVER HOW STREAMING IS WEIGHTED"

Episode Date: December 23, 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 dives deep into the major shakeup in music charts: YouTube's decision to stop sharing streaming data with Billboard starting after January 16, 2026. Analytic Dreamz breaks down the core dispute over how Billboard weights paid subscription streams versus ad-supported ones, with YouTube arguing for equal 1:1 counting to better reflect fan engagement across all platforms. Explore the timeline—from YouTube data joining charts in 2013, heavier paid weighting in 2018, Billboard's recent shift narrowing the ratio from 1:3 to 1:2.5 effective January 17, 2026—and statements from YouTube's Lyor Cohen emphasizing "every fan matters." Analytic Dreamz analyzes impacts on Billboard Hot 100, Billboard 200, artist strategies, and the broader debate on measuring success in a streaming-dominated industry where free access drives massive plays. Tune in for insightful coverage on this evolving music industry development.Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Now, some would say, It's time for a rap battle! But ultimately, this affects everyone. You guys, see, that's the problem. As you already know, with YouTube beefing with Billboard to the point where they said, they will stop sharing music, streaming data with Billboard. 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 the reason why I play that drop, ladies and gentlemen, is because there's a particular gentleman. Some will call him a savage in the streets. Shepard. All right, my fault. I mean, I mean to say that, police, if you're listening. But basically, that gentleman's name is young boy, never broke again. I know that ain't who I think it is.

And safe to say for the year of 2025, not only has he been running rampant on the charts, but also as far as YouTube, he has one of the top trending songs in 2025 as far as him leading. What track was, was shot calling? I think it was shot calling. But in totality, really, that's what I'm talking about. he has in totality the top trending songs as far as youtube's 2025 year in list via billboard right so keep that mind but the top artist via youtube is young boy yeah bruno mars and lady gaga you have um rosy and bruno mars or ap t i'm trying i'm trying to name some of the top youtube artists you

have fres or regita you have of course the goat uh morgan wallin bad bunny k-pop demon hunts okay you get the point right as far as the indication of billboard and youtube usually both charts coming together makes it the epitome of what the success is like in the music industry and with them separating i think and you know i'm definitely taken from russ as far as this particular quote because he said billboard would no longer but would no longer be the chart it would just be one of these charts right it's essentially splitting the vote as far as what's the most popular as far as the objective analytics because if you can't look at the YouTube and Billboard combined chart now you got to start going to multiple charts which I already do really but now as far as the

general public not really caring that much about who sells the most the YouTube and Billboard separation will start to make it way more harder to figure out who's really affecting the masses so anyways this is effective January 16th 2026 do I think this will go through honestly I don't now you got to keep in mind the timeline. 2013, Billboard began to incorporate YouTube data into chart formulas, right? 2018, Billboard starts waiting paid slash subscription streams more heavily than as supported streams. December 17th of 2025, that's when Billboard announces the update chart mythology.

Mythology? I think it's mythology. yeah and then of course january 17 2026 billboards revised chart rules officially takes effect now of course what else is happening right before that right before that day youtube will stop sharing music streaming data with billboard you guys if y'all don't see what's happening basically this is business on the highest level possible because of course billboard is looking at you to basically basically saying we don't need y'all we would just adjust the rules to basically take out what y'all usually contribute and basically

have our own list uh set in stone we're going to give a boost to a lot of different artists so that our product doesn't look watered down but at the end of the day because we will get into that specifically as far as billboard lowering the amount of uh streams you need for one unit right but basically that helps artists that strictly dominant on billboard and strictly dominant on you to not need both dominances as far as particular platforms you can still be as dominant on billboard not as dominant but just at you know close to it as far as the indicator of how effective you are as far as a musician now i did bring up NBA young boy but ultimately this is going to affect every single musician as when you look at billboard and the streams

which you're going to get we're going to dive into specifically but as of right now i just want to give the overview So for one album unit, it used to be, I remember covering this and I don't think I have it up here. Let me see. Let me see. As far as Billboard, because I had it on summer. Let me see. Okay, here it is.

Okay. So 33,000, no, 33, 3,750 as supported streams used to be the number. Well, still is, but as of January 17th, it's going to change. So this is the current number. 3,750 as supported streams to equivalent to one album unit. But now, Billboard has changed it to 2,500, which is 2,500 as supported streams. Now, why would they do that? I don't think it's a coincidence that January 16th, YouTube will stop sharing music streaming data with Billboard.

And in January 17th, Billboard will have its revised chart rules officially take effect. I think it's plain as day that billboard and YouTube is ultimately beefing and this is going to lead to some very interesting changes in the music field because a lot of young boy fans, you know, a lot of naysayers of young boy fans will always say like, oh, that's kids. They don't have any money to go out and support the actual artists. And then what young boy did this year, put all those comments to rest as far as his fans not having any money. Because I think young boy ultimately had some of the most representation from the black community I've ever seen on my measly 25 years on earth as far as selling out multiple arenas not just one i'm talking about

multiple arenas as far as a world tour i think young boy had the most black representation and you look at kendrick you look at drake who's objectively speaking way bigger than young boy and when they're selling out arenas the same arena mind you they're not bringing bringing out majority black people, it's white people, as all type of ethnicities. And of course, that's not like to discredit Drake or Kendrick, obviously, because, you know, some would say variety is better. When you come to a young boy, him bringing out mostly black people to sell out arenas is very hard to do, especially because we're a minority.

So you do have to have a certain engagement factor from different demographics to sell out these type of arenas. But for young boy to do that specifically with the black community, I think showcase how effective he is as a musician. So basically the whole, oh, you're just a YouTube artist. It was put to rest this year. I mean, he had one of the top selling rap tours bringing out most of the black people. So anyways, getting back into it. Lear Cohen, the global head of music at YouTube, said that streaming represents 84% of US recorded music revenue.

And he said, quote, every fan matters and every play should count. Basically, talking directly to Billboard. As he literally said, Billboard was, quote, unwilling to make. meaningful changes. You guys. See, that's the problem. And YouTube came back. No, no, YouTube

states that it already pays billions. Goodness gracious. Billions of dollars with a B, ladies and gentlemen. Billions of dollars to artists and labels via ads and subscriptions. And then also, it wants equitable chart representation, not partial weighting.

I know that ain't who I think it is. Billboard saw that and they said it themselves. I know that ain't who I think it is. They told them boys, who do de-do? And we beat these folk? What do they do? We beat them. We go forward.

I'm not going to lie. This is definitely one of the biggest developments in the music industry because Billboard and YouTube, if they're going to split like this, as far as YouTube leaving them completely and not streaming and not sharing any music streaming data, I don't know if it's legally possible for Billboard to just have a researcher development team

to take YouTube's numbers and incorporate into Billboard. I don't know if that's legally possible because YouTube, I think, was officially given the numbers to Billboard, which if you really think about it as a musician, they really limit the amount of data we receive, which is why Spotify rapped when it first came out with such a big deal because it's showing the analytics to the world, right? Nowadays, you see more and more corporations giving a rap.

I mean, I even saw Uber. Uber East was given a rap I was like, hold up now, academics? Anyways, that was just random straight. Y'all see my name. Y'all know who I'm inspired by. So anyways, as far as that, in particular, I do believe everybody and their mama

being more transparent with the numbers, which, you know, to be fair, Apple's still not doing it. Apple music's still not being as transparent as Spotify. And, you know, of course, people call Spotify, botify, things in nature like Drake just did. And at the end of day, corporations being transparent,

is very spares, especially to the general public. So, but this data sharing starting to be more restrictive, even between Billboard, YouTube really shows you how dire of a situation it is. And of course, Billboard came out to say that they hope that YouTube will reconsider and rejoin the data sharing. But then, you know what I'm saying? Basically, I don't know if they're going to be outside YouTube's window saying, baby come back, but that's what that statement sounds like.

As billboard in the response statement basically said, the charts aim to reflect different forms of fans support appropriately and then emphasizes measuring reach, popularity, and engagement across platforms. So this marriage coming to an end is very unfortunate. As you look at Charlie Hellman, him coming out is one of the Spotify. leadership people and he basically said pay listeners spend roughly 150 dollars per year now i'm hearing that number i'm saying to myself that that's not a lot my fault i mean you know i ain't trying to shame nobody but that's hey my fault basically he said that indicates stronger fan intent

and believes that pay streams are quote better for artists in the ecosystem so i don't know what in the world, YouTube and Billboard's going to do. But basically, YouTube doing its own thing, Billboard doing its own thing. It makes me wonder which chart that comes out will way more. And I do believe RIAA goes off of Billboard instead of YouTube. Actually, let me fact check that. Doing some Mickey research right quick, if y'all are new. Okay, so basically, after doing some Mickey research, safe to say that it doesn't go off of. billboard or youtube you know we don't try to do fake news over here basically r i double a uses different streaming equivalences equivalencies but align philosophically with valuing pay streams

higher for what the world so i guess they're the own thing okay no let me see numbers let's see use to use so i don't see because the main thing is of course not one of the spread fake news I want to know if they actually use either or or if they have their own database. Okay, so RIAA relies from direct data from record labels slash distributors directly, including sales and on-demand streams from platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, title, etc. So it seems like they use everybody,

maybe except for Billboard because technically Billboard is not like where you distribute your music. Interesting. Interesting. So maybe, just maybe, Billboard needs use. more than YouTube needs Billboard. I think, I mean, I think it's safe to say that YouTube has way more money in the Billboard. Let's see. Oh, which company?

I would assume YouTube has way more money than Billboard. I mean, I'm just looking it up just for the actual number because, you know, I love the pocket watch over here. You guys. See, that's the problem. Okay. So, uh, parent company alphabet is a 3.7, 3.8 trillion. Goodness gracious. Um, as far as billboard, the estimates.

I love looking this up. I ain't know lots. I love just, because these are such big players in the music industry that you try to see how much are they making. Use aluminum. Okay. Okay.

So 250 million. Yeah, it's not even close. This estimate to be around 250 million for Billboard, owned by private company, Penn, Penske Media Corp. So 250 million to 3.7, 3.8 trillion. YouTube, I'm sorry, I disrespect you. yeah billboard um they need to get outside youtube's window expeditiously and hold up the the boom box with baby come back playing i ain't gonna kept to you that that's that's insane so

with that make your research out of the way click my link to my bio let me know one of my social media is what do you think about youtube stop stopping the share of music streaming set to go effective january 16th and do you think the billboard can ever recover