YouTube to Rejoin Billboard Charts in 2027 Following Methodology Update
YouTube removed its data from the charts at the end of 2025
YouTube has announced that its streaming data will factor into Billboard chart placements in 2027. This comes after the video hosting platform removed its data from the charts in December 2025.
The details:
Billboard recently announced it was modifying its ranking system.
The main change is updating how paid/subscription streams are measured against ad-supported streams.
Prior to the announcement, the ratio was 1/2.5 for paid and ad-supported, respectively. Now the ratio will be 1/1.5.
Billboard shifted the ratio from 1/1.5 to 1/2.5 at the end of 2025, when YouTube pulled out. This latest move shifts them back to where they were previously.
How it works:
Ad-supported streams now carry more weight.
In the previous margins, five ad-supported streams were equal to two subscription streams.
Now, three ad-supported streams are equal to two subscription streams.
1,500 ad-supported streams, or 1,000 paid-subscription streams, will equal one album consumption unit on the Billboard 200.
Why it matters:
YouTube reportedly has over 2 billion free users per month.
With ad-supported streams carrying more weight, the platform has much more power to influence the charts, which will encourage artists and labels to upload more music content
What they said:
YouTube’s Global Head of Music, Lyor Cohen: “We are returning to the Billboard charts starting in 2027. Billboard’s new methodology better reflects how fans engage with music today across both subscription and ad-supported services.”
👋 Disclosures & Transparency Block
This article was written with information sourced from Billboard.
We covered it because this update can greatly affect how artists share their music.
