Billboard announce Youtube plays to count towards Albums chart

Media giant Billboard has been at the forefront of the entertainment industry for pretty much as long as there’s been a media industry. You may ask, exactly how long has the industry been around for? Well, pinpointing an exact date for the industry might not quite be as simple as that, but ‘Billboard’ has been around for a mammoth 122 Years. In case you were wondering, that’s not a numerical error, so let me repeat it in words, one hundred and twenty-two years! Who knew, right?

Starting out as a trade publication for bill posters in 1894, the magazine eventually went on to publish their first music hit parade in 1936, The first Music Popularity Chart in 1940, and the extremely popular album chart in 1945. Since then the music industry has become bigger than ever before, with charts like the Billboard 200, playing a major role in the lives of both music seller and buyer. In the past, these charts were based solely on physical sales, but have since evolved to include digital sales.

With the advent of the internet and the public’s need for instant gratification, Billboard has now taken a bold step forward, as the decision to include streaming plays within the charts are now being discussed in fine detail, and while the move is yet to be confirmed, plays on Youtube have already become recognized for the Top 100 Singles Chart, with its impact being evaluated by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) with regards to gold or platinum statuses. Chairman and CEO Cary Sherman expressed:

“MODERNIZING OUR ALBUM AWARD TO INCLUDE MUSIC STREAMING IS THE NEXT LOGICAL STEP IN THE CONTINUED EVOLUTION OF GOLD AND PLATINUM AWARDS, AND DOING SO ENABLES RIAA TO FULLY REWARD THE SUCCESS OF ARTISTS’ ALBUMS TODAY.”

While both artist and buyer eagerly await the outcome of the decision, there is no denying it will ultimately be a major step in the evolution of the music industry.