YouTube Is Leaving the Billboard Charts. Here’s Why.

The decision was announced on December 17, 2025, in a blog post written by Lyor Cohen, Global Head of Music at YouTube. According to the post, YouTube’s data will no longer be delivered to or factored into Billboard’s U.S. charts after that date.

In the announcement, YouTube stated that it believes all fan engagement should be counted equally, regardless of whether a stream is subscription-supported or ad-supported.

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Cohen wrote that Billboard’s current chart assigns greater weight to subscription-based streams than to ad-supported streams, a practice that YouTube says does not reflect how fans engage with music today.

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YouTube argued that this system undervalues engagement from fans who access music without a paid subscription, despite the scale of that audience on the platform.

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According to YouTube’s statement, streaming now accounts for 84 percent of U.S. recorded music revenue, making it the primary way music is consumed in the United States.

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YouTube said it has engaged in discussions with Billboard over an extended period regarding changes to the chart formula, but that Billboard was unwilling to make what YouTube described as “meaningful changes.”

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One factor underlying this dispute may be the financial difference between ad-supported and subscription-based streaming. Subscription streams generate more revenue per play than ad-supported streams because they are funded by monthly user fees rather than advertising.

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Billboard’s chart methodology reflects this reality by assigning greater weight to paid subscription streams than to ad-supported streams, aligning chart performance more closely with revenue impact. While YouTube has argued that this approach undervalues fan engagement, Billboard’s weighting may be intended to account for the differing economic value of each type of stream.

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YouTube confirmed that the decision to withdraw its data stems from more than 10 years of collaboration with Billboard.

As of January 16, 2026, YouTube data will no longer be delivered to Billboard, and YouTube plays will no longer be factored into the U.S. Billboard charts. YouTube stated that it remains open to working with Billboard in the future if changes are made to address its concerns.

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While YouTube will no longer participate in the U.S. Billboard charts, the company noted that it will continue to publish its own music charts reflecting activity on the platform.