Current BillBoard Hot 100 Singles Chart calculation:

 

1,000 Sales = 1 point on the BBHot100

1,000,000 Audience Impressions (radio) = 1 point on the BBHot100

Streaming: unknown (said to be only about 5% of total tally) with data from Nielsen.

 

 

For example, 160,000 in sales = 160 points.

120 million AI = 120 points

+ streaming (about 15 points)

 

= total.

 

 

It won't make much of a difference, but it still needs to be sales only. That way Rolling In The Deep would go top 10 more easily, bad side is that front loaded songs will go to number one - but that's been happening even with airplay

Definitely NO. Mixing sales + airplay + streaming + ringtones + whatever music related makes more accurate way of showing popularity of the songs than sales only. If you want to have a sales only Billboard chart, pls check Hot Digital Songs or Hot 100 Singles Sales charts.

 

Sales only charts only show what ppl buy. Actually it doesn't reflect popularity of the songs. I mean if you buy a song in Week1 perhaps you (and other buyers) still like it in Week 2, 3...X but in sales only chart your purchase (taste) counts only once in Week1. If you want to measure popularity you have to include the whole period ppl still like the song (there is no other way than take into consideration of airplay+streaming+whatever) not only the period ppl buy it.

THIS. Although sales is the system we are used to in this country it doesn't mean it's the "right" one. The Billboard chart gives a better overview of the music that is heard in America, and as Flat says, if you want sales charts, there are sales charts, it's just not the main one.

Definitely NO. Mixing sales + airplay + streaming + ringtones + whatever music related makes more accurate way of showing popularity of the songs than sales only. If you want to have a sales only Billboard chart, pls check Hot Digital Songs or Hot 100 Singles Sales charts.

 

Sales only charts only show what ppl buy. Actually it doesn't reflect popularity of the songs. I mean if you buy a song in Week1 perhaps you (and other buyers) still like it in Week 2, 3...X but in sales only chart your purchase (taste) counts only once in Week1. If you want to measure popularity you have to include the whole period ppl still like the song (there is no other way than take into consideration of airplay+streaming+whatever) not only the period ppl buy it.

THIS

THIS

THIS +1

True popularity has to be measured in sales. How are audience impressions important in gauging popularity? Most people listening to radio will just sit through a song and wait for the next, doesn't mean they particularily like it, want to hear it or buy it. I think radios should play a small part as yes, there are some genuine cases such as Katy Perry which recieves heavy airplay which is justified with her huge sales.

Edited April 6, 201114 yr by Jam.

Sales should count for a larger percentage than anything else on the charts, radio play should count but not as much as sales, its very annoying when old songs that have been charting for ages are STILL top 10 on the hot 100 due to strong airplay but not even top 20 on itunes, yet songs that have been top 10 on itunes for several weeks are having trouble making the top 10 because their airplay isnt strong enough.

Definitely NO. Mixing sales + airplay + streaming + ringtones + whatever music related makes more accurate way of showing popularity of the songs than sales only. If you want to have a sales only Billboard chart, pls check Hot Digital Songs or Hot 100 Singles Sales charts.

 

Sales only charts only show what ppl buy. Actually it doesn't reflect popularity of the songs. I mean if you buy a song in Week1 perhaps you (and other buyers) still like it in Week 2, 3...X but in sales only chart your purchase (taste) counts only once in Week1. If you want to measure popularity you have to include the whole period ppl still like the song (there is no other way than take into consideration of airplay+streaming+whatever) not only the period ppl buy it.

 

I agree. Hot 100 is legendary and reviewed all the time so Billboard are ready to change their policy if needed as they have done several times. Their aim is to have "the perfect chart" in the future as well and it's much more than a sales chart. People shouldn't consider it as sales chart in the first place.

Edited April 8, 201114 yr by SKOB

Sales should count for a larger percentage than anything else on the charts, radio play should count but not as much as sales, its very annoying when old songs that have been charting for ages are STILL top 10 on the hot 100 due to strong airplay but not even top 20 on itunes, yet songs that have been top 10 on itunes for several weeks are having trouble making the top 10 because their airplay isnt strong enough.

 

How the song being "old" makes it less popular?

 

The only rule I don't like is the recurrent rule. The song drops out if it has 20 weeks in and it's out of Top 50 with a negative bullet. That's too short. I'd make it half a year (26 wks).

I simply don't understand how you can think airplay has ANYTHING to do with a song's popularity.

It should be 100% sales.

 

People need to get over the fact that radio is playing a decreasing role in popularity/reach of music in the digital age and Billboard needs to move on and accept that.

Any formula that includes radioplays is absolutely illogical. It doesn't have any indication of what is popular but plays right into the hands of those few radio planners and playlist makers who will basically decide what gets played and how often and will ultimately decide what the charts consist of. Simple logic really.

 

If you want popularity as measured by what people are actually listening to then you need something like Lastfm data but a broad true picture of what people are really listening to would be virtually impossible to obtain.

Should be sales only because Miley Cyrus would have got number one :( She was number one on digital sales for 4 weeks

Any formula that includes radioplays is absolutely illogical. It doesn't have any indication of what is popular but plays right into the hands of those few radio planners and playlist makers who will basically decide what gets played and how often and will ultimately decide what the charts consist of. Simple logic really.

 

If you want popularity as measured by what people are actually listening to then you need something like Lastfm data but a broad true picture of what people are really listening to would be virtually impossible to obtain.

 

Sometimes airplay provides song a Hot 100 position despite lack of sales. Radio hits sell albums, especially country and rock albums. The Black Keys have had a gold album with solid rock radio support but their singles have very little digital sales. If people didn't like radio hits they would leave the albums in the shelves.

 

So I think it's only fair that songs like 'Tighten Up' get recognition on Hot 100 too. They wouldn't if it was all about sales despite songs being very popular.

 

At the same time Sing by My Chemical Romance got pretty good peak on Hot 100 mostly based on digital sales because it was used on Glee. Does that make it more popular? Sing has now climbed in airplay too though.

 

(I believe that I used the word 'fair' the first time in chart context..Shame on me)

 

But we wouldn't be discussing this if Hot 100 wasn't the most followed chart in the world. Somehow I don't see the logic why it'd be based on sales only....it's legendary as it is. It doesn't HAVE to go hand in hand with sales. Charts are not for public in general, they're a tool for the industry.

Sometimes airplay provides song a Hot 100 position despite lack of sales. Radio hits sell albums, especially country and rock albums. The Black Keys have had a gold album with solid rock radio support but their singles have very little digital sales. If people didn't like radio hits they would leave the albums in the shelves.

 

So I think it's only fair that songs like 'Tighten Up' get recognition on Hot 100 too. They wouldn't if it was all about sales despite songs being very popular.

 

At the same time Sing by My Chemical Romance got pretty good peak on Hot 100 mostly based on digital sales because it was used on Glee. Does that make it more popular? Sing has now climbed in airplay too though.

 

(I believe that I used the word 'fair' the first time in chart context..Shame on me)

 

But we wouldn't be discussing this if Hot 100 wasn't the most followed chart in the world. Somehow I don't see the logic why it'd be based on sales only....it's legendary as it is. It doesn't HAVE to go hand in hand with sales. Charts are not for public in general, they're a tool for the industry.

Yeah but you're missing the point that just because songs get played on the radio doesn't mean they are popular. When Radio1 for some reason gave both Crystal Castles and Sleigh Bells daytime airings, neither reached the Top 40 because they are not that popular (much as I love both of them.)

 

If songs being played on the radio translates into album sales then what has that got to do with the singles (or tracks) chart. For me, airplay will never have a place in the tallying of any chart. It places too much power in the hands of a relatively small amount of people to influence and distort the chart.

Sometimes airplay provides song a Hot 100 position despite lack of sales. Radio hits sell albums, especially country and rock albums. The Black Keys have had a gold album with solid rock radio support but their singles have very little digital sales. If people didn't like radio hits they would leave the albums in the shelves.

 

So I think it's only fair that songs like 'Tighten Up' get recognition on Hot 100 too. They wouldn't if it was all about sales despite songs being very popular.

 

At the same time Sing by My Chemical Romance got pretty good peak on Hot 100 mostly based on digital sales because it was used on Glee. Does that make it more popular? Sing has now climbed in airplay too though.

 

(I believe that I used the word 'fair' the first time in chart context..Shame on me)

 

But we wouldn't be discussing this if Hot 100 wasn't the most followed chart in the world. Somehow I don't see the logic why it'd be based on sales only....it's legendary as it is. It doesn't HAVE to go hand in hand with sales. Charts are not for public in general, they're a tool for the industry.

 

But who decides what gets played on the radio? Only a very select few (radio producers). Including airplay in the chart means the musical tastes of those few radio producers is somehow equally important to the musical tastes of the entire music buying public. A song can apparently be one of the most popular 100 songs in the country without even selling a single copy. Even if every single person in the whole country hates a song it can still chart in the Hot 100 because a few radio producers decided to play it a lot. Airplay can *never* be used as a measure of popularity of any given song no matter what way you spin it.

 

If charts are a 'tool for the industry' then why are they available to the public?

Yeah but you're missing the point that just because songs get played on the radio doesn't mean they are popular. When Radio1 for some reason gave both Crystal Castles and Sleigh Bells daytime airings, neither reached the Top 40 because they are not that popular (much as I love both of them.)

 

If songs being played on the radio translates into album sales then what has that got to do with the singles (or tracks) chart. For me, airplay will never have a place in the tallying of any chart. It places too much power in the hands of a relatively small amount of people to influence and distort the chart.

 

You're right about that but there have been times when most songs were unreleased and got zero points on sales and then airplay was the only main factor.

 

It was also somewhat same with UK charts back in 2005-ish when Elvis got his No. 1's with re-releases. Were those the most popular songs at the time?

 

Airplay is only a factor and these days it's practically impossible to reach Top 20 on airplay only on Hot 100.

 

'All Summer Long' peaked at No. 23, clearly the most popular song of the summer. It wasn't released on digital format at all which meant it didn't enter the sales charts. It charted only because of airplay but boosted the sales of Rock N Roll Jesus over triple-platinum. That's a good example of the importance of airplay in general imo.

It was also somewhat same with UK charts back in 2005-ish when Elvis got his No. 1's with re-releases. Were those the most popular songs at the time?

 

Yes, they were because more people were compelled tp buy them on their given weeks than any other song.

If charts are a 'tool for the industry' then why are they available to the public?

 

Of course there's the interest because record companies use them when they promote things but I believe people don't buy a song or an album because it's doing well on charts or do they?