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Billboard charts
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The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in Billboard magazine. Billboard biz, the online extension of the Billboard charts, provides additional weekly charts,[1] as well as year-end charts.[2] The three most important charts are the Billboard Global 200 for songs globally, the Billboard Hot 100 for songs in the United States of America and the Billboard 200 for albums in the United States of America, and other charts may be dedicated to a specific genre such as R&B, country, or rock, or they may cover all genres. The charts can be ranked according to sales, streams, or airplay, and for main song charts such as the Hot 100 or Global 200 (though the latter globally) song chart, all three data are used to compile the charts.[3] For the Billboard 200 album chart, streams and track sales are included in addition to album sales.[4]

The weekly sales and streams charts have been monitored on a Friday-to-Thursday cycle since July 2015; previously it was on a Monday-to-Sunday cycle. Radio airplay song charts, however, follow the Monday-to-Sunday cycle (previously Wednesday-to-Tuesday).[5] The charts are released each Tuesday with an issue date the following Saturday.[citation needed]

History

[edit]

The first chart published by Billboard was "Last Week's Ten Best Sellers Among The Popular Songs", a list of best-selling sheet music, in July 1913. Other early charts listed popular song performances in theatres and recitals in different cities. In 1928, "Popular Numbers Featured by Famous Singers and Leaders" appeared, which added radio performances to in-person performances.[6] On January 4, 1936, Billboard magazine published its first pop chart based on record sales.[7] Titled "Ten Best Records for Week Ending", it listed the 10 top-selling records of three leading record companies as reported by the companies themselves. In March 1937, the "Songs with the Most Radio Plugs" chart debuted with data from a separate company. In October 1938, a review list, "The Week's Best Records", was retitled "The Billboard Record Buying Guide" by incorporating airplay and sheet music sales, which would eventually become the first trade survey of record popularity.[6]

In the July 27, 1940, issue, the first "Billboard Music Popularity Chart" was published for the week ending July 20,[8][9] with separate listings covering retail sales, sheet music sales, jukebox song selection and radio play. Among the lists were the 10 songs of the "Best Selling Retail Records", which is the fore-runner of today's pop chart, with "I'll Never Smile Again" by Tommy Dorsey (featuring vocals by Frank Sinatra) its first number one.[6][9] This best-seller chart (also known as "Best Sellers in Stores" and "Best Selling Pop Singles in Stores") is considered the true guide to a song's popularity until the creation of the Hot 100 in 1958.[10] Another accolade of a successful song was a position on the "Honor Roll of Hits", introduced on March 24, 1945, initially as a 10-song list,[11] later expanded to 30 songs, which ranked the most popular songs by combining record and sheet sales, disk jockey, and jukebox performances as determined by Billboard's weekly nationwide survey.[12] This chart amalgamated different records of the same song by different performers as one, and topping the first chart was "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive".

In November 1955, a composite standing chart that combined retail sales, jukebox and disk jockeys play charts but counted individual records separately was created as "The Top 100" chart, with "Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing" by The Four Aces its first No. 1.[6] This chart is the direct predecessor to the current Hot 100 chart. The jukebox chart ceased publication after the June 17, 1957, issue, the disk jockey chart after July 28, 1958, and the best-seller chart after October 13, 1958.[13] After July 28, 1958, the composite chart the "Top 100" chart was also discontinued;[14] and the "Hot 100" began the following week on August 4, 1958, listing "Poor Little Fool" by Ricky Nelson as its first No. 1.[15][16] The Hot 100 currently combines singles sales, radio airplay, digital downloads, and streaming activity (including data from YouTube and other video sites). Many Billboard charts use this basic formula apart from charts dedicated to the three data sources: sales (both physical and digital), airplay and streaming.[17]

In the early period, the issue dates and the chart dates given in Billboard were different until January 13, 1962, when the issue dates and the chart dates both referred to the week ending dates.[10] The Honor Roll of Hits chart was discontinued after November 16, 1963.[13]

Billboard also publishes various music genre charts. "Harlem Hit Parade" was created in 1943 which became "Best-Selling Race Records" in 1948 and "Best-selling Rhythm & Blues Records" in 1949, and then "Soul Singles" in 1969 (currently Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs). "Best-selling Folk Records" was published in 1948, and this morphed into "Best-Selling Country & Western Records" in 1949, "Best-Selling C&W Records" in 1956 and "Hot Country Singles" in 1963 (now Hot Country Songs). MOR charts has been published since 1961, variously called "Easy Listening", "Middle-Road Singles" and "Pop-Standard Singles" and now Adult Contemporary.[6] Billboard charts now cover these music genres: rock, pop, country, dance, bluegrass, jazz, classical, R&B, rap, electronic, Latin, Christian, world and holiday music, and even ringtones for mobile (cell) phones.

An album chart, the "Best Selling Popular Record Albums", was first published on March 24, 1945, with The King Cole Trio its first No. 1.[18] The first chart had 10 albums, before reducing to five in the following weeks, then increasing again to 10 in 1948. The album chart was split into 33-8 and 45 rpm lists in 1950 before they recombined in 1954, then divided into mono and stereo classifications in 1959 before they merged into a 150-item pop album chart in 1963. It was eventually expanded into a 200 album list on May 13, 1967.[6] Various genre album charts were also published: Country LP chart in January 1964, R&B chart in 1965, jazz in 1969, Latin in 1973, Gospel 1974,[6] and Rock in 1981. Other charts include Classical albums, Comedy Albums, Holiday Albums, Soundtracks, Independent Albums, Catalog Album and many others besides.

At the end of each year, Billboard tallies the results of all of its charts, and the results are published in a year-end issue and heard on year-end editions of its American Top 40 and American Country Countdown radio broadcasts.[19] The first such annual charts released were for the year 1946, published in the January 4, 1947, issue,[20] although annual listing of songs had been published some years prior,[21] such as the undifferentiated annual chart based on "Honor Roll of Hits" for 1945.[22] Between 1991 and 2006, the top single/album/artist(s) in each of those charts was/were awarded in the form of the annual Billboard Music Awards, which were held in December until the awards went dormant in 2007. The awards returned in May 2011.[23]

Chart compilation methodology

[edit]

For many years, a song had to be commercially available as a single to be considered for any of the Billboard charts. At the time, instead of using Luminate (formerly Nielsen SoundScan or Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems, BDS), Billboard obtained its data from manual reports filled out by radio stations and stores. For different musical genres, which stations and stores are used separates the charts; each musical genre has a core audience or retail group. Each genre's department at Billboard is headed up by a chart manager, who makes these determinations.[citation needed] According to the 100th-anniversary issue of Billboard, prior to the official implementation of SoundScan tracking in November 1991, many radio stations and retail stores removed songs from their manual reports after the associated record labels stopped promoting a particular single. Thus, songs fell quickly after peaking and had shorter chart lives. In 1990, the country singles chart was the first chart to use SoundScan and BDS.[24] They were followed by the Hot 100 and the R&B chart in 1991.[25] Today, all of the Billboard charts use this technology.[citation needed]

Before September 1995, singles were allowed to chart in the week they first went on sale based on airplay points alone. The policy was changed in September 1995, to only allow a single to debut after a full week of sales on combined sales and airplay points. This allowed several tracks to debut at number one.[citation needed]

In December 1998, the policy was further modified to allow tracks to chart on the basis of airplay alone without a commercial release. This change was made to reflect the changing realities of the music business. Previous to this, several substantial radio and MTV hits had not appeared on the Billboard chart at all, because many major labels chose not to release them as standalone singles, hoping their unavailability would spur greater album sales. Not offering a popular song to the public as a single was unheard of before the 1970s. The genres that suffered most at the time were those that increasingly impacted pop culture, including new genres such as trip hop and grunge. Among the many pre-1999 songs that had ended up in this Hot 100 limbo were The Cardigans' "Lovefool", Natalie Imbruglia's "Torn" (which peaked at 42), Goo Goo Dolls' "Iris" (which hit number 9), OMC's "How Bizarre", Sugar Ray's "Fly", and No Doubt's "Don't Speak".[citation needed]

On June 25, 2015, Billboard made changes in its chart requirements. The official street date for all new album releases was moved from Tuesday to Friday in the United States. For all sales-based charts (ranking both albums and tracks), Billboard and Nielsen changed the chart reporting period to cover the first seven days of an album's release. As a result of the changes, The Billboard 200, top albums sales, genre-based albums, digital songs, genre-based downloads, streaming songs, and genre-focused streaming surveys ran on a Friday-to-Thursday cycle. Radio Songs, which informs the Hot 100, synced to the Monday-to-Sunday period after formerly covering Wednesday to Tuesday. All other radio charts and genre tallies followed the Monday-to-Sunday cycle. The move was made to coincide with the IFPI's move to have all singles and albums released globally on Fridays.[5]

Incorporation of digital platforms

[edit]

Starting on February 12, 2005, Billboard changed its methodology to include paid digital downloads from digital music retailers such as Rhapsody, AmazonMP3, and iTunes. With this policy change, a song could chart based on digital downloads alone.[26]

On July 31, 2007, Billboard changed its methodology for the Hot 100 chart to include digital streams, which at the time was obtained from Yahoo and AOL's streaming platforms. This change was made exclusively to the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The effect of this chart change was minuscule at the time because it was estimated to account for 5% of the chart's total points.[27]

In October 2012, Billboard significantly changed the methodology for its country, rock, Latin, and rap charts, when it incorporated sales of digital downloads and streaming plays into what had previously been airplay-only charts. Another change was that rather than measuring airplay only from radio stations of a particular genre, the new methodology measures airplay from all radio formats.[28] This methodology was extended to their Christian and gospel charts in late 2013.[29] These methodology changes resulted in higher positions on the genre charts for songs with crossover appeal to other genres and radio formats (especially pop) at the expense of songs that appeal almost exclusively to core fans of the given genre, a change that proved controversial with those devotees.[30]

On February 20, 2013, Billboard announced another change in the methodology for its charts that incorporated YouTube video streaming data into the determination of ranking positions on streaming charts. The incorporation of YouTube streaming data enhanced a formula that includes on-demand audio streaming and online radio streaming. The YouTube video streams that used in this methodology are official video streams, Vevo on YouTube streams, and user-generated clips that use authorized audio. Billboard said this change was made to further reflect the divergent platforms of music consumption in today's world.[31]

Songs

[edit]

All-genre

[edit]
Chart title Chart type Number of
positions 		Description
Billboard Hot 100 sales +
airplay +
streaming 		100
  • The US music industry standard song popularity chart
Bubbling Under Hot 100 25
  • Ranks the top 25 songs below #100 that have not previously appeared on the Hot 100.
  • Positions do not directly correspond to positions 101–125 of an extended Hot 100, but many sources use this notation
Radio Songs airplay
(audience) 		50
  • Measures radio airplay audience impressions on 1,233 radio stations encompassing all formats.
  • One of the component charts of the Hot 100
  • Formerly called Top 40 Radio Monitor (1986–1991) and Hot 100 Airplay (1991–2014)
Digital Song Sales digital sales 50
  • Ranks top-selling digital song sales
  • Combines different versions of songs for a summarized figure
  • One of the component charts of the Hot 100
Streaming Songs streaming 50
  • Ranks top-streaming songs
  • Combines different versions of songs for a summarized figure
  • One of the component charts of the Hot 100

Adult/Pop

[edit]
Chart title Chart type Number of
positions 		Description
Mainstream Top 40 (also Pop Songs) airplay (spins) 40 Measures airplay detections (spins) on 157 contemporary hit radio stations. These stations also contribute to the Dance/Mix Show Airplay panel
Adult Pop Airplay (also Adult Pop Songs) 40 Measures airplay spins on 90 hot adult contemporary stations
Adult Contemporary 30 Measures airplay spins on 85 adult contemporary stations

Christian and Gospel

[edit]
Chart title Chart type Number of
positions 		Description
Hot Christian Songs Sales, streaming, all format airplay 50 Combines sales, airplay from all radio formats, and streaming data
Christian Digital Song Sales Digital downloads 15 Top-downloaded Christian songs, ranked by sales data as compiled by Luminate.
Christian Streaming Songs Streaming 25 Most streamed Christian songs
Christian Airplay Airplay (audience) 40 Audience impressions from Christian AC, Hot AC, CHR/Pop, Soft AC, and Christian Rock stations.
Christian AC Airplay Airplay (spins) 30 Measures airplay spins on Christian adult contemporary stations
Hot Gospel Songs Sales, streaming, allformat airplay 25 Combines sales, airplay, and streaming data of Gospel songs
Gospel Airplay Radio (airplay) 30 Measures airplay spins of Gospel stations
Gospel Digital Song Sales Digital sales 25 Top-downloaded Gospel songs, ranked by sales data as compiled by Luminate.
Gospel Streaming Songs Streaming 15 Top-streamed Gospel songs, ranked by sales data as compiled by Luminate.

Country

[edit]
Chart title Chart type Number of
positions 		Description
Hot Country Songs sales + all format airplay + streaming 50 Combines sales, airplay from all radio formats and streaming data
Country Airplay airplay (audience) 60 Measures airplay audience impression on 128 country music stations
Country Digital Song Sales digital sales 50 Most-downloaded country songs, ranked by sales data as compiled by Luminate. First launched with the charts dated January 23, 2010.
Country Streaming Songs streaming 50 Most streamed country songs.

Dance/Electronic

[edit]
Chart title Chart type Number of
positions 		Description
Dance Club Songs reports from DJs 50
  • Compiled exclusively from playlists submitted by nightclub disc jockeys, who must apply and meet certain criteria to become Billboard-reporting DJs.
Hot Dance/Electronic Songs Continuous airplay, single sales, digital downloads, online streaming 50
  • A chart which uses the same methodology as the Hot 100, which tracks the top dance/electronic songs based on monitored airplay, single sales, digital downloads and monitored online streaming.
  • The songs will be used to determine eligibility for entry into the Hot 100.
  • Criteria will be based on the song's tempo.
  • Remixed versions of pop, rock, R&B, hip-hop and/or songs of other genres are ineligible for this chart.
  • Starting with the chart dated January 18, 2025, songs are only eligible if they are "primarily recorded by DJs or producers with an emphasis on electronic-based production".[32]
Hot Dance/Pop Songs 15
  • A chart which uses the same methodology as Hot Dance/Electronic Songs.[32]
  • First launched with the charts dated January 18, 2025, the eligible songs have "dance-centric vocals, melody and hooks by artists not considered rooted in the dance/electronic genre".[32]
Dance/Mix Show Airplay Continuous airplay (Spins from exclusive reporters)
Mix show airplay (Spins from Mainstream and Rhythmic stations) 		40
  • Originally called Hot Dance Airplay when it was launched in 2003. A monitored dance music radio chart of 6 dance stations that came about as a result of the small but influential impact of dance music on the radio and the stations that program it.
  • Renamed Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart on November 19, 2011. The chart now includes the 157 Mainstream Top 40 and 67 Rhythmic Top 40 reporters that features mix shows in their programming.
  • Expanded to 40 positions, effective with the December 6, 2014 issue.
Dance Digital Song Sales digital sales 50
  • A chart that tracks the digital download sales of dance/electronic music singles, including tracks that are exclusively available online only. This chart also includes previously released dance and disco songs that became available for downloading.
Dance/Electronic Streaming Songs streaming 25
  • A chart that tracks the week's top Dance/Electronic streamed radio songs and on-demand songs and videos on leading online music services.

Holiday

[edit]
Chart title Chart type Number of
positions 		Description
Holiday 100 Airplay, sales, and streaming 100
  • Combines airplay, sales and streaming data.
  • Annual survey runs for 5–6 weeks beginning early December.
Holiday Airplay Airplay (audience) 50
  • Holiday Song chart from 2001 until 2010.
  • Annual survey of audience impressions from all radio stations.
  • Annual survey runs for 5–6 weeks beginning early December.
Holiday Digital Song Sales Digital downloads 25
  • Annual survey of Top-downloaded Holiday songs, ranked by sales data as compiled by Luminate.
Holiday Streaming Songs Streaming 50
  • Annual survey of most streamed Holiday songs.
  • Annual survey runs for 5–6 weeks beginning early December.

Internet charts

[edit]
Chart title Number of
positions 		Description
Social 50 50 A ranking of the most active artists on the world's leading social networking sites. Artists' popularity is determined by a formula blending their weekly additions of friends/fans/followers along with artist page views and weekly song plays, as measured by Next Big Sound.
TikTok Billboard Top 50 50 Most popular songs on TikTok in the United States, based on a combination of creations, video views and user engagement.
Real Time – Hot Trending Songs 50 Most-discussed songs on X (formerly Twitter) updated live.
Weekly – Hot Trending Songs 50 Most-discussed songs on X updated weekly.
Top Triller Global 20 Most popular songs worldwide on the app Triller.
Top Triller U.S. 20 Most popular songs in the United States on the app Triller.
LyricFind Global 25 Most-searched songs on LyricFind.
LyricFind U.S. 25 Most-searched songs on LyricFind.
Top Gabb Music Songs 25 Most-played songs streamed through Gabb Music by Gabb Wireless, which features "only kid- and teen-appropriate content", first presented November 2024 and updated monthly. Gabb Music streams are not included on any other Billboard chart.[33]

Jazz

[edit]
Chart title Chart type Number of
positions 		Description
Smooth Jazz Airplay airplay (spins) 30 Measures airplay spins on 14 smooth jazz stations

Latin

[edit]
Chart title Chart type Number of
positions 		Description
Hot Latin Songs Sales + airplay + streaming 50 Ranks the top fifty Spanish-language singles in the American music market. It was established as an airplay-only chart by Billboard in 1986. As of October 11, 2012, the chart is based on airplay across all formats, digital downloads, and streaming of Latin songs. Only predominately Spanish-language songs are eligible to rank on the chart.
Hot Latin Pop Songs Sales + airplay + streaming 25 Ranks the top twenty-five Spanish-language pop songs in the American music market. Launched on the issue dated April 12, 2025, the chart is based on airplay, digital downloads, and streaming of Latin pop songs.[34][35]
Hot Latin Rhythm Songs Sales + airplay + streaming 25 Ranks the top twenty-five Latin rhythm songs in the American music market. Launched on the issue dated April 12, 2025, the chart is based on airplay, digital downloads, and streaming of Latin rhythm songs.[34]
Hot Regional Mexican Songs Sales + airplay + streaming 25 Ranks the top twenty-five regional Mexican songs in the American music market. Launched on the issue dated April 12, 2025, the chart is based on airplay, digital downloads, and streaming of regional Mexican songs.[34]
Hot Tropical Songs Sales + airplay + streaming 25 Ranks the top twenty-five Spanish-language tropical music songs in the American music market. Launched on the issue dated April 12, 2025, the chart is based on airplay, digital downloads, and streaming of Latin tropical songs.[34]
Latin Airplay Airplay (spins) 50 Ranks the most played songs on Latin radio stations in the United States and Puerto Rico regardless of genre or language.
Latin Digital Song Sales Digital sales 50 Ranks the best-selling Spanish-language from digital music retailers as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan.
Latin Pop Airplay Airplay (audience) 25 Ranks the most-listened to Spanish-language pop songs on Latin music radio stations. It was established in 1994, initially measuring airplay of songs being played on Latin pop radio stations.
Regional Mexican Airplay Airplay (spins) 40 Ranks the most performed song on Regional Mexican radio stations in the United States. It includes musical styles originating from Mexico as well as the Mexican-American community in the US such as Tejano. This chart is based on airplay from 65 regional Mexican radio stations compiled using information tracked by from BDS. It was established in 1994.
Tropical Airplay Airplay (audience) 25 Ranks the most-listened to Spanish-language tropical music songs on 140 Latin music radio stations. It was established by the magazine in 1994, initially measuring airplay of songs played by a small panel of tropical music radio stations.
Latin Rhythm Airplay Airplay (audience) 25 Ranks the most-listened to Spanish-language Latin rhythm songs. Latin rhythm is a music radio format that includes Spanish-language urban genres such as Latin hip hop and reggaeton. Established in 2005, it initially measured airplay of songs being played on 15 Latin rhythm radio stations.
Latin Streaming Songs Streaming 25 Ranks play of Spanish-language streamed radio songs and on-demand songs and music videos on leading online music services.

R&B/Hip-Hop

[edit]
Chart title Chart type Number of
positions 		Description
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs airplay + sales + streaming 50[A] Ranks the most popular by combining airplay from all formats of radio stations, digital download sales, streaming data and YouTube views of R&B and hip-hop songs.
R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay airplay (audience) 50 Measures airplay based on audience impressions from various R&B/hip-hop stations. Component of Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales digital sales Top-downloaded R&B and hip-hop songs, ranked by sales data as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. Component of Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs streaming Top-streamed R&B and hip-hop songs, ranked by sales data as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. Component of Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay airplay (spins) 40 Ranks songs by combining airplay base on radio plays (spins) from 76 R&B/hip-hop stations. Component of R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart.
Adult R&B Airplay airplay (spins) 30 Measures airplay from 65 Urban AC radio stations. Component of R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart.
Rhythmic Airplay airplay (spins) 40 Measures airplay spins on 72 rhythmic stations. Rhythmic is a music radio format that includes of a mix of dance, upbeat rhythmic pop, hip hop and R&B hits. These stations also contribute to the Dance/Mix Show Airplay panel.
Hot Rap Songs airplay + sales + streaming 25 Ranks the top 25 hip-hop/rap songs by combining airplay from all formats of radio stations, digital download sales, streaming data and YouTube views of rap songs.
Rap Airplay airplay (spins) 25 Ranks the top 25 hip-hop/rap songs by airplay spins from R&B/hip-hop and rhythmic radio stations. Component of Hot Rap Songs chart.
Rap Digital Song Sales digital sales Top-downloaded rap songs, ranked by sales data as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. Component of Hot Rap Songs chart.
Rap Streaming Songs streaming Top-streamed rap songs, ranked by sales data as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. Component of Hot Rap Songs chart.
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Recurrents airplay (spins) 20 Ranks songs that have fallen below No. 50 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and have been on that chart for over 20 weeks.
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Recurrent Airplay airplay (spins) 20 Ranks the songs that have fallen below No. 25 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart and have been on that chart for over 20 weeks.
Hot R&B Songs airplay + sales + streaming 25 Ranks the top 25 R&B songs by combining airplay from all formats of radio stations, digital download sales, streaming data and YouTube views of R&B songs.
R&B Digital Song Sales digital sales Top-downloaded R&B songs, ranked by sales data as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. Component of Hot R&B Songs chart.
R&B Streaming Songs streaming Top-streamed R&B songs, ranked by sales data as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. Component of Hot R&B Songs chart.

Rock & Alternative

[edit]
Chart title Chart type Number of
positions 		Description
Hot Rock & Alternative Songs Sales, airplay,
and streaming 		50 Ranks the top rock and alternative songs across all formats, based on radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity
Rock & Alternative Airplay Airplay (audience) 50 Airplay audience impressions on mainstream rock, alternative, and Triple A radio stations
Hot Rock Songs Sales, airplay,
and streaming 		25 Ranks the top rock songs based on radio airplay across all formats, sales data, and streaming activity; debuted with the chart week dated July 2, 2022.[36]
Rock Digital Song Sales Digital sales 50 Top-downloaded rock songs, ranked by sales data as compiled by Luminate.
Rock Streaming Songs streaming 25 Top-streamed rock songs, ranked by sales data as compiled by Luminate.
Hot Alternative Songs Sales, airplay,
and streaming 		25 Ranks the top alternative songs based on radio airplay across all formats, sales data, and streaming activity
Alternative Airplay Airplay (spins) 40 Measures airplay spins on 50 alternative/modern rock stations
Alternative Digital Song Sales Digital sales 25 Top-downloaded songs classified as alternative (or a combination of alternative and another genre), ranked by sales data as compiled by Luminate debuted with the chart week dated January 22, 2011.
Alternative Streaming Songs streaming 25 Top-streamed songs classified as alternative, ranked by sales data as compiled by Luminate.
Mainstream Rock Airplay Airplay (spins) 40 Measures airplay spins on 77 mainstream rock radio stations encompassing active rock and heritage rock
Adult Alternative Airplay (Triple A Airplay) 40 Measures airplay spins on 24 adult album alternative radio stations
Hot Hard Rock Songs Sales, airplay,
and streaming 		25 Ranks the top hard rock songs based on radio airplay across all formats, sales data, and streaming activity
Hard Rock Digital Song Sales Digital sales 25 Top-downloaded songs classified as hard rock, ranked by sales data as compiled by Luminate.
Hard Rock Streaming Songs streaming 25 Top-streamed songs classified as hard rock, ranked by sales data as compiled by Luminate.

World music

[edit]
Chart title Chart type Number of
positions 		Description
U.S. Afrobeats Songs streaming Top US-streamed Afrobeats songs, ranked by sales data as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan.
World Digital Song Sales digital sales Ranks the best-selling world music / foreign-language digital singles in the United States.

International charts

[edit]

Canadian charts

[edit]
Chart title Chart type Number of
positions 		Description
Canadian Hot 100 airplay + sales + streaming[37] 100
  • Canadian music industry standard singles popularity chart
Canadian Albums sales + streaming 100
Emerging Canadian Artist airplay + sales + streaming 30
  • Ranks most popular songs by emerging Canadian artists
  • Artists are considered emerging until 12 months after the date their first Canadian Hot 100 charting entry reaches the top 40.
  • No recurrent chart
Digital Song Sales digital sales 75
  • Ranks top-selling digital song sales
  • Combines different versions of songs for summarized figure
  • one of the component charts of Canadian Hot 100
  • No recurrent chart
Hot 100 Airplay airplay (audience) 75
  • Measures radio airplay audience impressions on 137 radio stations from five different formats
  • One of the component charts of Canadian Hot 100
All-format Airplay airplay (spins) 50
  • Measures radio airplay spins on 137 radio stations from five formats.
  • A 100-position chart was previously available at Jam! Canoe website.
CHR/Top 40 Airplay 50
  • Measures radio airplay spins on 25 CHR radio stations
AC Airplay 50
  • Measures radio airplay spins on 28 AC radio stations
Hot AC Airplay 50
  • Measures radio airplay spins on 24 Hot AC radio stations
Country Airplay 50
  • Measures radio airplay spins on 31 country radio stations
Rock Airplay 50
  • Measures radio airplay spins on 29 rock radio stations

Other international charts

[edit]
Chart title Description
Arabic Hot 100 Ranks the top 100 singles based on streaming.
Argentina Hot 100 Ranks the top 100 singles in Argentina based on airplay, digital downloads, and streaming.
Billboard Global 200[38] Ranks the top songs based on sales and streaming data from more than 200 territories worldwide.
Billboard Global Excl. U.S.[38] Ranks the top songs based on sales and streaming data from territories outside the United States.
Brasil Hot 100 Ranks the top 100 singles in Brazil based on streaming.
China TME UNI Chart Ranks the top 100 singles in China by China, Hong Kong and Taiwan artists based on digital downloads and streaming. Collaborates with Tencent Music
Hits of the World Ranks the top 25 songs in more than 40 countries.
Hot 100 Perú[39] Ranks the top 25 singles in Peru based on airplay, digital downloads, and streaming.
Hot 100 Artistas Peruanos Ranks the top 100 singles in Peru by Peruvian artists based on airplay, digital downloads, and streaming.
Japan Hot 100 Ranks the best-selling singles and tracks in Japan.
Mexican Airplay Ranks the most listened singles in Mexico.
Mexico Espanol Airplay Ranks the most listened singles in Spanish-language in Mexico.
Mexico Ingles Airplay Ranks the most listened singles in English-language in Mexico.
Philippines Hot 100 Ranks the top 100 singles in the Philippines based on digital downloads and streaming.
Top Philippines Songs Ranks the top 100 singles in the Philippines by Filipino artists based on digital downloads and streaming.
Top Thai Songs Ranks the top 100 Thai songs in Thailand based on digital downloads and streaming.[40]
Top Thai Country Songs Ranks the top 50 luk thung songs in Thailand based on digital downloads and streaming.[40]
Vietnam Hot 100 Ranks the top 100 singles in Vietnam based on digital downloads and streaming.
Vietnam Top Vietnamese Songs Ranks the top 100 singles in Vietnam by Vietnamese artists based on digital downloads and streaming.

Albums

[edit]
Chart title Number of chart positions Description
Billboard 200 200
  • Industry standard, includes albums from any genre.
  • Includes both new and catalog albums.
  • Includes data from on-demand streaming services[4]
Top Album Sales 100
  • A pure album sales chart.
Top Alternative Albums 25
  • Ranks the most popular alternative albums of the week, as compiled by Nielsen Music.
  • Based on multi-metric consumption (blending traditional album sales, track equivalent albums, and streaming equivalent albums)
Top Bluegrass Albums 15
Top Blues Albums 15
Cast Albums
Catalog Albums 50
  • An album becomes a catalog title when it is more than 18 months old and has fallen below position 100 on the Billboard 200.
Christian Albums 50
Top Classical Albums 50
Classical Crossover Albums 15
Top Comedy Albums 10
Compilation Albums 20
Contemporary Jazz Albums 15
  • Debuted on February 28, 1987, with 25 positions.[41]
Top Country Albums 50
Top Current Album Sales 100
  • The same chart as Top Album Sales, with catalog titles removed
Top Dance Albums 25
  • Known as Top Dance/Electronic Albums until the week dated January 11, 2025.[32]
Top Gospel Albums 40
Top Hard Rock Albums 25
  • Ranks the most popular hard rock albums of the week, as compiled by Nielsen Music.
  • Based on multi-metric consumption (blending traditional album sales, track equivalent albums, and streaming equivalent albums)
Top Holiday Albums 50
Independent Albums 50
Jazz Albums 25
Top Latin Albums 50
  • Ranks the best-selling Latin albums weekly. An album must have at least 51% of its content recorded in Spanish to rank on this chart.
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums 50
Rap Albums 25
Top Rock Albums 50
  • Ranks the most popular rock albums of the week, as compiled by Nielsen Music.
  • Based on multi-metric consumption (blending traditional album sales, track equivalent albums, and streaming equivalent albums)
Top Rock & Alternative Albums 50
  • Ranks the most popular rock and alternative albums of the week, as compiled by Nielsen Music.
  • Based on multi-metric consumption (blending traditional album sales, track equivalent albums, and streaming equivalent albums)
Top Soundtracks 30
Americana/Folk Albums 25
Kid Albums 15
Latin Rhythm Albums 25
Latin Pop Albums 20
New Age Albums 10
R&B Albums 25
  • Ranks top R&B albums by sales as compiled by Nielsen Music. Albums must be less than 18 months old, or if older than 18 months then they must reside on the Billboard 200's top 100.[42]
Reggae Albums 10
Indie Store Album Sales[43][44][45]
  • Ranked albums based on "an influential panel of indie stores and small regional chains."[46]
Traditional Classical Albums
Traditional Jazz Albums 15
Tropical Albums 20
Vinyl Albums 25
World Albums 25
  • Debuted on May 19, 1990.[47]
  • Ranks biggest-selling world music albums, including catalog titles.
  • Initially featured 15 positions, but was extended to 25 starting from the week of January 18, 2025.
Regional Mexican Albums 20

Video

[edit]
Chart title Number of
positions 		Description
Music Video Sales 100
  • Industry standard, includes video albums from any genre.[48]

Discontinued charts

[edit]
Chart title Discontinuation
date 		Chart type Number of positions Description
Active Rock November 25, 2013 sales +
airplay
  • Was assimilated into the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart.[49]
Best Sellers in Stores October 13, 1958 physical sales
  • Ranked records in order of national selling importance at the retail level.[50]
  • Three charts: Popular Records, Rhythm & Blues Records, Country & Western Records
Bubbling Under R&B sales +
airplay +
streaming 		15
  • Ranks the top 15 songs below #50 that have not previously appeared on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Classical Budget/Midline Albums physical sales
Comprehensive Music Video 2012 (?) physical sales
  • Ranked the best-selling music DVDs, including those not in full retail distribution
Country Catalog Albums physical sales
Country Singles Sales 2005 physical sales
  • Ranked the best-selling commercial country singles
China Top 100 2019 sales +
airplay +
streaming 		100
  • Ranked the best-selling local singles in China.
Dance Singles Sales November 30, 2013 physical sales
  • Dual chart combined with the Dance Club Songs from 1985 until 2013.
  • Devoted exclusively to 12-inch maxi single Sales.
Dance/Electronic Album Sales physical sales
  • Similar to Dance/Electronic Albums, but more focused on core Dance/Electronic artists
European Hot 100 Singles December 11, 2010 sales +
airplay +
streaming 		100
  • Ranked the best-selling singles in Europe by combining sales from various countries in Europe.
Global Dance Tracks June 29, 2013 physical sales
  • A weekly international survey of the songs that were popular in dance clubs globally.
Heatseekers Songs December 6, 2014 sales +
airplay +
streaming 		25
  • Ranked songs from new and developing acts that had never attained the top 50 of the Hot 100.
  • If a song reached the top 50, it and any of the artist's subsequent singles became ineligible for the chart.
Heatseekers Albums January 2025[51] sales +
airplay +
streaming 		25
  • Ranked albums from new and developing acts that had never attained the top 100 of the Billboard 200.
  • If an album reached the top 100, it and any of the artist's subsequent albums become ineligible for the chart.
Heritage Rock November 25, 2013 sales +
airplay
  • Was assimilated into the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart.[49]
Hot Crossover 30 December 8, 1990 airplay (spins) 30
Hot Digital Tracks digital sales 75
  • Ranked digital song sales with different versions of songs listed
  • No recurrent chart
Hot Ringtones ringtone sale 40
Hot RingMasters 40
  • Ranked weekly sales of master ringtones for mobile phones.
Hot Singles Sales November 21, 2017 physical sales 15
  • Measures sales of commercial physical singles
  • One of the component charts of the Hot 100
  • No recurrent chart
Hot Videoclips 25
  • Ranks top 25 most popular music videos according to digital sales and TV play on shows such as TRL and 106 & Park
Honor Roll of Hits[12] November 16, 1963[13]
  • Comprised the nation's top tunes according to record sales and disk jockey performances as determined by Billboard's weekly nationwide survey.[54]
Indonesia Top 100 2020 sales +
airplay +
streaming 		100
  • Ranked the top 100 singles in Indonesia based on digital downloads, airplay, streaming, and karaoke play.
K-Pop 100 April 2022 100
Most Played by Jockeys July 28, 1958
  • Ranked records in order of the greatest number of plays on disk jockey radio shows throughout the country.[50]
  • Three charts: Popular Records, Rhythm & Blues Records, Country & Western Records
Most Played in Juke Boxes June 17, 1957
  • Ranked records in order of the greatest number of plays nationally in juke boxes.[50]
  • Three charts: Popular Records, Rhythm & Blues Records, Country & Western Records
Pop 100 June 13, 2009 sales +
airplay 		100
  • Ranked songs by combining airplay focused on pop radio and sales
  • The chart's importance is replaced by the Mainstream Top 40 chart
Pop 100 Airplay airplay
(audience) 		100
  • Measured airplay on pop music radio
  • One of three component charts of the Pop 100
R&B/Hip-Hop Catalog Albums physical sales
Top 40 Tracks March 2005 airplay
(audience) 		40
  • Debuted in December 1998 ranking songs by audience impressions on Mainstream, Adult, and Rhythmic Top 40 radio stations
  • Discontinued with the introduction of the Pop 100 and Pop 100 Airplay charts
Blues Digital Song Sales January 2020 digital sales Top-downloaded blues songs, ranked by sales data as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan.
Classical Digital Song Sales January 2020 Top-downloaded classical songs, ranked by sales data as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan.
Comedy Digital Track Sales January 2020 Top-downloaded comedy songs, ranked by sales data as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan.
Euro Digital Song Sales February 12, 2022
  • Ranked the best-selling digital singles and tracks in Europe.
Euro Digital Tracks November 29, 2014
  • Ranked the best-selling digital tracks in Europe
Luxembourg Digital Song Sales 2020
  • Ranked the most downloaded songs digitally in the country of Luxembourg for the week
Jazz Digital Song Sales January 2020 Top-downloaded jazz songs, ranked by sales data as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan.
Kid Digital Song Sales January 2020 Top-downloaded children's songs, ranked by sales data as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan.
New Age Digital Song Sales January 2020 Top-downloaded new age songs, ranked by sales data as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan.
Pop Digital Song Sales January 2020 50 Top-downloaded pop songs, ranked by sales data as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan.
Reggae Digital Song Sales January 2020 Top-downloaded reggae songs, ranked by sales data as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan.
Spotify Rewind streaming 30
  • Ranked top-streaming old/classic songs on Spotify
Spotify Velocity streaming 30
  • Ranked top-streaming songs on Spotify
France Digital Song Sales February 2022 digital sales 10
  • Ranked the best-selling digital singles and tracks in France.
  • Replaced by Hits of the World chart collection component France Songs.
Spain Digital Song Sales February 2022 digital sales 10
  • Ranked the best-selling digital singles and tracks in Spain.
  • Replaced by Hits of the World chart collection component Spain Songs.
Switzerland Digital Song Sales February 2022 digital sales 10
  • Ranked the best-selling digital singles and tracks in Switzerland.
  • Replaced by Hits of the World chart collection component Switzerland Songs.
Viral 50 streaming 50 *Ranked top-streaming independent songs on Spotify
Digital Albums 2019 digital sales
Top Internet Albums
  • Ranked physical albums ordered through Internet merchants.
Christian AC Indicator 2022 Airplay (spins) 30
Christian Hot AC/CHR 2022 Airplay (spins) 30
Christian Rock 2019 Airplay (spins) 30
  • Measures airplay spins on Christian rock stations
Christian Soft AC 2018 Airplay (spins) 20
  • Measured airplay spins on Christian Soft AC stations

Notes

  1. ^ 100 positions prior to October 2012.

Other charts

[edit]

In December 2010, Billboard announced a new chart titled Social 50, which ranks the most active artists on the world's leading social networking sites. The Social 50 chart tallies artists' popularity using their weekly additions of friends/fans/followers, along with weekly artist page views and weekly song plays on Myspace, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and iLike.[55] In January 2011, Billboard introduced another chart called Uncharted, which lists new and developing artists, who are yet to appear on any major Billboard chart, "...regardless of their country of origin."[56]

In May 2014, after the Korea K-Pop Hot 100 chart was discontinued in the U.S., the Billboard K-Town column continued to provide chart information for K-pop artists on all Billboard charts.[57][58] The Artist 100 debuted in July 2014.[59] In June 2019, Billboard launched the Top Songwriters Chart and the Top Producers Chart, based on weekly activity on the Hot 100 and other "Hot" genre charts.[60] Dance/Pop Songwriters and Dance/Pop Producers charts are scheduled to be launched in January 2025, based on the Hot Dance/Pop Songs chart.[32] In October 2021, Billboard launched the Hot Trending Songs charts, utilising real-time music-related trends and conversations on Twitter.[61]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Billboard charts

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from Grokipedia
The Billboard charts are a series of music charts published weekly by Billboard magazine that rank the relative popularity of songs, albums, and artists in the United States and globally, based on multi-metric consumption data including sales, radio airplay, and streaming activity. These charts serve as a primary benchmark for the music industry, influencing artist success, radio programming, and consumer trends since their inception. The origins of the charts trace back to the magazine's founding on , 1894, initially as an advertising trade publication that evolved to focus on by the early . The charts began with the first singles list in 1940 and have since expanded to include genre-specific and album rankings, with the flagship Hot 100 launching in 1958. Methodologically, charts have adapted to technological shifts in music consumption, transitioning from manual retailer surveys to electronic tracking. Since 1991, sales data has been sourced from Luminate (formerly Nielsen SoundScan), which monitors over 90% of the U.S. retail market, including physical, digital, and track-equivalent album units. Airplay is tracked by across more than 140 U.S. markets, using electronic monitoring for play counts and audience impressions via . Streaming incorporates data from major platforms for both audio and video plays, although YouTube ceased providing its streaming data to Billboard's U.S. and global charts as of January 16, 2026, following its announcement on December 17, 2025, due to disagreements over the weighting of subscription versus ad-supported streams; charts like the Hot 100 and blending all three metrics into a weighted formula; as of October 2025, the Hot 100 introduced revised recurrent rules to remove older songs faster and prioritize new releases. The , ranking top albums, relies primarily on equivalent album units from Luminate since its multi-metric update on December 13, 2014, with genre-specific album charts updated in January 2025 to include additional streaming and digital sales data. Chart weeks run from Friday to Thursday, with results published Tuesdays on Billboard.com, and expansions such as the global charts launched in 2020 reflect international revenue-weighted streaming and sales. As of November 2025, over 200 charts cover diverse genres, formats, and social metrics, underscoring 's role in measuring evolving music popularity.

History

Origins and Early Development

Billboard magazine was founded on November 1, 1894, in , , by and James C. Hennegan as a trade publication titled Billboard Advertising, primarily serving the billposting and outdoor advertising industry by providing news and resources for show-paper salesmen and poster distributors. Initially focused on the mechanics of advertising placements for traveling carnivals and circuses, the magazine gradually expanded its scope in the early to encompass broader entertainment topics, including performances, fairs, and live shows, reflecting the growing influence of the amusement sector. By 1905, Billboard introduced a dedicated column, and by the 1930s, it had evolved into a key resource for the entertainment industry, with increasing emphasis on recorded , radio broadcasts, and emerging trends in . The magazine's entry into music charting began modestly in the 1910s with informal tracking of sheet music popularity, but the first formal music-related lists appeared in the 1930s amid the rise of phonograph records and jukeboxes. On January 4, 1936, Billboard published its inaugural record sales chart, titled "The Ten Best Records for Week Ending," which ranked the top-selling singles from a limited sample of major labels like RCA Victor, Brunswick, and Columbia based on reports from select retailers. These initial efforts aimed to provide reliable indicators for record labels, radio stations, and venue operators navigating the fragmented music market. A significant milestone came on July 27, 1940, with the debut of the "National List of Best Selling Retail Records," 's first nationwide chart polling hundreds of retailers across the U.S., from large chains like , Roebuck & Co. to small shops, to rank the top 10 best-selling singles of the week. This evolved into the "Best Sellers in Stores" chart by 1945, which became a cornerstone for measuring consumer demand through direct sales reports. On March 24, 1945, introduced the "Honor Roll of Hits," an early composite chart aggregating data from radio and plays to gauge overall song popularity. However, early chart compilation faced notable challenges, particularly in the and , due to the manual nature of ; relied on mailed or phoned reports from operators—who tracked plays in amusement venues—and record store owners, often from a sample of about 200 to 500 outlets, leading to potential inconsistencies from regional biases or incomplete responses. These labor-intensive methods, combined with separate tracking for via surveys, underscored the rudimentary state of before technological advancements. By the mid-1950s, as rock 'n' roll surged and multiple charts proliferated (including "Most Played by Jockeys" and "Most Played in Juke Boxes"), Billboard sought to unify its approach, culminating in the launch of the Billboard Hot 100 on August 4, 1958. This inaugural Hot 100 chart integrated sales, airplay, and jukebox data into a single, points-based ranking, with Ricky Nelson's "Poor Little Fool" debuting at number one, marking a pivotal shift toward a more holistic measure of song success.

Evolution of Chart Compilation Methodology

In the 1950s, Billboard began incorporating tracking into its chart through manual reports submitted by radio stations and disc jockeys, marking a shift from relying solely on physical sales data. This approach captured radio popularity alongside retail sales and plays, providing a more holistic measure of a song's reach. The culmination of these efforts arrived with the launch of the Hot 100 on August 4, 1958, which used a point-based formula combining these metrics: sales reports from stores, logs from DJs, and operator surveys, with each element weighted to reflect its influence on consumer engagement. For example, the inaugural Hot 100 ranked Ricky Nelson's "" at No. 1 based on this blended system, establishing a precedent for multi-metric compilation that balanced commercial and broadcast performance. During the 1960s and 1970s, refinements focused on standardizing report collection and expanding coverage, but significant technological upgrades occurred in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In 1990, the chart became the first to adopt (BDS), an electronic monitoring tool that encoded songs for automated airplay detection across radio stations, replacing subjective manual submissions. This was extended to the Hot 100 on November 30, 1991, when integrated BDS airplay data with Nielsen SoundScan's point-of-sale tracking for sales, fundamentally improving accuracy by capturing actual spins and purchases rather than estimates. SoundScan, introduced for album charts earlier that year on May 25, 1991, used barcode scanning at retail outlets to provide verifiable sales figures, revealing previously underreported genres like hip-hop and country; for instance, it propelled R.E.M.'s Out of Time to No. 2 on the , higher than under the old system. The development of weighted formulas further evolved the methodology, emphasizing balanced contributions from key metrics. Prior to 2005, the Hot 100 employed a roughly 50% sales and 50% airplay blend, where airplay impressions (tracked via BDS) were equated to sales units to determine rankings, ensuring neither factor dominated. This formula adjusted over time for fairness, such as increasing sales weight as digital options emerged. On February 12, 2005, paid digital downloads were incorporated into the Hot 100 sales component, expanding eligibility beyond physical formats and initially weighting them equivalently to physical units, which allowed tracks like "Let Me Love You" by Mario to benefit from iTunes sales surges. Key rule changes addressed format shifts and promotional strategies. In the 1990s, Billboard's requirement for commercial single releases—including cassette singles—to qualify for the Hot 100 impacted eligibility, as labels increasingly withheld physical singles to prioritize album sales, effectively sidelining many radio hits from charting until the policy relaxed in to include promotional-only tracks. By 2007, rules were updated to permit multiple songs from a single album to chart simultaneously without prior restrictions on track count, reflecting the rise of album-track promotion via radio and digital platforms; this enabled artists like to place several cuts from on the Hot 100 at once. Sub-charts like the employed specialized point-based systems, weighting urban radio spins more heavily to align with genre-specific consumption. BDS monitoring focused on urban adult contemporary and rhythmic stations, assigning higher points to plays on these formats—often doubling or tripling impact compared to —to prioritize cultural relevance; for example, a spin on an urban outlet contributed more to rankings than equivalent play on mainstream radio, ensuring charts reflected hip-hop and R&B audience engagement.

Integration of Digital, Streaming, and Emerging Technologies

In the mid-2000s, Billboard began adapting its chart methodologies to reflect the rise of digital music consumption. On February 12, 2005, the Hot 100 incorporated paid digital downloads as a key component, allowing songs to chart based solely on digital without requiring radio or physical singles; this change was tracked by Nielsen SoundScan, which monitored platforms like from their inception. This shift enabled tracks such as "Inside Your Heaven" by to debut at No. 1 in 2005 purely on digital , marking a departure from traditional sales- blends. The integration of streaming services accelerated in the early 2010s as on-demand audio platforms gained prominence. On March 14, 2012, launched the On-Demand Songs chart and incorporated its data into the Hot 100 formula, counting streams from subscription services like and Rdio alongside sales and airplay. This was expanded on February 20, 2013, when U.S. video views were added to the Hot 100 and other rankings, weighting official music videos and with strong ties to the song; for instance, video streams now contributed proportionally to audio metrics, boosting viral tracks like those from emerging artists. To equate streaming with traditional sales, Billboard introduced consumption-based rules in the mid-2010s. Effective December 13, 2014, the company implemented album-equivalent units for the , where 1,500 on-demand streams from an album equated to one album sale, reflecting the growing dominance of platforms like in overall consumption. For individual songs on the Hot 100, paid streams were valued at approximately 100 streams equaling one download sale, though exact ratios varied by tier. These rules were refined in 2018 to better differentiate revenue models: starting May 5, 2018, 1,250 paid subscription audio streams equaled one album unit on the , while 3,750 ad-supported audio or video streams counted as one unit, emphasizing higher-value paid listening in chart calculations. Globalization efforts further incorporated on a worldwide scale. On September 19, 2020, launched the and Global Excl. U.S. charts, ranking the hottest songs based on streaming activity and sales from over 200 territories, compiled by Luminate (formerly Nielsen Music); this multi-metric approach blended audio/video streams and downloads to capture international hits like those from and Latin artists. Recent updates have addressed chart longevity and technological innovations. In October 2025, revised Hot 100 recurrency rules effective for the chart dated October 25, 2025, to prioritize current music: songs are now removed after 52 weeks below the top 10, 26 weeks below the top 25 (indicating low activity), or 20 weeks below the top 50, aiming to refresh the chart amid streaming's extension of song lifespans. Emerging technologies like AI have also influenced charting, with AI-generated artists rising since 2023; for example, Xania Monet became the first known AI act to debut on a radio chart (Adult R&B Airplay) in November 2025 via sufficient airplay for "How Was I Supposed to Know?," amid reports of at least one AI artist appearing weekly on various charts in late 2025, sparking industry debates on authenticity without formal eligibility bans. Genre-specific methodologies evolved in 2025 to better reflect production styles and regional diversity. The Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart was revamped in January 2025 to emphasize tracks primarily produced by DJs or electronic artists, incorporating data on electronic elements in composition while launching the companion Hot Dance/Pop Songs chart for hybrid tracks. Simultaneously, introduced four Latin sub-genre charts on April 8, 2025—including Hot Latin Pop Songs, Hot Latin Rhythm Songs, Hot Regional Mexican Songs, and Hot Latin American Songs—using the multi-metric model of the chart to highlight subgenre leaders like on pop rankings. In December 2025, Billboard adjusted its streaming methodology, narrowing the weighting ratio of paid subscription streams to ad-supported streams from 1:3 to 1:2.5 (with 1,000 paid streams or 2,500 ad-supported streams equaling one album unit), effective for charts dated January 17, 2026. This change continued to assign higher value to paid streams based on revenue and engagement factors. On December 17, 2025, YouTube announced its intention to withdraw streaming data from Billboard's U.S. and global charts, effective January 16, 2026, arguing that the formula undervalues ad-supported engagement and does not reflect current fan behavior. YouTube's global head of music, Lyor Cohen, stated that the weighting "doesn’t reflect how fans engage with music today and ignores the massive engagement from fans who don’t have a subscription," advocating for equal counting of all streams. A Billboard spokesperson responded that the company measures activity "appropriately; balanced by various factors including consumer access, revenue analysis, data validation and industry guidance," and hoped YouTube would reconsider. This ends YouTube's data inclusion, which began for song charts in 2013 and album charts in 2019.

Song Charts

All-Genre Song Charts

The is the publication's flagship all-genre song chart, ranking the 100 most popular songs each week based on a blend of streaming activity from online music sources tracked by Luminate, radio audience impressions measured by and provided by Luminate, and compiled by Luminate. Launched on August 4, 1958, the chart initially relied on retail and jukebox plays before evolving to incorporate radio in 1987 and digital downloads in 2005, with streaming added in 2012 to reflect modern consumption patterns. The formula uses a weighted points system where streaming is the dominant factor (typically 60-80%), followed by (15-30%) and (1-5%), varying weekly based on availability and industry trends to ensure multi-metric balance. In cases of ties, songs are ranked by point totals, with multi-week No. 1 runs determined by sustained dominance across metrics, as seen in records like Lil Nas X's "" holding the top spot for 19 weeks in 2019. Complementing the Hot 100, the extends all-genre tracking to a worldwide audience, ranking the top 200 songs based on streaming and sales data from over 200 territories, including the . Launched on September 15, 2020, in partnership with MRC Data (now Luminate), the chart uses a similar weighted formula to the Hot 100 but aggregates global consumption, with the inaugural No. 1 being Cardi B's "WAP" featuring . Unlike U.S.-centric charts, it excludes data from U.S.-only platforms to emphasize international reach, though U.S. streams and sales contribute to the overall ranking. This global perspective has highlighted cross-border hits, such as BTS's "" debuting at No. 5 on its first chart dated September 19, 2020. The Hot Trending Songs chart, introduced in January 2021, provides real-time insights into emerging all-genre tracks by measuring social media buzz, initially through video views, creations, and engagements like likes and shares. Updated in November 2022 to incorporate (now X) data for conversations and trends, the weekly 20-position list captures viral potential for songs not yet dominating traditional metrics, with a real-time version updating daily. Examples include Olivia Rodrigo's "good 4 u" topping the chart in 2021 due to explosive usage. Billboard compiles year-end Hot 100 charts by aggregating weekly performance data over a chart year, typically from late to late , to rank the top songs based on cumulative points from streaming, airplay, and . Decade-end summaries extend this to 10-year spans, highlighting enduring impacts, such as the 2010s chart led by Mark Ronson's "Uptown Funk!" featuring . Record holders include with 20 No. 1 hits on the Hot 100, a benchmark set between and that underscores their dominance in all-genre popularity. Unique eligibility criteria for these all-genre song charts include strict bundling rules to prevent artificial , such as prohibiting of tracks bundled with merchandise or tickets from counting toward points unless the music component is sold separately at a comparable price. Implemented in July 2020, these guidelines ensure rankings reflect genuine consumer demand, with digital album track downloads only qualifying post-physical shipment or as standalone purchases. For the Hot 100 and , songs must also meet minimum activity thresholds in at least two metrics to debut, avoiding one-dimensional spikes.

Genre-Specific Song Charts

Billboard maintains a variety of genre-specific song charts that measure popularity within distinct musical styles, employing methodologies tailored to each category's audience, airplay patterns, and consumption habits. These charts typically blend radio airplay detections from , streaming data from Luminate, and digital sales, but with weights adjusted to reflect genre norms, such as emphasizing urban radio for R&B/hip-hop or Latin streaming for regional subgenres. Unlike all-genre rankings, these surveys highlight stylistic segmentation, allowing artists to achieve dominance within their niches while sometimes crossing over to broader charts. The Adult Contemporary and Adult Top 40 charts target the 25-54 demographic through radio airplay on AC and adult pop stations, with the Adult Contemporary chart launching in 1961 to track mellow, mainstream hits. These airplay-focused rankings prioritize audience impressions over sales or streaming, capturing songs like Elton John's "Nikita" in the 1980s that resonated with adult listeners. Record holders include Mariah Carey with 19 No. 1s on Adult Contemporary (as of November 2025), underscoring her enduring appeal in this format. In the Christian and Gospel categories, the Hot Christian Songs chart, introduced in 2003, incorporates digital sales, streaming, and Christian radio airplay to rank contemporary inspirational tracks, while the Hot Gospel Songs chart, starting in 2005, focuses similarly on gospel subgenres. These charts reflect faith-based music's growth, with artists like Brandon Lake achieving multiple No. 1s through crossover radio play on stations monitored by . The Hot Country Songs chart, originating in 1958 as a sales-based ranking and evolving to include airplay and streaming since 1990, blends metrics to capture country radio dominance and digital consumption. Notable crossovers, such as Taylor Swift's early hits like "Our Song" reaching No. 1 in 2007, illustrate how pop-infused tracks can thrive here before broader success. holds the record with 44 No. 1s, emphasizing the chart's role in chronicling Nashville's core sound. For Dance/Electronic, the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart tracks club play, remixes, and streaming since 2013, with a 2025 revision shifting focus to production credits and launching the subchart to better represent hybrid pop-dance hits. The longstanding chart, dating to 1976, relies on reported DJ spins from clubs, highlighting remixes like those from Daft Punk's "Get Lucky." exemplifies recent impact with multiple No. 1s across these rankings. The Latin ecosystem centers on the chart, established in 1986, which combines Latin radio airplay, streaming, and sales to encompass diverse styles from pop to . In 2025, Billboard added specialized charts like Hot Latin Pop Songs and Regional Mexican Songs to address surging subgenres, with metrics emphasizing U.S. Hispanic consumption. leads with 16 No. 1s (as of November 2025), reflecting Latin music's streaming boom. The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart traces back to 1942's Harlem Hit Parade and now uses a multi-metric formula since 2012, heavily weighting urban radio and streaming—where paid streams count more than ad-supported ones—to rank R&B and rap tracks. Subcharts like further segment hip-hop. holds the record with 15 No. 1s, including "Vision of Love" in 1990, while Drake has amassed 31 leaders since 2010 (as of August 2025). Rock and Alternative charts, such as (launched 1988) and Mainstream Rock (since 1981), monitor BDS-tracked radio plays on specialty stations without streaming or sales input until recent expansions. These airplay-only formats spotlight alternative and , with topping 12 times. The , added in 2020, incorporates broader metrics for a fuller picture. Other niche charts include Smooth Jazz Airplay (since 1993, tracking instrumental and vocal jazz on radio), (focusing on global non-English digital downloads since 2010), and Holiday Airplay (seasonal radio spins since 2022). These specialized rankings use genre-adjusted weights, such as higher streaming multipliers for hip-hop to align with its digital-heavy consumption, ensuring accurate representation of smaller but vibrant scenes.

International and Global Song Charts

Billboard's international song charts extend its tracking beyond the , focusing on regional and global consumption patterns through partnerships and localized methodologies. The Canadian Hot 100, launched on June 16, 2007, ranks the most popular songs in based on streaming, sales, and radio airplay data provided by Luminate (formerly Nielsen SoundScan and MRC Data). This chart integrates closely with U.S. rankings, allowing cross-border hits like those by to appear prominently on both, reflecting shared North American market dynamics. Similarly, the Canada AC chart monitors adult contemporary radio airplay across Canadian stations, emphasizing melodic pop and tracks with significant overlap in hits from the broader Canadian Hot 100. In , Billboard has established region-specific charts through dedicated editions. The Japan Hot 100, introduced by on January 21, 2008, combines physical and digital sales, audio streams, radio airplay, views, and data to rank top songs, capturing Japan's unique blend of and . The Hot 100 debuted on June 12, 2017, tracking streaming and sales within the territory before its discontinuation in early 2018; elements were revived in 2022 as the chart, which continues to highlight local and international hits based on similar metrics from leading services. More recently, the Thailand Top Thai Songs chart launched on March 17, 2023, ranking the 100 most popular Thai-language songs weekly using streaming and sales data tailored to the local market, as part of Billboard's 2023 expansions into . On a broader scale, the Global Excl. U.S. chart, introduced on September 19, 2020, ranks the top 200 songs outside the , drawing from streaming and across more than 200 territories via Luminate's global network. This chart has underscored the rising influence of non-U.S. genres, with acts like securing multiple No. 1s, including "Yet to Come" in 2022, and achieving dominance through artists such as [Karol G](/page/Karol G). 's partnerships with Luminate enable comprehensive international streaming tracking, incorporating official audio and video streams from subscription and ad-supported platforms. Unique methodological adaptations include revenue-reflective formulas—where one track sale equates to 250 premium streams or 1,125 ad-supported streams for the Excl. U.S. chart—and localized radio monitoring via electronic , with equivalencies adjusted for global market variations rather than direct conversions. These elements, such as weighted streaming ratios and cultural-specific like Japan's plays, ensure charts reflect diverse regional consumptions.

Album Charts

All-Genre Album Charts

The serves as the premier all-genre chart, ranking the 200 most popular albums and EPs in the United States based on multi-metric consumption data compiled by Luminate. Launched on March 24, 1956, as the Best Selling Popular Albums chart, it evolved through several name changes, including Top LPs on August 17, 1963, following the merger of mono and stereo listings, and Top LPs & Tape on February 19, 1972, to reflect cassette formats. The chart expanded to its current 200-position format on May 13, 1967, and adopted its modern name on March 14, 1992. Since December 13, 2014, rankings have incorporated equivalent album units (EAUs), blending traditional album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA, where 10 individual track sales equal one album), and streaming equivalent albums (SEA, where 1,500 on-demand audio and video streams from an album equal one sale), providing a comprehensive measure of popularity across physical, digital, and streaming platforms. Complementing the Billboard 200, the Top Album Sales chart focuses exclusively on pure album sales, excluding streaming and track equivalents to emphasize traditional purchases across physical and digital formats. Introduced alongside the multi-metric shift in , it highlights the enduring appeal of complete album buys, often showcasing strengths in vinyl and sales. Similarly, the Top Current Album Sales chart ranks the top-selling albums released within the past 18 months, excluding catalog titles to spotlight new and recent releases without competition from older works. This chart, also compiled by Luminate, aids in identifying emerging commercial momentum for contemporary projects. Billboard also produces year-end editions of the Billboard 200, aggregating weekly data over a roughly 52-week period from late November to late October to rank the top-performing albums annually based on cumulative EAUs. These rankings often reveal long-term cultural impacts, such as Michael Jackson's Thriller (1982), which holds the record for 37 cumulative weeks at No. 1 across multiple runs between 1983 and 1984. In a notable change effective January 2025, Billboard discontinued the Heatseekers Albums chart, which had tracked the most popular debuts by emerging artists who had not previously reached the top 50 on the since its launch in 1991.

Genre-Specific Album Charts

Billboard maintains a series of genre-specific album charts that rank the most popular albums within distinct musical categories, utilizing multi-metric consumption data compiled by Luminate to reflect genre-tailored audience behaviors. These charts, like their all-genre counterparts, are based on equivalent album units (EAU), which combine traditional album sales, streaming-equivalent albums (SEA), and track-equivalent albums (TEA), but incorporate adjustments for genre-specific streaming patterns and eligibility rules. This approach ensures that charts such as and Top Latin Albums capture the nuanced ways fans engage with music in those styles, from physical sales to digital . The Top Country Albums chart, which debuted on January 11, 1964, ranks the week's most consumed albums in the U.S., including both original artist releases and compilations. It has historically showcased the genre's enduring stars, with holding the record for the most weeks at No. 1—173 total—across multiple albums until surpassed him with 174 weeks in 2025, driven by titles like Dangerous: The Double Album. The 's methodology emphasizes a blend of and streaming, allowing catalog albums to maintain presence longer than in all-genre rankings, reflecting the format's loyal fanbase for legacy titles. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums tracks the leading R&B and hip-hop albums based on the same EAU framework, highlighting the genres' dominance in streaming consumption. The chart debuted on January 30, 1965, as Hot R&B LPs and underwent several name changes, including Top Black Albums in the and its current name, , in the mid-2000s. It prioritizes urban-leaning digital activity, with recent No. 1s including Daniel Caesar's Son of Spergy in November 2025 and Lil Baby's My Turn as the top-performing album of the through 2024. This chart underscores hip-hop and R&B's cultural impact, with artists like Drake leading cumulative performance metrics over the past two decades. The Top Latin Albums chart, established on July 10, 1993, with Gloria Estefan's Mi Tierra at No. 1, encompasses diverse regional styles such as , salsa, and music, ranking based on U.S. consumption of Latin-language releases. It covers a broad spectrum of pan-Latin sounds, with 2025 seeing expansions in related song sub-charts that bolster visibility for album artists like and , who made history by occupying the top two spots in May 2025. The chart's inclusive methodology has elevated global Latin influences in the U.S. market, tracking both emerging and established acts. Other genre-specific charts include Top Christian Albums and Top Gospel Albums, both blending sales, streaming, and track data tailored to faith-based music communities, with long-running hits from artists like dominating Christian rankings. The Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart measures EDM and electronic releases through similar EAU metrics, emphasizing festival-driven streaming, while Top Rock Albums focuses on rock subgenres with a mix of sales and digital plays from legacy and contemporary bands like Metallica. These charts adapt the core EAU system to incorporate genre-unique elements, such as higher streaming weights for electronic music. The Top World Albums chart specifically monitors non-English language albums performing in the U.S., capturing international genres like , Bollywood, and without strict genre boundaries, based on overall consumption. It highlights global diaspora influences, with titles from artists like and frequently topping the list due to robust streaming from international fanbases. Across all these charts, distinctions from all-genre rankings include extended eligibility for catalog albums in genres like country and rock, enabling older releases to chart alongside new ones and preserving historical context.

Video Charts

Music Video Sales and Streaming Charts

Billboard's music video sales charts track the popularity of through physical and digital purchases, providing a measure of consumer demand for visual content tied to recordings. The primary chart in this category is the Music Video Sales chart, which ranks titles based on multi-format sales data compiled by Luminate, encompassing DVD, Blu-ray discs, and digital downloads. This chart originated in the early 1980s alongside the rise of formats like tapes, evolving to reflect technological advancements in video distribution. Initially focused on physical media during the MTV era of the , the chart adapted to digital sales tracking introduced via Nielsen SoundScan in 2001, allowing for more accurate aggregation of video purchases across retailers. By the 2010s, emphasis shifted toward official streaming platforms such as , with the chart incorporating sales to capture on-demand consumption patterns. A notable example of its impact is concert film, which debuted at number one on the Top Music Videos chart in , driven by strong initial sales following the artist's death. In parallel, Billboard's video streaming metrics integrate views from platforms like into broader song performance rankings, marking a significant evolution from sales-only tracking. Starting in February 2013, official video streams on were weighted and added to the Hot 100 formula alongside audio streams, sales, and airplay, with each view counting toward chart positions after a minimum duration threshold. This inclusion recognized the growing role of video in music discovery, as seen in viral hits like Baauer's "Harlem Shake," which surged to number one on the Hot 100 partly due to 103 million views in its debut week. The chart further captures combined audio and video streams from leading services, providing a dedicated view of on-demand video consumption without physical sales components. Video streams from services like and have been incorporated into the since 2020, using equivalent album units where streaming equivalents are blended with sales for longer-form content such as video compilations and concert releases. Historical transitions from VHS dominance in the to Vevo and prioritization in the 2020s highlight how these charts have adapted to maintain relevance amid shifting consumer behaviors.

Music Video Airplay and Other Charts

Billboard's tracking of music video airplay originated in the late 1980s and 1990s, focusing on television broadcasts as a key measure of video popularity, particularly on channels like MTV and VH1. By the early 1990s, the publication integrated Nielsen audience measurement data to quantify rotations and impressions on these networks, recognizing their influence on young record buyers and overall music consumption. This era marked the peak of music video airplay's cultural and commercial significance, with MTV's heavy rotation driving chart performance and artist visibility from the 1990s through the early 2000s. As streaming platforms gained dominance in the , traditional television-based video declined sharply, with audiences migrating to on-demand services and reducing reliance on scheduled broadcasts. Nielsen's monitoring continued to capture residual TV data, but its weight in 's methodologies diminished, reflecting the broader shift away from linear TV. To adapt, incorporated metrics, such as views from official channels on starting in 2013, including content hosted on , which became sub-components influencing song and album rankings by measuring paid and ad-supported streams. In March 2021, officially licensed music video streams on were added to charts incorporating streaming data, such as the Hot 100 and . Other specialized metrics emerged to capture niche video exposure. For instance, 's Holiday Streaming Songs chart, launched in 2013, blends audio and video streams to rank seasonal content, providing a dedicated view of holiday video performance across platforms. Genre-specific adaptations include video streams within charts like Country Streaming Songs, which track audio and video streams for country content on digital platforms. In the 2020s, expanded to short-form video platforms, partnering with in 2023 to launch the TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart, which ranks songs based on user creations, video views, and engagement on the app, signaling a pivot toward viral, user-generated video trends. Key events like the have long tied into these metrics, with performances and wins boosting video views and detections. The awards, dating back to , frequently propel videos to higher rankings; for example, the 2021 VMAs drove significant gains on the Hot 100 and through post-show streaming surges. These tie-ins underscore video 's role in amplifying exposure, even as the landscape evolved from broadcast dominance to digital fragmentation.

Other Charts

Billboard's Social 50 chart, launched on December 2, 2010, ranked the most popular artists based on their activity across major social networking sites, including metrics such as weekly additions of friends, fans, and followers; page views; shares; video views on platforms like YouTube; and related song purchases or streams. Initially powered by data analytics from Next Big Sound, the chart expanded to incorporate platforms like Vine and Tumblr by 2015, reflecting evolving social media landscapes. Although discontinued in December 2020 due to a transition to a new data partner, its methodology influenced subsequent charts like the Artist 100 by integrating social engagement as a key popularity indicator. In response to shifting online trends, introduced the Hot Trending Songs chart in October 2021 in partnership with (now X), measuring real-time and weekly song popularity through social media mentions, engagements, and discussions in the U.S. The chart evolved further with the launch of the Billboard Top 50 on September 14, 2023, which specifically tracked trending tracks based on a combination of video creations, views, and user engagement within the U.S. community, published weekly on Thursdays. The chart was discontinued on March 7, 2025, after 18 months. This -focused variant highlighted viral potential, though only a fraction of its songs transitioned to broader rankings like the Hot 100. Social and trending elements extend to international variants, where metrics like online engagement inform global and regional charts. From 2023 to 2025, these charts experienced accelerated growth fueled by TikTok's viral dynamics, with 84% of songs entering the in 2024 first gaining traction on the platform, enabling rapid debuts for independent and emerging artists. This evolution underscores TikTok's role in music discovery, driving double-digit lifts in streams and chart placements while reshaping how online engagement translates to measurable impact.

Niche and Specialized Charts

Billboard maintains several niche charts that cater to specialized audiences, formats, and themes, tracking consumption in areas outside mainstream , and hip-hop genres. These charts highlight seasonal, , family-oriented, and thematic , providing visibility for underrepresented styles and ensuring fair representation through tailored methodologies like monitoring on specific radio formats or sales from curated platforms. The Holiday 100 chart ranks the most popular holiday songs across all genres based on a blend of traditional radio audience impressions, digital sales, and streaming activity, as measured by Luminate. Launched on December 10, 2011, as the Holiday Songs chart and expanded to 100 positions in , it builds on Billboard's long of tracking seasonal , with Christmas singles first appearing on charts in the late and dedicated year-end "Best Selling Christmas Singles" lists emerging by 1958. Iconic tracks like Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" have dominated the chart for multiple holiday seasons, reflecting enduring popularity driven by annual resurgences in streaming and radio play. Additionally, Billboard publishes seasonal Holiday Albums and Top Holiday Songs charts, which incorporate multimetric consumption data to capture festive releases from the onward, such as Bing Crosby's holiday classics that topped early sales tallies. In the jazz category, the Jazz Albums chart measures the most popular jazz releases using multimetric consumption, including traditional album sales, streaming-equivalent albums, and track-equivalent albums, with data provided by Luminate. Originating in the 1960s—specifically with consistent tracking from 1967—the chart has chronicled influential works like Miles Davis's , which peaked at No. 2 in its era. Complementing this, the Smooth Jazz Airplay chart focuses on songs receiving the most spins on smooth jazz radio stations, as detected by and Luminate, emphasizing contemporary instrumental and vocal tracks with a relaxed, crossover appeal. Examples include Boney James's instrumental hits, which have frequently topped the chart since its inception in the mid-2000s, highlighting the format's blend of and pop accessibility. Launched on November 14, 2024, the Top Gabb Music Songs chart tracks the most-played family-safe tracks on the Gabb Music app, a streaming service designed for children and families that excludes explicit content and focuses on positive, age-appropriate music. This monthly ranking is based solely on on-demand streams from Gabb Wireless devices, with Benson Boone's "Beautiful Things" debuting at No. 1 on the inaugural chart due to its clean lyrics and uplifting theme. The chart underscores Billboard's adaptation to tech-specific ecosystems, prioritizing content curation over broad market data. The Hot Dance/Pop Songs chart, introduced on January 18, 2025, ranks current tracks blending dance-centric vocals and pop melodies on U.S. radio stations that program a mix of dance and pop formats, using airplay audience impressions from . Tate McRae's "It's OK I'm OK" claimed the inaugural No. 1 position with 22.3 million impressions in its tracking week, illustrating the chart's focus on hybrid hits that energize both club and mainstream audiences. This addition refines Billboard's dance tracking by separating pop-infused dance from pure electronic genres. Other specialized album charts include the Classical Albums ranking, which compiles the top classical releases via multimetric consumption blending sales, streaming, and track equivalents, often featuring orchestral works and solo performances like those by . The Kid Albums chart targets , ranking top-selling titles intended for young audiences, such as educational soundtracks and family-friendly compilations, with eligibility restricted to content created specifically for kids. Soundtrack Albums tracks multimetric performance of film and TV releases, launched in 2001 to provide a dedicated space for cinematic music like Wicked or Frozen collections. Billboard's rules for these charts generally allow compilations and tie-ins if they represent original or licensed content without manipulative bundling—such as requiring merchandise bundles to promote albums as add-ons—and exclude streams from ad-supported platforms for certain VA compilations to prevent inflation, ensuring authenticity in rankings. In 2025, expanded its coverage with new sub-genre charts under the umbrella, effective April 12, including dedicated Hot Tropical Songs and Hot Latin Rhythm Songs rankings to better reflect regional variations. These charts measure on tropical and rhythm-focused Latin radio stations, capturing genres like salsa and separately from broader , with early leaders like tracks demonstrating the format's growth in streaming and radio consumption. This expansion acknowledges the diversification of Latin rhythms, providing granular insights into subcultural trends.

Discontinued Charts

Discontinued Song and Album Charts

Billboard has retired several song and album charts over the years, often due to evolving methodologies, redundancy with other rankings, or operational changes in data collection and industry trends. These discontinuations reflect broader shifts toward digital consumption, global , and streamlined tracking for emerging and catalog releases. Among song charts, the , launched in 2005 as a hybrid sales and airplay ranking focused on mainstream top 40 radio, was discontinued on June 10, 2009. It struggled to differentiate itself from the , prompting to enhance the Hot 100 by incorporating additional adult top 40 airplay data instead. The Heatseekers Songs chart, which tracked emerging acts without prior top 50 Hot 100 entries using sales, airplay, and streaming metrics, was quietly retired on December 6, 2014, with its final issue dated November 29, 2014; low data volume and overlap with broader emerging artist metrics contributed to its phase-out. The , a pan-European ranking compiled from national charts via weighted IFPI data, ended on December 11, 2010, following 's closure of its office and layoffs of staff, which increased operational costs for international data aggregation. On the album side, the Heatseekers Albums chart, introduced in 1991 to spotlight new and developing acts excluding those with prior top 100 appearances, was discontinued with the January 18, 2025-dated list after 34 years. This retirement aligned with Billboard's expansion of genre-specific charts and a pivot to the Emerging Artists chart, launched in , which uses a multi-metric artist 100 formula to better track rising talent without prior major hits; the change aimed to reduce redundancy while maintaining focus on newcomers amid rising digital and streaming dominance. Earlier, variants like the Top Comprehensive Albums chart, which ranked all albums including catalog titles (over 18 months old and below No. 100 on the ), were phased out in November 2009 when the itself became an all-inclusive ranking by lifting catalog restrictions. This methodological shift addressed criticisms of excluding legacy sales during the transition to digital formats, where physical catalog purchases declined but streaming revived interest in older works. These discontinuations have notably impacted emerging and indie artists, who relied on charts like Heatseekers for early visibility; for instance, acts such as debuted on Heatseekers Albums a decade before mainstream success, and its loss may hinder similar breakthroughs by limiting dedicated tracking for low-volume digital debuts from independent labels. Overall, the retirements underscore Billboard's adaptation to streaming's emphasis on real-time global data over niche physical or regional metrics.

Discontinued Video and Other Charts

Billboard's video charts underwent significant changes as consumer habits shifted from physical media to digital formats. The Top Video Rentals chart, which ranked the most popular VHS rentals from video stores, operated from 1984 until its discontinuation in the late 2000s, coinciding with the widespread adoption of DVDs that rendered VHS obsolete. Similarly, the Comprehensive Music Video chart, which tracked overall physical sales of music videos including rentals and purchases, was discontinued in late 2007 as streaming platforms began dominating video consumption, making physical metrics less relevant. Among other specialized charts, the Social 50, introduced in 2010 to gauge artists' social media engagement through metrics like followers, interactions, and streaming, was paused indefinitely in December 2020. This move stemmed from 's transition to a new data partner and the integration of social data into broader and emerging artists rankings, reflecting the evolution toward holistic digital metrics. The Hot 100, launched in 2017 to measure song popularity in the based on sales and , entered a hiatus in early 2018 following the closure of 's local magazine edition and disruptions in regional data partnerships. Earlier, the Most Played in Jukeboxes chart, which monitored song plays on coin-operated machines from the through the , was retired in 1957 as jukeboxes lost ground to radio broadcasts and personal record collections. The Billboard Top 50, launched on September 14, 2023, to rank the most popular songs on based on , video views, and shares, was discontinued on March 7, 2025, after 18 months, due to changes in platform partnerships and data sourcing strategies. These discontinuations were driven by broader industry transformations: technological obsolescence accelerated the end of VHS-focused video charts as DVDs and then digital downloads supplanted tapes by the mid-2000s, while market shifts from virality to integrated streaming data prompted the Social 50's absorption. Regional challenges, such as inconsistent data sourcing in emerging markets, contributed to the chart's suspension. The legacy of these retired video and ancillary charts lies in their influence on post-2013 methodologies, where began weighting and other video streams toward rankings like the Hot 100, establishing rules for that now underpin active streaming-based successors.

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