This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Billboard and Nielsen announced today the addition of U.S. YouTube data to its platforms, which includes an update to the methodology for the Billboard Hot 100, the preeminent singles chart.
The YouTube data is now factored into the chart's ranking, adding to a formula that includes Nielsen's digital download track sales and physical singles sales; as well as terrestrial radio airplay, on-demand audio streaming, and online radio streaming, also tracked by Nielsen. The most notable YouTube-influenced title this week is viral sensation "Harlem Shake" by producer Baauer, which debuts at No. 1 on both the Hot 100 and Streaming Songs charts and jumps 12-1 on Dance/Electronic Songs with 103 million views, according to YouTube.
According to Nielsen, the "Harlem Shake" arrival also benefits from viral video-influenced sales of 262,000 downloads. That sales sum alone, good for a No. 3 ranking on Hot Digital Songs, would have placed the title within the top 15 on the Hot 100 without the inclusion of YouTube views into the calculation. Other YouTube-influenced highlights on the Hot 100 include Rihanna's "Stay" which jumps 57-3 and Drake's "Started From the Bottom" which soars 63-10. Videos for both songs were posted on YouTube during the tracking week, with Rihanna's title garnering 3.8 million views in the U.S. and Drake's "Started" earning 5.1 million. In addition, PSY rebounds 48-26 on the Hot 100 with "Gangnam Style," which adds another 3.7 million streams this week to its already impressive streaming total.
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