sources for information

Billboard is the team's Charts expert. They track and analyze data to keep us up to date on the latest trends in music.

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Billboard Charts
Streaming, Airplay and Buying Totals

ChartData is responsible for keeping the team up to date on RIAA updates, streaming, buying and music industry milestones.

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Chart Data
RIAA Updates, Streaming, Buying and Music Industry Milestones.

TalkOfTheCharts is our expert on Charts, Sales and Streaming Updates.

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Talk Of The Charts
Charts, Sales and Streaming Updates

Chart Essentials is a team of members providing music chart news on the biggest industry artists.

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Chart Essentials
Music Chart News on the Biggest Artists in the Industry.

24/7 Sales Updates and Hot 100 Predictions

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Lip Predictions
Weekly Hot 100 Predictions and Hot 100 Info

album equivalent units

1 Album Sale

1 Album sale can consist of just buying the entire album [1 Copy] digitally on iTunes, Amazon or the Artist Store. You can also buy a copy in stores if its available. You can also look for the vinyl if its available.

10 Song Downloads

Another way to buy an album or to get album sales to count is to buy at least 10 songs separately from the same album. No correct order is needed. 10 of the songs out of the total amount will also count as an album sale. 10 of your favorite songs from the same album.

Streaming

Streaming is essential now in this day and age for artists. If you don't have money to buy streaming can substitute for buying. For 1 single song 150 streams = 1 unit. If you stream a song 150 times it's the same as buying the song once on iTunes or Amazon. if you stream an album 1,500 times it'll count as you buying the album on iTunes or amazon. 150 streams = 1 Single Unit. 1500 Streams from the same album = 1 Album sale.

RIAA AND GR&F CERTIFICATION AUDIT REQUIREMENTS
RIAA information and more. Click Below.

riaa certifications in the united states

Gold

500,000 Units Sold in the United States

Platinum

1,000,000 Units Sold in the United States

2x Platinum

2,000,000 Units Sold in the United States

3x Platinum

3,000,000 Units Sold in the United States

4x Platinum

4,000,000 Units Sold in the United States

5x Platinum

5,000,000 Units Sold in the United States

6x Platinum

6,000,000 Units Sold in the United States

7x Platinum

7,000,000 Units Sold in the United States

8x Platinum

8,000,000 Units Sold in the United States

9x Platinum

9,000,000 Units Sold in the United States

10x Platinum - Diamond Status

10,000,000 Units Sold in the United States

Units are accumulated through streams and sales in the US from streaming and buying music platforms such as iTunes, Amazon, Pandora, Apple Music, Spotify & More.

official billboard charts 

Click the image to read up on each chart:

SALES
Data for Billboard‘s sales charts, which include all album charts are compiled by Luminate from a universe of retailers that represents more than 90% of the U.S. music retail market. The sample includes not only music stores and the music departments at electronics and department stores, but also direct-to-consumer transactions and Internet sales (both physical albums via Internet, and ones bought via digital downloads). A limited array of verifiable sales from concert venues is also tabulated. All sales charts use the entire Luminate panel. The Luminate system utilizes that same point-of-sale that music merchants use to track their inventory, so an itemized receipt from one’s last visit to a music retailer essentially doubles as a ballot cast for our chart.
Airplay
Billboard‘s radio charts are compiled using information tracked by Mediabase, which electronically monitors radio stations in more than 140 markets across the U.S., as provided to Billboard by Luminate. The Mediabase system looks for an audio fingerprint, i.e., a characteristic that differentiates a song from all of the other ones that it tracks. Certain airplay charts are based on the number of plays that each song received in a given format that week, including Pop Airplay (Mainstream Top 40), Adult Contemporary, Adult Pop Airplay (Adult Top 40), Alternative Airplay, Adult Alternative Airplay (Triple A), Mainstream Rock Airplay, Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, Rhythmic Airplay, Adult R&B Airplay, Christian AC Airplay, Gospel Airplay, Dance/Mix Show Airplay and Smooth Jazz Airplay. Others are based on audience impressions, including the all-format Radio Songs chart, Rock & Alternative Airplay, Country Airplay, R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, Rap Airplay, Latin Airplay and Christian Airplay.
Streaming
Billboard‘s Streaming Songs chart ranks the week’s top streamed programmed songs and on-demand songs and videos on leading online music services. Remember premium streams count more than Free Streams. If you can get a premium account do so below or use a free account below.
RULES AND BREAKDOWNS OF TERMS
In this section we will breakdown the different terms used to keep track of the Billboard Hot 100 and also how they keep their chart fresh and new.
 

Bullet

Where included, indicates titles with the greatest weekly gains (based on charts’ overall point totals, whether for gains in streaming volume, sales volume, airplay plays/audience volume, or a combination of metrics, depending on which data a chart utilizes).

 

Recurrent Rules

Descending songs are removed from the Billboard Hot 100 and Radio Songs simultaneously after 20 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and if ranking below No. 50, or after 52 weeks if below No. 25.

 

Greatest Gainer

This indicates the title with the chart’s largest unit increase. Where included on airplay charts, indicates the title with the chart’s largest increase in plays or audience, depending on which data the chart utilizes.

 

Hot Shot Debut

Where included, indicates a chart’s highest-ranking new entry.

 

Streaming Gainer

Where included on mixed airplay, sales and streaming charts, indicates the title with the chart’s largest increase in streaming.

 

Airplay Gainer

Where included on mixed airplay, sales and streaming charts, indicates the title with the chart’s largest increase in radio audience.

 

Sales Gainer

Where included on mixed airplay, sales and streaming charts, indicates the title with the chart’s largest sales unit increase.

 

Airpower

Where included on airplay charts, indicates titles appearing in the top 20 of a respective format’s plays and audience rankings for the first time with increases in both plays and audience.

 

Pacesetter

Where included on album charts, indicates the title with the chart’s biggest percentage growth.

Billboard has updated its rules on what counts towards their Hot 100 Chart and their Billboard 200 Albums Chart. See Below:

new rules

Billboard 200 Update

Billboard 200 Update

Billboard's new "fan packs" rule will be limited to two options per album release. Items must be available separately and digital download bundles will not count. Offerings must be approved in advance.

Billboard Hot 100 CDs

Billboard Hot 100 CDs

CDs, vinlys and cassettes will count for billboard hot 100 because they are physical sales! Digital sales from iTunes, amazon and Qobuz will count too!

Billboard Hot 200 Albums

Billboard Hot 200 Albums

For sales designated as bulk, the following credit will apply (UPC/ISRC level): A customer who purchases 1 to 4 units will be ingested without any adjustments. A customer who purchases 5 to 9 units will have that customer's count reduced to 4 units for sales and ingested. A customer who purchases 10 or more units will be dismissed entirely, having that customer's count adjusted to 0 units for sales and will not be ingested.