Music News: NY Times "Changes to Charts by Billboard Draw Fire" - Page 2

TN05

Quote:

Originally posted by JakeKills

I still think the rule changes were for the better, bar two things. Firstly, crossover airplay should not count on genre-specific charts. Secondly, they need a better and more objective method of identifying a song's genre. Fix these two things, and I think it'd be alright. All sales, all streaming, and genre-specific airplay should count on genre-specific charts.

Also, I don't think they would've allowed "Never Ever" to chart on the country charts if it weren't for the fact that it was on the charts when the change occurred. If the change had occurred before WANEGBT's release, I don't think it ever would've been allowed to chart there.

It goes against their own rule of genre-specific remixes. The rule is that if a song is released as a remix for a different genre (ie. Kelly Clarkson making a country mix of a pop song or Taylor making a country mix of a pop song), only airplay, streaming, and sales for that genre count. Seeing as the 'country mix' is getting zero play, no streaming, and hasn't been released for sale, it shouldn't even be charting.

supaspaz

He's absolutely clueless. Yes, audiences are consuming music in new ways—but not every listener has adopted those technologies in the same way. The rule change completely favors music that appeals to young pop fans. As a result, more traditional artists are being disenfranchised on the genre charts that were previously the only remaining place for their work to thrive.

The great thing about the genre charts was that they showcased what was popular among a certain segment of fans. Now, they demonstrate what the entire audience for the American music industry is listening to and buying with regards to a certain "genre." That's completely absurd. We already have the Hot 100 for that.

Schoolin' Life

Quote:

There was a time when radio programmers — and the record labels who lobbied them — largely defined the charts, using surveys of their listeners and their gut instincts to select hits. Now the Internet gives fans a greater say, as people buy music from online stores, stream it through services like Spotify or listen to it on video sites like YouTube and Vevo.

Oh then how it is that radio multiplier for BB chart was risen significantly making song with more downloads and streaming loose to a radio smash?

EdgeOfAddiction

There are parts to the changes I agree with and parts I hate.

WANEGBT should have never hit #1 on the Country charts, let alone even enter. It's pure pop.

Ramcoro

Quote:

Billboard made one other change to its methodology that rewards crossover hits. Previously, the magazine only counted airplay on country stations for the country chart, and spins on R&B stations for the R&B chart, and so on. Now it is counting all the plays a song receives on 1,200 stations across genres.

Okay the sales and streaming makes sense, but that does NOT.

I do agree that sales should be taken into account, plus didn't they make Country radio songs, R&B radio songs, etc to offset it?

VertigoStick

I found this very informational, as I didn't know these new rules explicitly. It is a shame that they are lumping genres into a "monogenre" but I pay nearly no attention to the charts. I guess Billboard is losing some of its credibility on account of this.

Tsuko

Gangnam Style does have rapping in it. It's not a hip hop song, but it has rapping.

Dance-rap songs (e.g. LMFAO, Nicki Minaj, Pitbull, Flo Rida) have been charting on the rap songs chart before the rule change anyway, since it included rhythmic airplay, and dance-rap songs do well on rhythmic.

trinafan92

Quote:

Originally posted by skyler

what was bill thinking

$

liberalmusiclover

Taylor and Rihanna topping the genre charts. I like the new rule.

thegmangrant

Beatfreak

I don't like where this new rule is taking music. All the different genres that make music exciting and unique are disappearing. All we're going to see is Justin Bieber, Carly Rae Jepsen, and whatever the new flavor of the week (Psy/Gotye/fun.) dominating the charts every week with their singles due to tweens that stream music on YouTube all day every day.

I guess my faves are doomed of never getting another BB hit.