Quote:
Originally posted by dragon
What a bad timing for a chart change by BS or isn't it? All the media attention and discussion about streaming and musicians' rights after Taylor left Spotify could have been sabotaged just like this. With this statement BS chose their side by streaming companies against musicians and Taylor's efforts are weakened.  |
The timing is nothing to do with the current debate about Spotify. Billboard wanted to incorporate streaming as it has grown a lot in the US in the last 2 years. Billboard waited until the Billboard Year ended, as they did not want to change it up during the current Billboard Year, as doing so wouuld render their Year's End Chart a complete mess.
They will incorporate this new change for the new Billboard Year, which begins in December.
Also streaming is not the same as Spotify. That is just one company that streams. There are others too, notably youtube which is launching a paid streaming service, currently being trialed to invited members. iTunes will incorporate Beats Streaming from next year, plus will bundle a Beats Streaming App with every iPhone/iPad next year. It is expected that a subscription fee to Beats will be included as part of an iPhone contract next year. So streaming is going to increase next year. Spotify will find itself with lots of tougher competition going forward though.
Taylor's issue is not with streaming, but with free streaming. You can stream Taylor's music on paid streaming services. The exception is that 1989 is unavailable as Taylor is using a windowing strategy, where the release to streaming is delayed by a few months.
So a few thousand extra "sales" out there could make a difference. 
I didn't know that was her first #1 in Canada. 
