The last few years have seen a heightened lens placed on music streaming, on-demand services, and how they represent consumer interests.  With that, Billboard – the industry leader in ranking music consumption and song popularity – has been faced with the task of continuously updating its means of data calculation to ensure fair and accurate reporting for chart placements.

Positions on the Hot 100 (singles charts) were at one time solely comprised of radio airplay and sales (physical and digital), while the Billboard 200 (album charts) were comprised solely of sales of the whole album (physical and digital).  In 2014 (as we reported here), after stunning fans with the incorporation of certain platform streaming figures in Hot 100 placements (read more here), the Billboard 200’s placement calculation formula was updated to include album and individual track streams and individual track downloads.  As time went on, the Hot 100’s data went on to include Pandora (read more here), Soundcloud (read more here), and more.  The moves – though controversial at the onset – were reflective of streaming becoming the industry’s biggest moneymaker (read more on that here).

Now, with controversy around ticket bundling, paid streaming (i.e. Spotify, Apple Music) versus free streaming (Youtube), and more considered, the Music Bible has revealed yet another shake-up in how it will formulate what data goes into placing songs and albums on their respective charts:

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Fifth Harmony helps kick off releases from the star-studded track list of the official motion picture soundtrack to ‘The Star’ – a forthcoming holiday film which recounts the story of the first Christmas.

But, before the film hits theaters on November 17, music lovers are invited to hear some of the music found aboard its uplifting accompanying soundtrack.  With features from the likes of Mariah Carey, Yolanda Adams, Kirk Franklin, Pentatonix, and more, the project – set to hit stores October 27 – is being launched with some help from the ladies of 5H with their tune ‘Can You See’ (as we reported here).

Click inside to see the lyric video and watch the trailer to the film (starring Tyler Perry, Oprah Winfrey, and more):

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Having already amassed a Billboard Hot 100 #1 hit without much televised promo, rising rapstress Cardi B is now stomping the promo trail across a number of outlets to ensure her breakout hit – ‘Bodak Yellow’ – continues to color her name on the chart’s upper rankings.

Just a week after her BET Hip Hop Awards performance of the chart-topper aired (click here if you missed that), the ‘Love & Hip Hop’ alum is tackling the late night circuit in its support.  Tuck in below if you missed her incredibly cinematic live rendition of the tune:

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It’s been a year since rapstress Azealia Banks rocked headlines when she accused actor Russell Crowe of spitting on her, physically assaulting her (literally throwing her out of a room), and calling her racial slurs (click here to read).

As you may remember, Banks, who was in attendance at a Hollywood shindig thanks to being cast in rapper/filmmaker RZA‘s movie ‘Love Beats Rhymes’ (originally titled ‘Coco’), went on a media blitz after the alleged incident to shed light on it.  All the while RZA blatantly denied most of what the rapstress alleged happened actually occurred…

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June’s Diary are fast establishing themselves as a magnetic must-see on the touring circuit.

The group, who were pieced together by Kelly Rowland and Frank Gatson on BET’s ‘Chasing Destiny,’ have already opened for the likes of Brandy and R. Kelly – and now have been tapped to support Xscape.

Details below…

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Though a known name on the Brit circuit for years, Lady Leshurr gained global notability last year when her ‘Queen’s Speech 4’ release became a viral smash.

In the time since, the Birmingham bred rapper was snapped up by Samsung US to front a huge campaign and signed with Sony Music.

Presently piecing together her major label debut, the femcee serves up another plate of her trademark banter.

Cue ‘Queen’s Speech 7.’

Watch below…

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Tomorrow Keyshia Cole officially presses play on her new album ’11:11 Reset’ and ahead of its arrival stopped by The Wendy Williams Show this morning to offer a live incentive to buy.

The R&B belter took centre-stage with an array of male dancers to perform current single ‘Incapable.’

Watch the singer, who celebrated her 36th birthday last week, in action after the jump…

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The rapper/internet personality Khia has suggested that K. Michelle is lying about her health issues and has threatened to insult her mercilessly if she finds that this is true.

Why?

Watch below…

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Readers of That Grape Juice know what avid music lovers we are – especially of hits past.

So, just as our retrospective features ‘From the Vault’ and ‘TGJ Replay’ allow us the chance to re-spin the gems and jams of yesterday of one artist, our newest feature Chart Rewind – a variation of our current Retro Rewind assay – accedes salutes to an entire era of music history.

This week, boys and girls, we’re pulling up ‘If Your Girl Only Knew’ – the first single from late R&B beauty Aaliyah‘s sophomore album, ‘One in a Million.’

Written by then up-and-coming producers Missy Elliott and Timbaland, the tune – released in 1996 – was an out of the box success and catapulted the 17-year-old singer to her third top 20 hit.  This week 21 years ago, ‘Girl’ was lifted to the #11 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 (where it peaked).  Helping hoist its parent album, ‘Million,’ to triple platinum status, the song remains a favorite amongst the Grammy nominated singer’s fans.

Stroll down memory lane with Baby Girl below:

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It’s Grammy voting season and SZA, Khalid, and Julia Michaels are hotly tipped to be named in the Best New Artist category when nominations are announced in December.

Fittingly then, the trio joined forces for a special feature in Billboard‘s new Grammy 2018 preview issue.

Beyond posing it up for a striking shoot (lensed by Eric Ray Davidson), the group also say down for an interview.

During the insightful chat, they shared their views on racial and gender diversity and representation in the music industry.

Their words and more await below…

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Solange has hit a career stride thanks to her unbridled artistry and fearless igniting of necessary conversation.

But while celebrated for these traits, she’s revealed in a new interview that blazing that trail has come at a cost. Literally.

Details below…

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Cardi B fans are up in arms after learning that her smash hit ‘Bodak Yellow’ was knocked from #1 by a song which may have “cheated” its way to the position.

Details below…

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