In a move that comes as a surprise to many (given that most thought it was already the case), Billboard announced last week that Pandora streaming data will be used to calculate chart placements.
Joining stats that are comprised of digital sales, Spotify streams, Tidal Streams, Soundcloud streams, Youtube streams, radio airplay, and more, the incorporation of Pandora info will provide a truer representation of consumer interests given the platform’s rank in the streaming arena. Pandora co-founder, Tim Westergren, echoes the sentiment:
“Pandora is now the No.1 radio station in 87 US markets and represents roughly 10 percent [of] all radio listening. With the inclusion of Pandora data, the Billboard charts that have guided listeners and been so central to the music industry for decades now reflect a truer measure of a song’s popularity today. I’m thrilled that the ‘Pandora effect’ will now be formally recognized in the industry’s gold standard for measurement.”
But, there’s a catch:
