YouTube plans to resume sharing data for Billboard’s U.S. charts in 2027 after a change that narrows the gap between paid and ad-supported streams.
YouTube has confirmed its Billboard return in 2027, reversing the data withdrawal that took effect earlier this year. The announcement arrives as the chart publisher adjusts how it values listening on subscription services against listening supported by advertising.
Lyor Cohen, YouTube’s global head of music, confirmed the decision in a November 9 update to the company’s original announcement. He said the revised approach better represents the different ways fans engage with music, bringing the two companies back toward an agreement after their public disagreement.
Under the new album-chart calculation, 1,000 paid streams or 1,500 ad-supported streams will equal one album consumption unit. The change replaces a formula requiring 2,500 ad-supported streams for the same unit, while leaving the paid-stream threshold unchanged.
Music Business Worldwide reports that the revised ratio takes effect on the January 16, 2027 Billboard 200 and genre album charts, reflecting January 1–7 activity. YouTube’s own statement commits to returning in 2027 without specifying its first chart date, a distinction between the platform’s announcement and the methodology timetable.
The earlier separation centered on YouTube’s view that listeners using free services were undervalued. Its December 2025 statement said it would stop delivering chart data after January 16, 2026, even as it expressed interest in finding a way to resume the relationship.
The update matters for artists whose audiences move between official videos and audio streaming services. It will bring YouTube listening back into Billboard’s measurement system, although the revised formula still assigns different weights to paid and ad-supported activity rather than treating every stream identically.
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