If you needed proof that YouTube has become a major part of pop culture, here it is: Billboard’s charts, which have become the gold standard for figuring out what today’s top songs are, just added YouTube streaming data into its metrics. YouTube views join song sales and radio airtime to help determine what songs top the charts. If you’ve ever browsed YouTube – and I’m sure you have – you’ll know that there can be thousands of versions of any given song. To keep things simple, Billboard is only tracking “official videos” and videos with “authorized audio.” Wonder if this new metric will make a difference? YouTube’s latest craze, the Harlem Shake, just debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. With dozens of Harlem Shake videos getting millions of views, that should come as a no-brainer to anyone familiar with internet culture. With how quickly things change on the internet, we’ll have to see if the Billboard charts can keep up with YouTube.
About Shelly Palmer
Shelly Palmer is the Professor of Advanced Media in Residence at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and CEO of The Palmer Group, a consulting practice that helps Fortune 500 companies with AI strategy, implementation and governance, as well as technology, media and marketing. Named one of LinkedIn’s Top Voices in Technology, he is a bestselling author, covers tech and business for Fox 5’s Good Day New York, is a regular commentator on CNN, and writes the popular daily business blog Think About This. Follow @shellypalmer or visit shellypalmer.com.