After some thought and consideration, Billboard has finally announced some changes to its Hot Country Songs, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Latin Songs charts in addition to launching a new one — R&B Songs.
For hot Country Songs, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Latin Songs charts, digital download sales and streaming data (tracked by Nielsen BDS from such services as Spotify, Muve, Slacker, Rhapsody, Rdio and Xbox Music etc) will also be taken into consideration in addition to the exiting radio airplay data for positioning the top 50 songs.
Hot Rock Songs and Rap Songs charts will also include digital download sales and streaming data for the first time from here on.
The bigger news is however the introduction of a new chart R&B Songs which will only focus on pure R&B acts like Frank Ocean, Anthony Hamilton and John Legend to name a few. Rihanna’s ‘Diamonds’ has taken the top spot for the first chart published today.
Says Billboard:
In addition, Billboard is launching a new chart, R&B Songs, which will incorporate the same airplay/sales/streaming hybrid formula to rank the week’s top R&B-only (non-rap) titles. R&B Songs and Rap Songs will serve as 25-position distillations of the overall Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, highlighting the differences between pure R&B and rap titles in the overall, wide-ranging R&B/hip-hop field.
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