Music Beefs, Romance, Swag And Other Factors The Billboard Charts Should Take Into Account by Emily Exton 2/21/2013 Embedded from www.youtube.com. </noscript> </div> Music geeks had their worlds rocked last night as news broke that Billboard and Nielsen, two companies at the forefront of managing how much entertainment we’re actually consuming, announced they’d be factoring streaming services into their weekly charts. Official YouTube videos will have the biggest impact for music, further proving that the records held by Justin Bieber and PSY are not to be taken lightly. It also means… congratulations, Mr. Baauer! The young producer is the proud owner of the top spot on Billboard’s Hot 100 this week, thanks to his infectious, albeit contentious, “Harlem Shake,” whose massive viral presence has spawned copycat videos from morning show anchors to the Happy Endings cast. The song also climbed from 12 to 1 on Billboard’s Dance and has notched over 103 million YouTube views to date. Adding YouTube views certainly helps to legitimize what can sometimes be fleeting phenomenons, and only helps play into the hands of an artist like the swag-heavy Bieber. Five No. 1 albums before he’s turned 19! And what have you done with your life? “The Billboard charts are the ultimate measure of success in music, and they constantly evolve to reflect these new music experiences. When the charts launched over 70 years ago, a hit was defined as selling copies of a single or generating airplay. While those avenues are still viable, one needn’t look any further than Cee Lo, Gotye, PSY or now Baauer to know that a song can be a massive hit on YouTube alone,” says Billboard’s editorial director Bill Werde. We agree! But while they’re at it, how about considering a few other factors, such as… 1. BEEFS No need to worry about whether or not Lil Wayne fell off. His cantankerous relationship with NBA teams around the country will keep him on top for years to come. 2. ROMANCES With one megastar ex (ahem, Taylor Swift) and a fellow X Factor alum (Perrie Edwards) on the brink of Stateside success, new rules would help put a stop to those who insist on fighting today’s current crop of boy bands. Because let’s face it: they’re real, and they’re fantastic. 3. MAGAZINE COVERS No one will dare doubt the musical legitimacy of Kim Kardashian EVER again. 4. SIDE HUSTLES 50 Cent shilling for Vitamin Water wouldn’t seem that funny if it helped this former Street King get back to the top. 5. SOCIAL MEDIA This one feels like its the closest to coming to fruition. If 32 million followers aren’t listening to your music, then what are you even doing? Katy Perry understands this. This is all in jest, yet with the amount of time some of these artists spend embroiled in the categories above, you’d think they’d want a reward (or 10). Related: The 8 Best Harlem Shake Videos [Photos: Getty Images] Emily Exton
