The music industry has moved a step closer to accepting the fact that digital music downloads are here to stay as Billboard magazine will start counting downloads in its weekly tabulation of the Hot 100.
USA Today reports that until the late 1990s, chart standings were determined by radio airplay and sales. Yet the magazine moved away from sales at that time and calculated the list primarily on airplay. Experts say adding downloads as a factor will more accurately reflect what people are buying.
“It really helps bring back the consumers’ voices,” said Geoff Mayfield, Billboard’s director of charts. “Billboard is absolutely doing the right thing in factoring this information into the charts. It provides a much more realistic impression of the music that people are buying and listening to.”
Via USA Today
