Billboard Adds YouTube Views into Hot 100 Calculations, Viral Hit "Harlem Shake" Tops Revamped Charts

In a move to adapt to new ways in which consumers listen to music, Billboard and Nielsen updated their methodology this week to include YouTube views. Aided by a viral video sensation, the producer Baauer's song "Harlem Shake" topped the renovated Hot 100. 

The preeminent singles chart is changing with the times as explained by Billboard editorial director Bill Werde on Billboard.com.

"The very definition of what it means to have a hit is ever-changing these days," said Werde.

"The Billboard charts are the ultimate measure of success in music, and they constantly evolve to reflect these new music experiences."

With commercial sales and radio airplay dwindling, the idea of what constitutes a hit is changing. Billboard and Nielsen have updated their rankings to reflect an increasingly internet-based culture.

"The Billboard charts, especially the Hot 100, have always served to reflect the most popular songs in the country, based on the ways fans are consuming music," said Silvio Pietroluongo, Billboard's director of charts in an interview with Billboard. "There is no denying the impact YouTube has today on music and popular culture. The inclusion of this type of interactive data to the formulas of the Hot 100, Streaming Songs and our many genre song charts is a perfect and natural complement to our varied data sources, assuring the Billboard charts are the most accurate gauge of song popularity."

Baauer's "Harlem Shake" is the backdrop to a video meme in which one person dances by themselves in a room full of disinterested people. The person continues to dance alone until the song's signature bass drop. At that time, the video smash-cuts to the same room, full of people dancing, jumping and generally freaking out.

The "Harlem Shake" meme has gotten a lot of flak from people for generally not having anything to do with the 30-year old dance of the same name. Rarely, if ever are the dancers in the video doing the eponymous dance. However, the meme is named for the song that forms the backbone of all the videos where a sampled voice clearly says "Now, do the Harlem Shake!" as the bass drops.

Other artists benefitted from the inclusion of YouTube views as well. Rihanna's song "Stay" jumped from the number 57 spot to number 3 and Drake's "Started from the Bottom" leaped from the 63^rd spot to the 10^th.