Is Billboard really too expensive?

[your friend]

Ever since I subscribed to SiriusXM, I couldn't help but notice that many of their shows cite Billboard data, if not use the chart outright. For instance, Lance Bass' Pop2Kountdown is based entirely off the Billboard Hot 100. Howard Stern does his parody Top 5 countdown of the Hot 100 quite often. And I frequently hear Billboard stats elsewhere.

While iHeart certainly has their reasons to not use Billboard, it doesn't seem like expense could or should be one of them in regards to AT40 and other shows they may have. While that may have been true in the early 1990s, something tells me that may not be the case today. In my mind, hearing "Billboard" lends some credibility as opposed to custom charts that are potentially subject to more whims.

[Deleted]

Free vs $$$: free wins, especially when in the case of AT40 mediabase is owned by the same parent company. Few care if Billboard charts are used on the radio anymore. And it would add all of 0-few new listeners. Plus, countdown radio shows want radio AirPlay figures only, sales, downloads, and YouTube views, screw up what they want. Radio stations are the countdown shows client, not the listeners. Listeners only get what a station plays. Without the station being happy, no show heard.

Yes I know you won't agree with what I said most likely. They aren't gonna change now. Why Sirius pays it I don't know. I don't know anyone who ever said they listen to SXM countdowns on x channel because they use Billboard.

[lasvegaskid]

Discussed a little here. Back in the days when I listened to CHR, I would have loved to have a subscription. But as a teenager, the cost was prohibitive.

Today I suspect it is a combo of cost and some outlets might have an exclusive use agreement which is why others don't mention it.

at40fg.proboards.com/thread/3380/far-get-hands-on-charts?page=1

[blackbowl68]

Billboard was the first trade magazine to utilize barcode data for singles, albums, and video sales, as well as "fingerprint data" for radio airplay. Because this was being collected from two outside agencies, this made the magazine's overhead larger than most publications.

Anyone who has read Billboard cover to cover knows it had features on recording equipment and technologies, and covered genres of sound recordings usually ignored by other trades. Today, it includes social media sources in its mix.

[Deleted]

Yes it did. I first got it every once in awhile in the 90s but seeing the ones from the 70s are interesting. All the sound equipment reviews and sale ads for radio stations back then. That's why in that other thread referenced I had said the magazine wasn't priced for the enthusiasts and it wasn't marketed to them. It was marketed toward radio stations and businesses that specialized in that field and thus why the magazine subscription costs were as high as they were.

[blackbowl68]

Paul, you are correct that Billboard has lost its credibility in the current state of radio programming, which is simply because their charts aren't geared towards them anymore. (I'm happy they are not.) I became an enthusiast of the magazine because I liked its treatment of hip hop & funk. Since these type of records were outselling other genres in the singles market with minimal radio airplay, I paid closer attention to the publication.

But it still has major credibility outside of radio. The publication has far outlasted all prior competitors in the industry. And I'm willing to bet many of message board posters would not be listening to classic AT40 shows today if the Billboard Hot 100 had not been its source.

[Deleted]

I think you are very wrong about the latter. People on this board listen to relive the old days. Had BB not been their source no one would have any idea what that ever was like. And had the show survived its early years which, no one would worry about it. Furher, if the 90s show ever shows up it'll be Caseys Top 40 from WW1 which used R&R. Most of these same people will listen to it too...probably some of them several times a week like they do the others which I don't get at all.