After recent controversy involving Bollywood rapper Badshah and YouTube, the giant video sharing platform is changing how it ranks 24-hour record-breaking new music videos. The rapper recently released a music video for Paagal that reportedly amassed a million views in under 24 hours and that the giant video sharing platform wasn’t congratulating him as it did with other record-shattering music videos.
On closer look, it was found that he had bought ads to promote his video hence most of the views were not organic. Most artists buy pre-roll YouTube ads where their videos are placed. When a user watched the ad, YouTube counted it as a view. They are changing that.
YouTube will now no longer count ad views when ranking music videos and resort to organic views. This will prevent artists from gaming YouTube in their pursuit to be ranked for top-watched music videos in under 24 hours.
In a post published on Google’s blog this evening, YouTube says it wants to ensure those numbers for record-shattering music videos are a definitive representation of the videos instant cultural impact.
“It’s a great honour and one we take very seriously. As we look to maintain consistency and credibility across our platform, we’ve made some necessary revisions to our methodology for reporting 24-hour record debuts,” the post continues. “Video advertising is an effective way to reach specific audiences with a song debut, but paid advertising views on YouTube will no longer be considered when looking at a 24-hour record debut”
YouTube ads that these changes made to YouTube Music Charts will not only increase the integrity of the music charts and provide more transparency to the industry but also “align with the policies of official charting companies such as Billboard and Nielsen.”
New Methodology
So from now on, to be ranked on the most-watched music video in under 24 hours, YouTube will count views only from organic sources which include direct links to the video, search results, external sites that embed the video and YouTube features like the Homepage, watch next and Trending.
It is worth noting that this new methodology doesn’t affect existing 24-hour record debut holders.
YouTube music videos ads will still appear but labels in the music industry will have to figure out a better way to get views from organic plays instead of spending between $20,000 to $100,000 to pay for ads to increase views in the first 24 hours after a music video debut.
Good for youtube for doing what it should’ve been doing to begin with. Paid ads which increase streaming should NEVER have counted towards charts and records. That’s kind of common sense. But good job fixing it https://t.co/An2L1m63Xp
— Rafranz ⁷ (@rafranzdavis) September 13, 2019
