What Are the Billboard Charts Really Measuring?

Changes to the formulas used to build albums and singles charts will weigh paid streams more than free ones. What will the impact be?

Om Podcasten

The Popcast is hosted by Jon Caramanica, a pop music critic for The New York Times. It covers the latest in popular music criticism, trends and news. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Also, for more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.