Billboard Hot 100

The Billboard Hot 100 is the main U.S. singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. The new charts go into effect every Saturday, while the charts are posted every previous Thursday on the website.

Paid digital downloads

As of the Hot 100 chart dated February 12, 2005, Billboard introduced the Pop 100 Chart and the Pop 100 Airplay Chart. The two charts track mass-appeal mainstream hits. See Hot Digital Songs.

Related Topics:
February 12 - 2005 - Pop 100 - Pop 100 Airplay - Hot Digital Songs

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Also the Billboard Hot 100 now tracks paid digital downloads from such websites as iTunes, Napster, Musicmatch, Rhapsody, etc. With paid digital downloads added to the airplay-sales formula of the Hot 100, many songs benefited on the charts from the change. Billboard actually started tracking downloads in 2003 with the Hot Digital Tracks chart. But those downloads did not count towards the chart and that chart (as opposed to Hot Digital Songs) counted each version of a song separately (the chart still exists today along with Hot Digital Songs).

Related Topics:
ITunes - Napster - Musicmatch - Rhapsody - Hot Digital Songs

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Also because of the digital download sales, the Hot 100 now shows many singles on the chart with gold and platinum bullets. This is the first major overhaul of the Hot 100's chart formula since December 1998.

Related Topics:
Gold - Platinum - December - 1998

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