Streaming 101 MasterThread: Get ASIB to #1 on the BB200

[Arturo 40,746]

Hi friends, I've been wanting to make this for a while. Mostly because ever since 2013 this fanbase has had a disconnect and disdain with the changing streaming world. With our last major release Joanne, streaming was already the biggest form of music consumption and as we near the end of 2018 and will soon be the only form of music consumption as CD's and iTunes are both close to being a thing of the past.

I wanted to emphasize the importance in paid streaming. ASIB OST cannot triumph over Twenty One Pilots on October 5th without every single one of you who do not stream or use free streaming accounts switching over. So before I get into some basic numbers for the US/Can, UK, and Germany (and some quick streaming facts about other countries like France, Italy, and Spain) I want to provide some info/resources on streaming.

Streaming Services- Apple Music is the biggest paid streaming platform in North America with Spotify Premium closely trailing. Together they make up over 90% of the streaming market.

- Apple Music and Spotify Premium are both only $4.99 / month for college students and $9.99 / month for a regular account.

- What's amazing is Apple Music offers a free 3 MONTHS. That means if you sign up now you can stream free music from now until the beginning of December (or whenever you purchase it). The best part? These free Apple Music streams count as PAID STREAMS FOR THE BILLBOARD 200 CHART. Spotify Premium offers a similar trial but only for 30 days.

- Here's a link to sign up for the free 3 months of Apple Music and free 30 days of Spotify
 

Spoiler

 

https://www.apple.com/apple-music/plans/

https://www.spotify.com/us/premium/?utm_source=us-en_brand_contextual_text&utm_medium=paidsearch&utm_campaign=alwayson_ucanz_us_performancemarketing_highsubintent_brand+contextual+text+exact+us-en+google&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIh6P11uOd3QIVBAxpCh0tRgm0EAAYASAAEgLF8vD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CKGap9njnd0CFcvcwAoda2UHlg

 

 

Streaming Rules (United States)
Important Info:
- Ever since July 2018, Billboard has stopped using the 1,500 streams = 1 album sales rule on the Billboard 200.
Now, 1,250 PAID streams = 1 album sale // 3,750 FREE streams = 1 album sale

Spoiler

Youtube has never and will never be included on the Billboard 200 albums chart. So these "free" streams tend to come from the Free Spotify platform. Canada should follow similar rules.

- 10 single sales on iTunes = 1 album sale on Billboard.

- What does this mean? Well it means that those of you streaming from paid Spotify or any Apple Music account are contributing 3x as much to ASIB's album sales. This could be the difference between a #1 and #2. I highly recommend switching over. No that doesn't mean don't buy the album. But maybe stop getting ONE of your near $6 Venti coffee per month and use that for your streaming account. Also can I say this isn't just for Gaga but you literally get millions of songs at your disposal for the price of a meal at McDonalds. Anyways

Steaming Rules (United Kingdom)
Important info:
Unlike the US which combines pure sales, Track Equivalent Albums, and Stream Equivalent Albums, the UK only counts pure sales and Stream Equivalent Albums. 
The UK really tries to avoid 1 or 2 hits making an album sell like crazy so they've adopted an interesting but super easy to follow system:
 

Spoiler

They take the 12 most streamed tracks (that is if the album has 12+ tracks) and get an average of streams. Then they knock down the 2 biggest songs to that average and sum them with the other 10 tracks' normal streams. And divide by 1000.
Formula = [pure sales + 12 most streamed tracks (with first 2 averaged down) / 1000]

This may be confusing so here's an example:


Let's say ASIB is a 6 track EP for simple purposes.

On the week of February 30th 1976, these are its weekly streams in the UK

Actual:
Shallow - 2m
WDYDT? - 1.5m
IWNLA - 1m
Look What I Found - 900k
Heal Me - 500k
ARUTW - 400k

Total: 6.3m streams
Average: is 900k....so on the charts this will be added.

Charts:
Shallow - 900k
WDYDT? - 900k
IWNLA - 1m
Look What I Found - 900l
Heal Me - 500k
Total: 4.2m streams / 1000 = 4,200 Streaming units for that week!

Streaming Rules (Germany)
Unlike the US and UK, Germany's albums aren't copy-based but revenue based. Still in terms of streaming revenue the album brings in, like the UK they take the Top 12 tracks EXCEPT the first 2. So they don't even average down the first 2 they just throw them out to avoid Drake levels of domination

Streaming Rules (FR,IT,SP)
France, Italy, and Spain exclude free streaming from their charts entirely and only take into account paid accounts for their album charts.

Special Thanks to all the chartsters for supporting me in making this thread.

Tagging is acting stupid right now so I can't tag anyone right now. But thanks Gypsy Life, ViviLittleM, Carre, OBEY, Andree, ARPiT, Thrasher, Bloody Grammys, ryanripley, ZiggyZigs, kinneyUnderYou and probably missing like 5 people or something..

Feel free to @ me and ask anything you want.
 

Edited September 3, 2018 by Arturo

[Arturo 40,746]

FAQ

1. If I leave a song on repeat overnight will it count?

Spoiler

No. Spotify (and presumably AM) has a cap on how many times you can stream a song in 24 hours and have it count towards charts. You can stream each song from ASIB 10 times a day. With 19 tracks that’s still 190 plays or 1,330 plays a week. Congrats if you’re using Premium you just “purchased” an entire copy of the ASIB album for the charts and then some.

2. If I download an album on Apple Music to my library do the streams still count?
 

Spoiler

only if you didn't buy it on iTunes. If you simply just download the album on apple music the streams should count even when you’re offline because they’ll be logged when you’re online.

The way to bypass the iTunes thing for all of us buying it on iTunes and using Apple Music, you can just select “Remove From Library”

3. Are Amazon Music Unlimited, Google Play, Pandora Premium and Tidal okay to stream from?

Spoiler

Yes. They are paid services. The same paid rules apply.

4. My country isn’t listed.

Spoiler

Well sis, just buy ASIB and stream her. I tried to include major markets.

5. Is Gaga streaming poison?

Spoiler

No, but she could do better and this is how.

6. The new paid streaming rules will hurt hip-hop acts and help pop acts right?

Spoiler

No, they have actually helped both hip hop and pop acts.

7.  Streaming has ruined music, Why?

Spoiler

No it hasn’t. Streaming is the only way your taste in music is reflected continuously throughout the charts. This fanbase always says the charts are trash. Well do something about it and stream your pop bops on paid accounts like everyone else. With buying albums and songs your taste is only reflected that one week you buy it.

 

Edited September 3, 2018 by Arturo

[Blackwillow 2,200]

[Andrea B 16,460]

[Vitleysingur 13,735]

[GagaXCollection 7,723]

[ArtGagaPop 61,940]

I won't let this thread become a meme in the comments, go stream 

[FATCAT 59,049]

I'm not going to leave my computer playing ASIB overnight, because of my power bill, but I'll definitely try to listen to it as much as humanly possible the first few weeks!

[vinster13 3,545]

[Doncho 27,241]

Thanks for all the info. You should add a section on how to help the album in the US, even if you are not from the US. Like a VPN or something

[TheodoreRx 1,540]

I always just buy multiple copies first week. Should I stream instead?

[GypsyBabe 22,836]

My question is, how does it work if I buy the album on iTunes and use my paid Apple Music account. Does it pull from the album that I purchased/my library or does it count for streaming when I play a song? Am I wording that correctly? I’m old fashioned and still buy records that I like so I need to learn how to help Gaga. 

[Tom Nook 37,758]

Some of y’all are so messy 

Anyway STREAM THE ALBUM

Edited September 3, 2018 by Gardevoir

[Arturo 40,746]

1 minute ago, TheodoreRx said:

I always just buy multiple copies first week. Should I stream instead?

both.

[GagaXCollection 7,723]

1 minute ago, TheodoreRx said:

I always just buy multiple copies first week. Should I stream instead?

Both