YouTube’s Departure and
the Battle for Chart Equity
On Dec. 17, 2025, YouTube announced that it would no longer provide streaming data to Billboard charts. A month later, the act came into effect in protest against the change in Billboard’s charting system. Since early 2013, music streamed on YouTube have continuously contributed to Billboard charts. These streams were weighed equally as those from paid services until 2018, when tiered streaming values were introduced. Since then, the amount of ad-supported streams necessary to count as one album consumption unit has grown to more than three times the amount of paid streams necessary. Following this trend, Billboard reported that their charts would begin to rely more on paid or subscription streams rather than ad-supported streams. Shortly after, YouTube addressed the impending change in a blog article written by Cohen. “[The Billboard formula] doesn’t reflect how fans engage with music today and ignores the massive engagement from fans who don’t have a subscription,” Cohen wrote. “[YouTube is] simply asking that every stream is counted fairly and equally, whether it is subscription-based or ad-supported—because every fan matters and every play should count.” While the withdrawal of YouTube streams appears to damage Billboard’s revenue, original alterations in streaming values result from a lack of profit, as seen in comparisons made by Full Stop Management CEO Irving Azoff. “YouTube recently touted that it paid artists $8 billion over the past year,” Azoff wrote. “During the same period, Spotify generated roughly $18 billion in revenue and paid about $12 billion to music rights holders.” Similar protests have occurred in past years. Some claim that paid-for music should be advantaged due to direct customer input. Likewise, responses mirroring YouTube’s have surfaced: calls for every listener’s stream to count the same. The ongoing debate fluctuates amongst involved companies. Parts of the music industry that have relied heavily on YouTube streams—such as Korean-pop—now face new hurdles. However, as listeners turn away from ad-supported services like YouTube, charts inevitably follow suit. Companies seeking to maximize profit have brought about resulting changes.
Syliva Liang
NEW RELEASES
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The last pennies minted
As new payment methods such as credit and debit have been introduced and popularised throughout the past decades, the United States’ cash and coins have remained relevant to this day. However, adapting to the developing nation is bound to affect traditional practices, evident by the stoppage of penny production on Nov. 12, 2025.
Syliva Liang
Callie Walker finds her passion through Volleyball
For over 125 years, volleyball has been played by both girls and boys worldwide. Volleyball became an Olympic sport in 1964 and is one of the leading sports played by high school girls. For freshman Callie Walker, her volleyball journey began recently. It all started when her middle school best friend convinced her to try out for the sport. “I started in sixth grade during the summer, and then it just kind of grew from there,” Walker said. Her curiosity and desire to find a sport she truly enjoyed led to numerous experiences in various volleyball environments. “I started out with club indoor volleyball, and when I went to middle school, I joined the indoor volleyball school team,” Walker said. “After two years, I joined beach volleyball for like, six months.” After Walker's experiences with both types of volleyball, she prefers the team dynamic of beach volleyball over indoor. “I think I like beach volleyball better, because when you work with one partner, it kind of gives you an opportunity to see how they work, and then you can build off of each other and make each other stronger as players,” Walker said. During her time playing beach volleyball, Walker had many great memories, but one in particular changed her perspective towards the sport and herself. “I remember one time my friend and I signed up for this tournament, and we didn’t realize how advanced the players were,” Walker said. “We started playing, and we were getting crushed, we lost every single game, but I think that it taught me a lesson to accept that I’m not always going to win.” After spending four years playing indoor and beach volleyball, Walker learned an important fact. She believes that volleyball is not just a sport, but a helpful tool. “I think that outside of school, I needed to have something that I could use as an outlet, because if I didn’t, I would just get really stressed,” Walker said. After realizing just how beneficial volleyball is, Walker’s journey does not stop here. She plans to advance her skills and seek new volleyball opportunities in the future. “I actually plan on joining the school beach volleyball team this spring,” Walker said. Walker may have joined the volleyball world as of recently, but it has shaped her into the person she is today. Volleyball has been a crucial part of Walker’s life, and she will continue to pursue the sport.