Yes, Billboard has announced that data from music streaming platform, Boomplay will now count towards an artiste’s streaming numbers and subsequently, the Billboard charts.
Boomplay’s streaming data will now add to the prestigious Billboard charts. From the well known Hot 100 charts to the Billboard 200, Artist 100 and Billboard Global 200 charts, as well as all other Billboard U.S. and global charts that include streaming data.
The data will come into effect from the month of October. Starting from the week of October 15 through October 21 (Billboard charts dated October 30). Boomplay is Africa’s biggest streaming platform and this announcement is amazing news for African artistes. This means a bigger platform for exposure via the iconic Billboard charts on the global stage.
Within MRC Data’s Music Connect platform, Boomplay streams will be in the ‘Others’ data bucket under Audio On-Demand with data visible on October 12, 2021 for streams beginning on October 8, 2021.
According to Billboard, ‘‘MRC Data’s foundation is built on providing the music industry and our clients with the most complete view of music consumption. We are excited to announce additional data being captured from Boomplay.’’
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Boomplay’s Director of Content & Strategy, Phil Choi described Boomplay’s addition to the charts as “a significant step in ensuring African artistes on the platform are fairly and equally represented where it matters and that they have access to similar opportunities available to their international counterparts. While this might have seemed far-fetched in the past, we now have one foot in the door already following our partnership with Billboard Charts.”
Currently, Boomplay boasts of over 60 million Monthly Active Users & over 60 million tracks. The service was first launched in Nigeria in 2015. Boomplay has grown leaps and bounds since then. In 2018, the streaming platform agreed a distribution deal with Universal Music Group. Furthermore, in March 2019, Boomplay announced a licensing deal with Warner Music Group.