but aren't streams counted in the sales? the paid services? not the youtubes.

I'm ignorant here.


edit...free services are included too.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2016/02/13/now-that-streaming-can-make-a-song-platinum-what-counts-and-what-doesnt/#9e5fe6b17ef9


Recently, the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) changed the methodology by which albums are certified gold and platinum. As of this month, streams are now being included, which modernizes the entire process. Sales of singles and albums decline every year, while the streaming industry is booming. Since the way that the masses consume music has changed, so should the way the industry recognizes success.

It might sound pretty straightforward, but there are a few important details to note in order to fully understand how an album will “go gold” from now on.

HOLLYWOOD, CA - MARCH 29: Singer Scotty McCreery (L) receives a Platinum Record from mentor Jimmy Iovine (C) and host Ryan Seacrest onstage at FOX's "American Idol" Season 11 Top 9 to 8 Live Elimination Show on March 29, 2012 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frank Micelotta/Invsion/AP)

How Many Streams Does It Take?

In the new structure, 150 streams of a song equals one paid download, and ten paid downloads equates to an album download. So, an artist’s music will have to be streamed on any of the approved, included services 1,500 times for an album “sale” to be counted.

If, say, 1,500 people play Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space”, that will count as one sale of her album 1989. The RIAA is still going to be specific about which songs are featured on what records, so artists will continue to see certain albums being awarded.

Which Services Are Included?

There are actually several dozen services that will be a part of this new methodology, and there are also many different types of services. The RIAA will now be accepting plays from video platforms (like YouTube), as well as on-demand sites (such as Spotify and the like). The list of services included in this new certification system is far too long to list, but it includes popular options such as Beatport, Amazon Prime Music, Deezer, and so on. It does not include radio services like Pandora and iHeartRadio, as those platforms do not allow people to choose whatever song they want whenever they want.

The list also includes some odd sites and apps, such as Hulu, Flipagram, as well as well-visited stores like Target TGT +0.9%, Kmart, and Walmart. These might not be the first places where one would go to buy or play music, but songs and albums have a place on all of these platforms, so they count towards the total consumption of an artist’s music.

Where Are These Streams Coming From?

Different services operate in different countries, depending on a number of factors. Some companies can’t get the licenses necessary to work in other territories, while some simply haven’t gotten around to expanding globally yet. Having said that, only those streams consumed within the United States count towards an album being certified, so not every YouTube view or Spotify play is included.

A handful of titles have already benefitted from this new structure, and in the coming months there are many more albums that will be certified, despite their not having actually sold a certain amount of copies.