Google escalated its warfare with Penske Media Corporation by saying that YouTube will cease submitting streaming knowledge to Billboard charts beginning January 16, 2026.

The transfer marks a dramatic new entrance within the ongoing battle between the tech big and the media conglomerate that owns Billboard, Rolling Stone and Variety.

YouTube’s international head of music and Hip-Hop veteran Lyor Cohen mentioned the platform refuses to simply accept Billboard’s methodology that weights subscription streams increased than ad-supported streams.

“We believe every fan matters and every play should count equally,” Cohen wrote in a weblog publish on Wednesday.

The dispute comes simply months after Penske Media sued Google in federal court docket over AI overviews. The September lawsuit alleged that Google illegally makes use of Penske’s journalism to energy AI summaries with out consent whereas decreasing site visitors to their web sites.

Billboard up to date its chart guidelines Monday to slender the hole between paid and free streams from 1:3 to 1:2.5. But YouTube demanded equal weighting for all streams no matter whether or not customers pay for subscriptions.

“Billboard uses an outdated formula that weights subscription-supported streams higher than ad-supported,” Cohen mentioned. “This doesn’t reflect how fans engage with music today and ignores the massive engagement from fans who don’t have a subscription.”

The streaming methodology combat represents the most recent escalation in a broader warfare between Google and Penske Media. Penske alleged that Google forces publishers to permit their content material for use in AI-generated summaries as a situation for showing in search outcomes.

The firm mentioned about 20% of Google searches linking to its websites now present AI overviews, with that share anticipated to rise.

“We have a responsibility to proactively fight for the future of digital media and preserve its integrity – all of which is threatened by Google’s current actions,” Penske mentioned within the lawsuit.

The media conglomerate reported that affiliate income had dropped by greater than a 3rd from peak ranges by late 2024, as search site visitors declined. Penske attracts 120 million on-line guests month-to-month throughout its properties.

Google defended each disputes, saying AI overviews assist customers uncover content material, whereas YouTube knowledge will proceed to stream to Luminate, Billboard’s major chart supply.

Billboard responded that it hopes YouTube will rethink and acknowledge “the reach and popularity of artists on all music platforms.”

The chart firm mentioned it measures fan exercise appropriately based mostly on client entry, income evaluation and trade steerage.

YouTube paid the music trade over $8 billion prior to now 12 months, in accordance with Cohen, and now either side seem dug in for a chronic battle that would reshape how tech platforms work together with media firms.

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