US Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100 is the week’s most popular current singles across all genres as compiled by Luminate. Chart position is determined by streaming activity, digital sales, and audience impressions from radio airplay – according to a formula that is not known by the general public.
Every song earns points based on each of those three factors. With the current status of the Hot 100 chart, streams are a much more important factor than in the past, though sales and radio play are still worthy factors to also pursue.
IMPORTANT: Only US / PR ATINY can directly contribute to Hot 100.
Streaming
Streaming is one of the easiest ways for ATINY to contribute for Hot 100. Premium streams count more than free (ad-supported plan) streams, so we highly recommend purchasing a premium plan or signing up for a free premium trial.
Streaming service recommendations
SPOTIFY – TOP RECOMMENDATION
Spotify is one of the easiest services to use because you have such a wide variety of streaming options.
Want to make your own playlist and listen? No problem (just follow playlist guidelines!)! Want to use playlists created by fanbases? No problem, there’s so many to choose from that follow all the guidelines! Need to be away from your device(s) for a while but still want to get streams in? No problem, just join the ATINY channel on Stationhead, and one of our fanbases will stream for you!
Spotify is also highly recommended because you can maximize your streams with this service – Spotify streams count toward all US charts, global charts (like the Spotify Global 200 debut we’re chasing), and even some Korean charts to help with music show wins.
There is a general consensus that only a certain number of streams from one account will count for charts each day for a particular track, so you can have multiple accounts (premium or free) and swap accounts every 10-20 songs to maximize the streams going toward the chart.
APPLE MUSIC – TOP RECOMMENDATION
Apple Music is tied with Spotify for our top recommendation because it’s just as easy to use.
Apple Music may be better in some regards because it is the only streaming service that has only premium plans, which may lead to less filtering. You have the same options of creating your own playlists, using playlists created by fanbases, or joining other ATINY on Stationhead to get all your streaming in!
While there isn’t a major global chart for Apple Music that we’re targeting at the moment, you can still maximize your streams using it – Apple Music streams count toward all US charts, global Apple Music charts, and even some Korean charts to help with music show wins.
YOUTUBE – 2nd RECOMMENDATION
Both YouTube (MVs) and YouTube Music count for Billboard charts. There are some additional rules with these to help ensure all your streams count as quickly as possible, and each service has some limitations. However, these two services together give you a similar set of options to our dual #1 choices – and if you have a YouTube premium subscription, you automatically have access to YouTube Music!
YouTube (MVs) – For watching the MV, you have the option to manually stream on your own (watching the MV then about 15 minutes of other videos before watching the MV again). It’s highly recommended to truly manually stream and search each video individually, watch it, then search the next individually. Fanbases will provide manual streaming lists that you can just follow if you don’t want to keep track of all the timing. With YouTube, you can also join Scener parties, and the host will stream for you!
YouTube Music – YouTube Music allows you to create your own playlists or use playlists created by fanbases to stream the focused track. It unfortunately does not have a fully hands-free streaming method….but it does have the (not Billboard chart-affecting) benefit of being able to use all of the members’ special clips and other releases as fillers!
PANDORA, AMAZON MUSIC, QOBUZ, TIDAL, DEEZER, ETC. – LOWEST RECOMMENDATION
At this moment, all other streaming services are recommended at the same level.
Pandora only counts for US charts and seems to be filtered at the same rate as other streaming services so it is a low priority for us. Previously, Pandora was highly recommended because it was less filtered and you used to be able to loop tracks; however, this has changed.
Looping tracks actively harms our chances of debuting on Hot 100 because those are wasted streams that will not count.
Streaming Strategy
Stream on the number of accounts you can handle while still taking care of yourself (you are more important than a Hot 100 entry!). We primarily need more streamers, so please spread the word and help bring people on board! Every stream counts – it’s great if you’re able to stream all day, and it’s still great if you can stream for only a few hours (and honestly, if you can only listen to the title track a couple times sporadically throughout the day, that’s still great, too!).
If you want to participate on a more “intense” level, consider having multiple Spotify accounts and swapping accounts after about 20 plays of the title track (likely 2 playlists and about 5 hours). Make sure that you’re using different playlists across the accounts, ESPECIALLY if you are using accounts simultaneously. If you are using accounts simultaneously, they must also be used on separate devices!
TikTok/YouTube Shorts can also help us gain streams – people may discover the song through either platform and then listen to the song on an actual platform that contributes to Billboard charts. Since TikTok/YouTube Shorts contribute to multiple projects (including SNS points for some Korean music shows), we do recommend creating and engaging with videos that use the official audio! Additionally, you can recommend the song to reactors or dancers to help bring even more ears to the track.
Purchasing
Purchasing is the next easiest way for US/PR ATINY to contribute for Hot 100 – just buy the title track on any of the digital platforms!
Important note: Billboard is strictly enforcing their rules and ensuring that all services that report to them are also strictly following the rules. You can purchase the title track from ONE service ONCE for life – services will track information like card payment details, billing address, email address, and even IP address to ensure that duplicate purchases are not made and counted in the Billboard tally.
Radio play
Radio play is a FREE way for US/PR ATINY to contribute for Hot 100, and there’s a few ways to go about it. With any of these options, it’s important to remember that radio play is tracked by impressions, aka the number of people listening over a 15-minute period. The time of day greatly matters for impressions – ATEEZ playing at 2am is better than not at all, but impressions are highest during the morning and late afternoon commute hours.
1. Shazam
Shazam is a tool that helps track music popularity, and DJs sometimes use it to help make choices about what to play. Simply Shazam the title track each day to help boost our numbers on the app and show the song’s popularity! Check out our Shazam guide for full details – but every person can Shazam the track at least three times (using different methods – Shazam, Snapchat, and a Chrome extension) each day.
2. Most Requested Live
Most Requested Live is a program that happens every Saturday night from 7pm to 12am Eastern time. One song will be picked each hour from all requests sent to the show, and you can request on multiple platforms. See our Most Requested Live guide for full details!
Only requests from the US and Canada are counted, but international ATINY can help by boosting tweets and information about MRL to make sure everyone who can participate knows it’s happening.
3. Tuning in when we know ATEEZ will be played!
There are some times and programs when we know ahead of time that ATEEZ will be played on the radio, so we want to have as many US/PR ATINY as possible tune in!
During comeback periods, JoJo Wright typically will include the title track in his KPOP with JoJo show on Sunday nights (or afternoon, depending on where you’re located). You can always listen in through the iHeart app or website – either to the main station (102.7 KIIS FM), or you can check to see if there’s a local station that carries JoJo’s program. Listening to JoJo’s show on your local station helps show a demand for KPOP and can help get ATEEZ played at other times on that station!
Check for stations where you can listen to KPOP with JoJo. (list coming soon!)
There may be other, less-set times to tune in and hear ATEEZ – keep an eye on our Twitter because we’ll be updating as we discover opportunities!
4. TikTok/YouTube Shorts
Going viral on TikTok/YouTube Shorts can also help influence ATEEZ getting played on the radio! Create TikToks/YouTube Shorts using the title track official audio, and help boost others (like, comment, repost, share on other SNS platforms) to show ATEEZ’s demand! Request reactors or dancers to use the track in their content, as well.
Creating and engaging with TikToks/YouTube Shorts is listed higher than actual radio requests to maximize our efforts across projects. TikToks/YouTube Shorts contribute to SNS points for some Korean music shows and are helpful for boosting ATEEZ’s visibility in general.
5. Radio requests
ATINY can also request individual radio stations to play the title track, but not every station will count for Hot100. Online only and non-profit radio stations do not count for Billboard charting – the station must have a call sign and an actual frequency they broadcast on. Remember that radio play is tracked by audience impressions. It may be harder to request ATEEZ at prime listening hours, but the more people we have that request can only help!
Check Ateez USA’s radio list carrd for stations that will count toward Billboard charts. Request ATEEZ through an online form (if it’s available) or by texting or calling when a live DJ is on. Remember that the time of day is important for radio impressions and try to make requesting during those times a priority.
Remixes
Something we have absolutely zero control over is if we’ll get remixes for the title track. Remixes will help boost our chances at Hot100 because we have an additional track we can purchase and stream! Even though remixes are their own tracks on streaming services, their streams are combined with the original song’s streams for the full streaming tally.
Remixes Strategy
STREAM – Add the remix to your streaming playlists! The remix can be added into playlists without replacing the title track.
If you are using the multiple Spotify accounts strategy, every remix adds an additional 20 streams that can happen per account
BUY – Purchase the remix on ONE digital platform!