Global Streaming
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Why do we stream?
Streaming plays a vital role not only in the success of Stray Kids' comebacks but also in their sustained prominence and global recognition within the music industry.
In today's digital landscape, streaming platforms serve as crucial barometers, reflecting the sentiments and preferences of both general listeners and global audiences. They provide valuable insights into the popularity of an artist or group, indicating trends and influencing perceptions of musical relevance.
For Stray Kids, the engagement and support garnered through streaming activities are instrumental in shaping their trajectory within the industry.
Beyond mere metrics, streaming contributes significantly to Stray Kids' eligibility for prestigious awards and honors. The collective efforts of fans worldwide to stream their music amplify the group's visibility and impact, positioning them as contenders for recognition on various platforms and ceremonies. This recognition not only validates their artistic endeavors but also solidifies their presence on the global stage.
Moreover, streaming serves as a powerful catalyst for expanding Stray Kids' fan base and cultivating a diverse and dedicated community of supporters. Through concerted streaming efforts, STAYs contribute to the group's continued growth and influence, fostering connections and shared experiences across geographical and cultural boundaries.
In essence, streaming is more than just a metric of popularity—it is a testament to the unwavering dedication and passion of fans who champion Stray Kids' music and message. As the group continues to evolve and innovate, streaming remains a cornerstone of their journey, propelling them toward greater heights of success and recognition on the global stage.
Why do we Pre-Save during comeback preperations?
The primary purpose of pre-saving or pre-adding a song/album is to generate anticipation and engagement among fans leading up to its release. When fans pre-save an album on streaming platforms like Spotify or Apple Music, they ensure that the album is automatically added to their library or playlist as soon as it becomes available. This helps to maximize the album's initial streaming numbers and can contribute to its chart performance upon release. The more popular a new release is, the higher its chances are of being added to curated playlists, which can help the new release reach a wider audience. This increased exposure leads to more streams, ultimately aiding a song or album in climbing the charts.
Spotify
Spotify is a popular digital music streaming platform that allows users to access a vast library of songs, podcasts, and other audio content. With Spotify, users can listen to music on demand by streaming songs directly to their devices, such as smartphones, tablets, or computers. Spotify offers both free and premium subscription options. The free version is ad-supported and provides limited features, such as shuffle play and occasional audio ads. The premium subscription removes ads, allows unlimited skips, and provides additional features such as offline playback, high-quality audio streaming, and the ability to select and play specific songs on-demand.
You can check the rankings of songs, albums & artists on Spotify's charts HERE!
FOR UPDATES ABOUT SPOTIFY & PREMADE FOCUSED PLAYLISTS, FOLLOW SKZLIST & SKZ ON STATIONHEAD!
SPOTIFY DAILY TRACKING IS FROM 8:00 pm - 7:59 pm EST | 9:00 am - 8:59 am KST
Use any valid email address to create a Spotify account, then activate a 30-day free trial. You do have to enter a payment method, but it does not charge you till your trial is over. We suggest using the FAMILY PLAN FREE TRIAL it allows you to add 5 additional Spotify accounts to your "family," allowing all of them to have access to Spotify Premium subscriptions.
If you have never used Spotify before you can watch these video tutorials to walk you through:
STREAMING GUIDELINES FOR SPOTIFY
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Make sure to turn off AUTOPLAY (Home > Settings > Playback > Off).
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Listen to the FULL newly released song or album, then start using your focused playlists.
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Like or ♡ each song as well as the album.
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Do NOT mute Spotify; however, muting your device or sound controls on PC is allowed. We recommend using headphones as well.
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Do NOT loop songs or playlists.
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Do NOT use a VPN or APK packs.
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DO NOT shuffle the playlist; it could play the focus songs back-to-back and thus filter out streams.
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When sleeping or passive-streaming, queue playlists, meaning queue 3-4 shorter playlists instead of one 8- to 9-hour playlist.
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You can use 3-5 Spotify accounts at the same time, but don’t use the same account on multiple devices. Use different browsers, use cellular data instead of Wi-Fi, etc. BUT NEVER USE A VPN. If you do use multiple accounts at the same time, do not stream the same playlists simultaneously; use a different one for each account.
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You can use multiple browsers and multiple accounts on the same IP address. We suggest keeping it to a maximum of 6 accounts, considering that is how many accounts are on a family plan and it’s a reasonable assumption that Spotify will legitimize up to that many accounts on an IP address. But do not stream the same playlists on all accounts simultaneously; that is not something a family would do.
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When the playlist is over, DO NOT LOOP OR REPLAY THE SAME PLAYLIST. Use a new one. Try to use each playlist only once a day. Grab a variety from fanbases and STAYs.
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CHECK THAT ANY PLAYLISTS YOU USE FOLLOW ALL GUIDELINES BEFORE STREAMING!
GUIDELINES FOR PLAYLIST-BUILDING
If you choose to make your own playlists instead of using one made by a fanbase, you need to be sure you set up the rotation so your streams do NOT get filtered out. The following guidelines are used to make sure that every stream counts.
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DO NOT CREATE 24-HOUR PLAYLISTS; 2- to 4-hour playlists are ideal. When streaming, you can queue several shorter playlists & have them count as streams. Avoid creating "overnight" playlists that are 8-9 hours.
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During comeback, be sure your playlists are title track-focused.
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Use 2-3 SKZ B-sides as fillers in between the focus track.
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Use NON-K-POP fillers randomly every 12-14 songs. Make sure your playlist is not overly repetitive or structured. Avoid using songs that are competing on current charts as fillers. Generally, 1 non-K-pop filler every hour of the playlist is suggested.
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You can use "Mirror Mirror," "Just Breathe," "No Problem," "Rush Remix," & tracks from Seungmin & Changbin’s channels as fillers.
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Do NOT use the same fillers in every playlist; try to keep your fillers to shorter songs. The point is to get to the next SKZ song quickly without looking like a bot, so avoid using 4- to 5-minute songs. Here is a playlist provided by PROJECT STAY of fillers you can use that are under a minute!
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Be sure to update your playlists at least once a month (preferably more frequently). Switch out the fillers and change out some of the SKZ fillers.
CREATE A PLAYLIST — A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
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Launch the Spotify application on your device or visit the Spotify website on your computer.
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Sign into your Spotify account or create a new account if you don't have one already.
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Once you're logged in, you'll be on the Spotify home screen. Look for the "Your Library" option in the left sidebar and click on it.
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In the "Your Library" section, you'll see several options. Click on the "Playlists" tab.
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On the top-right corner of the "Playlists" page, you'll find a green button labeled "Create Playlist." Click on it.
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A pop-up window will appear where you can give your playlist a name. Enter a descriptive title for your playlist.
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Optionally, you can also add a description to your playlist to provide more context or information.
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Choose whether you want your playlist to be public, private, or collaborative. Public playlists can be discovered and followed by other Spotify users, while private playlists are only visible to you. Collaborative playlists allow other users to add or remove tracks.
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Click on the "Create" button to create your playlist.
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Your new playlist will now appear in the "Playlists" section of your library. To add songs to your playlist, you can search for specific tracks, albums, or artists in the Spotify search bar.
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Once you find a song you want to add, right-click on it (or long-press on mobile) and select "Add to Playlist."
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In the pop-up window that appears, choose the playlist you want to add the song to and click "Add."
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Repeat the process to add more songs to your playlist. You can add songs from different albums, artists, or genres.
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To rearrange the order of the songs in your playlist, simply click and drag the tracks to the desired position.
EDITING A PLAYLIST ON SPOTIFY
You can also edit your playlist by clicking on the three-dot menu icon next to the playlist's name. From there, you can rename the playlist, change the description, update the privacy settings, or delete the playlist if needed.
HOW DOES SPOTIFY COUNT STREAMS?
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Song stream: Counted when someone listens for 30 seconds or more
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Release stream count: All song streams from the release added up. If a song appears on multiple releases, it counts towards the stream count on every release.
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Downloaded music & streaming offline: Spotify counts streams when the listener comes back online & logs into Spotify, which must happen at least once every 30 days for the streams to be added.
LASTLY, ADDITIONAL WAYS TO BOOST STRAY KIDS' EXPOSURE ON SPOTIFY & HELP THEM CHART
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Share the song or album directly from the platform using the share option and post it to SNS platforms, text it to friends and family, etc. The more engagement it gets, the better!
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If the title track is added to a curated playlist, you can stream it there, too. Auto-generated or curated playlists with Stray Kids songs in them boost them on the platform, so if you see one, PLAY ONLY THE STRAY KIDS TRACK ON THAT PLAYLIST. To ensure you don't play other songs, you can "hide" any non-SKZ tracks on a curated playlist, THEN GO BACK TO YOUR FOCUSED PLAYLISTS!
YouTube Video Streaming
You can check the rankings of songs & artists on YouTube's charts HERE.
QUICK GUIDE TO YOUTUBE FROM STRAYKSTREAM
YOUTUBE ACCOUNT CREATION & PREMIUM BENEFITS
✔ Always log into a YouTube account when streaming using any method. Fanbases always recommend using a Premium account because the streams and engagements weigh more on the charting metrics. You can sign up for a FREE 30-Day Premium YouTube trial on an account that has never used the feature before using any valid Gmail address at YouTube.com.
📝 If you are a USA/PR STAY streaming on YouTube, while using a VPN your views will not be calculated into the aggregation for that MV for Billboard Charts.
📌 PAID PREMIUM ACCOUNT TIP
A paid subscription to YouTube Premium is $13.99 USD a month. Some STAYs will upgrade their main account for the month of comeback to a FAMILY Premium Membership and either invite other accounts or fellow STAYs to join their "family," allowing 6 accounts in total to have a paid premium subscription for the price of 2 individual subscriptions ($22.99 USD).
📝 A free trial calculates views and has the same features as a PAID subscription, so you can create new accounts and sign up for a trial if you prefer or have limited means. SIGN UP HERE
3 YOUTUBE STREAMING METHODS
We use and promote 3 streaming methods for YouTube and encourage all STAYs to utilize all 3, especially during comeback, to ensure every stream counts!
METHOD 1: MANUAL OR FOCUS-STREAMING
MANUAL or FOCUS-STREAMING is a method that emulates what a person does when they want to consume content but in a more controlled manner so the content consumed increases Stray Kids' views.
For example, when a human is on YouTube consuming content or watching videos, they naturally go to their YouTube login, search for a specific video by typing in the search bar what they are looking for and click on the video, watch it, and interact with the platform by liking it, commenting, interacting with other comments, & sharing the link directly to social media. Humans bounce around while watching content; they will click on a recommended video after finishing one, search for a new one, watch something from one of their playlists they have saved or in their Watch Later, etc..
As chaotic as humans are, there is a baseline for determining human behavior, and all the things listed above are the baseline, so doing this while focus-streaming ensures YouTube sees you as human and your views are counted. Going back every 3-4 videos is natural for a human because when we find content we enjoy, we "consume it" or indulge in it.
METHOD 2: PLAYLIST STREAMING
PLAYLIST STREAMING is a more laidback approach to streaming. Using a playlist allows STAYs to participate in streaming for Stray Kids while at work or school or during their everyday busy life schedule. Setting up a playlist, even a short one and making sure to organize the playlist properly, adds to Stray Kids' views and allows busy STAYs the luxury of contributing to comeback but not sacrificing things in their life at the same time. The one downside is that playlist streaming is passive, so you are not interacting with the platform consistently and proving you are human, so some views are at risk for being filtered out.
To learn how to make playlists on YouTube, see this step-by-step guide.
How to create & edit a playlist in the YouTube app
How to create & edit a playlist in the Android app
METHOD 3: EMBEDDED LINKS
EMBEDDED LINKS, sometimes abbreviated as EL or ELs, is a established method of watching a video, but in this case our fandom has a specifically designed website run by STAY 8 District that was created to help boost our streams on YouTube by using an integrated method of watching a YouTube video also known as an embedded link. The method is used in various ways for a multitude of reasons everywhere online today. STAY 8 District thought to utilize the method as a form of streaming while making sure to adhere to YouTube's strict policies for Stray Kids & STAY.
Because we do not host the Els or maintain them, we advise STAYs to read the guidelines listed on the EL site before streaming to ensure you are using them properly.
"HOW DO YOU KNOW THESE 3 METHODS WORK?"
Our Twitter admin made a post that summed it up clearly; so we will share the contents of that post.
YouTube defines a view when it meets the following criteria:
1. A user chooses to view the video on purpose - meaning they searched for it or it popped up in one of 3 places a recommended video is displayed on the platform and the viewer CLICKS on it. By clicking on the video you are telling YouTube you want to watch it and intend to watch it.
2. The viewer spends at least 30 seconds watching the video.
"So wait we only have to watch for 30 seconds then why do our guides say to watch the whole thing?"
ENGAGEMENT! YouTube recommends videos to others based on HOW YOU ENGAGE THE VIDEO, if you watch it all the way through, you are telling the platform YOU LIKE IT, it's good, you want more etc etc REPEAT VIEWS ARE COUNTED AND ADDED TO THE VIEW COUNT - it doesn't matter the source of the replay, and you can actually hit replay and it be counted, I will explain why bases tell you not to in a moment because I already know the only thing STAYs are focused on now is "then why cant we loop?" because with a fandom of millions and on average we can estimate that there are at least 100,000 STAYs actively streaming during NON-COMEBACK WEEKS, if 500 of those STAYs were looping the video every few minutes what do you think that looks like to the algorithm?
BOTS - it looks like malware and it looks inorganic and they will be flagged and dumped. Even if say 100 STAYs were to loop the video all at random times YouTube employs various algorithms and measures to detect and filter out invalid or artificial views. This is done to ensure that the view count accurately reflects genuine engagement, intent and interest in a video.
As part of the platform's anti-spam and anti-manipulation systems, the exact details of YouTube's algorithms and detection methods have never been publicly disclosed. But different companies and even fandoms over time have been able to at least sus out key factors that work and don't work. Which is where the guidelines come in. We want YouTube to recommend Stray Kids Content to users and we also want to chart their Music Videos which in turn helps it trend which gets it recommended to users which helps it ---I can keep going in this circle but I hope you get the point.
New research has shown that one of the ways that YouTube ensures against views manipulation but allows for natural human behavior and content consumption habits is by allowing up to 5 views on a single video by the same user to be counted within a 24 hour period. After that most researchers agree that the risk of the views being dumped go up the more you watch it.
BUT in order to keep the video on the recommended page, on the charts and in the trending list, the video needs ORGANIC ENGAGEMENT - NO LOOPING! We need intentional searching and clicking, liking and sharing etc LITERALLY ALL THE THINGS WE TELL YOU TO DO!
When I said "it doesn't matter the source of the replay" I meant it, it doesn't matter if the replay or initial view comes from Facebook, Mubeat, a blog or our ELs page because its filtered through and not always immediately THEY WILL COUNT. AS LONG AS THE SOURCE IS NOT SET TO AUTOPLAY meaning if you opened a blog and LALALALA is already playing without you clicking it, it wont count. Which is why you have to CLICK the video on our EL site because remember YouTube counts views based on the viewers intent to watch it and by clicking you INTEND to watch it.
"So if it only counts 5 views every 24 hours why does our EL page have 30 of them on it and the guides tell us we can watch all of them at once?"
GOOD QUESTION! The answer- embedded views are not always counted in real time and they are not linear. To put it simply after a video hits the 300 view mark each view after is watched for malware or view manipulation. Depending on how many views a video wracks up it can take time for your view that you gave a video to go through. So those views on the EL page are going through the algorithm at different times so you don't know WHEN your 1st view of the day was according to the system or your 5th, so rotate accounts and keep streaming!
Now to Playlists; the same goes for a Playlist - when you open a playlist HOW DO YOU START IT? You click it, so you intend to watch it. Most playlists are kept at a normal length; one that is organic and conducive to human content consumption habits.
We also know that when using a playlist even though you clicked on it the weight of your view on the metrics can vary meaning; does that view meet the parameters needed to chart or trend, which is why the guides also say to NOT USE PLAYLISTS THE 1ST 24 HOURS so that we can chart it using views that hold the most weight in metrics.
So to sum it up:
✔ ACT HUMAN
✔ ENGAGE THE PLATFORM
✔ ROTATE ACCOUNTS AND STREAMING METHODS
✔ BE PATIENT
✔ ENJOY STREAMING BY USING FILLERS YOU ENJOY, USE STAY COMPILATIONS, BSIDES, OTHER MUSIC VIDEOS, ETC - While it is preferred to use fillers that are 2-3 minutes so that you can get back to the focus music video in your rotation at a faster pace, if watching a 15 minute episode of 2 Kids Room or 5 minute movie reviews keeps you engaged on the platform and helps you get a few more views in on the focus video each day than do it, it's better than losing interest and not streaming at all. The Rotations suggested by bases is to help STAYs focus on making sure their content consumption looks human while at the same time boosting some of Stray Kids other music videos and content. The only hard rule about your rotations should be NO LOOPING!
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
YOUTUBE VIDEO STREAMING & YOUTUBE MUSIC
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YouTube: YouTube is a video-sharing platform where users can upload, view, and share videos. It hosts a wide variety of content, including music videos, vlogs, tutorials, documentaries, and more. YouTube hosts a vast library of user-generated content, including music videos, covers, and live performances. It features a wide range of content beyond music. YouTube's recommendation algorithm suggests a wide range of content, not limited to music. It takes into account your viewing history and engagement with various types of videos. The YouTube app and website are designed for a broader range of content, including videos and live streams.
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YouTube Music: YouTube Music is a music-streaming service designed primarily for listening to music, just like Spotify. While it also includes music videos, its primary focus is on providing access to audio tracks and music-related content. YouTube Music's library primarily consists of music tracks, albums, and playlists. It is more music-centric and aims to compete with other music streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. The recommendation system in YouTube Music is tailored specifically for music. It suggests music tracks, playlists, and artists based on your listening habits. The YouTube Music app and website are designed with a focus on music discovery and playback, making it easier to navigate and find music-related content.
IF YOU HAVE A YOUTUBE PREMIUM ACCOUNT YOU AUTOMATICALLY HAVE A YOUTUBE MUSIC PREMIUM ACCOUNT!
YouTube Music
YouTube Music is a music streaming platform developed by YouTube. It offers you access to a vast library of songs, albums, and music videos from a range of artists and genres. The platform provides both ad-supported and premium subscription options, with the latter offering features such as ad-free listening, background playback, and offline downloads. YouTube Music leverages YouTube's extensive music catalog and combines it with advanced algorithms to create personalized playlists and recommendations based on a user's listening history and preferences. The service also integrates seamlessly with YouTube's video platform, allowing users to switch between audio and video content effortlessly.
Because our fandom has never really focused on YouTube MUSIC only video streaming we want to make sure we share some basic information to help allow STAYs to get to know the platform and its charts a bit better.
You can check the rankings of songs, albums & artists on YouTube Music's chart HERE!
YOUTUBE MUSIC CHARTS
Trending chart: The Trending chart gives you a look into what’s new and hot in music. Songs are ranked based on popularity upon release. The Trending Chart is updated a few times a day.
Daily Top Music Videos: The Daily Top Music Videos chart refreshes daily and highlights the most viewed official music videos on YouTube.
Daily Top Songs on Shorts: Top Songs on Shorts recognizes song performance across YouTube Shorts. Songs are ranked daily, based on the total number of Shorts created that feature the song.
Weekly Top Songs: The Weekly Top Songs chart highlights the most played songs on YouTube. This chart combines the total views for each official version of a song, including:
• The official music video
• User-made videos with the official song
• Lyric videos
Weekly Top Artists: The Weekly Top Artists chart celebrates the most popular artists on YouTube. Artists are ranked in this chart using the total view count across an artist’s entire discography, including:
• Official music videos
• User-made videos with the official song
• Official live performances
• Remixes
• Lyric videos
• Album songs
• Collaborations
Weekly Top Music Videos: The Weekly Top Music Videos chart highlights the most popular official music videos on the platform, based on view count.
Weekly Top Songs on Shorts: Top Songs on Shorts recognizes song performance within YouTube Shorts. Songs are ranked weekly, based on the total number of Shorts created that feature the song.
How are YouTube Charts calculated?
YouTube Charts break down the most viewed music on YouTube by song, video, artist, and Shorts.
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Top Song charts rank song performance on YouTube, based on overall view count. YouTube generates daily and weekly charts for Top Songs by combining official song views across the following video types:
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The official music video
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User-generated content that uses the official song
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Lyric videos
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Top Music Video charts rank official music performance by video view count. YouTube generates daily and weekly charts for Top Music Videos.
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Top Songs on Shorts rank the top 50 songs featured in Shorts. Songs are ranked based on the total number of Shorts created that feature the song. YouTube generates daily and weekly charts for Top Songs on Shorts.
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Weekly Top Artists ranks the top 100 artists by total views. An artist’s total views are based on the combined song views attributed to the artist on YouTube.
To make sure that YouTube Charts reflect the most relevant movements in music, songs that have been charting for a few months and do not show significant viewership growth may be removed from YouTube Charts per our policies.
Note: Paid advertising views on YouTube don’t count toward YouTube Charts.
A YouTube Music Premium subscription is included with a YouTube Premium subscription, which also provides ad-free videos, background play, and offline downloads for regular YouTube content.
Get a 2-month free trial HERE! Consider signing up for a free trial to YouTube Music family plans, which allows for up to 6 accounts to be set up all have premium for YouTube Music and YouTube Video Streaming!
YouTube Music has recently opened the platform to allow users to see stream counts but they have not made it easy to get an accurate number (they round it up or down) and because the platform is connected to their YouTube Video streaming we know that the total includes other sources across both platforms if the song has a Music Video, lyric video, and other officially recognized sound sources like performance or dance practice videos.
With the platform quickly growing to push to be a top subscription based streaming platform that allows for users to stream music while consuming video content associated with that music, it's very likely it could be one day. Which is why our team has started to track and research to better understand the platform so we can help guide STAYs through using the platform to its fullest to continue helping Stray Kids Succeed.
With YouTube Music still so new to focused streaming groups not much has been tested to determine exact streaming guidelines like we have on other platforms but know what we do about YouTube itself and how Subscription based platforms are managed we can safely assume that following YouTube Video Streaming guidelines is the safest streaming method, so when building your playlists they will look similar to how your Spotify playlists look except you get the option to WATCH THE MUSIC VIDEO or listen to the official audio track while using your playlist.
As our team and other bases learn more and begin testing on teh platform in an attempt to better understand it to write our guidelines we will be sure to update our fandom accordingly,
Apple Music & iTunes
You can check the rankings of songs, albums & artists on Apple Music's chart HERE!
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You can get a free 30-day trial with an iTunes account that has not previously used the feature.
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Create an iTunes acct using any valid email address on your PC. You do not need an Apple device!
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You can create a new Apple ID without having to input a credit card by following this tutorial.
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You can participate in iTunes purchasing & streaming with your PC by downloading iTunes!
PURCHASING STRAY KIDS' SONGS ON ITUNES
NOTE: Do NOT 'GIFT' the track or album; it will not count towards Billboard!
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Go to iTunes and log in with your Apple ID.
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Search for the song.
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Click the button with the cost of the song to the right of the title.
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ALWAYS PURCHASE THE TITLE TRACK 1ST; NEVER PURCHASE BY CHOOSING "COMPLETE MY ALBUM."
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If you can purchase additional songs, do so by purchasing each song individually!
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Confirm your purchase. Remember it will use whatever payment plan you have set to default, so check your payment method before purchasing to ensure you are using the one you want.
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Your purchase will automatically download. If it has been successful, it will say PURCHASED next to the track.
IF YOU PLAN TO STREAM ON APPLE MUSIC, YOU MUST DELETE THE PURCHASE FROM YOUR LIBRARY IN APPLE MUSIC AFTER PURCHASING FROM ITUNES OR YOUR STREAMS WILL NOT COUNT!
Streaming on Apple Music
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Do NOT Shuffle Playlists!
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Do NOT loop!
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Apple Music can NOT detect if you mute your device or sound controls on PC.
we recommend using headphones if needed.
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Turn ON location to help with chart tracking. do NOT use VPN!
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Like or '♡' each song, as well as the album.
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Listen to the song for at least 30 Seconds.
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Share the song & album through the app on SNS Platforms.
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Use other SKZ Songs and Non SKZ Artists as fillers in your Apple Music Playlists.
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keep your playlists short 1-2 hours, & rotate your playlists from time to time to avoid bot behavior.
FAQ / Apple Music
How do I cancel my Apple Music Free Trail?
Can I listen to Apple Music on My PC?
Yes, Use the iTunes/Apple Music Web Player, this tutorial shows you how to log in and gives you a quick tour of the platform to help you navigate the platform easier.
Amazon Music
You can check the rankings of songs, albums & artists on Amazon Music's chart HERE!
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If you have an Amazon Prime shopping account, you automatically have Amazon Music Premium! You can check HERE!
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If you do not have Amazon Prime, you can still get a Amazon Music Trial for Free for 3 Months.
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The same streaming rules for Spotify & Apple Music apply to Amazon Music!
You can create a NEW AMAZON ACCOUNT anytime!
For a Step by Step guide to Streaming on the platform you can us this guided tutorial.
Pandora
Pandora is a music streaming platform that provides personalized music recommendations to its users. It operates based on the Music Genome Project, a sophisticated algorithmic system that analyzes the musical characteristics of songs.
You can check the rankings of songs, albums & artists on Amazon Music's chart HERE!
WHY USA & PR STAYS SHOULD USE PANDORA?
Pandora is the most effective way to mass stream and have all streams count towards Billboard HOT 100!
Recently, Pandora streams have proven to help a song or artist chart on HOT 100, because unlike other platforms you can use a playlist build with 1-2 songs in between the focused song and run longer playlists without worry
CREATING AN ACCOUNT
CREATE YOUR PANDORA ACCOUNT FIRST, THEN SIGN UP TO GET A FREE TRIAL
‼️ GET A 90-DAY FREE TRIAL FOR PANDORA ‼️
STEP 1. DOWNLOAD APP - DO NOT CREATE ACCOUNT AFTER DOWNLOAD IS FINISHED - USE WEB BROWSER INSTEAD TO START ACCOUNT CREATION USING THE FREE TRIAL LINK.
STEP 2. FOLLOW PROMPTS TO CREATE AN ACCOUNT & FILL IN REQUIRED INFORMATION.
STEP 3. AFTER ACCOUNT IS CREATED, CLICK SUBSCRIPTION. FROM HERE, YOU NEED TO INPUT PAYMENT INFORMATION TO ACTIVATE FREE TRIAL (YOU DO NOT GET CHARGED). MAKE A NOTE SO YOU REMEMBER TO CANCEL BEFORE YOU ARE CHARGED.
Stationhead
STATIONHEAD is a worldwide social radio platform with chat functionality. You can listen to music while chatting with other STAYs or request songs from the DJ. SH is FREE to use on your PC or mobile devices, but STAYs must have either an Apple Music or Spotify Premium subscription to participate on the platform.
Why should STAYs use Stationhead?
Simply put, STAYs cannot stream 24/7, especially since we have to make and rotate playlists while interacting frequently with either Apple Music or Spotify while streaming to ensure the streams do not get filtered out. "Parking" your account in our fandoms dedicated station takes the work out of streaming so that STAYs can ensure they are doing their part, especially during comeback, to help Stray Kids succeed on both platforms without worrying about streams counting on charts like Billboard. STATIONHEAD's official website clearly states, "Since all music streams are sent directly from Apple Music and Spotify accounts, every playback counts as a stream." So when you are at work or school or sleeping, you are actively streaming without having to do anything but log in and jump into a station!
How does it work?
When the DJ plays a SKZ song, it will sync with your linked Apple Music or Spotify Premium account and count as a stream. The more listeners there are, the more the same song will be played at the same time, the more streams it gets. Streams on STATIONHEAD are less likely to be filtered out. If you stream yourself, some streams may not count if your streaming behavior is flagged as "non-organic" (e.g., looping songs, skipping songs). With Stationhead, our STAY DJs handle playlists gracefully, so having streams excluded are less likely.
There is a public chat for each station, so if you are actively listening to one of our SKZ stations, you get to engage with other STAYs at the same time. It's always a great time to have a virtual dance party to "Charmer" or reminisce why "You Can STAY" & "#LoveSTAY" mean so much to you. You can even request specific Stray Kids songs; our DJs are happy to accommodate STAY requests as much as possible. Our Stayville stations host collaboration events with our members' global accounts to celebrate each member's growing solo works & focus-stream for events such as a member's birthday or when close to milestones and more.
Meet new STAYs, exchange some laughs & stories over Stray Kids' extensive discography, but best of all ...
HAVE FUN WHILE THE DJS DO ALL THE WORK FOR YOU & FEEL SECURE IN KNOWING YOU ARE HELPING STRAY KIDS CONTINUE SUCCEEDING!
Join our STAY DJ's on SKZ Stationhead Radio
Stationhead Guide provided by @SKZSHRadio
Q&A provided by @SKZSHRadio
Qobuz
Qobuz is a music streaming and download service that specializes in high-resolution audio. It was founded in 2007 in France and has since expanded its services to several countries worldwide. Qobuz distinguishes itself from other streaming platforms by offering a large catalog of CD-quality and high-resolution audio tracks, often in formats like FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) and WAV, which provide better sound quality compared to the compressed formats used by many other streaming services.
In addition to its emphasis on audio quality, Qobuz also provides editorial content such as reviews, articles, and playlists curated by music experts. It caters to audiophiles and music enthusiasts who prioritize sound fidelity and appreciate a curated music experience.
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As of March 2021, Billboard includes Qobuz's US streaming data into its charts.
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Digital Single Track purchasing is available. If there are 2 digital versions available (CD version &/or high-resolution), purchase 1 per transaction using different payment methods. Do NOT purchase both versions in the same transaction.
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Track downloads and streaming DO count towards Billboard in the US.
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You have to create an account to purchase but you ONLY need to sign up for a free trial if you plan to STREAM on the platform.
Tidal
Tidal is another music streaming service that stands out for its emphasis on high-fidelity audio quality. It was launched in 2014 by Aspiro, a Norwegian company, and later acquired by rapper and businessman Jay-Z. Tidal offers a large catalog of music tracks, albums, and videos, similar to other streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, but with a particular focus on providing lossless audio quality.
TIDAL NO LONGER HAS THE OPTION TO PURCHASE SONGS OR ALBUMS, IT IS STRICKLY A PAID STREAMING SERVICE NOW. IT IS STILL CONSIDERED A PAID STREAMING PLATFORM, SO STREAMS DO COUNT TOWARDS BILLBOARD, BUT AS OF OCTOBER 2022, YOU CAN NO LONGER PURCHASE OR DOWNLOAD FROM THE PLATFORM.
Do NOT sign up for Tidal through the Apple App Store. If you want to subscribe to the service, make sure you do so on the Tidal website and not directly on the iOS app. Tidal passes on Apple’s 30 percent App Store fee, meaning you will pay extra if you sign up on Tidal’s iOS app on your iPhone or iPad. Sign up at Tidal.com, then download the app and log into your account.
To sign up for a TIDAL account, you can use your email address, Google account, or Facebook.
Go to TIDAL.com and select Start Free Trial. Only new users can access a free trial.
1. Sign up with an email address
Simply fill out the email field and create a password on the sign-up page, then click Continue. This will take you to the Account Overview page. Now you can select your subscription, add a payment method or voucher, or view receipts and purchases.
2. Sign up with a Facebook account
Click on Facebook and then log into Facebook at the prompt. After you log in, click on Continue, then continue to the payment method page. Enter your payment method and click on Continue.
HOW TO STREAM
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It is recommended to play on a single device. For example, do not change your designated streaming device until the TIDAL tracking ends.
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TIDAL has the info below listed on their site, but all info we looked into strongly suggests not changing devices during tracking
"How Many Devices Can I Use Simultaneously?
You can use 1 device in online mode and 5 devices in offline mode simultaneously.
Example 1: 1 PC/Mac in online mode & 5 smartphones/tablets in offline mode.
Example 2: 1 smartphone in online mode, 3 tablets, and 2 smartphone in offline mode."
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Be sure to engage on the platform by share the songs from TIDAL.
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Play the whole song.
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Do not skip, pause, or fast-forward the track you’re streaming.
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Do not mute the app; keep volume above 50% or use headphones.
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Do not loop.
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Do not use shuffle on your playlists.
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Do not use APK packs; none of your streams made with these mods will count.
7Digital
7digital is a digital music platform that provides B2B (business-to-business) music services, including music streaming, download stores, and radio services. It was founded in 2004 and has established itself as a global provider of digital music solutions.
One of 7digital's primary offerings is its music platform as a service (MaaS), which allows businesses to incorporate music streaming and download functionalities into their own applications or services. This includes white-label music streaming solutions, music licensing, and API access to their extensive catalog of tracks.
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7Digital is not a steaming service; you need to make sure you download all purchased tracks, for them to count towards Billboard, you can use any music player to listen to the tracks you purchase., but your "plays" of the track will not count as streams towards Charts only the initial purchase.
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Digital Single Track purchasing is available & DOES count towards Billboard in the US.
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To purchase tracks on 7Digital, you must first create a free account.
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7Digital does NOT accept gift cards or redemption codes for purchasing; it ONLY accepts PayPal as a payment method, so be sure to keep that in mind when planning your purchases for Billboard.
Renaissance
Renaissance is an app used to join Streaming Parties and to track your Spotify Streams. By joining a Streaming Party, you can track how many streams you contribute to the Artist, playlist or song that is being used. This platform connects to your Spotify Account. You can read more about Streaming Parties on Renaissance on their Blog.
Shazam
SHAZAM is a music-discovery app in which your device listens to a portion of a song and then the app identifies the song; that process is known as a Shazam. A high number of Shazams indicate that the song is popular and well-liked because many people are curious to know it. It is not a streaming app.
Shazam Stray Kids songs playing on the current tab through Google Chrome by installing the Shazam Extension from the Chrome webstore.
You can check the rankings of songs & artists on Shazam's music charts HERE!
Why is Shazam important?
Shazam is a mobile application that allows users to identify songs, movies, TV shows, and advertisements by capturing a short sample of audio. The app uses audio fingerprinting technology to analyze the sample and match it against a vast database of audio recordings. Once a match is found, Shazam provides information about the identified media, including details such as the title, artist, album, and sometimes lyrics.
For artists, Shazam can be a valuable tool for gaining exposure and potentially influencing music charts. When users Shazam a song, it indicates a high level of interest in that particular track. Shazam collects data on these interactions, including the number of times a song is Shazamed and where it's being Shazamed, which can provide insights into its popularity and audience demographics.
This data can be valuable for artists, record labels, and music industry professionals for several reasons:
● Discovery: Shazam can help artists gain exposure to new audiences who discover their music through the app. If users Shazam a song they hear on the radio, in a store, or in a movie, it can lead to increased visibility and potentially attract new fans.
● Trend Identification: The data collected by Shazam can indicate emerging trends in music consumption. Artists and labels can use this information to identify which songs are gaining traction and adjust their promotional strategies accordingly.
● Chart Performance: Shazam data can influence music charts, as it reflects real-time listener engagement. Many music charts now incorporate Shazam data alongside traditional metrics like sales and radio airplay to determine rankings. A high number of Shazams can contribute to a song's success on these charts.
● Marketing Insights: Shazam provides demographic information about users who Shazam a particular song, including their location and age group. This data can help artists and labels target their marketing efforts more effectively.
Radio stations use the Shazam count & charts to determine the popularity of a song. It's a big part of deciding whether they want to play it on their station. Radio play is a requirement for Billboard Hot 100. USA radio stations have access to data for both national and worldwide Shazams. Radio stations all over the world consider Shazam data before playing a song, and some even play countdowns of songs from Shazam charts.
Overall, Shazam can be a powerful tool for artists looking to increase their visibility, understand their audience, and potentially improve their performance on music charts.
HOW TO SHAZAM?
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Download and open the app
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While streaming Stray Kids on your phone or computer, tap the Shazam button and wait for it to recognize the song.
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Android users: You can Shazam the same song as many times as you want if you CLEAR DATA after EVERY Shazam. If you do not CLEAR DATA, your Shazams of the same song will only be counted once per 24 hours.
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Apple/iOS users: Only one Shazam per song per day per Apple device. STAYs can use their Apple Watches, Apple TVs, iPads, & MacBooks to Shazam.
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Shazam counts are no longer automatically updated, so it can take up to 30 minutes to an hour for your Shazam to be displayed. The number on the app can freeze but will catch up later, much like YouTube views. Your Shazams will continue to count as long as you are clearing your data or waiting till after your daily Shazam resets.
Normally, Shazams count only once every 24 hours. If you have an Android device, you must clear your data after every Shazam to have additional Shazams count. For the process to work continuously, Shazam only when you are not logged in. The Shazam is then counted after you log in. Clearing data is only effective on Androids.
If you have an Apple product, you can still Shazam a song once per day per device (iPhone, iPad, watch, Mac).
Additional Streaming Resources
Our Stationhead DJ's work hard to curate our Spotify playlists so that they are hitting several points at once as we stream, it takes a considerable amount of time and we are extremely grateful. We have been asked as I am sure other s bases have as well if bases can make playlists on other platforms STAYs stream on like Apple music with many looking to add an extra platform during Comeback like TIdal or YouTube Music, sadly we don't have to manpower or resources to take that on right now BUT our team was doing research and found an alternative to help.
TUNE MY MUSIC is a platform that allows you to easily take your playlists from one streaming platform and have it created on another. That means you can take your Spotify Playlists and have them made on apple music saving you time and helping ease your concerns about building a playlist on your own.
Tune my Music has a free option but the premium (paid) option would allow you to transfer several playlists to multiple platforms.
THE FOLLOWING FAQ WAS PULLING FROM TUNE MY MUSIC'S WEBSITE DIRECTLY
How do I purchase Tune My Music? & What plans does Tune My Music offer?
We offer 2 plans: ● A free plan to transfer up to 500 tracks between all music services and export your playlist to TXT or CSV. ● A premium plan that enables you to do unlimited playlist/music library transfers and up to 20 automatic sync options between apps.
What are the billing options
We offer 2 billing tiers: ● Monthly billing of $4.50, cancel anytime. ● Annual billing (You will be billed a one-off payment of $24.00, which works out to $2.00 per month)
Can I buy Tune My Music for only 1 month?
Yes! If you just need a one-time transfer, you can buy Tune My Music monthly subscription and then cancel it. You can keep using the premium features until your premium month is over.
How do I cancel my subscription
You can cancel your subscription by clicking on the link below.
https://app.tunemymusic.com/settings
Go to the "Subscription" section, then click on the "Cancel subscription" button.
What happens to my transferred music if I cancel my Tune My Music Premium Plan?
Rest assured, your music stays with you! If you decide to cancel your TuneMyMusic Premium Plan, any playlists or songs you've already transferred through our service will remain intact.
If this is something that you may find useful and want to try it you can get more information on their website.
