Welcome back to another exciting episode of *EYL*. In this episode, hosts Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings sit down with Mag Rodriguez to delve into the revolutionary partnership between their platform and Luminate, a game-changing collaboration that gives artists unprecedented control over charting on Billboard.

Luminate is the agency responsible for all the reporting in the recorded music industry, both domestically and internationally. Originally known as Nielsen Soundscan, Luminate has undergone several transformations over the years, but it remains the backbone of Billboard chart auditing. As Mag explains, after 18 months of persistent negotiations, their platform has received the golden stamp of approval from Luminate just eight weeks ago and has been an official reporter for four weeks.

Mag highlights the monumental significance of this approval. Traditionally, charting on Billboard required artists to sell their albums via major DSPs like Apple or Spotify. However, thanks to this groundbreaking partnership, artists using their platform can now influence their Billboard rankings by selling directly to superfans. This development has already started making waves in the industry, as evidenced by the flood of calls Mag received once the announcement was made.

If you’ve ever wondered how the intricacies of Billboard charting work, Mag breaks it down for you. Typically, it takes 1,250 streams to equate to one album sale—a steep uphill task for any artist. But with this new system, one album sale on the platform equates directly to one album sale on Luminate, offering a simpler and more artist-friendly pathway to chart success. Larussell is poised to be one of the first artists to benefit from this system, potentially charting on Billboard this year through direct fan purchases.

Rashad and Troy dive deeper into how this platform became the pioneering superfan app eligible for Billboard. Mag recounts the rigorous vetting process that involved detailed sales reporting, integration with data processors like Stripe, and strict weekly reporting requirements. Missing even one week of reporting can result in temporary disqualification, making the process highly disciplined and transparent.

Mag shares an inspiring story of how French Montana was the second artist to use this revolutionary platform. Known for his innovation beyond music, French Montana recognized the platform's potential immediately. Mag recounts how smooth the entire process was with French, illustrating how artists stand to benefit immensely from this new model. However, the inability to report to Billboard was initially a dealbreaker for bigger artists, a hurdle that has now been cleared. With this milestone achieved, expect to see major albums breaking through in the coming quarters, leveraging this new pathway to the top of the charts.

Don’t miss this insightful discussion that offers a rare glimpse into the evolving dynamics of the music industry. Whether you're an artist looking to scale the Billboard charts or a fan interested in the behind-the-scenes workings, this episode is packed with valuable information!

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210: Political Gridlock or, “Do Something, Congress!”