Billboard Announces Updates to Rock, Alternative Album & Song Charts – Billboard

Bookending the revamp of Billboard‘s Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart in June 2020, which expanded the scope of rock and alternative titles eligible to appear on the ranking, Billboard now presents the Top Rock & Alternative Albums chart, which, effective this week (for the chart dated July 2), will employ the same model as Hot Rock & Alternative Songs, whereby any titles deemed rock, alternative (even if core-pop or core-any other genre) and/or hard rock will be eligible to appear.

The 50-position Top Rock & Alternative Albums will now incorporate releases from such core-pop but alternative-leaning artists as Lana Del Rey, Billie Eilish and BoyWithUke, alongside those considered core-rock. Reflecting that variety, Zach Bryan leads the July 2 Top Rock & Alternative Albums chart with American Heartbreak, followed by sets from Motionless in White, Kate Bush, Queen and Fleetwood Mac, at Nos. 2 through 5, respectively. Eilish, meanwhile, places two titles in the top 10, at Nos. 6 and 10.

In addition to the above premier rock and alternative charts, Billboard will continue to compile the Top Rock Albums, Top Alternative Albums and Top Hard Rock Albums charts.

Additionally, Billboard is as of this week publishing the Hot Rock Songs chart, which encompasses all songs deemed rock (regardless of core genre). Billboard continues to present the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs, Hot Alternative Songs and Hot Hard Rock Songs charts.

Here’s a recap of Billboard‘s consumption-based album charts and multi-metric (streaming-, radio airplay- and sales-based) songs surveys covering rock, alternative and hard rock:

• Top Rock & Alternative Albums: The top rock/alternative albums, as outlined above, ranked by weekly consumption
• Top Rock Albums: The top rock albums, ranked by weekly consumption
• Top Alternative Albums: The top alternative albums, ranked by weekly consumption
• Top Hard Rock Albums: The top hard rock albums, ranked by weekly consumption
• Hot Rock & Alternative Songs: The top rock/alternative songs, as outlined above, based on Billboard‘s formula blending weekly streaming, airplay and sales
• Hot Rock Songs: The top rock songs, based on Billboard‘s formula blending weekly streaming, airplay and sales
• Hot Alternative Songs: The top alternative songs, based on Billboard‘s formula blending weekly streaming, airplay and sales
• Hot Hard Rock Songs: The top hard rock songs, based on Billboard‘s formula blending weekly streaming, airplay and sales

Concurrently, Billboard‘s Alternative Airplay, Mainstream Rock Airplay, Adult Alternative Airplay and Rock & Alternative Airplay charts will continue as currently compiled (based on airplay on stations in those respective formats), along with Rock Streaming Songs, Alternative Streaming Songs and Hard Rock Streaming Songs, and Rock Digital Song Sales, Alternative Digital Song Sales and Hard Rock Digital Song Sales.

All of Billboard‘s rock- and alternative-genre charts can be found here, by scrolling to Browse All Charts and using the category Rock in the dropdown menu.