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Billboard

has introduced a new Chart to their magazine, the Hot Rap Tracks. The new 25

position chart is based on radio airplay information provided to Billboard by

Nielsen BDS, a service that monitors what records radio stations play. The charts

are based on information from a panel of 134 radio stations and chart rankings

are based on how many estimated listeners it reaches.

The new chart replaces the Hot Rap Singles list.

According to Billboard.com, the magazine did this because of the music industry’s

move away from retail available singles. Billboard says that the change will

be a more accurate reflection of rap’s most popular acts.

"Even before labels began their unfortunate

exodus away from retail-available singles, a number of rap’s biggest hits over

the last several years were never released to stores, and thus were absent from

our chart," says Geoff Mayfield, Billboard’s director of charts. "This

change will yield a more relevant chart, a difference that will be particularly

conspicuous when we compile the rap categories for the year-end charts in our

annual Year In Music spotlight."