Netflix's KPop Demon Hunters holds YouTube's top spot as 2026 begins

YouTube today published its weekly music charts data for the January 2-8, 2026, tracking period, revealing sustained dominance by content originating from Netflix's streaming platform. "Golden" by HUNTR/X, EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI and KPop Demon Hunters Cast retained the top position globally with 59,820,218 views during the seven-day period, marking its 29th consecutive week on the charts. The track's continued performance demonstrates how video streaming platforms now directly influence music consumption patterns on YouTube, with Netflix's animated film "KPop Demon Hunters" generating soundtrack engagement months after its initial release.

The film peaked at 1,579 million viewing minutes on Netflix during the July 28-August 3, 2025 tracking period according to Nielsen data. By January 2026, the production's soundtrack maintained chart positions across multiple territories, with "Golden" holding the number one spot in Australia (713,612 views), Germany (1,086,859 views), United Kingdom (1,576,095 views), and United States (7,567,101 views). Three additional tracks from the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack appeared in the global top 50: "Soda Pop" at position 10 with 24,818,289 views, "Your Idol" at position 23 with 14,883,242 views, and "How It's Done" at position 39 with 12,068,230 views.

This cross-platform influence represents how major streaming services shape music discovery beyond their own platforms. Marketing professionals tracking entertainment consumption must now monitor Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, and other streaming services for content that may drive music chart performance weeks or months after initial release. The KPop Demon Hunters phenomenon illustrates sustained engagement patterns where animated content generates ongoing soundtrack consumption through YouTube's platform.

Global rankings show post-holiday transition

The week immediately following New Year's Day demonstrated swift consumer pivot away from holiday content. According to the Global Weekly Top Songs chart, Shakira's "Zoo" claimed the second position with 34,407,501 views after six weeks on the charts, advancing from position three the previous week. "Pal Pal" by Afusic and AliSoomroMusic secured third place with 31,991,417 views, maintaining its position after 40 weeks on the global rankings.

A new entry debuted at position four: "Ghar Kab Aaoge" featuring Anu Malik, Mithoon, Sonu Nigam, Arijit Singh, Roopkumar Rathod, Vishal Mishra, Diljit Dosanjh, Javed Akhtar, and Manoj Muntashir accumulated 31,432,781 views in its first week. The multi-artist collaboration from the Indian film "BORDER 2" entered charts across multiple territories during the tracking period.

"Shararat" by Shashwat Sachdev, Madhubanti Bagchi, and Jasmine Sandlas held position five with 27,855,398 views after four weeks on the charts. "Gehra Hua" by Shashwat Sachdev, Arijit Singh, Irshad Kamil, and Armaan Khan maintained position six with 26,665,582 views during its sixth week.

Latin music secured position seven with "Cuando No Era Cantante" by El Bogueto and Yung Beef, advancing two positions to reach 26,380,254 views during its ninth week on the global chart. "NO BATIDÃO (SLOWED)" by ZXKAI and slxughter held position eight with 25,366,115 views after 11 weeks, while Taylor Swift's "The Fate of Ophelia" dropped two positions to number nine with 24,929,244 views during its 14th week.

The global top 10 saw "Soda Pop" fall from position four to position 10 with 24,818,289 views, though the KPop Demon Hunters track maintained presence after 29 weeks on the chart. Notably absent from top positions: holiday content that dominated the December 19-25, 2025 tracking period. Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" and Wham!'s "Last Christmas" dropped entirely from the top 100 global songs chart following the calendar transition to 2026.

"End of Beginning" by Djo experienced significant movement, climbing 30 positions to reach number 11 with 23,366,850 views during its 22nd week on the chart. The track demonstrated how catalog content continues gaining traction through algorithmic recommendations and user discovery patterns.

Ice Spice's "Big Guy" jumped 20 positions to position 18 with 16,288,131 views during its third week on the global chart, representing one of the tracking period's most substantial position gains among newer releases.

India dominates territory-specific consumption

The India Weekly Top Songs chart showed Bollywood and regional language content commanding all top 10 positions. "Ghar Kab Aaoge" debuted at number one with 27,311,198 views, significantly outperforming the track's global chart position. The "BORDER 2" soundtrack track featured multiple prominent Indian artists in a collaboration typical of major Bollywood productions.

"Ghar Kab Aaoge" translates to "When Will You Come Home?" and tells the story of separation and longing. The song captures the emotional experience of someone far from home, perhaps working in a distant city or serving away from their village. Messages and letters arrive asking when they'll return, expressing how much they're missed.

The narrator describes the emptiness felt in their absence and makes a promise to return home someday - back to their village, to loving embraces, to waiting eyes, and to familiar paths. The song explores themes common in Indian cinema about migration, duty versus family bonds, and the pain of distance from loved ones. It's particularly relevant to India's large population of migrant workers and military personnel who spend long periods away from their families.

"Shararat" held second position in India with 24,491,916 views during its fifth week on the market-specific chart, while "Gehra Hua" secured third place with 23,546,992 views during its sixth week. "Pal Pal" dropped from the top position to fourth place with 23,073,243 views after 39 weeks on the India chart.

"Aawaara Angaara" by A. R. Rahman, Faheem Abdullah, and Irshad Kamil fell one position to number five with 16,744,836 views during its seventh week. "Fortuner" featuring Raj Mawar and Ruchika Jangid maintained sixth place with 15,438,372 views after 14 weeks, while "Sahiba" by Aditya Rikhari advanced two positions to seventh place with 11,520,160 views during its 27th week.

"Chikiri Chikiri" by Mohit Chauhan held eighth position with 11,235,418 views during its ninth week on the India chart. "Ishq Jalakar - Karvaan" by Shashwat Sachdev, Shahzad Ali, Subhadeep Das Chowdhury, Armaan Khan, Irshad Kamil, Roshan, and Sahir Ludhianvi fell from position six to position nine with 11,212,484 views during its sixth week.

A new entry captured the tenth position: "Seet Lehar" by Filmy and Riyaazi accumulated 10,890,303 views during its third week on the chart, advancing from position 23 the previous week to break into the top 10.

The India market demonstrated minimal influence from global viral trends. Netflix's "Golden" appeared at position 15 on the India-specific chart with only 193,695 views, compared to its 59.8 million global views and multiple number-one positions in Western markets. This disparity illustrates how regional preferences override global viral content in markets with established local music industries.

Indian regional language content maintained substantial viewership outside Bollywood productions. Bhojpuri, Punjabi, Haryanvi, and Tamil songs populated positions throughout the India top 100 chart, demonstrating linguistic diversity within the market's music consumption patterns.

Brazil maintains funk carioca dominance

The Brazil Weekly Top Songs chart showed funk carioca variations controlling all top 10 positions. "Posso Até Não Te Dar Flores" featuring DJ DAVI DOGDOG by DJ Japa NK, MC MENO K, MC Ryan SP, and MC Jacaré held the top position with 11,745,002 views during its 14th week on the chart.

"P do Pecado (Ao Vivo)" by Grupo Menos É Mais and Simone Mendes maintained second place with 8,225,626 views after 36 weeks. "JETSKI" by PEDRO SAMPAIO, Melody, and MC MENO K jumped six positions to third place with 7,904,366 views during its third week, representing significant momentum for the newly released track.

"SEQUÊNCIA FEITICEIRA" featuring MC Nito by PEDRO SAMPAIO, MC GW, Mc Jhey, and MC Rodrigo do CN held fourth position with 7,414,260 views during its 19th week on the Brazil chart. "SET DO JAPA NK 2.0" featuring multiple artists maintained fifth place with 7,032,998 views after eight weeks.

"Vai Tomando Pock Pock" featuring MC MENO K by MC Lele JP, MC GH Original, and MC Menor ZL secured sixth position with 6,859,528 views during its 14th week. "Eu Me Apaixonei" by Vitinho Imperador fell four positions to seventh place with 6,560,218 views after 22 weeks.

"Diário de um Cafajeste" by Dj Oreia, MC Lele JP, MC Meno K, MC Ryan SP, MC Tuto, and Mc Negão Original held eighth position with 6,120,259 views during its ninth week on the chart. "Pela Última Vez (Ao Vivo)" by Grupo Menos É Mais and Nattan dropped two positions to ninth place with 5,079,009 views after 20 weeks.

"Fanatismo" by Yasmin Sensação advanced three positions to tenth place with 5,063,692 views during its fourth week, demonstrating rapid growth for the emerging track.

Netflix's "Golden" appeared at position 28 on the Brazil chart with 2,569,003 views during the tracking period, again illustrating how regional preferences override global viral content. Brazilian audiences concentrated consumption on locally produced funk carioca rather than international pop music or K-pop influenced tracks.

The Brazil market showed no presence of English-language content in the top 50 positions, with Portuguese-language funk carioca, sertanejo, and pagode genres dominating all chart positions. This linguistic and cultural barrier limits international artists' ability to penetrate the market without Portuguese-language releases or collaborations with Brazilian artists.

Japan shows distinct J-pop preferences

The Japan Weekly Top Songs chart demonstrated how established domestic music industries resist global trends. "IRIS OUT" by Kenshi Yonezu retained the top position with 9,183,942 views during its 17th week on the chart. The track represented one of multiple Kenshi Yonezu songs in the Japan top 100, with the artist maintaining five separate tracks on the market-specific chart.

"好きすぎて滅！" by M!LK advanced two positions to second place with 4,475,257 views during its 11th week. "ダーリン" by Mrs. GREEN APPLE held third position with 4,445,534 views after 51 weeks on the chart, demonstrating sustained catalog consumption for established Japanese artists.

"ROSE" by HANA jumped four positions to fourth place with 4,428,911 views during its 41st week, while "カリスマックス" by Snow Man fell three positions to fifth place with 4,120,862 views during its 20th week.

"Blue Jeans" by HANA advanced four positions to sixth place with 3,705,033 views during its 26th week. "怪獣" by sakanaction climbed four positions to seventh place with 3,306,337 views after 47 weeks on the chart.

"JANE DOE" by Kenshi Yonezu and Hikaru Utada dropped two positions to eighth place with 3,270,075 views during its 16th week, representing a collaboration between two of Japan's most prominent artists. "ライラック" by Mrs. GREEN APPLE fell four positions to ninth place with 3,204,893 views after 91 weeks on the chart, marking nearly two years of continuous chart presence.

"NON STOP" by HANA dropped one position to tenth place with 3,047,903 views during its fifth week on the Japan chart.

Shakira's "Zoo" appeared at position 12 on the Japan chart with 2,718,282 views, representing the highest-charting non-Japanese track. Netflix's "Golden" fell three positions to position 16 with 1,972,064 views during its 26th week on the market-specific chart.

The Japan market showed K-pop acts maintaining consistent presence despite J-pop dominance. ILLIT's "Almond Chocolate" jumped 22 positions to reach position 25 with 1,456,352 views during its 24th week, while LE SSERAFIM's "SPAGHETTI" featuring j-hope dropped to position 49 with 880,747 views during its 11th week.

United States shows fragmented consumption

The United States Weekly Top Songs chart demonstrated less concentrated viewership patterns compared to India, Brazil, or Japan. Netflix's "Golden" retained the top position with 7,567,101 views during its 29th week on the US chart, though the view count represented only 12.6 percent of the track's global total.

"Big Guy" by Ice Spice advanced two positions to second place with 5,114,289 views during its fifth week, representing significant growth for the track in the US market specifically. "FDO" by Pooh Shiesty fell one position to third place with 4,722,402 views during its fourth week.

Ice Spice's "Big Guy" experienced explosive growth across TikTok and Instagram during late December 2025 and early January 2026, driven by the track's connection to "The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants" theatrical release on December 19, 2025.

Released on November 14, 2025 as part of the film's soundtrack, the song generated immediate viral momentum through its memorable hook and SpongeBob-themed choreography. TikTok videos featuring the "Big Guy" dance challenge accumulated hundreds of thousands of likes, with individual posts reaching 287,800 likes, 254,600 likes, and 235,000 likes respectively during the December-January period.

The trend centered on a simple, accessible dance routine synchronized to the track's repetitive structure, with creators performing moves referencing SpongeBob characters while incorporating Ice Spice's signature minimalist hip-hop aesthetic.

Instagram Reels amplified the trend's reach beyond TikTok's core demographic, with family-friendly content showing parents dancing with children, cosplay enthusiasts wearing SpongeBob-themed outfits, and fitness influencers adapting the choreography for workout content.

The viral pattern followed Ice Spice's established cross-platform strategy, where TikTok dance challenges drive initial discovery before translating to sustained YouTube consumption. Multiple creators developed tutorial videos breaking down the "Big Guy" dance steps, enabling widespread participation across skill levels and age groups.

The film's December 19 theatrical release provided sustained promotional momentum through the holiday period, with Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon leveraging their social media channels to amplify user-generated content featuring the track.

This coordinated push between studio marketing, Ice Spice's organic fanbase, and SpongeBob's multi-generational appeal created synchronized viral activity that drove the dramatic chart movements visible in YouTube's January 2-8, 2026 data—jumping 20 positions globally, 30 positions on music videos charts, and 32 positions in South Africa specifically during the tracking period.

Shakira's "Zoo" dropped one position to fourth place with 3,957,498 views during its sixth week on the US chart. "Ordinary" by Alex Warren advanced one position to fifth place with 3,860,559 views after 43 weeks, demonstrating sustained consumption for the track in the US market.

"Soda Pop" from the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack fell one position to sixth place with 3,691,512 views during its 29th week. "End of Beginning" by Djo jumped 20 positions to seventh place with 3,526,529 views during its 11th week on the US chart, representing one of the tracking period's most significant position gains in the market.

"Your Idol" from the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack dropped one position to eighth place with 3,265,151 views during its 29th week. "Marlboro Rojo" by Fuerza Regida fell one position to ninth place with 3,041,225 views after 35 weeks on the chart.

A new entry debuted at position 10: "Internet Girl" by KATSEYE accumulated 2,898,567 views in its first week on the US chart, representing the K-pop group's latest release gaining immediate traction with US audiences.

The US market showed greater genre diversity compared to India, Brazil, or Japan. Hip-hop, Latin trap, K-pop, indie pop, and mainstream pop music all maintained presence in the top 50 positions, though no single genre dominated consumption patterns to the extent seen in other territories.

English-language content commanded the majority of US chart positions, though Spanish-language tracks including "Marlboro Rojo," "Ya Borracho," and "Cuando No Era Cantante" maintained consistent presence. The US market's linguistic diversity enables Spanish-language artists to reach substantial viewership without requiring English-language releases.

United Kingdom mirrors US consumption patterns

The United Kingdom Weekly Top Songs chart showed similar patterns to the United States market, though with variations in specific track performance. "Golden" held the top position with 1,576,095 views during its 29th week on the UK chart, while "Ordinary" by Alex Warren advanced to second place with 932,530 views after 48 weeks.

"Lush Life" by Zara Larsson climbed one position to third place with 743,934 views during its 28th week, demonstrating sustained consumption for the Swedish artist's catalog in the UK market. Taylor Swift's "The Fate of Ophelia" advanced one position to fourth place with 701,107 views during its 14th week.

"End of Beginning" by Djo experienced dramatic growth in the UK market, jumping 17 positions to fifth place with 688,384 views during its 28th week on the chart. The track showed stronger relative performance in the UK compared to other territories during the tracking period.

"Soda Pop" from the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack fell three positions to sixth place with 661,656 views during its 29th week. Shakira's "Zoo" dropped one position to seventh place with 508,359 views after six weeks on the UK chart.

"Internet Girl" by KATSEYE debuted at position eight with 494,481 views in its first week, showing stronger initial performance in the UK market compared to its US debut at position 10. "Man I Need" by Olivia Dean advanced two positions to ninth place with 482,325 views during its 20th week.

"Big Guy" by Ice Spice climbed three positions to tenth place with 468,884 views during its fourth week on the UK chart, showing momentum building for the track though at lower absolute view counts compared to the US market.

The UK chart showed greater presence of UK-specific artists including Olivia Dean, whose multiple tracks maintained positions throughout the top 100. RAYE's "WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!" held position 11 with 464,127 views after 16 weeks, while Dave and Tems' "Raindance" advanced to position 12 with 451,643 views during its 11th week.

Germany shows Turkish music influence

The Germany Weekly Top Songs chart demonstrated unique characteristics compared to other Western European markets. "Golden" maintained the top position with 1,086,859 views during its 29th week, while Taylor Swift's "The Fate of Ophelia" advanced one position to second place with 631,638 views during its 14th week.

Shakira's "Zoo" dropped one position to third place with 550,746 views after six weeks on the Germany chart. "NO BATIDÃO (SLOWED)" by ZXKAI and slxughter jumped four positions to fourth place with 535,576 views during its 11th week, showing stronger performance in Germany compared to other Western markets.

"KUSURA BAKMA" by Blok3 advanced two positions to fifth place with 519,049 views during its sixth week, representing Turkish-language content gaining traction in Germany's market. The track illustrated how Germany's substantial Turkish population influences music consumption patterns on YouTube's platform.

"Kazdoura" by Nassif Zeytoun and Abu Ward fell one position to sixth place with 498,502 views during its fourth week, representing Arabic-language content also maintaining presence in the German market. "YAMA" by DYSTINCT dropped one position to seventh place with 466,941 views during its 12th week.

"Lush Life" by Zara Larsson advanced two positions to eighth place with 464,696 views during its seventh week on the Germany chart. "Wackelkontakt" by Oimara fell five positions to ninth place with 457,863 views after 51 weeks, demonstrating sustained consumption for the German-language track.

"Big Guy" by Ice Spice jumped nine positions to tenth place with 383,840 views during its third week on the Germany chart, showing momentum building for the track in the market.

Turkish-language tracks from Blok3 appeared at multiple positions throughout the Germany top 100 chart, with "napıyosun mesela?" at position 12 (366,977 views), "git" at position 19 (300,876 views), and "SEVMEYİ DENEMEDİN" at position 40 (188,495 views). This concentration of Turkish content reflects Germany's demographic composition and how YouTube's platform serves multicultural audiences within single territories.

France maintains local language dominance

The France Weekly Top Songs chart showed French-language content controlling the majority of top positions. "PARISIENNE" by GIMS and La Mano 1.9 held the top position with 2,240,754 views during its 23rd week on the France chart.

"melodrama" by disiz and Theodora advanced one position to second place with 2,176,594 views during its 14th week. "MON BÉBÉ" by RnBoi fell one position to third place with 2,143,044 views during its 11th week.

Shakira's "Zoo" advanced one position to fourth place with 1,376,438 views during its sixth week on the France chart, representing the highest-charting non-French track. "Golden" fell one position to fifth place with 1,331,308 views during its 29th week.

"Génération impolie" by Franglish and KeBlack advanced one position to sixth place with 1,110,787 views during its 12th week. "LOVE YOU" by Nono La Grinta jumped five positions to seventh place with 1,060,584 views during its 13th week.

"Melrose Place" featuring Guy2Bezbar by KeBlack dropped two positions to eighth place with 1,036,681 views after 40 weeks on the France chart. "RUINART" by R2 advanced one position to ninth place with 976,981 views during its 29th week.

"BLOQUÉ" by GIMS and L2B jumped six positions to tenth place with 952,598 views during its ninth week on the chart, demonstrating momentum building for the collaboration.

French hip-hop and rap artists dominated the France chart, with GIMS maintaining multiple tracks across various positions. The artist's extensive presence reflected established domestic music industry infrastructure supporting local French-language content over international releases.

Spain shows Latin music concentration

The Spain Weekly Top Songs chart demonstrated strong preferences for Spanish-language and Latin content. "La Perla" by ROSALÍA and Yahritza Y Su Esencia advanced one position to claim the top spot with 1,387,144 views during its ninth week on the Spain chart.

"Golden" advanced one position to second place with 1,195,292 views during its 28th week, representing stronger relative performance in Spain compared to France. "Dardos" by Romeo Santos and Prince Royce advanced one position to third place with 1,162,492 views during its sixth week.

"SUPERESTRELLA" by Aitana jumped three positions to fourth place with 922,137 views during its 26th week, representing a Spanish artist maintaining consistent presence in the home market. "La Morocha" by Luck Ra and BM held fifth position with 885,915 views after 61 weeks on the Spain chart.

"La Plena (W Sound 05)" by W Sound, Beéle, and Ovy On The Drums maintained sixth position with 881,949 views after 46 weeks. "Palillos y Panderos" by Niña Pastori fell dramatically from first position to seventh place with 771,800 views during its 12th week, suggesting the track peaked during the previous tracking period.

"Cuando No Era Cantante" by El Bogueto and Yung Beef advanced two positions to eighth place with 757,454 views during its ninth week. "Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido" by KAROL G dropped one position to ninth place with 757,242 views after 73 weeks on the Spain chart.

"LOQUITA" by JC Reyes and Slayter jumped three positions to tenth place with 756,517 views during its ninth week on the chart.

The Spain market showed substantial Latin trap and reggaeton presence throughout the top 100, with Colombian, Puerto Rican, and Dominican artists maintaining consistent chart positions alongside Spanish domestic artists. This linguistic and cultural connection enables Latin American artists to achieve viewership in Spain without requiring market-specific releases.

Australia shows Western pop alignment

The Australia Weekly Top Songs chart demonstrated consumption patterns aligned with United Kingdom and United States markets, though with some variations. "Golden" held the top position with 713,612 views during its 29th week on the Australia chart.

Taylor Swift's "The Fate of Ophelia" maintained second position with 397,341 views during its 14th week. "Ordinary" by Alex Warren held third place with 393,922 views after 46 weeks on the chart.

Shakira's "Zoo" maintained fourth position with 346,484 views during its sixth week, while "Soda Pop" from the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack held fifth place with 330,484 views after 29 weeks.

"Lose Control (Live)" by Teddy Swims maintained sixth position with 283,815 views after 114 weeks on the Australia chart, demonstrating extraordinary longevity for the track in the market. "Man I Need" by Olivia Dean held seventh place with 255,076 views during its 19th week.

"End of Beginning" by Djo jumped 17 positions to eighth place with 251,799 views during its 27th week, showing momentum similar to UK and US markets. "Big Guy" by Ice Spice advanced five positions to ninth place with 229,507 views during its fourth week.

"Gabriela" by KATSEYE dropped one position to tenth place with 227,976 views after 29 weeks on the Australia chart.

The Australia market showed K-pop acts maintaining stronger presence compared to UK or US markets, with multiple KATSEYE tracks charting in top positions. "Internet Girl" debuted at position 12 with 220,698 views, while other KATSEYE tracks including "Your Idol," "Gnarly," "Touch," "Gameboy," and "Debut" all maintained positions within the top 50.

South Africa demonstrates amapiano dominance

The South Africa Weekly Top Songs chart showed amapiano genre variations controlling all top 10 positions. "Shela" featuring Mano by Sam Deep, Nia Pearl, and Boohle held the top position with 2,238,335 views during its 20th week on the chart.

"SNOKONOKO" by Al Xapo, Benzoo, and EeQue maintained second position with 1,652,185 views during its sixth week. "Rato Laka" featuring Slidoo Man by Shebeshxt, Naqua SA, and Zee Nxumalo held third place with 1,574,928 views after 23 weeks.

"ZEP" featuring Uncool MC by DJ Smallz 732, Zinedine x Sguch, and 031CHOPPA advanced one position to fourth place with 1,399,014 views during its fifth week. "Umaqondana" by Feza jumped seven positions to fifth place with 1,394,958 views during its seventh week, representing significant momentum for the track.

"Tobetsa" by Myztro, Shaunmusiq, and Ftears dropped two positions to sixth place with 1,248,042 views after 39 weeks on the South Africa chart. "Magumba" featuring Peekay Mzee and Kaytah by Khadeair maintained seventh position with 1,035,467 views during its 29th week.

"Bengicela" featuring Jazzworx by MaWhoo, GL_Ceejay, and Thukuthela fell two positions to eighth place with 959,452 views after 30 weeks. "Ngixolele Mtanami" by Nkeshemba advanced two positions to ninth place with 951,489 views during its 14th week.

"Intaba Zokhahlamba" featuring SHENGE WASEHLALANKOSI and Mjolisi by Mphathiwohlelo MC maintained tenth position with 895,247 views during its ninth week on the chart.

Ice Spice's "Big Guy" jumped 32 positions to reach position 12 with 839,443 views during its third week, representing the highest-charting international track on the South Africa chart. The dramatic position gain suggested algorithmic promotion or viral discovery driving sudden consumption increase.

Netflix's "Golden" appeared at position 19 with 663,281 views during its 28th week on the South Africa chart. The relatively lower position compared to Western markets illustrated how amapiano's domestic strength limits international pop music penetration in the South African market.

Netherlands shows multicultural composition

The Netherlands Weekly Top Songs chart demonstrated diverse consumption reflecting the market's multicultural population. "Golden" maintained the top position with 276,907 views during its 29th week on the Netherlands chart.

Taylor Swift's "The Fate of Ophelia" advanced two positions to second place with 161,580 views during its 14th week. "Lush Life" by Zara Larsson jumped four positions to third place with 150,035 views during its 10th week.

Shakira's "Zoo" advanced one position to fourth place with 134,736 views during its sixth week. "NO BATIDÃO (SLOWED)" by ZXKAI and slxughter jumped four positions to fifth place with 128,881 views during its 12th week.

"YAMA" by DYSTINCT dropped three positions to sixth place with 127,781 views during its 12th week. "Ordinary" by Alex Warren jumped four positions to seventh place with 114,498 views after 46 weeks on the chart.

"Kazdoura" by Nassif Zeytoun and Abu Ward maintained eighth position with 109,417 views during its fourth week. "Базовый минимум" by SABI and MIA BOYKA advanced one position to ninth place with 101,197 views during its 17th week, representing Russian-language content charting in the Netherlands market.

"CHANEL" by Tyla jumped three positions to tenth place with 97,991 views during its eighth week on the Netherlands chart.

The Netherlands market showed Arabic, Turkish, Russian, and Moroccan-influenced content throughout the top 100, reflecting immigration patterns and demographic diversity. This multicultural composition creates fragmented consumption where multiple language communities maintain separate music preferences within a single national market.

Portugal aligns with Brazilian preferences

The Portugal Weekly Top Songs chart demonstrated strong alignment with Brazilian music trends, though at significantly lower absolute view counts. "Posso Até Não Te Dar Flores" featuring DJ DAVI DOGDOG maintained the top position with 438,394 views during its 12th week.

"JETSKI" by PEDRO SAMPAIO, Melody, and MC MENO K jumped three positions to second place with 301,886 views during its third week. "SEQUÊNCIA FEITICEIRA" featuring MC Nito dropped one position to third place with 300,497 views during its 19th week.

"Golden" fell one position to fourth place with 263,641 views during its 29th week. "Pôr do Sol" by Vizinhos dropped one position to fifth place with 263,480 views after 40 weeks on the Portugal chart.

"Leva Tudo" by Calema and Dilsinho maintained sixth position with 218,865 views during its 35th week. Taylor Swift's "The Fate of Ophelia" jumped three positions to seventh place with 198,880 views during its 14th week.

"Respirar" by Calema and Sara Correia held eighth position with 194,419 views after 45 weeks on the chart. "Tu na Tua" by ÁTOA and Luís Trigacheiro advanced two positions to ninth place with 174,089 views during its 35th week.

"CAVALINHO (Remix)" by PEDRO SAMPAIO, Gasparzinho, and MC MENO K fell three positions to tenth place with 157,012 views after 69 weeks on the Portugal chart, demonstrating extraordinary longevity for the track.

The Portugal market showed Portuguese-language content from both Portugal and Brazil dominating chart positions. Brazilian funk carioca maintained strong presence, with PEDRO SAMPAIO tracks at positions two, three, and 10, while Portuguese domestic artists including Vizinhos, Calema, and ÁTOA secured multiple top 10 positions.

Global artists rankings show Indian dominance

The Global Weekly Top Artists chart published for the January 2-8, 2026 tracking period demonstrated Indian artists' commanding presence in global music consumption on YouTube's platform. Alka Yagnik retained the top position with 448,411,072 views during the tracking period, extending her reign at number one after 486 weeks on the artists chart.

Udit Narayan maintained second position with 325,290,566 views after 507 weeks on the chart. Arijit Singh held third place with 320,802,939 views during his 516th week on the global artists rankings.

Kumar Sanu secured fourth position with 242,736,478 views after 482 weeks, while Shreya Ghoshal maintained fifth place with 223,094,665 views during her 488th week on the chart.

Bad Bunny represented the highest-charting non-Indian artist at position six with 198,053,181 views during his 481st week. Shilpi Raj held seventh position with 185,265,745 views after 262 weeks.

Sonu Nigam advanced one position to eighth place with 179,337,446 views during his 472nd week on the chart. Pawan Singh climbed two positions to ninth place with 146,681,434 views after 419 weeks, while Khesari Lal Yadav fell two positions to tenth place with 145,160,624 views during his 401st week.

The concentration of Indian artists in top positions reflected Bollywood music industry's extensive catalog, India's population of 1.4 billion people, and substantial Hindi-speaking diaspora consuming content globally. Western artists including Taylor Swift (position 17), The Weeknd (position 19), and Bad Bunny (position 6) maintained presence but could not match absolute view counts generated by Indian music industry stars.

KPop Demon Hunters Cast appeared at position 13 with 125,409,353 views during its 29th week on the artists chart, representing the soundtrack's multiple tracks aggregated under the cast designation. Shakira entered at position 14 with 121,050,589 views during her 516th week.

Shorts rankings show distinct consumption patterns

The Global Weekly Top Songs on Shorts chart demonstrated consumption patterns diverging significantly from traditional music video charts. "PASSO BEM SOLTO (Slowed)" by ATLXS jumped two positions to claim the top spot after 42 weeks on the Shorts chart.

"فصلة" by Flipperachi fell from first position to second place after five weeks. "NO BATIDÃO (SLOWED)" by ZXKAI and slxughter advanced one position to third place during its 10th week on the Shorts chart.

"Ishq Jalakar - Karvaan" by Shashwat Sachdev, Shahzad Ali, Subhadeep Das Chowdhury, Armaan Khan, Irshad Kamil, Roshan, and Sahir Ludhianvi fell two positions to fourth place during its fourth week. "Montagem Miau (Ultra Slowed)" by Lenar jumped 10 positions to fifth place during its ninth week.

Notable absences: "Golden" by the KPop Demon Hunters Cast, which dominated traditional song charts globally, did not appear in the Shorts top 50. Similarly, Shakira's "Zoo" and Taylor Swift's "The Fate of Ophelia" showed minimal presence on the Shorts-specific rankings despite strong performance on traditional charts.

The Shorts chart showed preference for tracks with specific audio characteristics: slowed/reverb remixes, phonk variations, and short-form viral sounds. "MONTAGEM COMA" by Andromeda and elysian appeared at position eight after 23 weeks, while "FALL FROM THE SKY PT. 2" by ROMANCEPLANET and STAKILLAZ held position 11 after 11 weeks.

Ice Spice's "Big Guy" appeared at position seven on the Shorts chart during its fifth week, representing one of few tracks maintaining strong performance across both traditional charts and Shorts-specific rankings. The convergence suggested certain releases successfully optimize for both consumption contexts.

Music videos show production value preferences

The Global Weekly Top Music Videos chart published for January 2-8, 2026 showed distinct rankings from audio-only song consumption. "Golden" by the KPop Demon Hunters Cast held the top position with 30,154,782 music video views during its 16th week on the videos chart.

"Ghar Kab Aaoge" featuring multiple Indian artists debuted at second position with 25,365,297 music video views in its first week. "Shararat" by Shashwat Sachdev, Madhubanti Bagchi, and Jasmine Sandlas dropped one position to third place with 24,335,371 views during its fifth week.

"APT." by ROSÉ and Bruno Mars maintained fourth position with 14,349,978 views after 64 weeks on the music videos chart. The track demonstrated sustained music video consumption despite falling from top positions on audio-only song charts.

"Gehra Hua" by Shashwat Sachdev, Arijit Singh, Irshad Kamil, and Armaan Khan advanced one position to fifth place with 13,231,163 views during its sixth week. Taylor Swift's "The Fate of Ophelia" jumped one position to sixth place with 12,959,620 views during its 14th week.

"Soda Pop" from the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack fell four positions to seventh place with 12,692,471 views during its 18th week. Ice Spice's "Big Guy" experienced dramatic growth, jumping 30 positions to eighth place with 11,538,665 views during its third week on the music videos chart.

The music videos chart showed stronger performance for tracks with high-production visual content. Bollywood productions consistently maintained top positions due to elaborate choreography, costume design, and narrative elements distinguishing music videos from audio-only consumption.

Marketing implications for streaming era

The January 2-8, 2026 YouTube music charts data demonstrates how cross-platform content strategies now determine music consumption patterns. Netflix's "KPop Demon Hunters" maintaining chart dominance six months after peak streaming viewership illustrates sustained engagement windows extending beyond traditional release cycles. Marketing professionals must monitor multiple streaming platforms for content that may generate music chart activity weeks or months after initial availability.

Regional market fragmentation requires territory-specific promotion strategies. India's top 10 consisting entirely of Bollywood and regional language content, Brazil's funk carioca dominance, Japan's J-pop preferences, and South Africa's amapiano concentration demonstrate how cultural boundaries limit universal viral distribution. Artists seeking global reach must invest in territory-specific releases, local language versions, or strategic collaborations with domestic artists rather than assuming single-release global strategies will penetrate regional markets.

The divergence between Shorts consumption and traditional music video viewing indicates format-specific content requirements. Tracks performing well on Shorts charts showed distinct audio characteristics: slowed remixes, phonk influences, and short-form optimization. Marketing teams must develop parallel content strategies addressing both consumption contexts rather than assuming songs will translate across formats without modification.

YouTube's termination of its Billboard charts partnership effective January 16, 2026 removes a major cross-platform data integration point. The split followed disputes about streaming weight calculations and methodological differences between YouTube's view-based metrics and Billboard's formula incorporating multiple consumption types. Marketing professionals tracking chart performance must now monitor YouTube and Billboard separately, losing integrated insights about how platform-specific performance translates to broader industry metrics.

The data reveals how algorithmic distribution patterns affect consumption. "End of Beginning" by Djo jumping 30 positions globally, 17 positions in the UK, and 20 positions in the US during the tracking period suggests coordinated algorithmic promotion across territories. Marketing teams must maintain monitoring processes detecting sudden position changes that may indicate algorithm modifications affecting content distribution.

Platform advertising opportunities through YouTube's various programs enable brands to associate with trending music content. YouTube Select provides access to the top five percent of most popular channels, including major music channels across vertical categories. Campaigns seeking brand integration with music content can leverage these premium placement options, though regional fragmentation requires market-specific campaign development.

Content rights management grows critical as platforms expand music catalog availability. Understanding territorial licensing restrictions, revenue sharing models, and platform-specific requirements affects distribution strategies across global markets. The January 2-8, 2026 data shows how licensing deals enabling content availability in specific territories directly impacts chart performance, with tracks appearing in markets where distribution agreements exist while absent from territories without proper licensing.

The persistence of holiday content through late December followed by complete disappearance from charts by early January demonstrates seasonality's impact on consumption patterns. Marketing campaigns tied to seasonal content must account for sharp consumption drops immediately following holiday dates. The data showed Mariah Carey and Wham! commanding top positions through December 25, 2025, then falling entirely from top 100 charts by January 8, 2026.

Sustained catalog consumption represents opportunity for ongoing promotion of older releases. Tracks maintaining chart presence for 40+ weeks demonstrate how algorithmic recommendations, playlist placement, and user discovery patterns generate consistent viewership beyond initial release periods. Marketing strategies should include long-term catalog promotion rather than focusing exclusively on new releases.

Global top 10 rankings

1. Golden - HUNTR/X, EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI & KPop Demon Hunters Cast (59,820,218 views)
2. Zoo - Shakira (34,407,501 views)
3. Pal Pal - Afusic & AliSoomroMusic (31,991,417 views)
4. Ghar Kab Aaoge - Anu Malik, Mithoon, Sonu Nigam, Arijit Singh, Roopkumar Rathod, Vishal Mishra, Diljit Dosanjh, Javed Akhtar & Manoj Muntashir (31,432,781 views)
5. Shararat - Shashwat Sachdev, Madhubanti Bagchi & Jasmine Sandlas (27,855,398 views)
6. Gehra Hua - Shashwat Sachdev, Arijit Singh, Irshad Kamil & Armaan Khan (26,665,582 views)
7. Cuando No Era Cantante - El Bogueto & Yung Beef (26,380,254 views)
8. NO BATIDÃO (SLOWED) - ZXKAI & slxughter (25,366,115 views)
9. The Fate of Ophelia - Taylor Swift (24,929,244 views)
10. Soda Pop - Saja Boys, Andrew Choi, Neckwav, Danny Chung, KEVIN WOO, samUIL Lee & KPop Demon Hunters Cast (24,818,289 views)

Australia top 10 rankings

1. Golden - HUNTR/X, EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI & KPop Demon Hunters Cast (713,612 views)
2. The Fate of Ophelia - Taylor Swift (397,341 views)
3. Ordinary - Alex Warren (393,922 views)
4. Zoo - Shakira (346,484 views)
5. Soda Pop - Saja Boys, Andrew Choi, Neckwav, Danny Chung, KEVIN WOO, samUIL Lee & KPop Demon Hunters Cast (330,484 views)
6. Lose Control (Live) - Teddy Swims (283,815 views)
7. Man I Need - Olivia Dean (255,076 views)
8. End of Beginning - Djo (251,799 views)
9. Big Guy - Ice Spice (229,507 views)
10. Gabriela - KATSEYE (227,976 views)

Brazil top 10 rankings

1. Posso Até Não Te Dar Flores (feat. DJ DAVI DOGDOG) - DJ Japa NK, MC MENO K, MC Ryan SP & MC Jacaré (11,745,002 views)
2. P do Pecado (Ao Vivo) - Grupo Menos É Mais & Simone Mendes (8,225,626 views)
3. JETSKI - PEDRO SAMPAIO, Melody & MC MENO K (7,904,366 views)
4. SEQUÊNCIA FEITICEIRA (feat. MC Nito) - PEDRO SAMPAIO, MC GW, Mc Jhey & MC Rodrigo do CN (7,414,260 views)
5. SET DO JAPA NK 2.0 (feat. MC LUUKY, MC Jacaré, MC Rodrigo do CN, MC GH do 7, MC Lele JP, MC Jvila & Oruam) - DJ Japa NK, MC Ryan SP, MC MENO K & MC IG (7,032,998 views)
6. Vai Tomando Pock Pock (feat. MC MENO K) - MC Lele JP, MC GH Original & MC Menor ZL (6,859,528 views)
7. Eu Me Apaixonei - Vitinho Imperador (6,560,218 views)
8. Diário de um Cafajeste - Dj Oreia, MC Lele JP, MC Meno K, MC Ryan SP, MC Tuto & Mc Negão Original (6,120,259 views)
9. Pela Última Vez (Ao Vivo) - Grupo Menos É Mais & Nattan (5,079,009 views)
10. Fanatismo - Yasmin Sensação (5,063,692 views)

France top 10 rankings

1. PARISIENNE - GIMS & La Mano 1.9 (2,240,754 views)
2. melodrama - disiz & Theodora (2,176,594 views)
3. MON BÉBÉ - RnBoi (2,143,044 views)
4. Zoo - Shakira (1,376,438 views)
5. Golden - HUNTR/X, EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI & KPop Demon Hunters Cast (1,331,308 views)
6. Génération impolie - Franglish & KeBlack (1,110,787 views)
7. LOVE YOU - Nono La Grinta (1,060,584 views)
8. Melrose Place (feat. Guy2Bezbar) - KeBlack (1,036,681 views)
9. RUINART - R2 (976,981 views)
10. BLOQUÉ - GIMS & L2B (952,598 views)

Germany top 10 rankings

1. Golden - HUNTR/X, EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI & KPop Demon Hunters Cast (1,086,859 views)
2. The Fate of Ophelia - Taylor Swift (631,638 views)
3. Zoo - Shakira (550,746 views)
4. NO BATIDÃO (SLOWED) - ZXKAI & slxughter (535,576 views)
5. KUSURA BAKMA - Blok3 (519,049 views)
6. Kazdoura - Nassif Zeytoun & Abu Ward (498,502 views)
7. YAMA - DYSTINCT (466,941 views)
8. Lush Life - Zara Larsson (464,696 views)
9. Wackelkontakt - Oimara (457,863 views)
10. Big Guy - Ice Spice (383,840 views)

India top 10 rankings

1. Ghar Kab Aaoge - Anu Malik, Mithoon, Sonu Nigam, Arijit Singh, Roopkumar Rathod, Vishal Mishra, Diljit Dosanjh, Javed Akhtar & Manoj Muntashir (27,311,198 views)
2. Shararat - Shashwat Sachdev, Madhubanti Bagchi & Jasmine Sandlas (24,491,916 views)
3. Gehra Hua - Shashwat Sachdev, Arijit Singh, Irshad Kamil & Armaan Khan (23,546,992 views)
4. Pal Pal - Afusic & AliSoomroMusic (23,073,243 views)
5. Aawaara Angaara - A. R. Rahman, Faheem Abdullah & Irshad Kamil (16,744,836 views)
6. Fortuner (feat. Gulshan Music & Jaat Nia) - Raj Mawar & Ruchika Jangid (15,438,372 views)
7. Sahiba - Aditya Rikhari (11,520,160 views)
8. Chikiri Chikiri - Mohit Chauhan (11,235,418 views)
9. Ishq Jalakar - Karvaan - Shashwat Sachdev, Shahzad Ali, Subhadeep Das Chowdhury, Armaan Khan, Irshad Kamil, Roshan & Sahir Ludhianvi (11,212,484 views)
10. Seet Lehar - Filmy & Riyaazi (10,890,303 views)

Japan top 10 rankings

1. IRIS OUT - Kenshi Yonezu (9,183,942 views)
2. 好きすぎて滅！ - M!LK (4,475,257 views)
3. ダーリン - Mrs. GREEN APPLE (4,445,534 views)
4. ROSE - HANA (4,428,911 views)
5. カリスマックス - Snow Man (4,120,862 views)
6. Blue Jeans - HANA (3,705,033 views)
7. 怪獣 - sakanaction (3,306,337 views)
8. JANE DOE - Kenshi Yonezu & Hikaru Utada (3,270,075 views)
9. ライラック - Mrs. GREEN APPLE (3,204,893 views)
10. NON STOP - HANA (3,047,903 views)

Netherlands top 10 rankings

1. Golden - HUNTR/X, EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI & KPop Demon Hunters Cast (276,907 views)
2. The Fate of Ophelia - Taylor Swift (161,580 views)
3. Lush Life - Zara Larsson (150,035 views)
4. Zoo - Shakira (134,736 views)
5. NO BATIDÃO (SLOWED) - ZXKAI & slxughter (128,881 views)
6. YAMA - DYSTINCT (127,781 views)
7. Ordinary - Alex Warren (114,498 views)
8. Kazdoura - Nassif Zeytoun & Abu Ward (109,417 views)
9. Базовый минимум - SABI & MIA BOYKA (101,197 views)
10. CHANEL - Tyla (97,991 views)

Portugal top 10 rankings

1. Posso Até Não Te Dar Flores (feat. DJ DAVI DOGDOG) - DJ Japa NK, MC MENO K, MC Ryan SP & MC Jacaré (438,394 views)
2. JETSKI - PEDRO SAMPAIO, Melody & MC MENO K (301,886 views)
3. SEQUÊNCIA FEITICEIRA (feat. MC Nito) - PEDRO SAMPAIO, MC GW, Mc Jhey & MC Rodrigo do CN (300,497 views)
4. Golden - HUNTR/X, EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI & KPop Demon Hunters Cast (263,641 views)
5. Pôr do Sol - Vizinhos (263,480 views)
6. Leva Tudo - Calema & Dilsinho (218,865 views)
7. The Fate of Ophelia - Taylor Swift (198,880 views)
8. Respirar - Calema & Sara Correia (194,419 views)
9. Tu na Tua - ÁTOA & Luís Trigacheiro (174,089 views)
10. CAVALINHO (Remix) - PEDRO SAMPAIO, Gasparzinho & MC MENO K (157,012 views)

South Africa top 10 rankings

1. Shela (feat. Mano) - Sam Deep, Nia Pearl & Boohle (2,238,335 views)
2. SNOKONOKO - Al Xapo, Benzoo & EeQue (1,652,185 views)
3. Rato Laka (feat. Slidoo Man) - Shebeshxt, Naqua SA & Zee Nxumalo (1,574,928 views)
4. ZEP (feat. Uncool MC) - DJ Smallz 732, Zinedine x Sguch & 031CHOPPA (1,399,014 views)
5. Umaqondana - Feza (1,394,958 views)
6. Tobetsa - Myztro, Shaunmusiq & Ftears (1,248,042 views)
7. Magumba (feat. Peekay Mzee & Kaytah) - Khadeair (1,035,467 views)
8. Bengicela (feat. Jazzworx) - MaWhoo, GL_Ceejay & Thukuthela (959,452 views)
9. Ngixolele Mtanami - Nkeshemba (951,489 views)
10. Intaba Zokhahlamba (feat. SHENGE WASEHLALANKOSI & Mjolisi) - Mphathiwohlelo MC (895,247 views)

Spain top 10 rankings

1. La Perla - ROSALÍA & Yahritza Y Su Esencia (1,387,144 views)
2. Golden - HUNTR/X, EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI & KPop Demon Hunters Cast (1,195,292 views)
3. Dardos - Romeo Santos & Prince Royce (1,162,492 views)
4. SUPERESTRELLA - Aitana (922,137 views)
5. La Morocha - Luck Ra & BM (885,915 views)
6. La Plena (W Sound 05) - W Sound, Beéle & Ovy On The Drums (881,949 views)
7. Palillos y Panderos - Niña Pastori (771,800 views)
8. Cuando No Era Cantante - El Bogueto & Yung Beef (757,454 views)
9. Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido - KAROL G (757,242 views)
10. LOQUITA - JC Reyes & Slayter (756,517 views)

United Kingdom top 10 rankings

1. Golden - HUNTR/X, EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI & KPop Demon Hunters Cast (1,576,095 views)
2. Ordinary - Alex Warren (932,530 views)
3. Lush Life - Zara Larsson (743,934 views)
4. The Fate of Ophelia - Taylor Swift (701,107 views)
5. End of Beginning - Djo (688,384 views)
6. Soda Pop - Saja Boys, Andrew Choi, Neckwav, Danny Chung, KEVIN WOO, samUIL Lee & KPop Demon Hunters Cast (661,656 views)
7. Zoo - Shakira (508,359 views)
8. Internet Girl - KATSEYE (494,481 views)
9. Man I Need - Olivia Dean (482,325 views)
10. Big Guy - Ice Spice (468,884 views)

United States top 10 rankings

1. Golden - HUNTR/X, EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI & KPop Demon Hunters Cast (7,567,101 views)
2. Big Guy - Ice Spice (5,114,289 views)
3. FDO - Pooh Shiesty (4,722,402 views)
4. Zoo - Shakira (3,957,498 views)
5. Ordinary - Alex Warren (3,860,559 views)
6. Soda Pop - Saja Boys, Andrew Choi, Neckwav, Danny Chung, KEVIN WOO, samUIL Lee & KPop Demon Hunters Cast (3,691,512 views)
7. End of Beginning - Djo (3,526,529 views)
8. Your Idol - Saja Boys, Andrew Choi, Neckwav, Danny Chung, KEVIN WOO, samUIL Lee & KPop Demon Hunters Cast (3,265,151 views)
9. Marlboro Rojo - Fuerza Regida (3,041,225 views)
10. Internet Girl - KATSEYE (2,898,567 views)

Timeline

• February 10, 2024: YouTube Music introduces Official Artist Channels, consolidating content from multiple channels into unified destinations
• July 11, 2025: YouTube announces trending page closure with removal scheduled for July 21, 2025
• July 17, 2025: YouTube clarifies Official Artist Channel requirements with comprehensive FAQ for music creators
• July 28-August 3, 2025: Netflix's "KPop Demon Hunters" peaks at 1,579 million viewing minutes according to Nielsen streaming data
• September 7, 2025: Major Shorts channels experience synchronized viewership decline following undisclosed algorithm modifications
• September 26, 2025: YouTube Premium expands playback and download features across multiple devices
• October 29, 2025: YouTube Shorts achieves revenue parity with long-form content in US market during Q3 2025
• December 17, 2025: YouTube announces termination of Billboard charts partnership effective January 16, 2026
• December 19-25, 2025: Christmas dominates YouTube's weekly music rankings with seasonal content capturing substantial viewing activity
• January 2-8, 2026: YouTube tracks music consumption showing "Golden" by KPop Demon Hunters Cast maintaining dominance across multiple territories
• January 9, 2026: YouTube publishes charts data for January 2-8, 2026 tracking period
• January 16, 2026: YouTube's Billboard charts data partnership termination takes effect

Summary

Who: YouTube published weekly music charts data compiled from the January 2-8, 2026 tracking period, measuring consumption across global and territory-specific rankings for songs, music videos, artists, and Shorts content.

What: "Golden" by HUNTR/X, EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI and KPop Demon Hunters Cast dominated multiple charts with 59,820,218 global views, maintaining the top position after 29 weeks. Regional markets showed fragmented consumption patterns with distinct local preferences: India's chart showed Bollywood content commanding all top 10 positions, Brazil demonstrated funk carioca dominance, Japan maintained J-pop preferences, and South Africa concentrated on amapiano variations. The data revealed how Netflix's "KPop Demon Hunters" animated film continues driving music consumption six months after peak streaming viewership.

When: The data covers the seven-day period from Thursday, January 2, 2026 through Wednesday, January 8, 2026, published by YouTube on January 9, 2026. The week spanning the New Year's Day transition showed complete disappearance of holiday content that dominated the previous tracking period ending December 25, 2025.

Where: YouTube published charts for global territories and 13 specific markets: Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, India, Japan, Netherlands, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, United Kingdom, and United States. The platform maintains category-specific charts following the July 2025 closure of its centralized trending page, with music charts serving as the primary discovery mechanism for popular audio content.

Why: The charts matter for marketing professionals because they reveal how cross-platform streaming content drives sustained music consumption patterns, demonstrate regional market fragmentation requiring territory-specific promotion strategies, and provide metrics for campaign performance following YouTube's termination of its Billboard charts partnership. The data shows how Netflix productions now influence YouTube chart positions months after initial release, while divergence between traditional music video consumption and Shorts preferences indicates the need for format-specific content creation approaches. Regional preferences override global viral potential in markets with established local music industries, requiring artists and labels to develop market-specific releases rather than assuming universal viral distribution.