Music Show Criteria: Digitals
Digitals refer to how a song performs on Korean music charts. It is the most heavily-weighted category in every music show, and it has an average weighting of 48.1%.
For perspective, the second highest average weighting for a music show category is 15.6%. XLOV can perform really well in every other category, but another artist can win if they have a high enough digital score.
This guide contains information on the music charts that are used by music shows and mentions ways EVOL can help improve XLOV's digital score.
Korean Music Charts
Melon Chart
Used by: Show Champion, Music Bank, Inkigayo
Reflects usage of the music platform Melon
60% downloads, 40% streaming
Real-time Chart
Updates each hour
01:00-07:00 KST: 100% usage from the past 24 hours
08:00-24:00 KST: 50% past 24 hours, 50% past hour
1 stream per account per tracking period (24 hours / 1 hour) is reflected
Music shows do not use real-time chart data. Only the daily and weekly charts count towards music shows.
Daily Chart
Updates each day at 1pm KST
Tracking starts/ends at 12pm KST each day
1 stream per account per day is reflected
Weekly Chart
Updates each Monday at 2pm KST
Tracking (KST): Monday 12pm - the following Monday 12pm
1 stream per account per day is reflected
For all charts: only 1 download per account is reflected in total. Re-downloads are not counted on the charts. Song gifts do not count towards the charts.
Out of the major Korean music platforms, Melon has the most amount of users. This means that it is the most heavily weighted by music shows when calculating digital scores BUT it is the hardest platform to chart on.
Genie Chart
Used by: Show Champion, Music Bank, Inkigayo
Reflects usage of the music platform Genie
50% downloads, 50% streaming
Real-time Chart
Updates each hour excluding 02:00-06:00 KST
Reflects usage from the past hour (except for the 7am chart which reflects usage from 1am - 7am)
Music shows do not use real-time chart data. Only the daily and weekly charts count towards music shows.
Daily Chart
Tracking starts/ends at 12pm KST each day
1 stream per account per day is reflected
Weekly Chart
Tracking (KST): Monday 12pm - the following Monday 12pm
There is an undisclosed limit to the number of downloads per device that count towards the charts, even if different accounts are used.
Flo Chart
Used by: Show Champion, Music Bank, Inkigayo
Reflects usage of the music platform Flo
100% streaming
Real-time Chart
Updates each hour
Reflects usage from the past 24 hours
Daily and weekly charts are not publicly released
Music shows do not use real-time chart data. Only the daily and weekly charts count towards music shows.
Vibe Chart
Used by: Music Bank
Reflects usage of the music platform Vibe
60% streaming, 20% downloads, 20% BGM
Daily Chart
Updates each day at 7am KST
Tracking starts/ends at 12am KST each day
1 stream per account per day is reflected
Vibe does not have a real-time chart and the weekly chart is not publicly released
Vibe is in the process of being discontinued, but currently the service is still available and is still being counted towards music shows.
Bugs Chart
Used by: Show Champion, Music Bank
Reflects usage of the music platform Bugs
80% downloads, 20% streaming
Real-time Chart
Updates each hour excluding 02:00-06:00 KST
Reflects usage in the past hour (except for the 7am chart which reflects usage from 1am - 7am)
Music shows do not use real-time chart data. Only the daily and weekly charts count towards music shows.
Daily Chart
Updates each day at 12pm KST
Reflects usage from the previous day
Weekly Chart
Updates each Monday at 12pm KST
Tracking (KST): Monday 12am - Sunday 11:59pm
Out of the major Korean music platforms, Bugs has the least amount of users. This means that it is the easiest platform to chart on BUT it is less heavily weighted by Show Champion and Music Bank when calculating digital scores.
Circle Digital Chart
Used by: Music Core, Inkigayo*
*A song must enter the Circle Digital Chart in order to be eligible for Inkigayo nomination. The actual digital score for Inkigayo is determined using other charts.
The Circle Digital Chart ranks songs using a weighted sum of streams, downloads, BGM sales and V Coloring usage across multiple music platforms.
Streaming
Platforms reflected: Melon, Genie, Flo, Vibe, Bugs, Spotify (Korea), Apple Music (Korea), Samsung Music (via one of the previously mentioned platforms)
Downloads
Platforms reflected: Melon, Genie, Vibe, Bugs
BGM
Refers to purchases/downloads of the song to use as background music for blogs and KakaoTalk profiles
Platforms reflected: Kakao Music, Vibe
V Coloring
Refers to usage of the song in V Coloring, which is a Korean mobile service available to SKT, KT and LG U+ users where you can have a video play for people when they call you
Platforms reflected: V Coloring
There is an undisclosed maximum number of streams, downloads etc per user that is counted towards the chart.
The forms of music consumption (streaming, downloading, BGM, V Coloring) have different weightings. The exact weightings are unknown. All we know is that they are based on neighboring rights fees. Circle has said previously that 1 download is worth approximately 100 streams. However, more weight has been given to streaming since then.
The music platforms themselves don't have different weightings. For example, 1 individual song download on Melon and 1 individual song download on Bugs are reflected equally.
The tracking week for the weekly chart is from Sunday 12pm - the following Sunday 11:59am KST, but Music Core and Inkigayo track from Monday 12pm - the following Monday 11:59am KST.
Circle Global K-Pop Chart
Used by: M Countdown, Inkigayo
The Circle Global K-Pop Chart reflects domestic and global streaming data.
Platforms reflected: Melon, Genie, Flo, Vibe, Bugs, Spotify (global), Apple Music (global), YouTube Music (global), Samsung Music, QQ Music, Kugou and Kuwo Music.
There is an undisclosed maximum number of streams per user that counts towards this chart.
Daily Chart
Updates each day, but may change throughout the day depending on the time at which global music platforms update their figures.
Weekly Chart
Updates each Thursday at 11am KST
The tracking week is from Sunday 12pm - the following Sunday 11:59am KST.
The music platforms are all weighted the same. For example, 1 listen using an unlimited streaming pass on Genie and 1 listen using an unlimited streaming pass on Flo are reflected equally.
How can EVOL help with digitals?
Korean Music Platforms (Melon, Genie, Flo, Vibe, Bugs)
The best way to help with digitals is to stream and download XLOV's promoted song on Korean music platforms.
In order to stream and download on Korean music platforms you need a verified account and streaming pass. The creation of a verified account requires a Korean phone number and for some music platforms a Korean payment method is required to download songs or purchase a streaming pass.
If you don't have a verified account or streaming pass, you can buy or rent an account, streaming pass and/or downloads from an online seller. Examples of online vendors include:
GBaebulleo (Melon, Genie, Bugs, Flo)
doobapz (Melon, Genie, Bugs, Flo)
lilpotatoshop (Genie, Bugs)
DELSHOP (Melon, Genie, Bugs, Flo)
HoneyBeeKshop (Melon, Genie, Bugs, Flo)
CHOUXCREMEE (Melon, Genie, Bugs)
skdigitalz (Melon, Genie, Bugs, Flo)
Because our fandom is still small, we recommend using Bugs because it is one of the more internationally accessible platforms and it has the least regular users, making it is the easiest to chart on.
There's a limited number of streams and downloads per user that counts towards the charts. Therefore, it is important that as many EVOLs participate as possible.
Streaming on Korean music platforms is easier than global platforms. You can just create a song list (fanbases will provide) and have it on loop 24/7.
We plan to make guides for other Korean music platforms in the future.
DuckAd
Sponsoring Streams
DuckAd is a voting app that offers a unique way of collecting currency: streaming songs.
For 500vts you can sponsor for a DuckAd user to stream a song on your choice of the following platforms:
DuckAd users will stream the song to gain vts for themselves.
This feature is a great way for EVOL, regardless of whether you have access to Korean music platforms, to help increase the number of streams and unique listeners of XLOV songs on Korean music platforms.
Comeback Poll
There is also a "Comeback Streaming Vote" poll held on the DuckAd app and on DuckAd's official X/Twitter where the overall winner earns 1,000 Melon streams, 100 Spotify streams and 100 YouTube MV streams.
Kooky
Kooky is a voting app that holds voting polls and fundraisers to earn streams.
Voting polls: Kooky will stream for you
There are three separate polls for Melon (🍈), Genie (🩵) and Spotify (💚)
For each poll,
- The winner receives 500 streams
- 2nd place receives 300 streams
- The candidate with the most Loovy votes receives 100 streams.
Streaming Fundraisers
EVOL can donate Kookys and Loovys and streams will be provided for XLOV's song if the donation goal is met.
idoki
Idoki has a comeback support voting poll where the winner earns 1,000 Melon streams, their YouTube MV available to watch to earn currency on the app for 7 days, and a comeback promotion internet article.
Global Music Platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music)
Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube Music streams are reflected on the Circle Global K-Pop Chart, which counts towards digitals for M Countdown and Inkigayo.
Spotify guide
Apple Music guide
YouTube Music guide
Stationhead
If you have Spotify or Apple Music Premium, you can use Stationhead for hands-off streaming.
Stationhead is an app where users with Spotify Premium or Apple Music Premium can connect their accounts and listen to music together.
It is a great resource if you don't have time to create streaming playlists, if you are unsure about whether you are streaming properly or if you want to stream while hanging out with fellow EVOL.
All you need to do is connect your Spotify or Apple Music Premium account, join a station and let the DJ stream for you.
Link to join the EVOL channel (active 24/7)
XLOV-focused, EVOL-run Stationhead stations include:
Our station: xlovsupport
xlovglobal
xlovphstation
Donating
XLOV SUPPORT are accepting donations so that we can fund downloading and streaming on Bugs.
You can donate here. Any amount is greatly appreciated.
This guide was prepared by XLOV SUPPORT @SupportXLOV