How would things be different if it wasn't included? Do other artists take the youtube thing into account when they decide on a release date? I don't release watch charts so this is new to me.
Hi sorry for the late response. For PAKs, the song has to get number one on the daily and real-time charts. So if a song doesn't reach number one on the daily chart one day, then it's okay, it has a chance to do it the next day or the day after.
However, Youtube only updates its chart weekly, so you have to wait a whole week for the Youtube update to come out, and if your song is not first, then too bad, you have to wait a whole other week for the new update.
This seriously diminishes a song's ability to get a PAK since who knows how things will change in two weeks (if you don't get number one on the first week).
Also, the other problem with Youtube is that its tracking period is different than the Korean charts. Korean charts have a tracking period from Sunday to Saturday. However, Youtube's tracking period is from Friday to Thursday. So if a song releases on a Monday to get a better tracking period on Korean Charts, then it's missing out tracking days on Youtube Music.
For instance, Bigbang's Still Life was released on a Tuesday, so they only had 3 days of tracking on Youtube. Thankfully 3 days were enough (cause Bigbang is huge) to top Youtube music. Otherwise, we would have needed to wait until next Monday (when Youtube releases their data) to start seeing Bigbang getting PAKs!
Edit: To answer your specific question, no artists don't take Youtube Music to account when they decide on a release date. Mainly since Youtube Music is not included in the GAON charts (which include all the other Korean Charts).
