Convert streams to album sales (equivalent units) with Billboard 200 or RIAA streams-per-unit ratios, or find how many streams equal a sales target.
Equivalent Album Units Formula
The general model is equivalent units U = eligible streams S ÷ specified ratio R; whole streams for a target are ceiling(U × R). R depends on the scheme and eligible stream category. The formula and table below are an illustrative custom album-unit assumption of 1,250 streams per unit, not a universal conversion or the calculator's primary preset.
- EAU is the illustrative album-equivalent unit total under the stated custom ratio, not actual units purchased
- S is the eligible whole stream count for the same chosen scheme; the illustrative formula below assumes 1,250 such streams per unit
For this illustrative custom assumption only, divide eligible streams by 1,250. For a named chart or certification scheme, choose its own applicable ratio and eligibility rules instead. Stream category, reporting period and territory can matter; a single ratio cannot establish official results.
| Streams | Illustrative Equivalent Units |
|---|---|
| 1,000 | 0.80 |
| 2,500 | 2.00 |
| 5,000 | 4.00 |
| 10,000 | 8.00 |
| 25,000 | 20.00 |
| 50,000 | 40.00 |
| 75,000 | 60.00 |
| 100,000 | 80.00 |
| 150,000 | 120.00 |
| 200,000 | 160.00 |
| 250,000 | 200.00 |
| 500,000 | 400.00 |
| 750,000 | 600.00 |
| 1,000,000 | 800.00 |
| 2,500,000 | 2,000.00 |
| 5,000,000 | 4,000.00 |
| 10,000,000 | 8,000.00 |
| 25,000,000 | 20,000.00 |
| 50,000,000 | 40,000.00 |
| 100,000,000 | 80,000.00 |
| * Illustrative custom ratio: 1,250 streams/unit, rounded to 2 decimals. This is not a universal or primary preset ratio. | |
How to Calculate Equivalent Album Units?
Both examples below use the illustrative custom assumption of 1,250 streams per album-equivalent unit. Select Custom and enter 1,250 streams/unit to reproduce them; these examples do not establish any official chart or certification result.
Example Problem #1:
- First, determine the total number of streams.
- The total number of streams is given as 10,000.
- Finally, calculate the Equivalent Album Units using the equation above:
EAU = S / 1250
The values given above are inserted into the equation below:
EAU = 10,000 / 1250 = 8 (units)
Example Problem #2:
For this problem, the variables needed are provided below:
total number of streams = 111,000
To check this example, select Custom, enter 1,250 streams per unit and 111,000 eligible streams. Keep it separate from any named official scheme.
EAU = 111,000 / 1250 = 88.8 illustrative album-equivalent units: 88 full units and 1,000 modeled streams toward the next unit.
