It’s Thursday, and Disney+ is bringing 3D films to Meta Quest headsets. Is it a bit ironic to watch Toy Story 5 on a VR device? Maybe—but we never pass up a chance to see Woody and Buzz in action.

ON THE CHARTS

The return: Billboard and YouTube have kissed and made up. Following a disagreement that kept Google’s video platform off the charts for about a year, Billboard is adjusting its weights to give more recognition to ad-supported streams that occur on YouTube.

As a result, YouTube data will be incorporated into the Billboard charts (again) in 2027 and beyond.

The context: YouTube views first became part of Billboard’s rankings in 2013, when the music magazine recognized the growing influence of digital streams across its charts. 

Soon, the Hot 100 was filled with songs that were big on YouTube, and record companies and fans began using repetitive videos to push their favorite songs to the top of the charts. It wasn’t long before detractors began to argue that Billboard was overemphasizing ad-supported streams.

Then, in 2017, Billboard decided to weigh paid streams more heavily than ad-supported streams. As of 2025, it took 2.5 streams on an ad-supported service like YouTube to equal one stream on a subscription-based service like Spotify Premium.

Cohen protested that policy, insisting that “every play should count equally.” The squabbles eventually compelled YouTube to pull its data from the Billboard charts—a decision it’s now reversing.

Notably, Billboard’s updated policy does not count all streams equally. Paid streams are still given more weight, though the gap has shrunk. One paid stream will now equal 1.5 ad-supported streams, a breakdown that Billboard says “better reflects the varied user activity occurring on these services.”

HEADLINES IN BRIEF 📰

SHOPPING SPREE

The premium tier: TikTok Shop is introducing a new subscription service just in time for the holiday season. Similar to competitors like Walmart+ and Amazon Prime, TikTok Shop Plus will reward subscribers with deals, shipping discounts, and coupons that will refresh on a regular basis—in exchange for a monthly fee of $9.99.

Subscribers to the new tier will enjoy a lot of the same perks that can be found on Asia’s standalone TikTok Shop app. According to Modern Retail, TikTok Shop Plus features include free shipping on items marked with a “Plus” badge, instant refunds on qualifying products, and three different types of coupons.

One discount will take $5 off any order, another will save $10 on orders of at least $59, and a third will knock $30 off orders of at least $119.

The context: TikTok Shop has received a lot of upgrades as its execs look to capitalize on the momentum generated during the 2025 holiday season. Last year, the platform did $500 million of U.S. sales during Black Friday weekend alone.

To keep the good times rolling, TikTok Shop has integrated UPS’ Happy Returns service and partnered with brands like Disney to stock its virtual shelves with hot-button wish list items.

Now, TikTok Shop Plus will provide even more incentives for holiday shoppers. Beyond the standard deals, additional discounts and coupons will be deployed for subscribers during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday period.

THAT’S SHOW BIZ

The stream: One of the most prominent opera houses in the U.S. is going online to find new fans for a 430-year-old art form. Starting November 14, New York’s Metropolitan Opera will provide open access to a performance of Lincoln in the Bardo through a YouTube live stream.

The Lincoln in the Bardo opera, which is based on the Booker Prize-winning novel by George Saunders, had its world premiere at the Met Opera last month.

Now, as the 143-year-old opera company looks to expand its fan base, it is hosting a Lincoln in the Bardo live stream on its official YouTube channel. A mini documentary from Dua Lipa’s Service95 venture will play during the YouTube broadcast’s intermission.

The fundraiser: By making Lincoln in the Bardo available to all, the Met is showing that its performances can have broad appeal. But its decision to bring complimentary content to YouTube isn’t just a play for new fans—it’s also a fundraiser for the host company.

The Met Opera is tying its free stream to its Make the Met Forever fundraising campaign, which aims to bring in resources that can support Met programming through 2030. As part of the stream, viewers will be encouraged to make donations via chat.

The Met Opera’s free broadcast of Lincoln in the Bardo will remain available until November 18. On November 20, it will transition to paid formats.

WATCH THIS 👀

The documentary: Fans of LISA will want to keep a close eye on YouTube this month.

The Blackpink icon (who holds the title of “the first music act in YouTube history to surpass 100 million subscribers”) is the subject of Always Lalisa, a new documentary that opened in theaters last month and will stream exclusively on YouTube Premium starting November 18. That same day, LISA will release “Leave With Me”—a new single made specifically for the doc.

Always Lalisa was directed by Sue Kim and produced by Sony Music Vision. Check out a trailer for the film here.

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Today's newsletter is from: Emily Burton, Sam Gutelle, and Josh Cohen.