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Billboard China Partners With Tencent Music Entertainment to Launch Star Power Monthly Selection

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  Published in Media and Entertainment on Wednesday, October 1st 2025 at 16:24 GMT by Billboard
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Billboard China and Tencent Music Join Forces to Spotlight Emerging Chinese Talent with “Star Power”

Billboard, the global authority on music charts and industry news, has teamed up with China’s premier streaming platform Tencent Music to launch a new monthly program called “Star Power.” The initiative, announced in early September 2024, is designed to shine a spotlight on the most popular and promising tracks streaming across Tencent’s platforms—QQ Music, Kugou, and Kuwo—each month, while also providing a curated list of rising artists for both domestic and international audiences.

How “Star Power” Works

At its core, the “Star Power” selection is a data‑driven showcase. Billboard’s analytics team, in collaboration with Tencent’s data scientists, combs through streaming figures to identify the top‑performing songs and emerging trends on the Chinese market. From this pool, Billboard curates a monthly “Star Power” list of ten tracks that have garnered the most streams, radio play, and social‑media buzz.

The program’s methodology is transparent:

1. Streaming Data Collection – Tencent Music aggregates daily stream counts from its three flagship services.
2. Performance Metrics – Billboard applies a weighted formula that considers streams, playlist adds, and user engagement across platforms.
3. Curated Selection – A panel of industry experts reviews the raw data to pick the ten tracks that best represent the Chinese music landscape that month.
4. Release & Promotion – The final list is published on Billboard China’s website, social channels, and a dedicated “Star Power” page that includes lyric translations, artist profiles, and behind‑the‑scenes videos.

The program is intended to be ongoing, with a new list dropping each month, allowing artists to ride the wave of momentum and gain exposure beyond China’s borders. Billboard also announced that “Star Power” will be integrated into its existing China Top 100 and Global Top 200 charts, creating a bridge between local hits and the global music conversation.

First “Star Power” Rollout

The inaugural “Star Power” list, unveiled on September 10, 2024, highlighted a diverse set of tracks that exemplified the vibrancy of China’s music scene. While the article refrains from naming every artist, it emphasizes that the list included:

• A breakout hit by a rising pop star who had recently collaborated with a well‑known international DJ.
• A moody indie‑rock anthem that had trended on TikTok for weeks.
• A nostalgic dance‑floor track that was dominating both club playlists and streaming charts.
• A soulful ballad that showcased a new generation of vocalists.
• A high‑energy rap track that topped user‑generated playlists on QQ Music.

These selections underscore the program’s intent to highlight both established and up‑and‑coming talent, giving listeners a fresh taste of what the Chinese market has to offer. The article also notes that the first batch of tracks received widespread coverage on Tencent’s social media channels, and several were featured in the “Trending” sections of QQ Music’s mobile app.

Industry Voices

Billboard China’s editor, Jiang Li, expressed excitement about the partnership. “Partnering with Tencent Music is a pivotal moment for us,” she said. “It allows us to bring the most accurate, data‑rich insights to our readers while also celebrating the incredible talent emerging in China every month.”

From Tencent’s side, Chen Wei, Vice President of Data & Analytics, highlighted the significance of the collaboration: “We’re thrilled to share our platform’s data with Billboard’s global audience. The “Star Power” program showcases the dynamism of Chinese music and demonstrates how data can help elevate artists worldwide.”

Both executives noted that the program is part of a larger strategy to strengthen the cultural exchange between China and the rest of the world, encouraging cross‑border collaborations and providing a launchpad for Chinese artists seeking international exposure.

Going Beyond the List

Beyond the monthly top‑10 release, “Star Power” is set to include a range of ancillary content:

• Video Profiles – Short, on‑camera interviews with each artist, where they discuss the inspiration behind their songs and what the nomination means to them.
• Lyric Translations – Detailed, crowd‑sourced translations to make the music accessible to non‑Mandarin speakers.
• Behind‑the‑Scenes Content – Snapshots of studio sessions, music video shoots, and live performances.
• Fan Interaction – Dedicated hashtags and voting mechanisms on social media to let fans express their favorites, though the final list remains data‑driven.

These features aim to create a more immersive experience, turning “Star Power” from a static list into a dynamic music ecosystem.

Looking Ahead

Billboard China plans to monitor the impact of “Star Power” on both streaming metrics and chart performance. Early indicators suggest that artists featured in the first list have seen a noticeable uptick in streams, playlist placements, and social‑media mentions. Some of the highlighted tracks are already being requested in international pop‑culture forums and have been covered by music blogs outside of China.

The partnership also opens doors for future collaborative projects—such as joint awards ceremonies, talent scouting events, and cross‑platform promotions—that could further cement China’s position as a powerhouse in the global music industry.

Final Thoughts

The “Star Power” program is a bold, data‑centric move that exemplifies how music journalism and streaming data can collaborate to shape the narrative of an entire country’s music scene. By giving fans a monthly, carefully curated snapshot of what’s trending in China—and by providing the industry with granular insights—Billboard China and Tencent Music are setting a new standard for music discovery and cultural exchange.

Whether you’re a fan of pop, indie, rap, or ballad, “Star Power” promises to keep you at the forefront of China’s dynamic musical landscape. For the full list of tracks and the detailed methodology, Billboard China hosts an interactive “Star Power” page that you can explore directly on their website.