There is a slight problem with your calculation there geo...

The Hot20 used to be based on nothing but number of views. People then used every trick in the book to get people to view their works, including lots of false thumbnails, etc. By adding that back into the calculation, you are opening that whole thing up again, especially if you are offering a prize or accolade at the end of the year. Maybe I don't understand, but this is the way I see your scenario...

For instance:
1.0/1 ratngs/800 views: .001250
9.6/14 ratings/269 views: .002549
1.0/1 ratings/300 views: .003300
10.0/10 ratings/300 views: .003300
9.6/14 ratings/200 views : .003428 <-- highest

So a 1.0 with one ranking as long as it had 300 views would equal 1 that is 10.0 with 10 rankings with the same views. The 9.6 would be higher than the 10.0 because it had less views but more rankings...

Then there are those that don't put ratings on their pictures because they either don't believe in ranking art by numbers or they've been trolled before by people who love to tear down a picture with a low ranking. So in this calculation, they would not even be considered for such a spot.

I hope you know that I mean you no offense and it's noble to want to change a system that is obviously broken, but this is probably not the way to go.

Saying anything about the Hot20 is a gutsy move and it's certainly a hot potato. It's not so much an accolade of who's better than who, it's an advertising venue for two more weeks of exposure and all artists want that. The problem is, while most artists do in fact make it to the Hot20 on their picture's merits, many hot20 spots are given to the artists who are most well known (or dare I say it?) have the most friends. In the latter, it's fairly easy to manipulate the system to get that two weeks if one wanted to and Legume proved that theory very well.

I don't think there is a solution, short of gutting it and putting up something entirely different, like 20 random pictures from 20 different artists that they submit as their best. To me, that would be much more representative and fair, though it wouldn't be as much exposure and then the argument of "My picture is better than that one" would probably come into play.

So...I don't know...

My 2c