Brit Charts Embrace Digital Distribution
After years or resistance, the stodgy UK pop charts have boldly decided to consider online MP3 sales in ranking the nation's top singles: Via Reuters:
Up to now, only songs which were physically available for purchase in shops counted toward the weekly chart.There's hope for those Take That loving charts yet! This means that anyone with an online single for sale can be #1. Even you! Next up for the Brit charts: Including sales of CDs with DIY album covers. (AKA "Beck Hansen's law.")Downloads could be included, but only a week before an actual CD single went on sale and for two weeks after it stopped appearing in stores.
However, with downloads now far outstripping over-the-counter sales, the Official UK Charts Company (OCC) has changed the rules meaning this Sunday's number one could be any track whether it has been sold in stores or online.
Posted at 10:37 AM
They might be called "Official" but it's not the chart anyone takes seriously. It's the one run by the BBC that's the proper chart, and that's included downloads for months. Gnarls Berkley's Crazy ws the first No.1 via downloads.
The "Official" chart is commercial TV and Radios alternative. It's always played second fiddle.
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Hasn't Billboard been doing this for a few years now?
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the news report is wrong, what's happening is ALL mp3s sold are now eligible for the chart. ie. tracks not designated as singles (LP cuts etc).
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Finally. It's about time they catch up. I'm happy to hear of this. koodos on the Beck bit.
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I stand (a bit) corrected on this.
It is the proper BBC chart, but as the idiot said the article was wrong.
Previously downloads had been included, but only designated single releases - and they only qualified for a time limited period.
Now it's a download free for all, so the charts could become really messed up. For instance Crazy actually recharted at No.30 and Snow Patrol's Chasing Cars rentered at No. 9!
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