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OCC plans albums chart 50th birthday
Source: Music Week


The Official Charts Company is bidding to raise the UK albums chart’s public profile to unprecedented new levels as it capitalises on the list’s 50th anniversary.

The OCC is putting together activity across retail, radio, TV and other media to mark a half century on July 28 since Frank Sinatra’s Songs For Swingin’ Lovers led what was then just a top five chart published in Record Mirror.

“It’s definitely a big deal for us,� says OCC brand marketing manager Darren Haynes. “There will be a full-on PR campaign, TV shows, radio programmes and CDs.�

The celebrations aim to include TV specials, a tie-in with Radio Two to find the nation’s favourite album, an anniversary compilation release and the publication of a special edition of the British Hit Singles & Albums book.

The albums chart’s 50th birthday is the latest important landmark celebrated by the Official Charts Company over the past few years, following the 50th anniversary of the singles chart in 2002 and both the 1,000th number one and the launch of the combined singles chart last year.

Haynes says one of the OCC’s key objectives will be to raise the profile of the albums chart which, despite representing the vast majority of UK music sales, continues to lag behind the singles chart in terms of public awareness. This is partially being addressed by the launch early last month on Channel 4 and E4 of the weekly Album Chart Show.

The OCC is already in talks with the show’s producer, the 3DD Group, about a show to mark the chart’s anniversary, while it is also looking to follow a three-hour TV special broadcast in 2002 featuring the 100 all-time biggest-selling singles in the UK with an equivalent for albums. Music Week chart consultant Alan Jones has compiled what represents the first ever list of the nation’s 100 top-selling albums and Haynes says he is now on the look-out for a broadcast partner to air an accompanying TV programme.

The OCC is also surveying members of the public - initially via its www.theofficialcharts.com website - about their favourite number one album of all time. Radio Two has already showed interest in publicising the vote and broadcasting a programme of the resulting chart.

Meanwhile, the artist albums chart entered the digital era yesterday (Sunday) with download sales data being incorporated for the first time.