Since the integration of downloading and the lift on the cut-off point of when a song can be released, it seems as if anything can get into the charts and stay there.

 

"Sex on fire" seems to be an eternal fixture to the top 75. An eighteen month old song, that rises into the top 40 with the slight play on a televison show or advert and is still being played to death on radio. Ten years ago, this would have been unthinkable. It would have had ten weeks in the chart and never be seen again. Yes, it was a different time with physical singles, but then there was a lot of excitement with a new number one almost every week and plenty of new songs in the Top 40.

 

Why is this happening? Surely people would have bought the single in August 2008? Surely people would have discovered other songs off their album? The answer is, the very relaxed download rules and radio stations not being adventurous in playing other songs. Another answer as well is the record company - it seems the format now is two to three big singles, one other single with no promotion which does nothing in the chart.

 

The charts are very static in 2010. Songs can spend an eternity almost, and very little movement happens. Radio stations seem to have narrower and narrower playlists than ever before. If you've had a mega hit in the past two years(Sex On Fire, I'm Yours), part of the X-Factor hype machine (JLS, Alexandra, Leona, Cheryl) or some latest sensation being hyped to the hilt (Justin Beiber). Gone are the days where this unknown artist gets their hit played on radio and it quickly gets picked up and a surprise hit happens. It's lucky for an unknown artist to make the top 75!

 

Another thing as well is British acts getting a raw deal. Again, unless you are part of the X-Factor clique, collaborate with a US artist or have a hype machine - you are screwed. I think the media needs to encourage UK acts a lot more by exploring the vast minefield of talent we have and given people a chance. It's a crying shame the top UK act in the charts is JLS. In the US and the Netherlands - local acts dominate the charts. Why isnt this happening here? Are we not proud of the talented British artists that are out there?

 

What shall be done to stop this? Personally I would have the following:

 

a) You can download a song that has been on a TV show/advert but it DOES NOT count to the charts unless..... it is a song released from the 1st day of the previous year. EG cut off for 2010 would be New Years Day 2009.

 

B) All songs would have a fixed limit of 12 months.

 

c) Media to promote British acts

 

d) Record companies to promote their artists more and not use a big hit to sell a song

 

e) Radio to be more adventurous

 

f) TOTP to return.....but with a music professional or a musician hosting it. Not Fearne or Reggie

 

What do you think?

 

I think the charts are fine. British acts have done brilliantly world wide in the last few years, it was going to end at some point.

People are allowed to buy a song whenever they want, and if that happens to be a lot of people every week leading to mega chart runs a la I Gotta Feeling, Sex On Fire, Chasing Cars, Use Somebody, I'm Yours etc. then that's just what happens. The UK are getting it right by having an official chart based on sales alone, because sales are the biggest indicator of how popular a song is.

 

As for the British artists thing, again, if a song gets sales it'll chart high. If radio and TV don't want to support a new artist that is their choice regardlessof their natinality.

 

TOTP should return though.

Edited February 11, 201015 yr by BrayFish

First off "Sex on fire" is an amazing song, and secondly 2009 was one of the strongest years for British music that I can recall. Obviously you don't follow the charts, since 2006 British music has gone from strength to strength and I see no reason why that won't continue this year.

People are allowed to buy a song whenever they want, and if that happens to be a lot of people every week leading to mega chart runs a la I Gotta Feeling, Sex On Fire, Chasing Cars, Use Somebody, I'm Yours etc. then that's just what happens. The UK are getting it right by having an official chart based on sales alone, because sales are the biggest indicator of how popular a song is.

 

As for the British artists thing, again, if a song gets sales it'll chart high. If radio and TV don't want to support a new artist that is their choice regardlessof their natinality.

 

TOTP should return though.

 

I agree, or atleast a new show where artists can promote music. As it is, there isn't really any.

We need some decent British Acts to begin with :kink:.

It's not uncommon for my personal chart to be all American Artists.

 

I do think that radio could be a bit more broad with the music, but they are just giving the public what they want.

The charts do seem static at times, and some new talent miss out... that's the way the industry works :l

The charts are fine apart from two very specific problem .....

 

1. TOP OF THE POPS (or a similar chart related TV music programme open to all acts; and not the ghastly Simon Cowell & friends cartel so that the likes of good pop music acts like the Sugababes are frozen out) should return.

 

2. BBC Radio 1 is a joke. When Radio 1 was set up in 1967 one of its mandates was to promote up and coming British new music. Quite simply this is not happening nowhere near enough anymore, especially during the daytime; and when you have the flagship Breakfast show playing half of much music as Radio 2's equivalent then you know things are in big trouble.

I think there needs to be a recurrent rule like America, where songs of a certain age can't chart but their progress is still tracked.

I think there needs to be a recurrent rule like America, where songs of a certain age can't chart but their progress is still tracked.

 

That I would agree with :)

Radio 1 (and Radio 2) DOES try to support new British talent, it's just people aren't actually interested in it compared to the latest American sensation which is a shame. It wouldn't really worry me as much if so much of the music that comes from America and does well on our charts wasn't god awful...

 

For me, the biggest problem with the charts is the lack of age representation. Now more than ever it seems like the singles chart is decided by 12-year olds - which has always been the case to some extent, but to my eyes it seems to be getting worse. Somehow the older music buying public needs to be represented. I'm unsure of how this could be achieved... perhaps album sales could somehow be encorporated into the singles chart as that seems to attract a more mature buying audience. Just throwing out random ideas here. To be honest though it seems that while (for me) this is the biggest problem, it's also the problem that has the least chance of getting solved. :heehee:

 

Oh, and I agree with the recurrent rule. At least it would keep the charts a bit fresher.

I think any chart rule changes would be foolish as the Singles Chart is now the purest it's ever been - it's purely based on sales, anything popular enough can chart, it's a much fairer system than the old one or the dreaded Billboard.

 

The problem lies with promotion - radio does play it too safe. I find that they're too scared to stop playing a decent hit when there's a follow-up been announced that needs some momentum and doesn't necessarily scream HIT in the same way its predecessor did. Paramore suffered from it, Radio 1 bummed 'Ignorance' to DEATH and seemed oblivious to the fact that 'Brick By Boring Brick', which could have easily gone top 40 if not higher, was released in a fortnight and they'd given it no support whatsoever. That's what is slowing it down and stopping bands getting decent runs of singles, Kasabian are doomed now because everyone is still playing 'Underdog'. Only Biffy Clyro have bucked the trend and that's only because 'Many of Horror' has got to #5 in the airplay charts, and all the other singles were released before the album and were bought en masse by fans.

 

I also think the major 'mainstream' music TV channels (4Music etc) need to branch out and stop playing bloody countdown shows that are inanely presented and usually feature the same old Britney video in a slighly different position. It's not until the supposedly 'too heavy/different/interesting' singles actually chart that they play them. I wonder how many times these channels played songs like Linkin Park's 'What I've Done' or Foo Fighters' 'The Pretender' before they entered the top 40 and ended up reaching the top 10.

That I would agree with :)

Same, the this whole obsession with music from Ads and the likes is really starting to irritate me! also the Xmas chart each year..somthing has to be done..soon!

I also think the major 'mainstream' music TV channels (4Music etc) need to branch out and stop playing bloody countdown shows that are inanely presented and usually feature the same old Britney video in a slighly different position. It's not until the supposedly 'too heavy/different/interesting' singles actually chart that they play them. I wonder how many times these channels played songs like Linkin Park's 'What I've Done' or Foo Fighters' 'The Pretender' before they entered the top 40 and ended up reaching the top 10.

Oh yes, this too. I was actually going to say something like this when I entered the thread but somehow forgot. :lol:

 

But yeah, the music channels are pathetic. I stopped watching them years ago personally. Way too biased to pop/R&B, but it's been like this ever since I can remember. If you want rock or dance you have to look over on some specialist channel, which is hardly going to be watched by casual people who aren't hardcore fans of the genre.

Edited February 11, 201015 yr by superbossanova

Same, the this whole obsession with music from Ads and the likes is really starting to irritate me! also the Xmas chart each year..somthing has to be done..soon!

 

:lol: Except we had loads of physical No1's that were powered by ads... :mellow:

Edited February 11, 201015 yr by Ethan.

Easy solution ban X-Factor

 

c) Media to promote British acts

 

The issue here is X-Factor artists take the TV airplay, the newspaper inches, the Jonathan Ross time(think Jedward), radio airplay and don't allow british artists to get off the ground.

Been a problem since Pop Idol startered but the combined effect over years is taking it's toll.

 

X-Factor is unlikely to produce any longer term talent, so it's not good replacing long term career with instant 'stardom'.

 

 

I think any chart rule changes would be foolish as the Singles Chart is now the purest it's ever been - it's purely based on sales, anything popular enough can chart, it's a much fairer system than the old one or the dreaded Billboard.

This. No radical rule changes needed. The OCC(or whoever it is doing the rules) do a great job. The problem is elsewhere.

This. No radical rule changes needed. The OCC(or whoever it is doing the rules) do a great job. The problem is elsewhere.

 

I totally agree.

 

If you mess about with the rules, then the charts stop becoming credible.

 

If you brought in a reoccurrence rule; then going back to the distance past then bona fide classics like David Bowie - Space Oddity; John Lennon - Imagine; Jackie Wilson - Reet Petite; Ben E King - Stand By Me & the Hollies - He Ain't Heavy (He's My Brother) would never have been UK#1 singles.

I think the charts are the most exciting and accurate they've been for YEARS. They've undergone a huge transformation and people just need to get used to it. The old chart is dead, what we have now is the future imo.

The charts are merely meant to be a reflection of the tracks being downloaded, across the UK, each week...

 

Downloads, have opened ‘singles’ up to the adult market, whereas physicals were pretty much driven by teenage girls. It’s a bit stupid to think everybody has the time, or inclination, to religiously follow release schedules. So people are often exposed to music for the first time through TV and advertising months/years later.

I think the charts are the most exciting and accurate they've been for YEARS. They've undergone a huge transformation and people just need to get used to it. The old chart is dead, what we have now is the future imo.

 

This is the issue for me.

 

The charts ARE exciting. Just look at those two Glee mashups/melodies coming from nowhere to likely go Top 10 on Sunday as an example.

 

The problem lies solely with the lack of media outlets for new music/artists on Radio & TV to raise its profile.

 

As an example if you were to take a clip board out into your local High Steet and ask 100 people how many of them would know who is Ellie Goulding or Marina & The Diamonds is; compared to knowing whom JedWard are and you will have your answer to highlight that it is the problem with UK music right now.