I've defined 'old songs' in this context, as those over 12 months since release (except where they've had a continuous (T200) chart run over the period, e.g. KoL-SOF, SP-CC & a few others).

 

During thc course of 2010, the number of weeks with x number of old songs has been :

 

0 : 17 occasions

1 : 23 "

2 : 4 "

3 : 1 occasion

7 : 1 occasion

 

This gives a total of 41 in 46 weeks.

 

Note : Journey-DSB accounts for 16 of these, and Adele-MYFML another 8.

 

The week with 7, as you've probably guessed, was the Xmas chart, and the one with 3 was during the football World Cup.

Interesting there's been at least one in all but 17 of the charts this year :o

Interesting there's been at least one in all but 17 of the charts this year :o

 

Glee get the blame for that, indirectly, through causing Journey's 'Don't Stop Believing' to chart for ages... :)

I've been thinking for a while now that in this age of catalogue tracks been downloaded again that there should be an official weekly oldies chart (I similarly had it defined as over 52 weeks since first (or maybe last?) appearance on the actual chart). We could probably put together a week by week top 3 or 5 if those with access to the top 200s helped out and some weeks in the recent past (xmases, mj's death etc) may lead to top 40s or more! Anyone want to start this?

And I've just realised that Shakespears Sister would've been last week's oldies #1!

There is an official, OCC compiled, weekly Singles Catalogue Chart. Music Week carries the top 20 portion of it. The qualifying rule is that the track must be over 2 years old. Due to publishing deadlines the current chart in Music Week is always from the previous week (ie the current chart has Adele at #1, SS at #2 and MJ 'Thriller' at #3). In the new chart which will be published in MW on Monday, SS will be at #1, Adele at #2 and Bon Jovi - LOAP at #3. Of course by then the real new #1 will once again be Adele.