Think the drop in fake versions is definitely down to there being more pre orders available these days. This DJ Stay The Night one that's floating around now is the first I've seen in a long time.

The only reason why these fake versions are ever even issued is due to the fact that the UK waits for a record to build up airplay on the Radio before releasing a track. These fakes kill the sales of the original version when it is released. They only get away with it because the EU Law allows them to make cover versions. It states that if the original version is officially released in just one of the member countries than they are free to issue these covers. Since most other member countries use the system whereby a new record on the Radio is on sale, they are not plagued by these cover version.

However the record companies in the UK got bitten hard with On Air On Sale, when some artists released records using this method and because they entered low having no airplay, where deemed flops by the big radio stations and therefore not given airplay. So the principal was dropped.

In practice it only needs adjusting so that records such as those clearly going to big hits, such as those released in the USA and other places (but mostly the USA) go straight to OAOS and the rest get airplay.

 

Let's also be clear that a fake version is a cover, simply to make money using session musicians, who probably record several different versions of the same song under different names. These names are also made to be found quickly by a search engine from someone looking for the original artist. They are often purchased by people thinking it is the original artist and is made to sound like it is especially for the sample player used by sales sites.

It should be pointed out the money made from these is big, sufficient to cover the registration fee for the OCC inclusion in the charts, which is why they chart in the OCC chart now and didn't a few years ago. The company(s) that made them quickly caught on to the fact paying the fee for the chart was worth it. So registered the tracks.

I believe that some companies give different names for the same track for both iTunes and Amazon. So on iTunes the same singers will be called one thing and on Amazon another. This can mean sometimes they chalk up two purchases for the same record.

 

I really do think a lot of these "fake" versions are just coincidence though, because:

 

- They're available in other countries where everything is on air, on sale. If they were trying to cash in on late releases in the UK, why do they bother releasing them in other countries where the songs are available straight away and sell very little? And songs Get Lucky that were available straight away still have dozens of those "fake" versions. They'd be made regardless of when the song was released imo (although obviously they wouldn't sell so much if the songs were releases straight away).

- Some of the artists that do them have covered a plethora of songs, many post-album singles. For example, why have Big Hits 2012 covered Read All About It Part III, if their whole existence was to make money off late releases?

 

Ameritz, for example, release karaoke CDs. They've covered hundreds of songs. You got DJ Team who release compilation albums of dance hits, probably all around Europe (it was probably just coincidence that their versions of Stereo Love and Alors on Danse were released before the originals). Greg Street releases mixtapes, it just happened his version of Turn My Swag On was similar to the one in demand at the time.

 

It doesn't matter whether a song is held back or not, every big hit has dozens of those cover versions. So I doubt they're solely created to get sales off the originals being released late. Maybe some of them, but not all of them.

Second update of the year as A.C.T.'s version of 'Sing' charts at #85.

 

Fake versions have really dropped off in popularity since 2012 (only ten have charted so far in 2013/14 and five of those were 'I Love It' for whatever reason).

 

The fake version of 'Stay The Night' did, however, become the third highest peaking fake version ever, after the ever-iconic Precision Tunes and Airi L's 'When Love Takes Over' - very unusual after the fading popularity of fake versions and the fact that the original was not even a particularly big hit.

With streaming now in the chart and your average fake version kinda not being available to stream it's going to now be even harder for fake versions to make the official top 100. I have added Second Avenue's version of 'Rude' to the list after it entered at #99. I'm aware of the fact it isn't a 'fake version' in the traditional sense but I'm including it on the grounds that I have included similar releases before (e.g. Vandarth's 'Nothin' On You'), also it's highly unlikely it would be selling highly on its own merits if the MAGIC! version were available.

I'd imagine a fake version of Am I Wrong may well show up soon.

I'd imagine a fake version of Am I Wrong may well show up soon.

 

Well that didn't happen :magic: But there is of course a new addition from The Mega Giants who manage a surprisingly high #43 considering the obvious negative impact on fake versions from streaming's addition to the chart.

Updated with the addition of Sam Redden - it is Sam's only song on iTunes and looks like a pretty unprofessional release, on the record label 'Sam Redden' and with a pretty MS Paint-looking single cover, so I am including it here though it is arguable whether it should count.

 

I've re-written the first post so it's a little less time-stamped and also added a new footnote for New Music Masters and Sam Redden who have clearly only charted due to iTunes' less-than-perfect search function.

 

I suppose one of the versions of "All About That Bass" will be joining this list on Sunday.

 

 

Why does buying a "fake" version prove people's idiocy? :o

What a ridiculous statement!

 

If someone likes a particular song and doesn't care who sings it, he just buys whatever is available.

Some of these "fake" versions can appeal more to a certain listener than the original so why shouldn't he invest in it?

 

I would love to see a situation one day where a "fake" version gets more popular than the actual original, now that would be a phenomenon!

Why does buying a "fake" version prove people's idiocy? :o

What a ridiculous statement!

 

If someone likes a particular song and doesn't care who sings it, he just buys whatever is available.

Some of these "fake" versions can appeal more to a certain listener than the original so why shouldn't he invest in it?

 

I would love to see a situation one day where a "fake" version gets more popular than the actual original, now that would be a phenomenon!

 

Because a lot of people buy fake versions believing them to be the real ones.

Because a lot of people buy fake versions believing them to be the real ones.

Further shown when the iTunes reviews for those tracks are full of people in outrage for making said mistake.

Further shown when the iTunes reviews for those tracks are full of people in outrage for making said mistake.

 

Those people have zero right to complain when they throw money away so carelessly.

I would love to see a situation one day where a "fake" version gets more popular than the actual original, now that would be a phenomenon!

 

Arguably it already has, with the Tweets in 1981, KWS in 1992 etc...

Forgot to bump this again last week - Power Music Workout now grab the second highest peaking fake version at #13 (and they were #10 on sales alone!) while Meghan Tonjes' version also climbs to #70.

#49 Remix Junkies - I Don't Care I Love It (original by Icona Pop feat. Charli XCX: #1)

#51 New Music Masters - I Don't Care I Love It (original by Icona Pop feat. Charli XCX: #1) ***

#61 Remix Chix - I Love It (original by Icona Pop feat. Charli XCX: #1)

#71 Venus Palermo - I Love It (I Don't Care) (original by Icona Pop feat. Charli XCX: #1)

#74 Loreen Harris - I Love It (I Don't Care) (original by Icona Pop feat. Charli XCX: #1)

Didn't realise Icona Pop had 5 fakes charting :o .

 

 

Ah these were the days, I kinda miss these fake versions in a way for the novelty factor & the awkwardness on Chart Shows.

There is something weirdly nostalgic about this. I don't remember if there were any more of these after I stopped updating the thread - I totally forgot the vast majority of these existed though, hahaha at a fake version of 'T.H.E (The Hardest Ever)' making the top 40, and of course the brilliantly named DJ Stay The Night getting as high as #24 :lol:

:lol: Just remembered this thread existed and added the fake versions from 2015 to the list.

Precision Tunes getting in the Top 10 will always be noteworthy.

I hated this happening, so much :kink: I could never believe that so many people were okay with buying fake versions, or worse, that some might not have even understood that they were buying a fake version. Although Fake Payphone going Top 10 was an interesting and notable moment, it also made me despair!

 

With hindsight it’s crazy that it took the UK music industry so many years to embrace “on air, on sale” considering that pretty much everywhere else in the world adapted to it years earlier. I know there were occasional attempts, but all the record labels had to be on the same page about it, and they weren’t. They were clearly too afraid to potentially sacrifice high debuts and peak positions.

 

The frustration of a brand new single being available to buy everywhere else, but the UK having to wait weeks… ugh. Of course I illegally downloaded the songs so I could have them on my iTunes straight away. Then I’d not feel inclined to actually buy them once they were released, because I’d likely become a bit tired of the songs by that point. Unless I really loved the artist and felt the desire to support them.

 

It created situations like Britney Spears having released both Work Bitch & Perfume worldwide before the UK could even buy Work Bitch.