BBC1'S PRICE PROPOSES CHART SHAKE-UP

 

by Rhian Jones

 

BBC Radio 1’s playlist boss, Chris Price, is concerned about the recent stagnancy of the U.K. Singles Chart. The same five tracks have comprised the Top 5, give or take a handful of new entries, over the last six weeks.

 

His solution? Discount curated playlist streams from the chart or include radio airplay. “That would bring the U.K. chart into line with most other charts in the world, actually, including the U.S. chart—which has included radio airplay for decades,” he told NME.

 

Airplay isn't included in lots of charts around the world, as Price suggests. The U.S. is a fairly special case in that respect.

 

The Official Chart's sales and streaming formula, where 100 streams count as equivalent to one single sale, has resulted in the charts measuring engagement over time, rather than one-off purchases. Drake’s “One Dance” (Island) has now spent 13 consecutive weeks at #1, coming third place in the longest consecutive U.K. #1s of all time, behind Bryan Adams’ “(Everything Do) I Do It For You” (16 weeks) in ’91 and Wet Wet Wet’s “Love Is All Around” (15 weeks) in ’95.

 

The remaining Top 5 during that time has consisted of Kungs vs Cookin’ on 3 Burners, Calvin Harris, Rihanna and Justin Timberlake, as well as entries from Adele and The Chainsmokers. As MBW noted Monday, the U.K. Official Singles Chart is getting boring.

 

Because some of those streams come from within curated playlists, that are “much more akin to radio airplay than to consumption of a track that’s been purchased,” Price said.

 

Will Price’s calls go unheard? The Official Charts Company declined to comment.

 

http://hitsdailydouble.com/news&id=301895

 

Why the hell would he want radio airplay in the charts (obviously since he's the head of a radio station, it'd make sense to him) since that would make the charts even SLOWER like in the US and Canada?

Radio airplay in the chart would be ridiculous as it is NOT an indicator of popularity at all lol. The solution to speed the chart up is to reduce the ratio to 200:1 or something I think.

I don't understand how anyone, but particularly someone of his position, would associate livening up the chart with adding radio airplay? He even mentions the US chart which is far more stagnant than the UK one. Plus, as Joseph said, radio airplay is not an indicator of what the public are choosing to invest in.

NO. :angry:

OMG :rofl:

 

AirPlay would make the chart far more stagnant. I thought that would be really obvious especially to a radio boss

If Airplay is factored in then that really would be R.I.P.

The OCC did say that they'd never include AirPlay in the chart so I don't think this is something we should be worried about

WTF. So radio stations can help manipulate chart positions? Radio stations that are more or less controlled/influenced by the big major labels. This dude must have been smoking some prime A weed when he made that statement

I was dreaded the day they start including airplay, bad decision in my opinion, it should reflect on the buying public.

Radio airplay in the chart would be ridiculous as it is NOT an indicator of popularity at all lol. The solution to speed the chart up is to reduce the ratio to 200:1 or something I think.

Solution: get rid of streaming from the chart

 

Another solution: block Drake's weekly standing orders to the Official Charts Company :lol:

Another solution: block Drake's weekly standing orders to the Official Charts Company :lol:

 

I wonder what's higher: Drake's streams total or the amount of times you've made this joke :')

I wonder what's higher: Drake's streams total or the amount of times you've made this joke :')

Neither.

It would be great to see Catfish and The Bottlemen, Slaves or Bring Me The Horizon etc. singles in the lower end of the top 40 which might happen as these bands are commonly A listed by Radio 1. It would give rock music more of a chance of reaching the top 40.

 

Airplay defines the music of a time as much as the charts for example 'High With Emotion' by Thomas Falke I remember hearing a lot in early 2005 and it didn't reach the top 40. Likewise those dubstep tunes in 2011 and 2012 that got a lot of airplay but didn't reach the top 40 (Holdin' On, Bonfire, Wild For the Night etc) and The Strokes' Under Cover of Darkness too, which also defined that time for me.

 

I think adding airplay is a good thing. The only problem is that it makes the charts less legitimate, but if it gives rock bands that make the A list on radio 1 more of a chance of singles chart success than that is a good thing.

Edited July 12, 20168 yr by TheSnake

ludicrous suggestion :manson: ~ radio stations need to up their game rather than trying to hijack the official chart to retain some semblance of relevancy in the streaming age~ <_<

WTF. So radio stations can help manipulate chart positions? Radio stations that are more or less controlled/influenced by the big major labels. This dude must have been smoking some prime A weed when he made that statement

Not that I agree with AirPlay being included (hopefully it never happens, the day it does will be signal the death of the UK singles chart), but he has a point about the major labels heavily influencing the chart at the moment through streaming (i.e. Spotify's promoted curated playlists, which have a big chart impact). It's unlikely anything will be done about that though as the majors have always had a huge impact on the chart, it's just the way popular music works.

I wonder what's higher: Drake's streams total or the amount of times you've made this joke :')

 

:basil:

 

Anyway we may have two new songs in the Top 5 so Chris Price needs to take a look at his own playlist which also badly needs ‘shaking up’.

It would be great to see Catfish and The Bottlemen, Slaves or Bring Me The Horizon etc. singles in the lower end of the top 40 which might happen as these bands are commonly A listed by Radio 1. It would give rock music more of a chance of reaching the top 40.

 

Airplay defines the music of a time as much as the charts for example 'High With Emotion' by Thomas Falke I remember hearing a lot in early 2005 and it didn't reach the top 40. Likewise those dubstep tunes in 2011 and 2012 that got a lot of airplay but didn't reach the top 40 (Holdin' On, Bonfire, Wild For the Night etc) and The Strokes' Under Cover of Darkness too, which also defined that time for me.

 

I think adding airplay is a good thing. The only problem is that it makes the charts less legitimate, but if it gives rock bands that make the A list on radio 1 more of a chance of singles chart success than that is a good thing.

Why would adding AirPlay be a good thing???

 

If anything it would give rock bands much LESS singles chart success. Yes, some do get lots of Radio 1 airplay but there are many other stations as well that only play hit/chart/MoR music (Capital, Kiss, Heart etc.)

It would be great to see Catfish and The Bottlemen, Slaves or Bring Me The Horizon etc. singles in the lower end of the top 40 which might happen as these bands are commonly A listed by Radio 1. It would give rock music more of a chance of reaching the top 40.

 

Airplay defines the music of a time as much as the charts for example 'High With Emotion' by Thomas Falke I remember hearing a lot in early 2005 and it didn't reach the top 40. Likewise those dubstep tunes in 2011 and 2012 that got a lot of airplay but didn't reach the top 40 (Holdin' On, Bonfire, Wild For the Night etc) and The Strokes' Under Cover of Darkness too, which also defined that time for me.

 

I think adding airplay is a good thing. The only problem is that it makes the charts less legitimate, but if it gives rock bands that make the A list on radio 1 more of a chance of singles chart success than that is a good thing.

If it were solely Radio 1 then yes, but in reality it would incorporate airplay from the likes Capital and many other commercial stations and well, so including 'airplay' would only serve to benefit the bigger name artists/more radio friendly hits even more

Why would adding AirPlay be a good thing???

 

If anything it would give rock bands much LESS singles chart success. Yes, some do get lots of Radio 1 airplay but there are many other stations as well that only play hit/chart/MoR music (Capital, Kiss, Heart etc.)

That's what I was thinking. Any boost that rock bands get from Radio 1 a-listing would be cancelled out by Capital playing the chart hits 50+ times a week.

One Dance would probably remain in the top 40 until Christmas* if AirPlay was included too. No-one wants that.

 

*2017