True r.e. the 59p point, though with the impact of download sales rapidly becoming less and less this trick won't be very effective for much longer.

Until Apple buy Spotify and introduce a 59p playlist :lol:

UK Singles Chart seems to be continually edging towards a Billboard Hot 100 style chart :/

On the flip side though, I think a faster moving chart is actually a healthier thing for the music industry as a whole without certain artists/songs monopolising it for weeks on end.

 

I do really feel like with how payola works on Spotify and the chart now pretty much relying on where you're placed on a key playlist which most people play through passively, that the chart is now more monopolised and manipulated than every before and I wouldn't say as representative as some claim.

Edited June 27, 20177 yr by Tawdry Hepburn

UK Singles Chart seems to be continually edging towards a Billboard Hot 100 style chart :/

 

Yeah this seems to be the case. I expect by the end of the decade we'll have Youtube & Airplay counting towards it too :(

Genuinely can't see airplay and YouTube ever counting towards the chart. The main focus from the OCC in this whole rule-change situation seems to be helping breaking artists chart in the top 100, and increasing the chart turnover - so I'm sure the LAST thing they'd do would be include more mediums of consumption.

I understand why they feel the need to do it but all this continuous meddling with the chart formula is really making the chart feel increasingly arbitrary which is a real shame. We're going to end up being completely unable to compare the relative success of songs from one year to the next because there are completely different rules every year.

 

That said I kinda like the rule of reducing the streaming ratio after 10 weeks / decreasing sales for 3 weeks (as far as decisions to make the chart more fast-moving go). The capping of 3 songs per artist is still a terrible idea though - especially if it is actually applying per artist and not per album. It is possible for an artist to have 4 genuinely popular songs at the same time...

 

I want to say that airplay is still never going to be included but if the OCC are willing to slap on a rule as 'extreme' as this 3 song cap then maybe they will eventually come around to that. That really would be the worst decision they ever make if so though.

These rules are now entirely arbitrary and ridiculous.

 

Agree 100%.

 

How can they compare like for like as to what constitutes a '#1' from now on? Even this year has been daft.

 

I'm also a little annoyed that Ed, Drake and Stormzy will no doubt be able to keep their 'record-breaking' chart placings even after the rule change.

 

I would be happier if they were just honest about what they wanted a chart to record, instead of continuing on with the farce of calling it a 'Offical Top 40' or 'Top 40 Singles'. The charts in the US and around the world have changed their names as they've come to record different things or means of listening or consuming music. Instead what they're championing here seems to be the worst of all worlds, creating a Frankenstein that pleases nobody and whose only result is to artificially create 1990s-style 'charts' that can be used to promote new music and as basis to define acts as successful or not.

 

If they just re-christened this chart 'The Hot 40' or something that would go a long way towards it being what it says on the tin. Essentially, a glorified playlist or a short version of a NOW album. That's what they want 'the charts' to be, so why not just be upfront about it and treat it just as a playlist?

Edited June 27, 20177 yr by 360Jupiter

OCC answered one of my questions

 

If a song has previously dropped down/out of the chart but sees a sudden surge again of 50% versus previous week, they will reset with the standard 150:1 ratio for their streams. e.g Christmas songs, old tracks performed on X Factor, songs on adverts.

Ooh that's interesting, thanks for asking and for posting their reply! That seems like a fair approach in regards to that particular matter, at least.

OCC will NEVER include airplay, they're proud to have never included airplay before so I don't see why we should be worried about that just because they're introducing artist caps and new streaming ratios to help speed the chart up (and airplay would achieve the opposite of this as radio refuse to let go of the huge hits).

Airplay's always brought up with these rule changes and the answer is still that this is not something the UK public themselves control so it has no place in a chart that's shaped by their own purchases/streams. No matter how much it's tampered with, that would be crossing the line.

 

I'm aware all these rule changes will make the charts seem a lot more artificial as it goes along and messes with stats, but honestly it is understandable. The prime purpose of the charts (as now self declared) is to help inform the UK music industry, if there are no new artists breaking through beyond a select few, it's not healthy for the industry.

Edited June 27, 20177 yr by Chez Wombat

Wouldn't the 10 weeks decrease thing kill the revival of songs like 'One last time'? Making it extra hard for them to pick up steam and chart after a 2nd wind.

Wouldn't the 10 weeks decrease thing kill the revival of songs like 'One last time'? Making it extra hard for them to pick up steam and chart after a 2nd wind.

If a song has previously dropped down/out of the chart but sees a sudden surge again of 50% versus previous week, they will reset with the standard 150:1 ratio for their streams. e.g Christmas songs, old tracks performed on X Factor, songs on adverts.

But then that makes it even more ridiculous, so songs that remain genuinely popular but slightly decrease that popularity for 3 weeks get penalised but old dead songs that get a boost from a big tv show or death get to enjoy the comforts of having a 150:1 ratio and may chart above the genuinely popular song despite getting streamed less.

 

This has basically confirmed to me that I'm out following the chart. When you don't make it a level playing field for all in terms of what counts and what doesn't (150 vs 300 ratio) then it has gone too far.

I understand the first change (only 3 album tracks) but the second one doesn't make ANY sense, it's actually quite sad

 

Although I too am sick of Can't Stop the Feeling

Edited June 28, 20177 yr by SKOB

I am looking forward to seeing the chart next week to see just how much influence this has. Curious to see if we get a massive influx of new entries down the tail end of the chart, which is currently blocked up with old tracks like Can't Stop The Feeling, Cheap Thrills and Mr Brightside.

I am looking forward to seeing the chart next week to see just how much influence this has. Curious to see if we get a massive influx of new entries down the tail end of the chart, which is currently blocked up with old tracks like Can't Stop The Feeling, Cheap Thrills and Mr Brightside.

 

It'll be good to see more singles making the top 100. There are so many singles that feel like they've been at least some sort of minor hit, like they've been on Radio 1/2 playlist, done a few TVs, have dipped in and out of the iTunes top 100, but have never registered even a single week on the official singles chart. Glad that more of them will get that recognition. It'd be nice if that did somehow give them a little boost to go further than they would have done, but we'll have to wait and see I suppose.

Airplay is such a silly thing to include, but I actually wouldn't mind Youtube so much, it's not much different from including Spotify.

I expect they'll eventually find some way to incorporate YouTube but it'd have to be at a low ratio as the royalty payout is significantly less. I hope they say away from it though.

Yeah I wouldn't be against youtube plays from official channels counting, it would help make music videos more relevant again and then even minor artists who make a great video that catches attention can gain some chart recognition. I'd only allow official youtube channels to count though, so official video, lyric video and remixes.