chart pace was faster but the #1 was too predictable, it was like in 3 weeks time the #1 is gonna be Cheryl, then next week Pixie Lott, then Olly, then Sugababes, while proper bigger hits were stuck at #2 like Moves like Jagger or Love the way you Lie, now it would be the other way around completely

also the chart was faster with more newies, but it was all a bit fake, not a good representation, 5 people bought the 10 different versions of the single in week 1 and you got a top 10, next week yu're at number 200

The chart is still predictable now though but in a more tedious way, in fact I'd say it's even more predictable now than it used to be. For example it was so obvious for months that Ed Sheeran would get the Christmas number one with Perfect.

It's not really predictable though - a month ago nobody knew Drake would be no1 now never mind have a new song out!

 

 

But we almost certainly know that he will be number one this week, next week and probably the week after as well.

I miss doing my pre-order updates :cry:

What are held back releases?

But we almost certainly know that he will be number one this week, next week and probably the week after as well.

This week for sure yes, but Rudimental are climbing very quickly so they could get it next week, or maybe not. I'd say the chart's a lot less predictable now.

I voted yes, my reasoning behind this is similar to what others have said. This is the UK Charts forum and I miss the fast-paced charts and more black and white charting performances (less anomonies and no need for farcical ACR drops).

 

If this was in the Lounge or another forum, I would obviously say no, because who wants to wait to be able to purchase (or stream) new music?

I'd say yes because it generated more sales due to the build-up. It was better than seeing these streaming songs on top week after week that don't seem to leave the chart for a lifetime.

 

e.g. "Havana", "Perfect" (and its countless versions) and now "God's Plan" looks set to be there until mid-July <_< (sarcasm of course)!!

What about the songs that weren't held back in that era? (there were quite a few, particularly those from albums already released), a lot of them sold very well, probably more than they would have if held back due to illegal downloading and people being bored of the song by the time it got released.

 

Weekly number one sales were higher but songs dropped off quicker. Now it's a bit more natural with songs rising to the top and selling constantly well for a long time. And the peak of songs reflect the popularity of them a lot better, generally speaking.

As a spectator from a different country that didn't have to wait for held back releases and just followed the charts, yes. But I would not like to have to wait to consume through music I like.

No I hated the held back releases era during the peak of the download era, it just got stupid by 2014 when we had a new no.1 per week that would end up crashing out the chart after a few weeks for the most part.

 

It was fine in the 90s early 00s when every single release was treated that way, even if it was artificial. However when downloads came in it completely changed everything as post album singles could be cherry picked at any moment which put them at a disadvantage against held back releases. Then OA/OS tried to be established and failed because record labels didn't like they couldn't manipulate the chart, a point still valid now streaming has taken over.

 

Whilst the chart was a slower before ACR was introduced it was at least representing what is actually popular, although the way streaming is counted could be a little better.

I thought I would miss the held back days when streaming was first introduced but I actually much prefer things now as a music consumer. I was never a huge Spotify user until a few years ago so being able to listen to new tracks immediately is very much a positive.

 

However I do miss the large influx of dance songs that charted due to being held back, the variation in 2014 for example was amazing. I particularly enjoyed the "sax-house trio" of Changes, Jubel & Vandaag. You'd never get anything like that now, dance music is the worst affected genre for acts pandering to the lowest common denominator in the current era.

Like you wouldn't believe! I know by 2014 it did get ridiculous when you'd be able to always predict the #1 three weeks in advance but I'd still take that over the way the charts are now and I miss the era of 2013/2014 a lot.

 

However, like I said before I do accept that's the way it is now and technology + methods of consumption move on.

 

I think for me nowadays the problem isn't so much with the whole whether releases are held back or not, but it's with streaming. With the way Hot Hits UK and similar dictate about 90% of the way streams are curated passively and Dobbo totally hit the nail on the head with how so many artists started to pander to lowest common denominator music to try and secure a place on these playlists (although that hasn't been as bad as it was for the previous year or two). It's a deeply ugly situation really.

Edited February 6, 20187 yr by Tawdry Hepburn

I think it was MUCH more interesting and am glad I am not the only one that has acknowledged that things have changed. In my mind around the end of 2015 was when this trend it stopped and the last preorder single to debut top 10 that I can remember was probably sigala with give me your love in summer 2016.

The last held back no1 was Tinie Tempah and Katy B in Oct 2015!

One thing I miss is how straight forward the chart used to be. If you buy a song once it equals 1 sale, if you buy 5 copies of a song it equals 5 sales. Now it's a more complicated process trying to understand how songs are ranked where they are in the chart which takes the fun out of it for me.

It's pretty straightforward: you listen to a song once it does not equal a sale. You listen to a song 5 times, it does not equal a sale. You listen to a song continuously all week on every device you own, it still does not equal a sale.

 

You buy it, it equals one sale.