zeus555

The Article below was in last night's 'Manchester Evening News'. According to them, there are 2 rival 'Campaigns' to get a Single to No.1 - the other is for The Smiths. Line 3 has the writer clearly thinking that 'Untouchable' is the only Girls Aloud Single to fail to reach No.1. In fact, they've had 21 Top 20 Hits, & only 4 went to No.1 - less than 20% of their Hits. She has misunderstood, & not realised that 'Untouchable' is their only Single to fail to reach the Top 10 - not to fail to get to No.1. It's The Smiths v Girls Aloud Katherine Faulkner January 09, 2010 A SHOWDOWN is brewing between Manchester legends The Smiths and pop superstars Girls Aloud. Fans of both acts are battling it out on social networking website Facebook to get them to number one in the second week of February. Girls Aloud fans want the group's single Untouchable to top the charts. The song, which was released in April last year, was the group's only single not to top the charts. But a Smiths tribute band, The Smiths Indeed, have started a rival campaign to give the Mancunian band their first ever British number one on the 25th anniversary of one of their most successful records. The tribute act want How Soon Is Now to reach number one to celebrate the February 1985 release of Meat Is Murder, the band’s most successful album. The group backing Girls Aloud is more than twice as big, with 7,333 fans. But The Smiths group was only launched on Tuesday and has so far attracted 3,127 members – nearly 1,000 a day. The campaign has been backed by ex-Smiths drummer Mike Joyce. The Smiths Indeed lead singer Jurgen Wendelen, 32, said he thought The Smiths' chances against Girls Aloud were very good.’ Liverpool-based Mr. Wendelen said: "I don't rate Girls Aloud's music at all. "It is manufactured -– it doesn't come from anywhere, it doesn't say anything. If anyone deserves a UK number one it is The Smiths. "Their contribution to British culture is outstanding. "The Smiths' music was created out of a need to say something real through music and that is what we need now in the charts." 'How Soon Is Now' is considered by many to be the band's best song, but was released as a B-side and never reached number one. Mr. Wendelen said: "It would be fantastic to get it to number one to celebrate the Smiths and their enormous impact on music." The Smiths formed in Manchester in 1982 but never released a single that charted higher than at number 10 in Britain. The top spot will go to the single bought or downloaded the most times between January 31 and February 6.

Wasn't there 3 No.1 Singles in those BBC Charts, one Week? 'Do It Again' - Beach Boys, 'I Gotta Get A Message To You' - Bee Gees, & 'This Guys In Love With You' - Herb Alpert? This would have been in late August or early/mid September 1968. In the 'Record Retailer', ('Official'), Chart, the Herb Alpert Single never reached even No.2 - it was No.3 for 4 Weeks.

The Sales from the current UK Charts - 3rd January, (W/E 9th January), are for 2009. The OCC have told me, today. The first Chart of 2010, will be that of Sunday 10th - for W/E 16th January. Here is what The OCC said:, 'You are right in that 2009 was a 53 week year (the last 53 week year was 2004). So the last chart of 2009 was the chart released yesterday and valid up to this coming Saturday. It follows that the sales period covered by the last chart of 2009 was Sunday 27th Dec to Jan 2nd. The first chart of 2010 will be the chart broadcast this Sunday Jan 10th'.

Regarding 2009's Year End Charts:, 1) Lady GaGa becomes the first Solo Female Singer to have 2 Singles in the UK'S Top 5 of the Year since 1958, when Connie Francis achieved it. ('Just Dance' was also credited to Colby O'Donis, but the Song is about 4.10 long, & he only Sings about 36 Seconds of it. She Sings the vast bulk of that Single). (Kylie Minogue was 3rd & 4th for 1988, but the Hit in 4th place - 'Especially For You', was a genuine 50/50 Duet with Jason Donovan, so it was not a Kylie Solo Hit). 2) The first Solo Female to have 2 Songs in the Top 10 of the Year, since 1961, when it was achieved by Helen Shapiro. (Madonna has never achieved it. She had 2 in the Top 20 of the Year in 1985, & 1986 - 1 in the Top 10, each time. Plus, 2 of the Top 20 of 1987 - neither in the Top 10). 3) Lady GaGa also becomes only the 2nd Female Singer to have more than 2 Hits in the Top 20 of the Year. She's at 1, 3, & 17, for the Year. In 1988, Kylie was 3rd, 4th, 11th, & 20th, for the Year - and in 21st place too! 4) Black Eyed Peas become the first USA Group to have as many as 3 Singles in the UK's Yearly Top 10. Elvis Presley was the last USA Act to achieve it - way back in 1962. 5) The Black Eyed Peas are also only the 2nd Act, with a Female in it, to have 3 of the Annual Top 10. The Spice Girls are the only other. They had the 2nd, 4th, & 5th, Best Sellers of 1996. (The Spice Girls are only the 2nd Act, to have had 3 of the Top 5 of the Year. The other is Engelbert Humperdinck, who had the Top 3 of the Year, in 1967). The Black Eyed Peas are 2nd, 7th, & 10th for 2009. 6) As regards Groups - Apart from the Spice Girls, & Black Eyed Peas - The Beatles had 3 of the Annual Top 10 in 1963, 1964, & 1965. 4 Hits in the Top 10 of 1963, if we count the 'Twist & Shout' EP. (Some Year End Lists do not show The Beatles achieving it - at all - in the 1960's, but those Lists are based on Points - not on Sales).

Kingofskiffle & I do not always agree. He may well be right - the Chart of Sunday 3rd January 2010, (W/E 9th January 2010), MAY well be added to 2009 - and, (therefore), 'The Noughties' Decade. It's just that this would mean that The OCC do not start their 2010/New Decade Sales until Sunday 10th January - the Chart of W/E 16th January. It seems rather late to me..... They ENDED the 1990's Decade Sales on W/E Saturday 1st January 2000 - meaning that they started their 'Noughties' Sales on Sunday 2nd January 2000 - W/E 8th January 2000.

Right - I've checked:, 1) The OCC began their Charts/Sales for 'The Noughties'/Decade with the Charts that came out on Sunday 2nd January 2000. 2) That means that they began the Decade with the Charts of Saturday 8th January 2000. 3) They end the Decade with today's Charts - 27th December - for Week Ending 2nd January 2010. 4) They also end 2009 with the same Charts. 5) As far as I know, the Charts of Sunday 3rd January - for W/E 9th January - will NOT be added to either 2009 or 'The Noughties'. 6) It is up to 'Chart Fans' if they want to follow The OCC in this. I DO, as I like my Sales & Stats Lists to match those of The OCC, & UK Chart Books..... 7) The 2010 'Hit Singles' Book, (Virgin - November 2010) - will have a 'cut-off' Date of W/E 2nd January 2010.

The fact is simple - the W/E 2nd January Charts are 2009 Charts - at least their SALES are - so The OCC will add those Sales to 2009. As they will also count any Chart Facts & Feats, & Statistics from those Charts, as 2009 ones. They will also count them - Sales/Stats - as belonging to 'The Noughties' - 2000 - 2009. That goes for today's, (W/B 27th December/W/E 2nd January), Singles, Albums, Compilations, & Music DVD's etc. The OCC have various Decade Top 3's, (many Genres - Singles, Albums, Films), on their 2010 Calendar. The 'Cut Off' Date for those Sales is W/E Saturday 5th December - so, it does not count Sales from 12th, 19th, 26th December, & 2nd January - because they needed to get the Calendar prepared - to send out, well before Christmas..... It is when The OCC START 'The Noughties' that is interesting - I will check on that, as it seems to contradict their Yearly start Weeks.....(They start their 'Noughties' Sales/Stats on W/E 2nd January 2000 - surely, it should be W/E 9th January 2000 - if their Sales/ Stats/Method is to be consistent?).

The Record has been broken because 'Singles' no longer need to actually be on Sale in Shops in order to Chart. You can therefore Chart indefinitely - with Downloads - if you are popular enough. You can even Chart with Album Tracks. Those things have caused Lady GaGa to break the record. Just as if Downloads had been around in The Beatles time, & ABBA's, & Queen's, etc. - then those Acts would have spent far longer, (than they did), on the Singles Chart, in a Calendar Year. It's like the hype about Steps, Westlife, & Take That, all having, 'The UK's Biggest Stadium Tour', Record, at some stage. They could gain such feats because the Stadiums are around. There were no such UK Stadium Tours, in The Beatles, ABBA's, & Queen's 'Day', - but, those Acts would have held/broken those Tour records too, had there been - and had they decided to 'go for it'. So - like many Chart Records - the 'Most Singles Weeks In A Calendar Year', one, is now far easier to gain/break - due to the way things are in this day & age. Nothing to do with 2000's Acts actually being 'Bigger' than older Decades Acts - to be honest.....

The OCC counted the Sales of the W/E 3rd January 2009 Chart, as belonging to 2008. They saw/see it as the last Chart of 2008. Because ALL of its Sales were in 2008. (They started 2009's Sales on W/E 10th January). The OCC count the Chart of W/E 2nd January 2010 as the final Chart of 2009 - as its SALES are from Sunday 20th December to Saturday 26th December. NONE of its Sales are in 2010. So, The OCC will 100% definitely add the Sales, from the Singles & Albums Charts, for that Week - W/E 2nd January - to 2009. As for the Chart of W/E 9th January 2010. The SALES for that Chart are from Sunday 27th December to Saturday 2nd January - so FIVE of its Sales Days are in 2009. However, The OCC would deem it rather late to make the W/E 16th January Chart, the first of 2010, so they will almost certainly count the W/E 9th January Chart, as the 1st of 2010. In 2009, The OCC started the Sales Year with the W/E 10th January Chart. The SALES for that Chart were from Sunday 28th December to Saturday 3rd January - so 4 of its Sales Days were in 2008. However, it would have been rather late to make the 1st Chart of 2009 the W/E 17th January Chart - so, they started with the 10th.

It's perfectly simple - the SALES for the Chart of W/E 2nd January, (revealed on Sunday 27th December), are ALL IN 2009 - so, it is the final Chart of 2009. Why should those Sales be included in 2010's Sales? :) IF the Charts were W/B (Week Beginnning), then this would not even cause disagreements. We'd then be saying that the Chart of W/B 27th December 2009, is the final Chart of 2009. Well, they are W/E Charts, instead, & the W/E 2nd January Chart is the exact equivalent of a W/B 27th December Chart. And - either way - the Sales are for Sunday 20th December to Saturday 26th December - ALL 2009 Sales. NOTE It would be easier if The OCC started counting the Charts from the day they are published - making them W/B Charts, from 2010 onwards. 'Music Week', only needs to put the W/B Date over their Charts - rather than their Issue Date. It is not rocket science, & would stop the arguments, at the end of the Year, as to when the final Charts of the Year are.....

Thanks for the response, Dave. Yes - I'm aware that 'The Floral Dance' was No.2 for 6 Weeks - Christmas/New Year 1977/1978. However, it was a Christmas No.2 HIT - NOT a Christmas SONG. I was only refering to No.2 Hits that were about Christmas - not No.2 Hits that were merely at that Position, over Christmas.....

Santa Mikey - You follow the 1st Chart of the Year your way, & those of us who want to stay in step with The OCC & Virgin Chart Books, will follow the Charts our way. Santo Natale..... ;)

'That's My Goal' was a Westlife Reject - even THEY did not want it! To my ears, it is weak, filmsy, garbage. It would not have even sold 100,000 copies had Shayne not Won the 'X Factor'. People only bought it because he Won. It is rather sad really - Songs Selling over a Million due to a TV Show - rather than because of merit.....

Britster - The OCC regards W/E 3rd January 2009 as the last Chart of 2008, & the W/E 2nd January 2010, will be regarded as the last Chart of 2009. Everything that The OCC, (& Virgin Chart Books), do, is geared towards the Sales period. Anyone who tries to work out the 'Best Sellers' of 2008 or 2009, & leaves out the W/E 3rd January or W/E 2nd January Sales/ Charts, will find that their Totals do not match those of The OCC.

In 2009, the 1st Chart of the Year was the W/E 10th January. The OCC regard the W/E 3rd January Chart as a 2008 Chart. That's because ALL of its Sales were in 2008. (It isn't Dates that decide it - it is the Sales Period! That's why the Virgin 'Hit Albums' Book goes up to W/E 3rd January 2009. And why the Virgin 'Top 40' Book, also goes up to that Chart). The final Chart of 2009 will be the Chart of W/E 2nd January 2010. This is because The OCC go by when most of, (or all), of the SALES came from, for a Chart. The Sales for the Chart of W/E 2nd January, come from 2009. They are Sales that will take place from Sunday 20th December to Saturday 26th December. That means that NONE of the Sales for the W/E 2nd January Chart will be in 2010 - not one. So why on Earth should it be regarded as the 1st Chart of 2010? :rolleyes: The 1st Chart of 2010 will be the Chart of W/E 9th January 2010. That will have Sales from Sunday 27th December to Saturday 2nd January in it. As it contains some 2010 Sales, The OCC are happy to see it as the 1st Chart of 2010. To be honest, the 1st 2010 Chart, to have soley 2010 Sales in it, will be the Chart of W/E 16th January. The Sales for that will be from Sunday 3rd January to Saturday 9th January. However, The OCC deem it too late in a Year, to start the 1st Chart from the W/E 16th January - hence why it will be W/E 9th January. Again - for those who don't see why the W/E 2nd January Chart, is a 2009 one - ALL of the Sales in that Chart will be 2009 Sales - so they go towards 2009 - as does the Chart. It is perfectly reasonable, fair, sensible, & logical. I fail to see why some people have a problem with it.....

ROD STEWART - THE 12th ACT TO REACH 1000 UK ALBUM WEEKS THE TOP 12 UK ALBUM CHART ACTS (BY WEEKS ON CHART) Earlier in 2009, he was in 11th place, on 983 Weeks, but ABBA over-took him, & rose to 11. Then they reached 1000 Weeks. Now he's reached 1000 Weeks, & looks set to rise to No.11 again soon, as he has 2 Albums in the Top 75, & ABBA have none..... (2009 Weeks - since W/E 10th January - in Brackets) (To W/E 26th December 2009) 1) Queen - 1426 (5) 2) The Beatles - 1355 (46) 3) Elvis Presley - 1333 (0) 4) U2 - 1238 (49) 5) Michael Jackson - 1177 (149) 6) Madonna - 1148 (13) 7) Dire Straits - 1146 (0) 8) Simon & Garfunkel - 1135 (7) 9) David Bowie - 1026 (0) 10) Elton John - 1013 (0) 11) ABBA - 1002 (45) 12) Rod Stewart - 1000 (17)

'Last Christmas' was No.2 for 5 Weeks, between 1984 & 1985. It is the biggest Selling UK No.2 Hit. Its initial Top 10 Weeks:, 2-2-2-2-2-3-8 Then, it re-entered the Top 10 for Christmas/New Year 1985/1986:, 10-6-6 Only 1 other No.2 Christmas Song has spent so long at No.2. The now forgotten 'Santo Natale', ('Merry Christmas'), by David Whitefield, in 1954/1955:, 6-2-2-2-2-2-5

Simon Cowell has been moaning that the BBC has been backing the RATM Song. He says that the TV Company should not be biased, & that backing RATM gives them an unfair advantage over Joe. He is unbelieveably hypocritical. He uses ITV to Promote his Acts as much as possible. For Years he's used the 'X Factor' to showcase Songs from Westlife & Il Divo, & more recently Leona Lewis, & Alexandra Burke. Even the Susan Boyle ITV Special had him ensuring that some of his other Acts were her 'Guests'. Every chance he gets, he uses ITV to 'Product Place' his Acts. James Masterton - 'Chart Expert' - fails to understand why people are fed up of Cowell dominating the UK Charts with Covers & Pap. He calls those who bought the RATM Song, 'Mindless idiots'. In the meantime I hear that:, 1) Cowell wants 'The X Factor' to be on TV for 5 Months of the Year. He says that 3 Months is not enough. 2) He also wants an International 'X Factor' to be shown, each Year. So, that would mean even more of his Acts & Covers going to No.1 in the UK. 3) He also wants to Host a Political Show, where 'The Public' debate 'Big issues', & he promises to have a 'Hot Line' to the Prime Minister etc., to get answers - 'Live' on Air. So, now he wants to influence UK Politics, too! I bet you can see his Ego from Space! I regard him as an over-rated joke, who fools those who ought to be able to think for themselves - but can't. (Or can - but would rather let Simon do it for them).

Read the Comments under this 'Daily Mail' Article, to see what a great many people think of 'The Climb', the 'X Factor', the Judges, & the 'Race' for the 2009 Christmas No.1. (It only shows the 1st 6 Comments - to see all 27, Click-On 'View all'). http://smurl.name/62hc People are just tired of weak, manufactured Covers automatically going to No.1 at Christmas - just because the Winner of the 'X Factor' is Singing them. It's nothing to do with Music - just about easy Fame, & Simon Cowell making even more money..... Gareth Gates admitted in last nights 'Manchester Evening News' that Simon Cowell had told he & Will Young, that they'd BOTH get Record Contracts off him - no matter who Won the 2002 'Pop Idol', when he & Will were in the Final. Gareth said he wasn't sure if he ought to reveal that. (That's because it means that the Voting was purely to get Cash out of the Viewers - the 'Prize' was going to BOTH Guys! It's called a Con! A deceit). 'The Climb' has a huge advantage over the RATM 'Single' - it is available on CD. 'The Climb' was always going to get to No.1 - even if it isn't today, it will be next Sunday. The RATM Campaign was always going to die out after today - if it is No.1 in today's Chart, then its 'Goal' will have been achieved, & people will cease Downloading it. If it is No.2 today, its 'Goal' has failed - and people will cease Downloading it due to that. 'The Climb' is AWFUL - but, it was always going to be a No.1 in the UK - either this Week, or next.....

I don't like 'The Climb', but there is no way that The OCC would 'ban' it from the Charts, because some people are buying several copies. You can buy as many copies of a Single, (or Album), as you like. I recall seeing people buying huge armfuls of Oasis's 'Be Here Now' Album in 1997, & the Elton John 'Diana' Single, the same Year. They were even shown buying them on the TV News - filmed in HMV etc.

The 'adjusted', (lower), Sales for 'Back For Good', & 'Stay Another Day' etc. should be ignored. The OCC did give out the lower Sales for some TV Charts, but they have recently given the original - higher - Totals for those same Singles. 'Back For Good' is on over a Million UK Sales, now, with Downloads added in. (Added in to its 900,000+ from the 1990's, I mean - NOT added to the erroneous 725,000 Total, that it is said - sometimes - to have sold in the 1990's). I've discussed all of this with The OCC, & told them that it would be better if everyone in their Office(s), used the original figures - rather than some of their Staff giving out the lower ones, & some giving out the original ones. (Alan Jones of 'Music Week', always gives out the higher/original Totals). I recall that it was widely reported that 'Back For Good' sold 350,000 in its 1st Week, in 1995. It was No.1 for 4 Weeks - and must have sold more than 725,000 in its 13 Week Chart Run.

It doesn't matter who has the Christmas No.1. I hate 'The Climb', but, even if it isn't No.1 on Sunday 20th, it will be there on Sunday 27th. It will get to No.1 come-what-may. The RATM 'Single' would only be able to be No.1 for 1 Week. The 'Campaign' for it will die out - fast - once it is either No.1 or No.2 on Sunday - 20th. If it is No.1 on Sunday, the 'Campaigners' will no longer see a reason to buy it. If it is No.2 on Sunday, then the 'Campaigners' will feel that RATM has failed, & will see no point in carrying on buying it. I think the whole thing is pointless - 'The Climb' will get to No.1 in the end, anyhow - and RATM will drop like a stone. That's just how it is. So all the fuss about a 'Chart Battle' is pointless..... It just gives the Tabloids a daily 'Story'. Cheryl Cole goes on as if Joe will be 'cheated' out of a No.1, if he isn't No.1 for Christmas. That is tripe - his Single WILL get to No.1 - the only question is if it is the CHRISTMAS No.1.

1) Cliff Richard was born in India 2) Engelbert Humperdinck was born in India 3) Freddie Mercury, (Queen), was born in Zanzibar - an Island off the East African Coast 4) apl.de.ap, (Black Eyed Peas), was born in the Philippines

His Single will Sell about 500,000 - 650,000 in Week 1. He certainly isn't another Leon Jackson! I'd say he has the ability to be another Gareth Gates, (Who? Quite!). It depends on how many his 2nd ALBUM Sells that will decide if Simon drops him or not - the Singles are secondary to that matter.....

Here is a Statement - from The OCC - about the 29p Downloads from Amazon:, The Official Singles Chart Rules do not specify a minimum retail selling price for the sale of a single to be eligible for inclusion in the Official Singles Chart, however they do specify a minimum published dealer price. This does not affect the ability of a retailer to carry out price promotions and any genuine consumer purchases made as a result of a retailer promotion will be eligible as long as the single meets all other applicable chart rules. In plain English - RAGTM & Joe 'The Climb' Downloads from Amazon.uk DO count. I know someone at The OCC, & he's just re-confirmed it to me. Basically - Dealers have to pay a minimum of 40p, but they can sell the Downloads as cheaply as they like - such as 29p. The OCC still count them.