Geordiefrog

The point is that pent-up releases, which are a way of manipulating the chart to ensure high first week sales and a high peak position, are only possible for pre-album singles. Later singles are equivalent to OA/OS because they are already available to cherry-pick from an album when radio and TV promotion starts in earnest. Introducing the rule I suggest above would remove the incentive from record companies to hold back the release, because they would no longer win the prize of an (artificially) high peak position.

To enforce OA/OS, the OCC just needs to implement the following rule: a release is only chart-eligible if it has been available to purchase since its release to radio stations.

Top 10 tracks of 2009: 1. Three Little Words – FrankMusik (100 plays) 2. Mykonos – Fleet Foxes (88 plays) 3. Walking on a Dream – Empire of the Sun (86 plays) 4. Poker Face – Lady GaGa (86 plays) 5. Earthquake – Little Boots (85 plays) 6. Stuck on Repeat – Little Boots (82 plays) 7. Remedy – Little Boots (76 plays) 8. Love Story – Taylor Swift (75 plays) 9. Never Forget You – Noisettes (68 plays) 10. Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up) – Florence + The Machine (65 plays) Top 10 albums of 2009 by total track plays 1. Hands – Little Boots (634 plays) 2. Lungs – Florence + The Machine (493 plays) 3. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes (443 plays) 4. She Wolf – Shakira (361 plays) 5. Wild Young Hearts – Noisettes (355 plays) 6. The Fame (Monster) – Lady GaGa (342 plays) 7. Fearless – Taylor Swift (272 plays) 8. Walking on a Dream – Empire of the Sun (261 plays) 9. Battlefield Studies – John Mayer (232 plays) 10. Mi Plan – Nelly Furtado (187 plays) Total play count for all 532 songs downloaded in 2009: 7880 plays.

19-6-{4}-4-4-4-16-22-41 > 9 I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday - Wizzard, on its original chart run. It's been back a few times since. How about: {1}-2-3-4-5-7-8-10-11-15-23-33-38-54-70-72 I don't need to tell you it's from 2000, because it's an easy one. Oh wait – d'oh!

This year so far has been a good one for number one hits I would say – a good balance of decent tunes from different genres (dance, pop, soul, R&B, electro) with decent runs at the top. But looking over recent years, which would you say is the worst year for number ones, and why? You can find lists at http://www.everyhit.com of the number ones of each year. I nominate 2004. The year began with a duo of truly dreadful Pop Idol hits, courtesy of Michelle and Sam & Mark, and a couple of novelty songs: 'Mysterious Girl' by Peter Andre and 'Cha Cha Slide' by DJ Casper. The long runners were annoying chavvy mobile phone anthems – 'F**k It' by Eamonn and the dire 'F.U.R.B' by Frankee (7 consecutive weeks between them), and 'Call On Me' by Eric Prydz (5 non-consecutive weeks). Many were nondescript and forgettable ('My Place' by Nelly, 'Wonderful' by Ja Rule, 'Real To Me' by Brian McFadden) and those by several established acts ('Radio' by Robbie Williams, 'Just Lose It' by Eminem, 'Who's David' by Busted) were amongst their worst. There were a couple of decent hits, 'Toxic' by Britney Spears and 'Yeah' by Usher, but these are notable mostly for standing out against the dross of the rest of the year. I think a pretty good case can be made against the first half of 2005, too. Any other nominations?

The beginning of the Ting Tings' "Shut Up and Let Me Go" is reminiscent of Franz Ferdinand's "Come On Home". Also every time I hear "No One" by Alicia Keys I want to start singing "Where Is The Love?" by the Black Eyed Peas.

On hearing the new Rihanna song for the first time the other day it really reminded me of an old song, which I worked out was the 1996 song 'Now That We're Not A Family' by Canadian singer Lisa Brokop. I doubt anyone else has heard this song because it's pretty obscure, but the piano notes played in the first few seconds are actually almost identical. Now a whole bunch of people picked up on the fact that David Jordan's 'Sun Goes Down' sounded very similar to 'This Is Hallowe'en', 'Stop the Cavalry' and even the Wizbit theme tune, and whenever I sing in my head Girls Aloud's song 'I Can't Speak French' to myself it somehow turns into 'True Blue' by Madonna. Also The Hoosiers have come under fire for 'Cops and Robbers' sounding just like 'Love Cats' by The Cure, and for 'Goodbye Mr A' bearing strong resemblances to ELO's 'Mr Blue Sky'. So the question is, what other recent chart hits sound either very similar to older songs, or end up turning into different songs when you try singing them because they're reminscent of other tunes?

I notice in this chart that the earlier years of the decade (2000-2003) are far more represented than the later years (2006-2008) which is probably down to the deflation of singles sales. By using Excel I generated what I think the sales list would look like if sales had remained constant since 2000: 1 1. Will Young - Evergreen/Anything Is Possible (1,789 million) 2 3. Tony Christie - Is This The Way To Amarillo (1,182 million) 3 7. Shayne Ward - That's My Goal (1,081 million) 4 5. Band Aid 20 - Do They Know It's Christmas (1,138 million) 5 2. Gareth Gates - Unchained Melody (1,338 million) 6 12. Leona Lewis - Bleeding Love (880,000) 7 11. Gnarls Barkley - Crazy (926,000) 8 13. Leona Lewis - A Moment Like This (825,000) 9 4. Shaggy - It Wasn't Me (1,179 million) 10 6. Kylie Minogue - I Can't Get You Out Of My Head (1,084 million) 11 8. Hear'Say - Pure & Simple (1,079 million) 12 9. Bob The Builder -Can We Fix It (1,009 million) 13 36. Rihanna - Umbrella (563,000) 14 10. Atomic Kitten - Whole Again (956,000) 15 15. Enrique Iglesias - Hero (768,000) 16 37. Shakira - Hips Don't Lie (561,000) 17 44. Mika - Grace Kelly (522,000) 18 29. James Blunt - You're Beautiful (592,000) 19 14. DJ Ötzi - Hey Baby (776,000) 20 21. Nelly&Kelly Rowland - Dilemma (706,00) 21 41. Crazy Frog - Axel F 550,000 22 16. Westlife - Uptown Girl (756,000) 23 60. Leon Jackson - When You Believe (472,000) 24 24. Black Eyed Peas - Where Is The Love (628,000) 25 51. Scissor Sisters - I Don't Feel Like Dancin (495,000) 26 34. Eamon - I Don't Want U Back (569,00) 27 18. SClub7 - Don't Stop Moving (731,00) 28 55. Take That - Patience (488,000) 29 69. Mark Ronson - Valerie (445,000) 30 48. Madonna - Hung Up (506,000) 31 23. Elvis vs JXL - A Little Less Conversation (636,00) 32 76. Nickelback - Rockstar (412,000) 33 62. Take That - Rule The World (465,000) 34 35. Gary Jules -Mad World (569,000) 35 57. Pussycat Dolls - Don't Cha (483,000) 36 39. Gareth Gates - Spirit In The Sky (558,000) 37 27. Shakira - Whenever Wherever (606,00) 38 17. Eminem ft Dido - Stan (731,000) 39 28. Girls Aloud - Sound Of The Underground (596,000) 40 79. Timbaland & OneRepublic - Apologize (407,000) 41 31. Las Ketchup - Ketchup Song (583,000) 42 98. Duffy - Mercy (378,000) 43 85. Sugababes - About You Now (401,000) 44 19. All Saints - Pure Shores (709,000) 45 20. Baha Men - Who Let The Dogs Out (707,000) 46 32. Gareth Gates -Anyone Of Us(Stupid Mistake) (575,000) 47 74. Snow Patrol - Chasing Cars (421,000) 48 67. Nizlopi - JCB Song (449,000) 49 47. Will Young - Leave Right Now (510,000) 50 49. R Kelly - Ignition (Remix) (505,000) 51 99. Timbaland - The Way I Are (376,000) 52 30. Shaggy -Angel (589,000) 53 22. Sonique - Feels So Good (645,000) 54 43. Eminem - Without Me (523,000) 55 61. Kelly and Ozzy Osbourne - Changes (471,000) 56 46. Eminem - Lose Yourself (513,000) 57 83. McFly - All About You (403,000) 58 25. S Club 7 - Never Had A Dream Come True (616,000) 59 40. Wheatus - Teenage Dirtbag (552,000) 60 87. Sugababes - Push The Button (395,000) 61 26. Robbie Williams - Rock DJ (612,000) 62 50. Liberty X - Just A Little (501,000) 63 52. Daniel Bedingfield - If You're Not The One (494,000) 64 53. Ronan Keating - If Tomorrow Never Comes (493,000) 65 91. Akon -Lonely (388,000) 66 92. Westlife - You Raise Me Up (387,000) 67 42. Daniel Bedingfield - Gott Get Thru This (529,000) 68 81. Eric Prydz - Call On Me (404,000) 69 100. Daniel Powter - Bad Day (375,000) 70 45. Afroman - Because I Got High (521,000) 71 33. Spiller ft SEB -Groovejet (Why Does It Feel So Good) (573,000) 72 38. Leann Rimes - Can't Fight The Moonlight (560,000) 73 68. DJ Sammy - Heaven (446,000) 74 59. DJ Pied Piper & The M.O.C. - Do You Really Like It? (476,000) 75 73. Nickelback - How You Remind Me (423,000) 76 63. Moulin Rouge - Lady Marmalade (464,000) 77 78. Atomic Kitten - The Tide Is High (409,000) 78 80. Holly Valance - Kiss Kiss (405,000) 79 82. Scooter - The Logical Song (404,000) 80 54. Craig David - Fill Me In (490,000) 81 56. S Club 7 - Reach (483,000 - 488,000) 82 58. Gorillaz - Clint Eastwood (477,000) 83 72. Geri Halliwell - It's Raining Men (424,000) 84 97. Cheeky Girls - Cheeky Song (Touch my bum)(379,000) 85 64. Gabrielle - Rise (458,000) 86 65. Eminem - The Real Slim Shady (456,000) 87 66. Modjo - Lady (455,000) 88 70. Britney Spears - Oops!...I Did It Again (439,000) 89 71. Destiny's Child - Independent Women (437,000) 90 93. Atomic Kitten - Eternal Flame (385,000) 91 94 .S Club 7 - Have You Ever (382,000) 92 96. Bob The Builder - Mambo No.5 - (380,000) 93 75. Craig David - 7 Days (419,000) 94 77. Bloodhound Gang - Bad Touch (410,000) 95 84. Melanie C ft. Lisa Lopes - Never Be The Same Again (402,000) 96 86. Madonna - Music (399,000) 97 88. True Steppers ft. Dane Bowers & Victoria Beckham - Out Of Your Mind (394,000) 98 89. Ronan Keating - Life Is A Rollercoaster (391,000) 99 90. Westlife - What Makes A Man (390,000) 100 95. Madonna - American Pie (381,000) Basically by taking year 2000 as '1' I then multiplied sales in 2001 by 1.11, in 2002 by 1.22, in 2003 by 1.33 and so on up to 2008 by 1.88. So if Duffy had released 'Mercy' in 2000, all things being equal her sales would have been around 711,260 rather than the 378,000 she has sold in 2008. I think this chart is more representative of the sales popularity of songs in the last 9 years. Any opinions?