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Post by The Seldom Seen Kid on Nov 2, 2006 18:27:48 GMT -5
R.I.P. the official UK singles chart.  QUOTE: As a result of recent discussions the Chart Supervisory Committee has agreed to amend the chart rules relating to maxi singles and the eligibility of digital downloads within the Official UK Combined Singles Chart.
Maxi Singles
Currently a maxi single is chart eligible with a maximum playing time of 20 minutes and a maximum of three tracks plus remixes of those tracks. From 1st January 2007 the maximum playing time will be extended to 25 minutes and a maximum of four tracks plus remixes of those tracks. The maximum of three physical formats remains unchanged.
Digital Downloads
Currently downloads are eligible for the Combined Singles Chart one week ahead of the release of a related physical single. From 1st January 2007 any download registering sufficient sales to record a chart position will be eligible for the Combined Singles Chart from the moment it is made available for purchase by consumers. Downloads will no longer require a related physical format to be released in order to chart in the Combined Singles Chart.
CHART RULES
The following formats may be combined for chart purposes:
· A maximum of three physical formats
· A maximum of three digital bundle formats
· Unlimited single digital tracks
Number of tracks and maximum timings:
· Physical rules remain unchanged (with the exception of extension of maxi single to 25 minutes and four tracks)
· All digital bundle formats to feature the lead track of a single and comply with the overall rules for timing and number of audio tracks for physical singles
· Current rules on the combination of physical formats remain unchanged and will also apply to the three permitted digital bundle formats
· All physical formats and digital bundles must feature the lead track in original or alternative form. However digital bundles are no longer required to replicate exactly the physical tracklisting
· Maximum length of single digital tracks remains unchanged at 10 minutes
· All digital tracks will be eligible for a chart position regardless of whether they are intended as singles or not (i.e. album tracks made available as single track downloads will be eligible)
For example a label elects to release a single digitally first. They release two digital bundles, consisting of a 2 track bundle and a maxi bundle. They also make the title track available as a single track download in its own right. When it comes to the physical formats of a release they could potentially replicate the 2 track bundle as a 2 track CD, the maxi bundle as maxi CD and also have scope for a further physical format which could be DVD, 7" or 12" vinyl. If they don't replicate the digital bundles exactly, provided the overall timings and number of tracks fall within the general rules for singles then the physical formats could feature alternative tracklistings.
Starring-out rule
On the basis that digital downloads will be eligible for the Combined Singles Chart without a related physical format, the current rule which "stars out" any sales recording a chart position two weeks post deletion of a physical single format will no longer apply.
Added Value / Enhanced Content
Rules for both physical and digital releases remain as they are currently. |
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Post by duh5 on Nov 2, 2006 18:30:26 GMT -5
I'm glad, the whole week before thing was kind of stupid IMO.
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Post by That Skipping Rope. on Nov 2, 2006 18:30:31 GMT -5
Oy vey. Why?
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Post by The Seldom Seen Kid on Nov 2, 2006 18:38:40 GMT -5
Well it's bad news IMO, if album tracks can chart - it means we'll end up with 9/10 tracks from big artists clogging up the chart taking up positions that smaller independent artists should get. Just like whats happening in the US chart recently with Hannah Montana and High School Musical. And of course, the end of the CD single. |
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Post by cactus tree on Nov 2, 2006 19:37:43 GMT -5
LOL I can't wait for the week where there'll be an all McFly top 10...that would be crazy sh*t.
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Post by paulmcsky on Nov 2, 2006 19:54:36 GMT -5
ugh i hate what they're doing with this chart...the cd-singles were awesome and now they're oficially dead...and i hate the fact that album tracks can enter the chart...it will be as messy as the us chart.  |
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Post by backintime on Nov 3, 2006 10:38:52 GMT -5
Am I the only person who's happy about this?
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Post by duh5 on Nov 3, 2006 13:13:43 GMT -5
Well, I don't live in the UK, but I actually like the idea. It'll just be more accurate IMO.
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Post by backintime on Nov 3, 2006 13:14:49 GMT -5
It'll just be more accurate IMO. Exactly |
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Post by That Skipping Rope. on Nov 15, 2006 19:58:22 GMT -5
The end of the physical single.   |
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Post by paulmcsky on Nov 15, 2006 20:02:06 GMT -5
yeah too bad...i love cd-singles!!!!!!
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Post by The Seldom Seen Kid on Nov 16, 2006 9:47:45 GMT -5
However, 7" vinyl sales are through the roof at the moment...  |
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Post by cactus tree on Nov 16, 2006 17:21:27 GMT -5
It'll be the same as the U.S. now. Nobody but the latest X-Factor winner will have a CD single released anymore.
sad. although I really think this is more of a "natural" occurence. the UK labels haven't seemed to be as adamant about killing the CD single like the U.S. ones have. at this point they still get released for virtually everything, and there haven't been any big cases of smash hit songs that didn't chart that didn't force their hand, unlike Billboard.
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Post by The Seldom Seen Kid on Nov 16, 2006 18:11:21 GMT -5
It'll be the same as the U.S. now. Nobody but the latest X-Factor winner will have a CD single released anymore. sad. although I really think this is more of a "natural" occurence. the UK labels haven't seemed to be as adamant about killing the CD single like the U.S. ones have. at this point they still get released for virtually everything, and there haven't been any big cases of smash hit songs that didn't chart that didn't force their hand, unlike Billboard. Well you need a physical counterpart to chart until the end of this year, so every commercial single is at least avaliable on CD, though some indie/dance records are ONLY avaliable on 7"/12" or download but rarely chart because even with the much smaller CD market, it still requires a CD single release to propel a song into the Top 10. Thankfully we never have and hopefully never will include airplay in our chart- the singles chart should represent what the public want to buy and airplay skews that inaccurately IMO. |
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Post by cactus tree on Nov 16, 2006 18:34:21 GMT -5
That's pretty much what i'm saying. Before Billboard counted airplay only songs, there were several really popular songs that never charted as singles because they didn't have a CD single, which was because the record labels thought they would cannibalize album sales. Those songs didn't chart, which made the chart look weak, and the label didn't care because they sold millions of albums off the backs of those songs, despite it seeming wierd that songs like "Don't Speak" and "Torn" have no Hot 100 peak whatsoever. They basically had to change it so the chart could remain somewhat representative.
I don't think any label in the UK has tried that. At least I haven't heard of them trying to flog an album with an airplay and video only track. Even though they haven't been selling as much, they've kept putting out CD singles. Starting next year they probably won't.
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Post by The Seldom Seen Kid on Nov 18, 2006 4:42:17 GMT -5
^ Yeah, you're right we may see fewer CD singles released next year, but at the moment unless the single is a HUGE seller (Gnarls Barkley, Rihanna, Nelly Furtado) the track won't reach the Top 10 without physical sales. Hopefully CD singles sales stabilise next year.  |
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