In association with MusicWeek


In the iTunes age, others have questioned whether the weekly cycle of the Official Chart should perhaps be shortened to react to a more immediate, online world. In 2010, Radio 1 began to broadcast the Official Chart Update on a Wednesday, whose popularity amongst the public has continued to grow. “All of the charts we do are


primarily weekly charts and that cycle has served us well over 60 years,” says Talbot. “But there is some value in talking about the race a bit more. It’s like having half-time scores for the final result - or watching Formula 1 qualifying ahead of the race. “We are of course aware that some other charts roll constantly and are always changing. The danger of that for us is that we


have 60 years of heritage: there have been more than 1,200 Number 1 singles. If the chart was changing day-by-day, you could multiply that by 10. It dilutes how special it is for an artist to take the crown. But we certainly will be


the Official Christmas Singles Chart at No.2 behind X Factor winner Alexandra Burke’s version of the song. It was an intensely close-fought race. A year later, the festive chart race gripped the entire nation, as a


“We will certainly be keeping a close eye on how we tell the weekly story of the UK chart”


keeping a close eye on how we tell the weekly story of the UK’s most popular music. ” For now though, it is not as if


the weekly chart doesn’t provide enough drama in the download era. In 2008, Jeff Buckley’s version of Hallelujah landed on


public campaign to push Rage Against The Machine’s angry classic Killing In The Name to Number 1 ahead of X Factor’s Joe McElderry proved successful. Regardless of how the weekly Official Chart reaches fans, how consumers are buying music or


how often fans are updated, it is this narrative - this inarguable finality to tribal artist attachment - that has kept us all gripped for six decades, and made history in the process. “The people working on and compiling the charts here today - both here at the Official Charts Company, but also our compilation partners at Millward Brown - appreciate that we are a part of an amazing lineage,” says Talbot. “For 60 years, the Official


Chart has been chronicling this amazing, rich history of popular music tastes in the UK - music that itself has chronicled people’s loves, losses, happiness and sadness. It’s a special responsibility and one we carry out with immense pride.”


HOW IMPORTANT IS THE OFFICIAL CHARTS COMPANY TO THE BRITISH MUSIC INDUSTRY IN 2012?


“I’m a firm believer that the Official Singles Chart is still a very


important benchmark for the success of an artist campaign, both from a music industry and a consumer perspective. “After 60 years, I also


believe that the company’s most exciting days are ahead, rather than behind it - it has the opportunity to track the popularity of artists and music in a completely different way across streaming, downloading and physical sales, and even a


combination of all three.” Brian Rose,


Commercial MD, Universal Music UK


“The Official Charts remain the definitive measure of a record’s


success, inside and outside the music industry. Martin Talbot and his team at The Official Charts Company have


strengthened the brand and continue to innovate to ensure the charts reflect changing consumer behaviour, including the launch this year of the first streaming chart. “In a multi-channel digital marketplace, the Official Charts will remain as important as ever before.”


Geoff Taylor,


Chief Executive, BPI


“The Official Charts are a unique collaborative effort drawing on sales data recording millions of transactions from literally thousands of outlets - from the High Street to cyberspace. In a world in which there are any number of would-be


definitions of success, the Official Charts provide the ultimate benchmark. Britain’s entertainment retailers are proud to be contributors to, instigators of and shareholders in the UK’s only Official Charts.”


Kim Bayley, Director General of ERA 14 www.officialcharts.com


“The Official Charts Company is hugely important to


the industry. In short it provides the central narrative to the business and is and has been the body of record of commercial success and popularity for 60 years. The fact that we had allowed this voice to become largely silent, allowing others to claim the role of king maker and definer of what is popular, was a mistake that had to be corrected.


“The re-branding of the


Official Charts Company and the subsequent introduction of the No. 1 award was the beginning of a reclamation of our duty to tell the story of British chart success and a new found pride in what a special achievement it is to top the one and only Official UK chart.” Rob Salter,


Head Of Entertainment, Tesco UK


“The Official Singles Chart is still THE industry chart: it has the


credibility and authority other charts don't have and is a testament to the legacy and evolution of the Official Charts Company brand. The Official Singles Chart is the chart artists want to top and our viewers want to watch. “It has developed from a


Top of the Pops solus event TV to multi-weekly charts and genres across our multiple music channels, reflecting the music taste and consumptions of today's audience. The weekly chart series on MTV UK is one of our key music franchises: proof of its continuing resonance with our core 16-34 audience.”


Virginia Monaghan, Senior Editorial Director, Music Commissioning and Content,


MTV Networks UK and MTV Live HD


“After a successful music career spanning nearly 30


years the charts have always been the 'tool for defining success' within the music business. “I've always considered


many different mechanisms for judging and defining the success of an artist or a company but the Official Singles Chart has always been the most important benchmark. In this current online world where information and purchases are a 24/7 phenomenon, the Singles Chart has become even more relevant. “I'd like to see the charts become a more fluid entity whereby they live and move hourly with a consistent analysis of people’s music consumption - the streaming chart is definitely a step in the right direction.” Korda Marshall, Founder


Infectious Records


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