Tuesday 24 June 2014

Only a Matter of Time: UK Official Chart to Include Streaming Data

Sunday 22nd June 2014 - The UK's Official Chart Company is to start including streaming data in its chart for the first time from July 2014 (article from Official Charts Company). I had wondered when this would happen whilst writing my dissertation. If anyone's read my dissertation then you may have gathered I am rather anti-streaming. In which case, I'm not very happy with this news.

Revenue
Streaming only provides a substantial enough revenue for the more established artists so providing data for the charts will not significantly generate a higher revenue out of streaming. For many unsigned artists, streaming is one of the few routes through which they can actively distribute their music. However, even with this new development within the charts, we are very unlikely to see any change as to what music features within the Top 40. America's Billboard chart already has its own streaming chart but comparing those top 10 singles with the top 10 of the Billboard 100, there is very little difference.

Missing Out?
Not all tracks released for sale, either physically or by download, are added to streaming sites. Beyonce's latest self titled album wasn't shared on Spotify and both Coldplay and Black Keys have also resisted putting their music on the site (article). So does this mean some artists will miss out on 'the top spot'? Spotify went on the offensive after these artists didn't share their music so perhaps this is a ploy to forcibly get music onto the site. Providing data to the chart will not change the music featured but it may well have an impact on what positions the tracks ultimately get, especially if artists are absent from another avenue of figures by choice.

Christmas No.1
Every year we moan about the Christmas No.1 always going to the X Factor winner of that year, well, maybe that could all change now. It's Christmas party time so someone's got to make a playlist for the office do - this is going to be filled with Christmas songs that will be played over and over again and no doubt the person creating the playlist will do it on their Spotify account (if they've got one that is - I'd rather just get out my Christmas CD). This could be a golden opportunity for us to finally start getting proper Christmas songs back to No.1, where they belong. Just got to wait another 6 months to find out now!

The Official UK Singles Chart was always based on sales figures and that aim is about to be lost with the introduction of streaming data. 100 streams will equal 1 sale but it's not the same as many people don't even pay to stream the music as they have only opted for the free account option.

When I was younger I often used to listen to the charts on a Sunday evening, now I usually only listen to them when I remember it's a Sunday and happen to be in my room. I've always tried to make a point of listening to the Christmas chart though. Now I'm not so sure I'll bother listening to the chart show any more, knowing it's no longer truly based on sales figures. It came as a bit of a shock to many when the Arctic Monkeys shot straight to No.1 with their debut single, I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor, based on download sales alone, but at least they were still sales figures. It is possible, however, for old tracks to make a bit of a comeback into the charts. This usually only happens at Christmas, if a track gets re-released or covered on the X Factor. Streaming sites are an archive of tracks just waiting to end up on people's 'guilty pleasures' and 'old skool' playlists that this is likely to be the most visible change we see to the charts.

I knew this would probably happen at some point but I'll never be happy about it. Just nobody suggest including the figures from illegal downloads please - not even as a joke.

And just to prove the foresight...