The Official UK Top 40 has always been seen as a reliable indicator of today’s most popular music. However, as music consumption has evolved, the charts have been under intense scrutiny to ensure that they keep up. In a move that demonstrates they know what people are really listening to these days, the Official Charts Company have announced that this week’s chart will also include streamed songs from services such as Spotify, Napster and Deezer.
Instead of the charts being made up purely of purchased singles, streamed tracks will also count, with every one hundred streams being equivalent to one sale. This dramatic change will inevitably benefit some artists, and may be a fairer reflection of how music is consumed. For example, last year Pompeii by Bastille only reached No. 2 in the charts, despite it being the UK’s most streamed song ever.
We think that this is really exciting in terms of the music industry, as it conveys that new ways of listening are being taken seriously. Today the charts are often ignored by fans who want to discover alternative music that may not have reached the ears of the more casual listener. However, the merging of streams with purchased music may allow less popular artists to gain a foothold in the charts, which in turn may lead to more mainstream success. Only time will tell whether this decision will truly make an impact on the charts, and ultimately what we listen to.
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