BBC: "Redefine what a single is"

[leesmapman]

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-39265093

interesting article on how single charts (don't) work nowadays.

[Undertaker]

They've ruined it and they know it. I doubt there is a way back. Its probably always been used as some sort of advertising tool in a way but now much more than ever. The streaming thing is the most pathetic ever. If that counts, why shouldnt a £7 cd single count as 7 units?

[Drico One]

The charts are over.

When it no longer means that 1 sold more than 2 and 2 sold more than 3, then it's curtains. Now, it's about equations and mathematical formulae calculating sales of things you can no longer physically touch or even see. It's far too complicated and spurious to make sense. And, let's face it, these are the charts. They are meant to be trivial, not a crash course in theorems.

I, for one, think it appropriate that Ed Sheeran is responsible for putting the nails in the chart coffin. Don't be fooled. He's the real evil. Bland, anodyne and inoffensive he may seem, but that's the insidious genius of his brand of word-dominating insipidness. I'm convinced he's successful because the world is full of tediously dull, uninteresting drips who can strum a bit of a guitar whilst offering nary a hint of sexual presence. He's no threat to anyone - except the minority of us who value personality, flair, creativity, perversity, and wit in our pop music. He's revenge of the over-earnest nerds with a heart - writ large. And he has drowned the charts in his vapidity, submerging them in his terrible blandness until they gasp to be put out of their misery by way of a foot pedal.

Drico.

[Shopper]

The charts are over.

When it no longer means that 1 sold more than 2 and 2 sold more than 3, then it's curtains. Now, it's about equations and mathematical formulae calculating sales of things you can no longer physically touch or even see. It's far too complicated and spurious to make sense. And, let's face it, these are the charts. They are meant to be trivial, not a crash course in theorems.

I, for one, think it appropriate that Ed Sheeran is responsible for putting the nails in the chart coffin. Don't be fooled. He's the real evil. Bland, anodyne and inoffensive he may seem, but that's the insidious genius of his brand of word-dominating insipidness. I'm convinced he's successful because the world is full of tediously dull, uninteresting drips who can strum a bit of a guitar whilst offering nary a hint of sexual presence. He's no threat to anyone - except the minority of us who value personality, flair, creativity, perversity, and wit in our pop music. He's revenge of the over-earnest nerds with a heart - writ large. And he has drowned the charts in his vapidity, submerging them in his terrible blandness until they gasp to be put out of their misery by way of a foot pedal.

Drico.

what chance does a PSB ever have against this streaming set up! I am still surprised how he blocked all 16 positions in the top 20 though, within a week of opening? would be interesting to understand the computation though

[Patrick Bateman]

Of course James 'Salted Slug' Masterton is wetting his knickers over Ed 'crumbling like pastries' Sheeran's heroic achievement.

http://chart-watch.uk/index.php/2017/61 ... -16th-2017

[Drico One]

That article almost slides off the screen, such is the moistness of its prose.

And so much for the notion that Sheeran's dominance will be a novelty. In the latest chart, he still holds nine of the top 10 positions and 12 of the top 20. I must admit, I'm enjoying the way he is single-handedly burning the charts to the ground. This act of commercial vandalism has instantly rendered them redundant. It's no more than this generation deserves. I mean, Ed f*%&ing Sheeran.

Drico.

[Patrick Bateman]

I've never known an individual to be so obsessed by a load of people with appalling taste buying something. I think Masterton is aware of the dark void that exists at the heart of his chart obsession so feels compelled to pull out the pom poms for one last hurrah. It's either that or reach for the revolver and bottle of whiskey.

Rather hilariously his page on Facebook has so far garnered a chart-topping 521 likes. Sadly I suspect the irony would be lost on him.

[Hillbilly]

This is ridiculous! So what really counts as a single today, in the UK, is when a track has been streamed 150 times x (a number of "sales")?

At the minute, every time a song is streamed 150 times, it counts as one real-world "sale".

How many "sales" are needed for a track to chart then?

[tottenhammattspurs]

I buy Winner. A £4 cd single. I go and play it 300 times. It counts as one sale.

I buy shape of you as a 99p iTunes download and play it 300 times. It counts as one sale

I stream Galway Girl. I don't buy it. No money whatsoever passes hands. I listen to it 300 times. It counts as 2 sales.

How is this fair?

[Drico One]

True.

People should never be asked to hand over money for Winner or Shape of You.

Drico.

[anajames]

Just don't get the calculation, seems like a new mathematics.

[West 4th]

They should probably just start factoring in radio play along with sales/streaming.

[anajames]

Seems like a good idea.

[acanais49]

The charts are over.

When it no longer means that 1 sold more than 2 and 2 sold more than 3, then it's curtains. Now, it's about equations and mathematical formulae calculating sales of things you can no longer physically touch or even see. It's far too complicated and spurious to make sense. And, let's face it, these are the charts. They are meant to be trivial, not a crash course in theorems.

I, for one, think it appropriate that Ed Sheeran is responsible for putting the nails in the chart coffin. Don't be fooled. He's the real evil. Bland, anodyne and inoffensive he may seem, but that's the insidious genius of his brand of word-dominating insipidness. I'm convinced he's successful because the world is full of tediously dull, uninteresting drips who can strum a bit of a guitar whilst offering nary a hint of sexual presence mutuelles Entreprise. He's no threat to anyone - except the minority of us who value personality, flair, creativity, perversity, and wit in our pop music. He's revenge of the over-earnest nerds with a heart - writ large. And he has drowned the charts in his vapidity, submerging them in his terrible blandness until they gasp to be put out of their misery by way of a foot pedal.

Drico.

You're absolutely right. One should not rely too much on external appearances and dig a little.