Charts Plus
Encyclopedia
UKChartsPlus is an independent weekly newsletter
about the UK music charts. It was first published in September 2001 as ChartsPlus in order to record authoritatively the official music chart information in the United Kingdom, as compiled by The Official UK Charts Company
. Its publication began after Hit Music
ceased publication in May 2001. The newsletter was established to be totally independent of Music Week
, licensing the chart data directly from OCC
and other chart providers.
Initially it covered:
It also included a New Entries Spotlight on all new top 200 singles, and a Year to Date collection of all the current year's Top 200 albums and singles.
Since then, it has expanded to include the BPI
silver, gold or platinum sales awards, predictions of the success of forthcoming releases, Budget Albums Top 50, Airplay Top 100, and Downloads
Top 40. The Welsh Singles and Albums Top 75s and the Scottish Singles and Albums Top 75s are published in reference to the main UK Top 200 listings. It also published genre specific charts, for Indie
, Dance
, Rock
and R & B.
Some of these charts are exclusive to ChartsPlus and it is the only place where the UK Singles Chart
and UK Albums Chart
positions below 75 are published, as is the case for the Compilation Album Chart for positions below 40.
In October 2008, publisher Musiqware Ltd. (formerly IQware Ltd.) stopped production of ChartsPlus: the last issue published was number 371 (4 October 2008). In December 2008 ChartsPlus was relaunched by new publisher UKChartsPlus, the first issue under new control was number 383 (27 December 2008). Issues 372-382 were issued retrospectively between January and March 2009.
The range of charts (chart provider in brackets):
Other features:
Occasional additions:
Individual back issues are available at £5 each or in quarterly or annual batches.
Newsletter
A newsletter is a regularly distributed publication generally about one main topic that is of interest to its subscribers. Newspapers and leaflets are types of newsletters. Additionally, newsletters delivered electronically via email have gained rapid acceptance for the same reasons email in...
about the UK music charts. It was first published in September 2001 as ChartsPlus in order to record authoritatively the official music chart information in the United Kingdom, as compiled by The Official UK Charts Company
The Official UK Charts Company
The Official Charts Company , previously called the Chart Information Network and then The Official UK Charts Company, compiles various "official" UK record charts, including the UK Singles Chart, the UK Albums Chart, and the UK Official Download Chart, as well as genre-specific and music video...
. Its publication began after Hit Music
Hit Music
Hit Music was a weekly British chart newsletter; sister publication to Music Week. Hit Music existed for almost nine years, supplying the officil UK music charts . The founding editors were Graham Walker and Tony Brown. The first issue was published 5.09.1992 , the last issue 5.05.2001 Hit Music...
ceased publication in May 2001. The newsletter was established to be totally independent of Music Week
Music Week
Music Week is a trade paper for the UK record industry.Founded in 1959 as Record Retailer, it was relaunched on 18 March 1972 as Music Week . On 17 January 1981 the title was again changed, owing to the increasing importance of sell-through videos, to Music & Video Week...
, licensing the chart data directly from OCC
The Official UK Charts Company
The Official Charts Company , previously called the Chart Information Network and then The Official UK Charts Company, compiles various "official" UK record charts, including the UK Singles Chart, the UK Albums Chart, and the UK Official Download Chart, as well as genre-specific and music video...
and other chart providers.
History
- The UK Singles ChartUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
up to number 200 - The UK Albums ChartUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
up to number 200 - The Compilation Album Chart up to number 50
It also included a New Entries Spotlight on all new top 200 singles, and a Year to Date collection of all the current year's Top 200 albums and singles.
Since then, it has expanded to include the BPI
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
silver, gold or platinum sales awards, predictions of the success of forthcoming releases, Budget Albums Top 50, Airplay Top 100, and Downloads
UK Official Download Chart
The UK Official Download Chart is compiled by The Official UK Charts Company on behalf of the music industry. The chart week runs from Sunday to Saturday, with the chart being published on a Wednesday afternoon, so as to not to clash with the release of the main UK Singles Chart...
Top 40. The Welsh Singles and Albums Top 75s and the Scottish Singles and Albums Top 75s are published in reference to the main UK Top 200 listings. It also published genre specific charts, for Indie
UK Indie Chart
The UK Independent Chart or Indie Chart is a chart of the best-selling independent record releases in the UK.- History :In the wake of punk, small record labels began to spring up, as an outlet for artists that were unwilling to sign contracts with major record companies, or were not considered...
, Dance
UK Dance Chart
The UK Dance Chart is a chart compiled by The Official Charts Company from sales in record stores and digital downloads. Although the chart does not currently receive any airplay on the radio or television, the chart can be viewed on the BBC Radio 1 and The Official Charts Company website.Digital...
, Rock
UK Rock Chart
The UK Rock Chart usually refers to the Top 40 Rock Singles and the Top 40 Rock Albums Chart compiled by the Official Charts Company from physical record sales in British retail outlets with larger than average genrespecific sales....
and R & B.
Some of these charts are exclusive to ChartsPlus and it is the only place where the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
and UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
positions below 75 are published, as is the case for the Compilation Album Chart for positions below 40.
In October 2008, publisher Musiqware Ltd. (formerly IQware Ltd.) stopped production of ChartsPlus: the last issue published was number 371 (4 October 2008). In December 2008 ChartsPlus was relaunched by new publisher UKChartsPlus, the first issue under new control was number 383 (27 December 2008). Issues 372-382 were issued retrospectively between January and March 2009.
2010 Relaunch
With issue no. 463 (10 July 2010) the publication was relaunched under new title UKChartsPlus featuring a new cover (with hyperlinked index), several new charts, and some expanded charts, and a new colour scheme. It now also features a singles index and an albums index showing each entry's chart positions across all charts featured in UKChartsPlus.The range of charts (chart provider in brackets):
- Top 200 Singles (OCC)
- Top 200 Artist Albums (OCC)
- Top 200 Download Singles (OCC)
- Top 100 Download Albums (OCC)
- Top 50 Compilation Albums (OCC)
- Top 50 Budget Albums (OCC)
- Top 40 Vinyl Albums (OCC)
- Top 40 Dance Singles & Albums (OCC)
- Top 50 R&B Singles & Albums (OCC)
- Top 40 Rock/Metal Singles & Albums (OCC)
- Top 50 Indie Singles & Albums (OCC)
- Top 20 Indie Breakers Singles & Albums (OCC)
- Top 100 Year So Far Singles & Albums (OCC)
- Top 75 Scottish Singles & Albums (in reference to main chart) (OCC)
- Top 75 Welsh Singles & Albums (in reference to main chart) (OCC)
- UK Radio Airplay Top 100 (NMC)
- UK TV Airplay Top 40 (NMC)
- The Big Top 40 (Global RadioGlobal RadioGlobal Radio UK Ltd. is a British commercial radio company, the largest in the country following acquisitions of Chrysalis Radio and GCap Media.The company's Chief Executive Officer is Stephen Miron, while the Group Chairman is Charles Allen...
)
Other features:
- New Entries Spotlight: Singles (Top 200)
- New Entries Spotlight: Albums (Top 100)
- UKChartsPlus Singles Index
- UKChartsPlus Albums Index
- BPI Sales Awards (BPIBritish Phonographic IndustryThe British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
) - NMC Airplay Awards (NMC)
- Lonnie's Random Observations
Occasional additions:
- Michael Jackson Performance Chart
- Football Songs Chart (based on OCC data)
- Christmas Songs Chart (based on OCC data)
Subscriptions
As of February 2011, two versions are available for subscription:- "Full Version": £145 p.a., £43.75 (three months), £17.50 (four issues)
- "Express Version" (Downloads: only Top 50, Year So Far: only Top 75s, no UK TV Airplay Top 40, The Big Top 40, Indie Breakers, Vinyl Top 40, Index): £120 p.a., £36.25 (three months), £13 (four issues)
Individual back issues are available at £5 each or in quarterly or annual batches.
External links
- UKChartsPlus website
- Bibliography of British Chart books (History of predecessors publications Hit Music, Charts+Plus, et al.)
- Website of rival chart publisher Music Week Magazine