The Official UK Charts Company
Encyclopedia
The Official Charts Company (OCC), previously called the Chart Information Network (CIN) and then The Official UK Charts Company, compiles various "official" UK record chart
s, including the UK Singles Chart
, the UK Albums Chart
, and the UK Official Download Chart
, as well as genre
-specific and music video
charts.
The OCC produces its charts by gathering and combining sales data from retailers through market researchers Millward Brown
. OCC claims to cover 99% of the singles market and 95% of the album market, and aims to collect data from any retailer who sells more than 100 chart items per week.
The OCC is operated jointly by the British Phonographic Industry
and the Entertainment Retailers Association ERA (formerly the British Association of Record Dealers BARD). Since 1 July 1997, CIN and then OCC have compiled the official charts. Prior to this date, the charts were produced by a succession of market research companies, beginning with the British Market Research Bureau in 1969, and later by Gallup. Before the production of the "official" charts, various less comprehensive charts were produced, most notably by the NME
, which began its chart in 1952; some of these older charts (including NME's earliest singles charts) are now part of the official OCC canon.
All of the OCC's charts are published weekly on Sunday nights, and cover sales for the preceding week, Sunday to Saturday. Genre-specific charts include UK Dance Chart
, UK Indie Chart
, UK R&B Chart
, UK Rock Chart
and the Asian Download Chart. Other charts: Scottish Singles and Albums, Welsh Singles and Albums, UK Budget Albums. It also charts the UK DVD Chart
.
On 5 September 2008 The Official UK Charts Company rebranded itself as The Official Charts Company and introduced a new company logo.
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
s, including 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 ...
, the 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...
, and the UK Official Download Chart
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...
, as well as genre
Music genre
A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other types of music...
-specific and music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
charts.
The OCC produces its charts by gathering and combining sales data from retailers through market researchers Millward Brown
Millward Brown
Millward Brown is a global company focused on brands, media and communications. It is part of Kantar Group, the insights arm of WPP plc, and the world’s second largest market research organization after Nielsen Company.-Leadership:...
. OCC claims to cover 99% of the singles market and 95% of the album market, and aims to collect data from any retailer who sells more than 100 chart items per week.
The OCC is operated jointly by the British Phonographic Industry
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...
and the Entertainment Retailers Association ERA (formerly the British Association of Record Dealers BARD). Since 1 July 1997, CIN and then OCC have compiled the official charts. Prior to this date, the charts were produced by a succession of market research companies, beginning with the British Market Research Bureau in 1969, and later by Gallup. Before the production of the "official" charts, various less comprehensive charts were produced, most notably by the NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
, which began its chart in 1952; some of these older charts (including NME's earliest singles charts) are now part of the official OCC canon.
All of the OCC's charts are published weekly on Sunday nights, and cover sales for the preceding week, Sunday to Saturday. Genre-specific charts include UK Dance Chart
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...
, UK Indie Chart
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...
, UK R&B Chart
UK R&B Chart
The Official UK R&B Chart is a forty-position R&B/Hip-Hop chart compiled by The Official UK Charts Company. Although the chart does not receive any airplay, its compilation is viewed on BBC Radio 1's website and publications such as ChartsPlus and Music Week...
, UK Rock Chart
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 the Asian Download Chart. Other charts: Scottish Singles and Albums, Welsh Singles and Albums, UK Budget Albums. It also charts the UK DVD Chart
UK DVD Chart
The UK Video Charts is a group of charts compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British Video Association. The charts are based on weekly DVD and VHS sales in 6,500 retailers across the UK. It does not receive any airplay. The main chart combines the sales of all video sales in...
.
On 5 September 2008 The Official UK Charts Company rebranded itself as The Official Charts Company and introduced a new company logo.
See also
- UK DVD ChartUK DVD ChartThe UK Video Charts is a group of charts compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British Video Association. The charts are based on weekly DVD and VHS sales in 6,500 retailers across the UK. It does not receive any airplay. The main chart combines the sales of all video sales in...
- 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 ...
- 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...
- UK Download Chart
- British Phonographic Industry (BPI)British 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...