| Record Business | |
| Image Alt: | Front page of Music Week, 6 November 1978 |
| Category: | Business |
| Frequency: | Weekly |
| Publisher: | Record Business Publications Ltd. |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Based: | London |
| Language: | English |
| Issn: | 0144-0691 |
| Oclc: | 1065310893 |
Record Business was a trade publication for the UK record industry distributed via a weekly print magazine between 1978 and 1983. It was published by Record Business Publications Ltd.
Record Business was launched on 20 March 1978 as a weekly trade publication for the UK record industry and a rival of Music Week. It was established by the former Music Week editor Brian Mulligan, with backing from the head of the British printing company Garrod and Lofthouse, Norman Garrod.[1] An announcement of a new trade publication, with the provisional title Record Dealer, was made as early as November 1977,[2] although Mulligan retained his position with Music Week until January 1978.[3]
The magazine compiled its own top 100 singles chart to rival the singles charts produced by the British Market Research Bureau (BMRB) and Gallup (for Radio & Record News).[1] The majority of the magazine's top 100 was calculated using both sales and airplay data, whereas the top 30 was based purely on sales, obtained from 350 outlets.[1] [4] In response to the launching of the Record Business and Radio & Record News charts, the BMRB extended their top 50 chart to a top 75 in May 1978.[5]
Record Business subsequently extended their singles chart three times, providing a "Ones to Watch" section from 31 July 1978 for positions 101 to 120,[6] then extending it up to position 130 from 9 February 1981,[7] and then up to position 150 from 1 February 1982.[8]
Record Business also compiled their Airplay Guide chart, which was the first in the UK to provide a "proper evaluation of radio action".[9] Other charts included a top 60 album chart, introduced in June 1978,[10] and a Disco Chart, introduced in October 1978, which at the time was the UK's only sales-based chart for the genre.[11] In January 1980, Record Business also started publishing the first independent singles and albums charts, compiled by Barry Lazell.[12]
Record Business published its final issue on 14 February 1983, after which it was absorbed into Music Week.[9]