UK Independent Singles and Album Breakers Charts explained

The UK Independent Singles Breakers Chart and the UK Independent Album Breakers Chart are music charts based on UK sales of singles and albums released on independent record labels by musical artists who have never made the UK top 40.[1] It is compiled weekly by the Official Charts Company (OCC),[2] and is first published on their official website on Friday evenings.[3] [4] The chart was first launched on 29 June 2009,[5] and, according to Martin Talbot, managing director of the OCC, would have benefited acts such as Friendly Fires and Grizzly Bear.

History

The UK Indie Breakers Chart runs alongside the similar UK Indie Chart.[6] The UK Indie Chart was created in 1978 by Cherry Red Records founder Iain McNay,[7] and, like the breakers chart, lists only albums and singles released by independent record labels in the UK. Until June 2009, a single was classed as "indie" if it was shipped by a distribution service that was independent of the four major record companies: EMI, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group and Universal Music Group.[8] Following discussion at the 2008 annual general meeting of the British Phonographic Industry,[9] this definition was altered to include only releases from labels that were at least fifty per cent owned by a record company that was not one of the main four.[10] This prevented major record companies from qualifying for the chart by outsourcing the shipping of their singles and albums to smaller distribution services.[11] At the same time, the UK Indie Breakers Chart was also unveiled, with the objective that it would allow acts signed to independent labels to "reach the broader public".[12] Any single or album released by an independent label can quality for the breakers charts, provided that the artist has never previously had a Top 20 hit in the mainstream charts.[13]

The new indie charts went live on 29 June 2009;[14] at the time, sales from independent labels contributed towards approximately a fifth of sales of albums and singles in the UK.[15] The new charts were received positively by McNay, who remarked that they would, once again, "be genuinely independent charts which can help measure the success of, and promote independent records".[16] Stewart Green, commercial director of the independent record company Beggars Group also praised the new charts. He stated: "This will provide a fascinating snapshot of those slow-burners that do not achieve instant success but sell consistently well over a period of time."[17] Allison Schnackenberg of Southern Records was more critical, remarking that the "fifty per cent or more" rule was "blurring the lines to the point that the word 'independent' will be meaningless to the general public".[17]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rising indie stars get new charts. Ian. Youngs. 15 June 2009. BBC News. London.
  2. Web site: The Charts We Compile. 2010. Official Charts Company. London. ... Indie (Singles & Albums) .... live. https://web.archive.org/web/20120314144309/http://www.officialcharts.com/the-charts-we-compile/. 14 March 2012.
  3. Web site: Independent Albums Breakers Top 20. 2011. Official Charts Company. London. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20121227123415/http://www.officialcharts.com/independent-albums-breakers-chart/. 27 December 2012.
  4. Web site: Independent Singles Breakers Top 20. 2011. Official Charts Company. London. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20120403171826/http://www.officialcharts.com/independent-singles-breakers-chart/. 3 April 2012.
  5. Web site: Independent Charts to be relaunched. Alex. Fletcher. 15 June 2009. Digital Spy. London. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20121107215831/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/news/a160072/independent-charts-to-be-relaunched.html. 7 November 2012.
  6. Web site: Official Charts Company Re-Launch UK's Independent Charts. Leanne. Durr. 15 June 2009. Glasswerk National. Liverpool. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20120325071139/http://www.glasswerk.co.uk/news/national/5826/Official+Charts+Company+Re-Launch+UKs+Independent+Charts. 25 March 2012.
  7. News: New chart rules benefit smaller record companies. Metro. Associated Newspapers. London. 2009. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20110819103651/http://www.metro.co.uk/metrolife/685091-new-chart-rules-benefit-smaller-record-companies. 19 August 2011.
  8. Book: Lazell. Barry. Indie hits: 1980-1989 : the complete U.K. independent charts (singles & albums). 1997. Cherry Red. London. 978-0-9517206-9-1. 38292499.
  9. Cardew. Ben. 7 July 2008. Independent labels to top BPI agenda. Music Week. 7.07.08. London. United Business Media. Paul. Williams. 0265-1548. 60620772. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20110714142714/http://www.musicweek.com/story.asp?storycode=1034771. 14 July 2011.
  10. 15 June 2009. New independent music charts to launch. NME. Conor. McNicholas. Conor_McNicholas. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20090618135343/http://www.nme.com/news/various-artists/45352. 18 June 2009.
  11. News: New 'breakers' charts launch to help indie music acts rock on. The Standard. Sing Tao News. Hong Kong. 16 June 2009.
  12. Web site: UK to gain independent charts. News desk. 15 June 2009. Tourdates.co.uk. London. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20121003083212/http://www.tourdates.co.uk/news/13928-uk-to-gain-independent-charts. 3 October 2012.
  13. ClashMusic. 15 June 2009. New UK Charts Launched. Clash. London. Simon. Harper. 1743-0801. 266993173. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20091108175612/http://www.clashmusic.com/news/new-uk-charts-launched. 8 November 2009.
  14. News: Independent music charts to be relaunched. Sean. Michaels. The Guardian. London. 0261-3077. 476290235. 16 June 2009. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20151222224052/http://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/jun/16/independent-music-charts-relaunched. 22 December 2015.
  15. News: New chart to boost indie acts. Mike. Collett-White. Reuters. London. 15 June 2009. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20121017094156/http://uk.reuters.com/article/2009/06/14/uk-independents-britain-idUKTRE55D23U20090614. 17 October 2012.
  16. Web site: Independent charts to be re-launched, supported by new "Breakers" charts. 15 June 2009. British Phonographic Industry. London. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20120503121727/http://www.bpi.co.uk/assets/files/ROTD_Independent_Charts.pdf. 3 May 2012.
  17. News: What do indie labels make of the new independent charts?. Louis. Pattison. The Guardian. London. 0261-3077. 476290235. 17 June 2009. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20151222184626/http://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2009/jun/17/indie-labels-charts. 22 December 2015.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "UK Independent Singles and Album Breakers Charts".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.