The way we consume music has changed drastically over the years and whether we want to admit it or not, YouTube has played a massive part in this. Don’t agree? Considering Luis Fonsi‘s “Despacito” holds the record for the most YouTube views, with a staggering 5.2 billion hits, the case is evident. But all those views unfortunately don’t count towards sales.
A long-standing debate has finally seen some sort of resolution as the Official Charts Company, who oversee the music charts for the United Kingdom, have announced that this summer, the rules will be overhauled with videos counting towards the weekly rundown for the first time.
Streaming and downloading of only official videos and audio clips from artists will count towards the UK’s sole official singles countdown, which is compiled by the OCC and unveiled by BBC Radio 1 every Friday afternoon. The change will be effective from the chart published on July 6.
The change comes as services such as Apple Music and Spotify add video to their platform and as YouTube launches their first music subscription service in the UK. Reflected in this change, fans can’t ‘spam’ their favorite artists as the OCC won’t count subsequent streams. Furthermore, A separate tweak will see paid-for music streams carrying more weight than “free” ones.
Speaking on the the overhaul, Martin Talbot, the company’s CEO, said:
“This is a significant step for the UK and ensures The Official Chart continues to be the most comprehensive and trusted chart in the UK, bar none. Consumption of recorded music via more than 15,000 retailers, download stores and streaming services of all kinds contribute to the weekly chart countdown.”
Regular feature on the chart and “New Rules” singer Dua Lipa was on hand to announce the ‘new rules’.
#Peace.Love.OfficialCharts
