T.R | Title | User | Personal Name | Date | Lines |
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307.1 | I avoid the charts nowadays! | IOSG::CREASY | A lively re-enactment of the Battle of Naseby from the neck down | Mon Jan 09 1989 18:03 | 13 |
| I remember seeing something about the charts many years ago (when
it used to be done by BMRB). Wherever it was I read it, they reckoned
that to get a representative chart, you should poll somewhere like
HMV in Oxford St. (this is before the days of Virgin and Tower Records,
too...). Trouble is, a big store like that has neither the time
nor the inclination to fill out the necessary forms for the people
doing the survey. As I recall, the argument against the then current
system (which changed little when they changed to Gallup), was similar
to yours in .0 - namely that smaller shops don't carry the range
of stocks, nor do they have such a wide variety of customers, so
the results of the poll never truly representative.
Nick
|
307.2 | | OTTO::COTTON | | Mon Jan 09 1989 19:23 | 11 |
|
A point related to this note is the insidious rise of Our Price shops
around the country. Surely they hold the majority of record shops in
England, thereby the public only gets to choose what they stock. I've
seen a lot of independent shops being swallowed up by this chain, and
even shops belonging to other music chains. (Virgin, to be precise.)
I know not many people actually take any notice of the charts nowadays,
but the fact that this chart must be compiled from a majority of one
chain is worrying.
Lee.
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307.3 | | SUBURB::DALLISON | 3 hrs 20 minutes maybe 400 beers | Mon Jan 09 1989 19:56 | 15 |
|
Yes, I agree.
I've been "faithfully" buying my records from 'Listen' in Reading
town centre for years, but I'm now faced with an awkward predicament:
Do I continue to buy from a shop which I am pretty sure is not on
the survey, thus continuing my loyalty to the shop but depriving
the writer of his chart rank, or do I go and buy my music from the
larger stores - who have less of a stock of my interest in music -
and get the band "one more sale", but at the same time reduce sales
from my local friendly store.
Hmmm..
-Tony
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307.4 | | AYOV28::MDONNELLY | I try to be a daily genius | Wed Jan 11 1989 13:29 | 28 |
|
You're dead right, Tony.
I don't know which record shops are polled, but I'm sure what's
in the chart is not a true representation of what's being bought.
I'm sure we've all heard stories of record companies 'bulk buying'
from selected stores to ensure a particular release gains vital
chart entry.
And make no mistake, whether or not you value the top 40, chart
success can have a vital bearing on an artist's commercial success
in not only the singles but albums market also.
A more sinister aspect to this business is the infamous Radio 1
'play list'. Every week a group of people in the BBC decide which
of the new releases will be played on Radio 1. If a record doesn't
make this list, it doesn't have a hope. (unless they actually ban
it for some reason)
The whole system stinks rotten.
Michael
|
307.5 | | RDGENG::KEDMUNDS | But I haven't got an fm2r... | Wed Jan 11 1989 14:15 | 12 |
307.6 | | SUBURB::DALLISON | No bone movies | Wed Jan 11 1989 14:48 | 21 |
|
Well, my mother is the record librarian for our local radio station
(you know the one!). She is responsible for the playlist, but when
she writes up the list, she has to go and show it to the controller
to get his O.K. Otherwise, it isn't used.
There are certain records that are doing real well even in the Gallop
charts that get very little or no airplay because they don't conform
to the norm, or because Br*s-ettes or kylie fanatics aren't going,to
go out in their thousands to buy it. An example of this is the rock
ballad "Sweet Child o'Mine" by Guns 'n Roses. O.k, granted its not
everybody cup of tea as far as music goes but it was selling well.
Our local radio station refused to put it on the playlist because it
was (and I quote) "too heavy".
sigh..
-Tony
BTW - if you ever here 'Marianne' mentioned on the station - THATS
MY MOM!!! :-)
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307.7 | y | AYOV28::MDONNELLY | I try to be a daily genius | Wed Jan 11 1989 15:12 | 14 |
|
>> anyway, I was eternally grateful that I was saved from having
>> that rubbish played to me.
That's not the point! *Somebody* obviously wanted to hear it.
If you don't like it, switch off. I for one object to somebody
'screening' what I should hear (or see for that matter, but we won't
go down that rathole here)
Michael
|
307.8 | If you want it played, I must be paid | HYEND::SCHILTON | Sue Chilton dtn 297-5154 | Wed Jan 11 1989 16:10 | 9 |
| >> The whole system stinks rotten.
In talking about who gets airplay, is 'payola' very prevalent
in the UK radio market, you know, being bribed to play certain
songs? I would think that being given 'incentive' to play certain
music would carry more weight with program directors than any
arbitrary chart of record sales.
Sue
|
307.9 | I remember wanting to shoot P Powell | MARVIN::MACHIN | | Wed Jan 11 1989 16:31 | 9 |
|
It MUST be prevalent. Why else would every DJ get so worked up about
a chart that means nothing outside of an index to the profit the
record companies can expect from their product? And NOBODY gets
so excited about ANYTHING (and I mean anything) as does a DJ with
a new record he wants to plug. If they're not on the take, then
they need serious therapy.
Richard.
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307.10 | Not exactly fair | MUNEDU::LACEY | Here's the rope... now SWING | Wed Jan 11 1989 19:21 | 9 |
|
I'm sure that the "record Pushers" are given an amount of cash
to get records airplay, not necessarily cash in the hand for the
DJ's but other nice little perks.
Grub......
|
307.11 | | BISTRO::WARD | | Wed Jan 11 1989 22:26 | 7 |
| Witness Holly Johnson's latest record. Unfortunately although
I'm loathed to admit it - if you take a look in Woolies or
WH Smiths one day and watch what the 14-17 girls are buying
(for it is only they who buy singles any more) then you will
discover why Rick, Bros and Kylie are up amongst the stars.
I agree with Keith that the radio "playlist" concept is the most
worrying aspect of the charts.
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307.12 | Devolution for the charts? | AYOU30::PAULC | People and work in exquisite harmony | Wed Mar 08 1989 11:26 | 19
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