Who compiles the weekly music charts

A.� These days, the charts are compiled and overseen by The Music Industry Chart Services Ltd, a company set up by the music industry to ensure that the Charts represent an accurate assessment of popularity, either based on radio airplay, or shop sales, or both.

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Q.� Why just the one company

A.� The music industry made a combined decision to regulate itself after a series of incidents over a number of years involving corrupt payments to various record shops, and radio DJ's to persuade them to falsify Chart returns, or give extra airtime to certain records to ensure their entry into the music charts.

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Q.� Why would anyone pay to falsify sales records or gain radio airplay

A.� Success in music depends on exposure to the public. If a record sells enough copies to get into the weekly Charts, it is assured additional radio and possibly television exposure, which in turn leads to further sales. Additional airplay on radio also ensures further sales, and potentially greater exposure for future releases by the same artist.

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Q.� So it all comes down to money

A.� That's the final truth of it�- music is and always has been a way to make large amounts of money, and where there is a lot of money, there are always those who will attempt to gain more than their share by corrupt means.

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Q.� But that's all been taken care of now

A.� With the introduction of CIN, the Chart Information Network that supervises all the major charts, a code of conduct has been drawn up governing eligibility for all the Charts, and providing strict rules for what can and cannot be included in the Charts.

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Q.� So it's not as simple as putting a piece of music onto a CD and hoping for the best

A.� Far from it. With the increase in music hardware�- CD's DVD's videos, and so on, the rules have been expanded to ensure that no unfair advantage can be gained by one single or album over another. The rules are clearly laid down, and although any record company is free to release music in any format and at any length, any formats that fail to meet the CIN rules are simply excluded from their Charts.

Q.� What are the rules

A.� There is a long and complex list of rules, but the basic rules are concerned with format�- the number of tracks on a single or album, and their playing time, and packaging, both used to avoid any unfair advantage gained by putting extra music on releases, or including free gifts, outside the defined limits.

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A 'single' on CD, cassette, or 7" or 12" vinyl must last no than 20 minutes, and comprise no more than three tracks. An 'album' must be longer than 20 minutes, or carry more than three tracks.

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Free gifts with a single render it ineligible for a CIN Chart, except for either�one poster, and/or cards (maximum of four), and/or page inlay/ booklet, and/or a 'database' card, that's those small postcards that invite you to join mailing lists and so on, and/or a promotional 'flyer' advertising the artist concerned. Anything else is considered a 'free gift' and removes the single or album from the CIN Charts.

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There are a mass of rules governing computer downloads and hyperlinks, and rules governing visits to websites for downloads are being written at the moment, but it all boils down to the same rule�- add anything at all to persuade people to buy your record, and CIN will exclude you from their Charts, it's really as simple as that.

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Q.� It sounds as though CIN make some pretty tough rules.

A.� It does, because�it is the organisation that oversees all the official Charts in use by the music industry, so their impact is massive, and they have to be scrupulously fair to everyone, so that the Charts people see and hear are accurate. The BBC use the CIN Charts for their Radio One UK Top Forty, and television's Top Of The Pops, and they are broadcast on the World Service network to more than 120 million people worldwide.

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Q.� Where does CIN get its information

A.� CIN uses a sophisticated computer system that takes information from any UK store selling in excess of 100 pieces of audio or video a week, excluding garages and mail order firms. Over 5,600 retailers are linked to a central computer that reads the barcodes of every item as it is sold. There is a complex system used to arrive at an average, including various security checks to avoid any tampering. Historically, the information has always been, and still is given to the BBC first, and�it broadcasts�its Top Forty each Sunday, as the final chart placings are calculated and advised to Radio One.

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Q.� Are there any other Charts apart from the standard single and album charts

A.� There is a wide range of Charts available now, reflecting the wide musical tastes of consumers. Specialist Charts compare sales of like-minded genres, which would be lost in the wider world of the mainstream Charts. There are Charts for country music, jazz and blues, rock, dance, and spoken word releases. The majority of these Charts are compiled from selected specialist shops so they give an accurate reflection of the popularity of each single or album within its own style group.

Q.� Do Charts really matter

A.� The answer would appear to be yes, since the importance placed on accurate information and the interest taken in Charts by the music industry, and music listeners are both increasing year on year.

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