Source; http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/ne...or-reform.html

The UK singles chart may undergo reform to include data from sites such as Facebook and YouTube, according to reports.

The UK singles chart, which is currently based entirely on physical and digital sales of songs, could soon include data such as YouTube or MySpace hits to give a more accurate reflection of the country's most popular songs.

A source at the BBC told The Sun: "The way people consume music is so vast that just relying on sales data now seems old hat."

The aim of the new chart format is said to help new bands break into the industry.

Thank God the source is digitalspy, if that actually happened it would be awful

Interesting. But I'll go with Biblioteque

And digitalspy's source is THE SUN

I think they should include Airplay. I know many people thinks including Airplay is outdated, but personally I think it's not.

But digitalspy is right about tracking sales as the only factor to decide chart position, which is old. It's kinda lame and irrelevant tbh. If US been using the same method, there'd be no way Rihanna could top Billlboard for 5 consecutive weeks. I'm positive for any changes that could make it into something better.

I think Airplay should be included because, a person is more likely to know a song if it's played on the radio a lot.
Also, Airplay = Sales. There are rarely any songs that start selling a lot without hype, and it helps new artists to breakthrough.
And, if the song is really popular before being released to the Radio, it's likely that it's going to sell a lot in the first weeks and probably go to #1 due to that. (Like, Womanizer, 3, Boom Boom Pow, Right Round, Break Your Heart...)

I started to dislike the UK charts a while ago, since the chart is now basically the same like the top songs on iTunes.

Airplay needs to be included.

The UK is very different from the US though - radio isn't such a powerhouse. Case in point - Morning Sun by Robbie Williams. That song was #4 on the airplay chart one week but it never even cracked the top 40 in sales. People didn't want to buy it…but if airplay was a factor it probably would've made top 30 on the chart. Plus, UK radios are lightning fast, they don't dwell on songs like US radio. I think airplay would just screw up the chart.

Airplay>>>>>>>>>>>>>

£100 is right. UK airplay is not consistent like US airplay. Songs move from #50 to #2 then can fall back to #27. That would **** up their performance on the actual chart. Then again, I see what Duca is saying. I was thinking the same thing the other day. iTunes positions is basically telling how the chart will be on the Sunday update. There's no longer an element of surprise.

The same thing happens with Downloads (In the UK). The population is much lower than the US, that's why songs on UK iTunes stay less time in the Top 10, compared with the US, where songs can stay for months.

There's also probably less radio stations in the UK = less spins. Instead of counting airplay by millions, they can just add the spins to the total sales.
For example, if a song sold 50,000 copies and had 5,000 spins, the total points should be 55,000, that should give it a boost.

If airplay was included, Radio 1 could effectively choose who does well and who doesn't because they are nationwide. Other stations are regional.

That's too simple. Radio DJs could easily manipulate the charts then. I don't see the problem with physical/digital sales being the main factor. That's what I hope the US will soon do one day, or at least make downloads favor over airplay more.

Why becuase airplay dont mean its popular. If people are making the effect to buy it then thats popular.

They could have guaranteed success for Little Boots!

airplay should not be added, they are not like the us at all, the airplay charts change way to rapidly its common for a song to go number 1 one week then the next 14, then the next 15 it should definetly not be added.

Plus as people have said it be one radio station deciding it

The reason songs spend less time in the UK top ten compared to the US top ten is not due to population. The UK as a country is far more compact than the US, it's much easier to saturate the market at a faster pace. In the US a song that is currently the best selling song in New York for example may not be make a major impact in other states for weeks, the US is far more divided. In the UK the biggest radio stations are national, as are most forms of media. That is not the case in America. So even though they spend less time in the top ten here, that's simply because they sell faster upon release, sales overall are pretty even when compared on a per capita basis.

About t ime they made a change

I agree with Skeleton boy, national radio shows could very well manipulate the airplay of a song.
Besides, a radio station could play any song they like but sales represent what the public actually likes.