Shake up of US albums chart for new year

10:44 | Wednesday November 11, 2009

The new chart rules will come into effect as of the 2010 chart year, which begins with the Billboard issue dated December 5 2009. Since 1991, the Billboard 200 chart has worked on the principle that any album that ranks below number 100 on the chart, is more than 18 months old, and doesn’t have a current charting single at radio will be removed from the Billboard 200 and other corresponding album charts where it has appeared.

It effectively means that the Top Comprehensive Albums chart, which is comprised of Nielsen SoundScan sales Data, will be reflected within the Billboard 200.

The Top Comprehensive Albums chart will be replaced with the Top Current Albums chart, which will use the current/catalogue criteria that was formerly used for the Billboard 200 chart. This rule will still be effective on all other current-based album charts.

The decision to change the chart rules follows criticisms of the current regulations that meant the huge pick-up in sales of Michael Jackson's back catalogue in the wake of his death in June were not reflected on the main Billboard 200 chart. The present rules also meant The Beatles' remastered albums were similarly excluded when they were released in September.

"The events of 2009 and the continuing creativity in the repackaging of catalogue titles have led us to the conclude that the Billboard 200 would be best served presenting the true best-sellers in the country, without any catalogue-related rules or stipulations, to our readers, the media and music fans," says Billboard director of charts Silvio Pietroluongo.

"The ability of consumers to impulsively purchase new or catalogue titles electronically has changed music sales behaviour. There is a more immediate cause and effect between artist exposure and album sales in this day and age, and the Billboard 200 should reflect this activity, regardless of an album's release date."

Other changed to Billboard charts will include the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart which, as of the 2010 chart year, will now be based on overall album sales of current titles after the dissolution of the R&B Core Store Panel, which is a select group of retailers that specialise in urban music.

Other R&B Core Store charts, Rap Albums, R&B/Hip-Hop Catalogue Albums and R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales will also be ranked on overall sales.

The Folk Albums chart will be a new addition to the Billboard chart menu. This chart, comprising of 15-positions, will be managed by Gary Trust, will appear weekly online, and will run periodically in print. The chart will be based on the Nielsen SoundScan survey, and will feature released from traditional folk artists alongside appropriate titles by acoustic-based singer songwriters such as Joan Baez, AniDiFranco, Joshua Radin and Carly Simon.