The UK’s Official Singles Chart is to incorporate videos for the first time.
The Official Charts Company have worked with the British music industry and digital platforms on the new rule change, which will see streaming and downloading of videos taken into account when compiling the rundown of the week’s top singles.
The change comes in the wake of streaming services such as Spotify adding video, while YouTube are launching their first UK subscription service, and it is designed to reflect the changing ways music fans access their favourite songs.
Official Charts Company chief executive Martin Talbot said: "This is a significant step for the UK and ensures The Official Chart (which is unveiled exclusively on BBC Radio 1) 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.
"In the modern era, artists are increasingly multi-faceted creators, with a highly developed visual sense running in parallel with their music. The addition of video ensures that the Official Singles Chart reflects the creativity of the artist in the broadest way possible – and music fans’ engagement with that vision."
The services which will contribute video streams will include Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube and Tidal and will be effective from the chart published on July 6.
The change is backed by Dua Lipa, whose ‘New Rules’ was the most streamed video by a female artist in 2017, amassing 60 million streams in the UK.
She said: "Can you believe it? I can’t! Thank you for all your love and support, it means the absolute world to me. The response to New Rules was so crazy and I am so grateful for it, video was really important to me in my career, it’s another way as artists that we can get our music to our fans."
Another change to the chart, effective at the same time, will see free ad-funded streams weighted differently to those played under a paid-for subscription.
100 streams via a subscription service will equate to one sale, as will 600 free streams.
At present, all streams are treated equally, with one sale equivalent to 150 streams.
UK Singles Chart to include video streaming
