VIDEO ADDED TO U.K. SINGLES CHART

The U.K.’s Official Singles Chart will now include video for the first time, and freemium streams have been down-weighted. Video streams from Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube and Tidal will count beginning with the chart published on 7/6.

Previously, free ad-funded streams and those on paid-for subscription tiers were treated equally, with one sale equivalent to 150 streams. Now, 100 subscription streams will equal one sale, as will 600 “free” streams. The new formula applies to audio and video.

Discussing the changes, OCC chief executive Martin Talbot said, “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.”

OCC non-executive chairman Derek Allen, who is SVP Commercial for Warner Music U.K., added: “It’s always been important that the Official Charts keep pace with an ever evolving and dynamic market, while also retaining their integrity, something which has set the U.K. charts apart from many of those operating elsewhere around the world. These latest changes are just another step down that road.”

All rule changes are subject to review, and follow a number of revisions to the chart rules last year. For now, the albums chart remains the same.