Top40: The Best Charts of 2003

The Problematic charts

1) UK Singles chart: the fallen star (6%)
In the UK, they have the tendency to believe that they have the best 'singles chart' worldwide. The research results show that people abroad of UK have absolutely different opinion. In our classification, the UK Singles Chart is finding on the seventh (7th) place and these are some of reasons:

The UK Singles chart is not simply fast-moving, but a violently moving chart! Every week it has 10-14 songs as new entries, while the stability is something unknown. Most songs have a life cycle 2 weeks, and it is obvious that if you are living outside UK you are unable to watch it. Also the chart is influenced by the marketing policy of local companies, which use pre-buying procedures for singles (only in order to appear their songs on the UK Singles Chart).

Within 2003, the British music industry lived one of its best days about the quality production. It is not so often to have in the same time bands/artists like Radiohead, Darkness, Dido, Massive Attack, Robbie Williams, Travis, Stereophonics etc. The remainder world out of Britain is unable to occupy why their cd-singles do not even go up in the Top10!
The excuse most people in the UK uses that "everybody buys albums, so why someone will buy cd-single" isn't valid; the same happens also in other markets worldwide (Germany, Australia, Sweden, Japan etc) but chart-makers and labels found new ways to make the chart index accessible and to decrease the cd-singles price using internet (legal downloads and online retail distributors).

One negative point is the very high cd-singles price, while also the chart suffers from the 'variety' factor: this chart has the poorer entries by Country, Classical and Latin songs, the same with Greek singles chart! It seems that if you are a Latin 'superstar' (Mana, Sin Bandera) you don't have any future in the British market unless you sing english-language songs like Enrique Iglesias does.
Also the UK singles charts is the worlwide leader in 'reality' TV songs. It has been include the biggest number of this kind of music for 2003 than any other national chart which was against its quality factor.
Most of North-American groups/artists never present their songs in this market; at the same time these cd singles are released in France, Germany, Italy, Ireland and Sweden (great examples of these chart 'presentations' are Kathleen Edwards, Sum 41, Sin Bandera, Red Hot Chili Peppers etc).

During the last two years, especially the Germans with their "open" philosophy about the top40 (free older weekly charts which create market interest and expands their share) have done great damage to the whole British market - and not only the UK singles chart. For another year after 2002 in europe, german market wins british: german market attracts the biggest concerts of the 2003 and it gives bigger revenues (tour cash earnings/fan).
In the internet era, it seems that the British chart-makers don't understand what is really happening! Every chart is a tool for global citizens and not only natives... Without older weekly searches and keepin it 'close' to other cultures, just make it totally 'UK aspect/interest'.

2) USA Billboard (8%): problematic structure
The findings show that a 62% believes that the biggest problem is its 'diversity'. It is true, people aren't against the RnB music style, but they do not believe this can be true! After the launch of iTunes Apple store, people watch names like No Doubt, Sarah McLachlan, 3 Doors Down, Fountains of Wayne etc, which are appeared on 'legal download' sales charts but not in the official!

Also, there is confusion about the airplays, why US official chart is compiled with this way which responds to 90s, and how this chart is representing the real market/consumers needs.
This is a problematic situation for the bigger music market worldwide, especially when the music production rises with great new names/music styles. The structure of US chart killed the big 'sale' success as Santana, Michael McDonald, Madonna, No Doubt, Pearl Jam, Incubus and many others. These artists/bands sell many mp3 singles in US market, but they can't promote in abroad TV/Radio stations because they haven't presence on singles chart ever.
That's why White Stripes, Dido, David Bowie, Iggy Pop and many other Europeans/Australians artists find a new way to have recognition in America: the Canadian market, and promotion/distribution only in special market areas as New York and Los Angeles!

It is true that RnB is the most hot music style (not only in the US market) but it isn't the only: radio and findings by the legal downloads shows that we are living in another era for keeping alive the same 'airplay' chart format as the 90s.

The best of the best national charts for 2003 (review):

| Best Charts | | Problematic Charts | | Worst Chart | | Emerging Charts/Markets |