UK Official Download Chart
Encyclopedia
The UK Official Download Chart is compiled by The Official UK Charts Company
on behalf of the music industry. The chart week runs from Sunday to Saturday, with the chart being published on a Wednesday afternoon, so as to not to clash with the release of the main UK Singles Chart
. For a brief time the Top 10 was aired on BBC Radio 1
's Chart Show every Sunday afternoon from 4–7 PM, along with the Top 20 albums and the UK Top 40 singles.
The main chart contains the Top 200 downloads; however, usually only the Top 20 or Top 40 are of main interest. The Top 200 was published only for brief periods in 2006, and from 2010 onwards. The chart only uses sales of permanent digital downloads, that is single-download tracks on non-subscription online music stores. Some downloading services offer a monthly fee plan where generally an unlimited amount of tracks can be downloaded within a month for a certain price. Tracks downloaded in these instances do not qualify.
In early January 2005, the week before the 1000th number one single topped the UK Singles Chart
, legal downloads took over physical sales for the first time in UK Chart history. This has been the case ever since, with sales throughout early 2005 being very poor and all-time records for lowest sales being set throughout. Therefore, on 17 April 2005, the official UK Singles Chart
incorporated legal downloads as well as physical sales in an attempt to boost flagging single sales.
The first official Number One track on the download chart was The Pixies' "Bam Thwok
". The single with the longest stay on the UK Official Download Chart is "Crazy
" by Gnarls Barkley
hanging on to the top spot for eleven weeks. In week commencing 1 December 2008 Leona Lewis
with her cover version of "Run
" became the second fastest selling download of all time. Lady Gaga
's single, "Poker Face
" is the most downloaded song in UK Download history.
The Official UK Charts Company
The Official Charts Company , previously called the Chart Information Network and then The Official UK Charts Company, compiles various "official" UK record charts, including the UK Singles Chart, the UK Albums Chart, and the UK Official Download Chart, as well as genre-specific and music video...
on behalf of the music industry. The chart week runs from Sunday to Saturday, with the chart being published on a Wednesday afternoon, so as to not to clash with the release of the main UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. For a brief time the Top 10 was aired on BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
's Chart Show every Sunday afternoon from 4–7 PM, along with the Top 20 albums and the UK Top 40 singles.
The main chart contains the Top 200 downloads; however, usually only the Top 20 or Top 40 are of main interest. The Top 200 was published only for brief periods in 2006, and from 2010 onwards. The chart only uses sales of permanent digital downloads, that is single-download tracks on non-subscription online music stores. Some downloading services offer a monthly fee plan where generally an unlimited amount of tracks can be downloaded within a month for a certain price. Tracks downloaded in these instances do not qualify.
History
With legal downloads having been on the increase since the new millennium began, the UK Official Charts Company decided to organise the official UK Download Chart. Its inception was on 26 June 2004.In early January 2005, the week before the 1000th number one single topped the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, legal downloads took over physical sales for the first time in UK Chart history. This has been the case ever since, with sales throughout early 2005 being very poor and all-time records for lowest sales being set throughout. Therefore, on 17 April 2005, the official UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
incorporated legal downloads as well as physical sales in an attempt to boost flagging single sales.
The first official Number One track on the download chart was The Pixies' "Bam Thwok
Bam Thwok
"Bam Thwok" is a 2004 download-only single by the American alternative rock band Pixies. The song was written and sung by bassist Kim Deal, and released exclusively through the iTunes Store on June 15, 2004. Upon its release, "Bam Thwok" was a commercial success, debuting at number one on the very...
". The single with the longest stay on the UK Official Download Chart is "Crazy
Crazy (Gnarls Barkley song)
"Crazy" is the debut single from Gnarls Barkley, a musical collaboration between Danger Mouse and Cee Lo Green, and is taken from their 2006 debut album St. Elsewhere...
" by Gnarls Barkley
Gnarls Barkley
Gnarls Barkley is an American soul duo comprising Danger Mouse and Cee Lo Green. Their first studio album St. Elsewhere was released in 2006; along with its first single "Crazy". Both single and album were a major commercial success and have been noted for their large sales by download...
hanging on to the top spot for eleven weeks. In week commencing 1 December 2008 Leona Lewis
Leona Lewis
Leona Louise Lewis is a British singer and songwriter. Lewis first came to prominence in 2006 when she won the third series of the British television series The X Factor....
with her cover version of "Run
Run (Snow Patrol song)
"Run" is a cover of the Snow Patrol song by Leona Lewis on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge on 31 October 2007. She later released the song as a single from Spirit: The Deluxe Edition in November 2008. At the time, "Run" was the UK's fastest-selling digital only release ever, selling 69,244 copies in just...
" became the second fastest selling download of all time. Lady Gaga
Lady GaGa
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she primarily studied at the Convent of the Sacred Heart and briefly attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before withdrawing to...
's single, "Poker Face
Poker Face (Lady Gaga song)
"Poker Face" is a song by American recording artist Lady Gaga from her debut album, The Fame. Produced by RedOne, it was released as the album's second single in late 2008 for some markets and in early 2009 for the rest of the world...
" is the most downloaded song in UK Download history.
Criteria for inclusion
- The track must have a maximum playing time of 15 minutes.
- PDDs (Permanent Digital Downloads) must be bought by the retailer at a minimum of 40p per track, or 32p if the record company does not publish a set dealer price. The retailer may sell tracks at a loss at its own discretion.
See also
- Official Subscription Plays ChartOfficial Subscription Plays ChartThe Official Subscription Plays Chart is a music chart based on the number of plays of songs on subscription-based services in the United Kingdom. It is compiled weekly by The Official Charts Company , and is believed by Martin Talbot, managing director of the OCC, to be the first of its kind in...
- List of artists who have had number one singles on the UK Official Download Chart
- List of Christmas number one music downloads (UK)
- List of UK Official Download Chart number-one albums
- List of UK Official Download Chart number-one singles
- UKChartsPlus (Exclusive publisher of the Top 200)
- Most weeks on UK Singles Chart
- Most weeks on UK Albums Chart