Official Folk Albums Chart

Subject: Official Folk Albums Chart
From: Reinhard
Date: 03 Oct 20 - 03:03 AM

The audacity of industrial lobby groups styling themselves as appointed by governmental authority: This is from a press release of the Official Charts Company:

"In recognition of the popularity of the folk music genre, the Official Charts Company announces the first Official Folk Albums Chart.

Launched in partnership with English Folk Expo’s Manchester Folk Festival and supported by Showcase Scotland Expo, the first chart will be revealed on October 17.

The monthly chart will be compiled using physical and digital album sales, downloads and streams, from UK and Irish musicians releasing folk albums within the past 18 months.

The chart will be unveiled on the first Monday of each month on OfficialCharts.com and to englishfolkexpo.com. A monthly Official Folk Albums Chart playlist will also be available to stream on Spotify."

Subject: RE: Official Folk Albums Chart
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 03 Oct 20 - 03:08 AM

It sounds a good thing to me. Why "the audacity"?

Subject: RE: Official Folk Albums Chart
From: theleveller
Date: 03 Oct 20 - 04:21 AM

Sounds like a good idea. Wonder how long it will be before someone mentions the singing horse.

Subject: RE: Official Folk Albums Chart
From: Reinhard
Date: 03 Oct 20 - 08:46 AM

I wonder why both the company name and the chart name use the pretentious adjective "official". Why do they need to emphasize it this much? And which authority appointed them?

Subject: RE: Official Folk Albums Chart
From: Howard Jones
Date: 03 Oct 20 - 08:49 AM

The problem I see is that 'folk' is such a broad genre that it will only be a chart of a very small part of it But perhaps I am being too cynical - it will be interesting to see what appears on it.

Subject: RE: Official Folk Albums Chart
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 03 Oct 20 - 09:54 AM

Ah, got it Reinhard. Thanks. I suppose there has to be an "official" chart or anyone could make their own. How it got to be official though I have no idea. I still think it is a good thing in the main though.

Subject: RE: Official Folk Albums Chart
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 03 Oct 20 - 10:32 AM

'The monthly chart will be compiled using physical and digital album sales, downloads and streams, from UK and Irish musicians releasing folk albums within the past 18 months.'

That really raises questions. Most Irish (I don't know about UK equivalents although my guess it will be very similar) albums are now released independently. Sales figures will be known only to the people selling them, via their own websites , individual shops and official distributors.

My own ecxperience with this is that the large part of sales go through the website of the musician, a much smaller part through a distributor (like Claddagh records) and another portion through shops like Custy's and wherever you care to leave copioes for sale. Can't really speak to streamibng and digital sales, I deliberately avoided that.

Point is, where does that 'offical' crowd source their data, if this is going to be an enterprise that is in any siiort of meaningful way representative of sales.

Subject: RE: Official Folk Albums Chart
From: Vic Smith
Date: 03 Oct 20 - 10:48 AM

Reinhard wrote: -

I wonder why both the company name and the chart name use the pretentious adjective "official". Why do they need to emphasize it this much? And which authority appointed them?

  

Subject: RE: Official Folk Albums Chart
From: Joe G
Date: 03 Oct 20 - 10:58 AM

I wondered when this issue would reach Mudcat - it has been a very hotly debated topic on Facebook for a few weeks now

Subject: RE: Official Folk Albums Chart
From: Joe G
Date: 03 Oct 20 - 10:58 AM

I wondered when this issue would reach Mudcat - it has been a very hotly debated topic on Facebook for a few weeks now

Subject: RE: Official Folk Albums Chart
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 03 Oct 20 - 11:11 AM

I too was concerned by the term “official”. The OED defines “official” as “Having the approval or authorization of an authority or public body“ so, from what I can see, it ‘aint really “official”.

The organisation behind it is the Official Charts Agency and, going by their Wikipaedia entry, they seem to be some sort of mutual back scratching agency so people would be best advised to view any chart they issue with the help of a large dose of sodium chloride.

Subject: RE: Official Folk Albums Chart
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 03 Oct 20 - 11:20 AM

Sorry, that should be “Company” not Agency. If you want to see who’s involved you’ll find the info here - https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/03507334

Interesting to see how much money they’ve been loosing in recent years but that’s big business for you, I suppose!

Subject: RE: Official Folk Albums Chart
From: GUEST,JHW
Date: 03 Oct 20 - 03:24 PM

Don't think it matters much. Don't suppose anyone really thinks its 'official'. And why now? with no folk clubs and no concerts to raise any artist's profile it's come a bit late in the day.
I dare say when it comes up with a list we'll all pull that to bits.

Subject: RE: Official Folk Albums Chart
From: Allan Conn
Date: 04 Oct 20 - 06:59 AM

Does make you wonder with downloads how they are going to decide which "folk" albums get included. Just that if you go into Spotify and click on the genre "folk" then what you get on the initial list of New Releases includes Taylor Swift, Hozier, George Ezra, Fleet Foxes etc. Basically anyone who might pick up an acoustic guitar

Subject: RE: Official Folk Albums Chart
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 04 Oct 20 - 12:30 PM

oooh.. now even us motley lot can aspire to be no 1 in the hit parade...!!!!!

Subject: RE: Official Folk Albums Chart
From: GUEST,Jerry
Date: 04 Oct 20 - 01:01 PM

Yes, quite. No doubt Ed Sheeran will appear in the Folk Chart on the basis that the industry assumes an acoustic guitar must be folk music, which is about as ignorant as assuming a saxophone means it’s trad jazz. But then again, genre labels as just for marketing people; everyone else’s just plays and listen to what appeals to them regardless.