Old songs on the UK charts

I mean there was a period in the 90s when the same song would chart twice, due to too many formats. I think there was a rule about songs dropping out the top 75 as well.

I really hate too many rules, if any, but also hate the current drag, but I also hate the speed of the early 2000s, while neither downloads or streaming give a full picture.

We've lost EPs and double A-sides too, not that I especially love them, but things like Brown Girl In The Ring, almost repeaking was worth it alone.
 
I don’t think record companies should be dictating too much. I loved the fact that when Frozen was released, the plan was for the terrible poppy Demi Lovato version of Let It Go to be a hit, but the public wanted the original and that became the proper hit. This was preferable to the 90s when likes of a Peabo Bryson A Whole New World being bought as a single, while everyone probably wanted Lea Salonga’s one.
 
I really miss the 4 song EP. Such a great format and one that could be sold so easily on a 12" single, or even a 7" running at 33.
 
I don’t think record companies should be dictating too much. I loved the fact that when Frozen was released, the plan was for the terrible poppy Demi Lovato version of Let It Go to be a hit, but the public wanted the original and that became the proper hit. This was preferable to the 90s when likes of a Peabo Bryson A Whole New World being bought as a single, while everyone probably wanted Lea Salonga’s one.
Well, this is it. The labels have totally lost control of their product. In the 90s, "Espresso" and "Please Please Me" would have been deleted to sell albums and therefore had a much shorter chart run than their popularity merited.
 
Well, this is it. The labels have totally lost control of their product. In the 90s, "Espresso" and "Please Please Me" would have been deleted to sell albums and therefore had a much shorter chart run than their popularity merited.
I have a slight issue with 'popularity merited' here - only in that how popularity is measured is quite different then and now.
 
I have a slight issue with 'popularity merited' here - only in that how popularity is measured is quite different then and now.
I get that but I'm specifically comparing to that late 90s model where 99% of singles peaked in their first week and were deleted in order to push album sales. Would No Doubt have sold as many albums if Don't Speak hadn't been deliberately throttled after about 8 weeks?
 
Yes, that's true. Obviously deletion happened long before that, but labels never knew how long it would take for a single to catch on and build. By the 90s, you could plan it with close to precision when creating your strategy.

I guess my point was just in comparing the popularity of songs then and now is difficult as you're not really comparing like with like. And that's not necessarily saying one is better than the other - they are just different.
 
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The 90s did reflect popularity, but again on a certain metric. Building a song up for six weeks for that first week position would’ve meant there were many songs that were genuinely among the most popular in the country but not in the chart as you couldn’t yet buy them. The Double A single approach is another method - let’s be honest, it’s two singles creating that one chart position. Cd1 and Cd2 as well - the only point of a second CD format is to drive chart positions by chucking on additional stuff fans wanted and making them buy the same product twice.

The likes of Westlife wouldn’t have had a hope in hell of getting more than a few number ones in a streaming era.
 
Looking at the year end charts though does tend to weed out the record label games, and do seem to reasonably accurately represent what was big overall at the time, so I guess it evened out in the end.
 
02 08 Wham! - Last Christmas (127wks) (1984)
05 10 Mariah Carey - All I Want For Christmas Is You (136wks) (1994)
06 20 Brenda Lee - Rockin Around the Christmas Tree (77wks) (1958)
08 45 Band Aid - Do They Know It's Christmas (108wks) (1984)
10 30 Bobby Helm - Jingle Bell Rock (37wks) (1957)
11 27 Arianna Grande - Santa Tell Me (46wks) (2014)
12 32 Kelly Clarkson - Underneath The Christmas Tree (47wks) (2013)
13 34 Pogues ft. Kirsty McColl - Fairytale of New York (129wks) (1987)
15 39 Andy Williams - It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (62wks) (1963)
18 40 60 Shakin Stevens - Merry Christmas Everyone (100 wks)
23 56 Elton John - Step Into Christmas (66wks) (1974)
26 51 Michael Buble - It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas (63wks) (2011)
30 66 Ronettes - Sleigh Ride (33wks) (1963)
34 72 Michael Buble - Holly Jolly Christmas (38wks) (2011)
36 65 Dean Martin - Let It Snow Let It Snow Let It Snow 43wks) (1966)
40 81 Jose Feliciano - Feliz Navidad (27wks) (1970)
42 75 Chris Rea - Driving Home For Christmas (82wks) (1988)
44 79 Paul McCartney - Wonderful Christmas Time (56wks) (1979)
45 82 Leona Lewis - One More Sleep (46wks) (2013)
46 86 Wizzard - I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day (81wks) (1973)
49 92 John Lennon & Yoko Ono - Happy Xmas (War is Over) (62wks) (1971)
50 94 Slade - Merry Christmas Everybody (121wks) (1973)
53 99 John Williams - Carol of the Bells (6wks) (1990)
56 RE Darlene Love - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) (29wks) (1963)
60 RE Perry Como - It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas (27wks) (1951)
62 RE Nat King Cole - The Christmas Song (28wks) (1961)
66 RE Justin Bieber - Mistletoe (45wks) (2011)
75 RE Frank Sinatra - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (6wks) (1957)
77 RE Bing Crosby - White Christmas (59wks) (1941)
85 RE Coldplay - Christmas Lights (49wks) (2010)
93 RE Elvis Presley - Blue Christmas (26wks) (1964)
97 83 Disturbed - The Sound of Silence (44wks) (2016)
98 RE Boney M - Mary's Boy Child/ Oh My Lord (44wks) (1978)

OUT

85 68 Goo Goo Dolls - Iris (146wks) (1998)

Wham challenges for no.1 again, with little about to challenge for Xmas no.1 it seems likely to be the second song to be Xmas no.1 twice.

A lot of Christmas action this week, only Disturbed survive, of the none festive hits, although that's a remix.

Seemingly Band Aid 40 goes top 10 under the guise of Band Aid. Face saving?

Lot's of really old stuff charting at the bottom end. White Christmas was first released 83 years ago!

Helm, Elton, Buble, Jose all outperforming the songs around them.

Hopefully a future feature on this list Cher goes back in at #80 :disco:
 
02 08 Wham! - Last Christmas (127wks) (1984)
05 10 Mariah Carey - All I Want For Christmas Is You (136wks) (1994)
06 20 Brenda Lee - Rockin Around the Christmas Tree (77wks) (1958)
08 45 Band Aid - Do They Know It's Christmas (108wks) (1984)
10 30 Bobby Helm - Jingle Bell Rock (37wks) (1957)
11 27 Arianna Grande - Santa Tell Me (46wks) (2014)
12 32 Kelly Clarkson - Underneath The Christmas Tree (47wks) (2013)
13 34 Pogues ft. Kirsty McColl - Fairytale of New York (129wks) (1987)
15 39 Andy Williams - It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (62wks) (1963)
18 40 60 Shakin Stevens - Merry Christmas Everyone (100 wks)
23 56 Elton John - Step Into Christmas (66wks) (1974)
26 51 Michael Buble - It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas (63wks) (2011)
30 66 Ronettes - Sleigh Ride (33wks) (1963)
34 72 Michael Buble - Holly Jolly Christmas (38wks) (2011)
36 65 Dean Martin - Let It Snow Let It Snow Let It Snow 43wks) (1966)
40 81 Jose Feliciano - Feliz Navidad (27wks) (1970)
42 75 Chris Rea - Driving Home For Christmas (82wks) (1988)
44 79 Paul McCartney - Wonderful Christmas Time (56wks) (1979)
45 82 Leona Lewis - One More Sleep (46wks) (2013)
46 86 Wizzard - I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day (81wks) (1973)
49 92 John Lennon & Yoko Ono - Happy Xmas (War is Over) (62wks) (1971)
50 94 Slade - Merry Christmas Everybody (121wks) (1973)
53 99 John Williams - Carol of the Bells (6wks) (1990)
56 RE Darlene Love - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) (29wks) (1963)
60 RE Perry Como - It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas (27wks) (1951)
62 RE Nat King Cole - The Christmas Song (28wks) (1961)
66 RE Justin Bieber - Mistletoe (45wks) (2011)
75 RE Frank Sinatra - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (6wks) (1957)
77 RE Bing Crosby - White Christmas (59wks) (1941)
85 RE Coldplay - Christmas Lights (49wks) (2010)
93 RE Elvis Presley - Blue Christmas (26wks) (1964)
97 83 Disturbed - The Sound of Silence (44wks) (2016)
98 RE Boney M - Mary's Boy Child/ Oh My Lord (44wks) (1978)

OUT

85 68 Goo Goo Dolls - Iris (146wks) (1998)

Wham challenges for no.1 again, with little about to challenge for Xmas no.1 it seems likely to be the second song to be Xmas no.1 twice.

A lot of Christmas action this week, only Disturbed survive, of the none festive hits, although that's a remix.

Seemingly Band Aid 40 goes top 10 under the guise of Band Aid. Face saving?

Lot's of really old stuff charting at the bottom end. White Christmas was first released 83 years ago!

Helm, Elton, Buble, Jose all outperforming the songs around them.

Hopefully a future feature on this list Cher goes back in at #80 :disco:
It'll be interesting to look at where Band Aid charted individually on the streaming and sales charts. As the former will be primarily the original, and the latter the new version. Face saving indeed.
 
I suspect there's a good chance it would have failed to make the top 40 if it wasn't combined with the original. Sales don't count for much.
 
I don’t get how it could be combined. Can the labels request this or is it an OCC thing or something else?
 
It climbed 14 to 13 on streaming, but Bublé climbed 15 to 14, and Elton John climbed 24 to 15, so I suspect it would have pretty much climbed that much anyway.
 
I don’t get how it could be combined. Can the labels request this or is it an OCC thing or something else?
All the versions have been put onto streaming platforms on an EP called Do They Know It’s Christmas, credited to Band Aid.

So I guess it’s supposedly the same as remixes all counting towards the one chart entry, even though it’s a bit of a stretch in this case.

I think both versions of Three Lions count together for example, so I think re-recordings by the same artist (again, a massive stretch in this case) are treated the same as remixes.
 
Actually I suppose this is kind of a remix really so I guess it’s fair enough that it’s combined.
 
This doesn't feel true.

If it were correct, then surely Des'ree's 437 re-releases and subtle remixes of "You Gotta Be" combined would be routinely re-sharting?
 
ABBA's Christmas song seems to have been forgotten now in the lead up.
 
Buble at least had the common decency not to have a children’s choir on his songs.
 
I listened to Little Things last week, thought 'actually it's not SO bad' and realised I must be feeling vaguely festive.

Of course, it is shit objectively.
 
It's better than anything by Bublé.
Having your arse shaved by Edward Scissorhands is better than enduring Micky Bubbles but Little Things is still absolute GASH. A real blot on a surprisingly decent album.
 
Interestingly regarding Band Aid, although the versions were combined (and I do have some issues with that), it wasn't reset and left on ACR. I wonder if that was some sort of agreement.
 
For all of you who (rightly) think Little Things is shit, just be grateful that for the last 26 years, your Christmas morning hasn't always been started by listening to Agnetha's Christmas album recorded with her 7 year old daughter. Suddenly it may not seem quite so bad.
 
01 02 Wham! - Last Christmas (128wks) (1984)
03 05 Mariah Carey - All I Want For Christmas Is You (137wks) (1994)
05 06 Brenda Lee - Rockin Around the Christmas Tree (78wks) (1958)
07 10 Bobby Helm - Jingle Bell Rock (38wks) (1957)
08 13 Pogues ft. Kirsty McColl - Fairytale of New York (130wks) (1987)
09 11 Arianna Grande - Santa Tell Me (47wks) (2014)
10 12 Kelly Clarkson - Underneath The Christmas Tree (48wks)
13 15 Andy Williams - It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (62wks) (1963)
14 08 Band Aid - Do They Know It's Christmas (109wks) (1984)
15 23 Elton John - Step Into Christmas (68wks) (1974)
16 18 Shakin Stevens - Merry Christmas Everyone (101wks) (1985)
17 26 Michael Buble - It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas (64wks) (2011)

21 36 Dean Martin - Let It Snow Let It Snow Let It Snow 44wks) (1966)
23 30 Ronettes - Sleigh Ride (33wks) (1963)
26 34 Michael Buble - Holly Jolly Christmas (39wks) (2011)
27 40 Jose Feliciano - Feliz Navidad (28wks) (1970)
28 44 Paul McCartney - Wonderful Christmas Time (57wks) (1979)
33 46 Wizzard - I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day (82wks) (1973)
34 42 Chris Rea - Driving Home For Christmas (83wks) (1988)
38 49 John Lennon & Yoko Ono - Happy Xmas (War is Over) (63wks) (1971)
39 45 Leona Lewis - One More Sleep 47wks) (2013)

43 50 Slade - Merry Christmas Everybody (122wks) (1973)
49 53 John Williams - Carol of the Bells (7wks) (1990)
50 56 Darlene Love - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) (30wks) (1963)
53 60 Perry Como - It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas (28wks) (1951)
56 62 Nat King Cole - The Christmas Song (29wks) (1961)

64 66 Justin Bieber - Mistletoe (46wks) (2011)
66 77 Bing Crosby - White Christmas (60wks) (1941)
71 85 Coldplay - Christmas Lights (50wks) (2010)
74 97 Disturbed - The Sound of Silence (45wks) (2016)
75 75 Frank Sinatra - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (7wks) (1957)
77 RE Beach Boys - Little Saint Nick (7wks) (1964)
78 93 Elvis Presley - Blue Christmas (27wks) (1964)

84 RE Chuck Berry - Run Rudolph Run (14wks) (1958)
87 RE Jona Lewie - Stop the Cavalry (41wks) (1980)
94 RE Nat King Cole - Deck the Halls (3wks) (1960)
95 RE East 17 - Stay Another Day (57wks) (1994)
96 98 Boney M - Mary's Boy Child/ Oh My Lord (45wks) (1978)
100 RE Frank Sinatra - Let It Snow Let It Snow Let It Snow (23wks) (1945)

Despite the conversation continuing (Little Things wouldn't be old enough to feature in this topic for a few years), here are the oldies on the chart next week.

Last Christmas gets it's 8th week at no.1, which is wild considering it famously missed no.1 originally.

A few songs outperform the songs around them, while others barely move... I wonder if that's the impact of multiple playlists?

Disturbed have a decent jump, and remain the only old song here that's not seasonal.

I'm mildly appalled by the amount of American songs on the list. Brenda Lee and Frank Sinatra is one thing, but Chuck Berry and the Beach Boys? That's where I draw the line.

Notably there are now two songs on the list from the 1940s.
 
A few songs outperform the songs around them, while others barely move... I wonder if that's the impact of multiple playlists?
There's also the fact that the playlists are still being jiggled about. Spotify have now promoted Wham! over Bobby Helms, shunted Kelly Clarkson a few places lower, and pushed Kesha right up their playlist on their main one.
 
They have also pushed Brenda Lee over Mariah at #1 and #2.
 
There's also the fact that the playlists are still being jiggled about. Spotify have now promoted Wham! over Bobby Helms, shunted Kelly Clarkson a few places lower, and pushed Kesha right up their playlist on their main one.

I wonder if they've got some stats on how many times a song is skipped or hidden, because otherwise WHY BOTHER re-ordering an already successful playlist unless they have a very bored and underutilised intern
 
Actually what am I talking about

Of course there must be some PAYOLA going on
 
I've said it before and I'll say it again, Rocking Around The Christmas Tree is an absolute banger that deserves it's success.

The fact she's still alive and tottering around Walmart for promo adds to the pleasure.
 

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