With our new radio airplay charts, WARM CHARTS, we aim to create a more fair, accurate and transparent chart system that will especially benefit independent and emerging artists.
This Friday (Oct.4), we were super excited to launch ‘WARM CHARTS’ - our very own radio airplay charts which are based on our unique, cutting edge analytics from the 27.000 radio stations we monitor worldwide. First to launch was our College Chart and in the coming weeks and months, we will launch even more charts covering a wide spectrum of the global radio landscape. But why do we even need more charts? Aren’t there more than enough already? The short answer is NO. Generally, national and commercial radio stations tend to be dominated by pop and major label artists while smaller stations, college radio, and genre-specific stations are more likely to play independent, emerging or alternative artists. However, since airplay on the latter stations don’t count as much in most official charts, and often aren’t even registered properly, these artists and plays aren’t properly represented. Enter WARM CHARTS. WARM CHARTS differ from many established charts in several ways.
While most other charts rely on reporting, WARM CHARTS are EXCLUSIVELY based on our own unique audio fingerprint recognition which tracks and identifies airplay in real-time. And while other charts give more weight to airplay on certain (i.e. bigger) stations, here, each airplay is created equal. This means that a spin on your local community station counts just as much as a spin on national radio. It's the total amount of spins that matter. Taken together this makes WARM CHARTS a much more fair and accurate system.
Instead of having an unsigned DIY folk artist competing against a major label pop artist for airplay on a few huge radio stations, we think it makes more sense to compare artists that are either similar in style or who are competing in a similar environment. For example, with our college radio chart, artists who appeal to the college demographic are competing with other such artists. Independent and major label artists still compete for airtime but are doing so in a more meaningful context and on a chart that more accurately reflects a particular listener demographic.
Music is more global than ever which is why we need TRULY global charts to see how similar artists are performing across borders. This approach differs from most charts, which only focus on national radio. In our view, a European electronic or urban chart and a North American jazz or alternative chart is much more interesting than a few big national charts. Having charts is still extremely important since having some kind of ‘measurement tool’ is a great way for artists and music industry professionals to compare their achievements against each other. It can also work as a ‘proof of concept’ to fans, markets, record labels and pr agencies in other countries. With so much music out there, it’s more important than ever stand out and charts are a good way to do this. And for the rest of us, it’s a great way to keep tabs on what music is connecting around the world. The important thing, however, is to make sure that such charts make sense and are compiled fairly and accurately. With WARM CHARTS we feel we have achieved this and hopefully they will be a help to the many independent and emerging artists out there, who, until now, have not been properly represented. It’s long overdue.
***
Other than Radio airplay charts, we also need a more prominent representation of female artists on the radio. Check out our analysis to understand what we mean by that: Women representation on radio.
