MBW Views is a sequence of unique op/eds from eminent music trade individuals… with one thing to say. The next was written by Tim Ingham, founder and writer of Music Enterprise Worldwide. It first appeared within the new Q3 2024 version of Music Enterprise UK, MBW’s quarterly journal devoted to the UK music market, which is distributed to MBW+ subscribers.
One thing is happening.
As I write this, the complete Prime Six of the Official UK Singles chart is comprised of US artists: Sabrina Carpenter (at No.1, No.2, and No.5), Chappell Roan at No.3, Linkin Park at No.4, and Girl Gaga & Bruno Mars at No.6.
The primary British act to seem on the checklist is Chase & Standing and Stormzy at No.7.
Now. I’ve written earlier than on this column in regards to the declining market share/significance of the UK Prime 40 Chart extra usually, as listening on streaming providers turns into extra fragmented throughout frontline ‘hits’, catalog music, and tens of thousands and thousands of tracks with area of interest viewers attraction.
Due to this fact, we should always all the time do not forget that the Official Singles Chart (and the Billboard Scorching 100 within the US) is a helpful snapshot of just one a part of the trendy market — the largest blockbuster tracks of every week.
It’s removed from a mirrored image of the complete music consumption market.
The UK’s Prime 40 chart isn’t usually an ideal portrayal, for instance, of the recognition of these tracks that frequently rack up substantial-but-not-chart-bothering streams month after month.
(Two examples of this ‘hare and tortoise’ perspective: Taylor Swift’s Merciless Summer season and The Killers’ Mr. Brightside, which each sit stubbornly within the decrease reaches of the UK chart every week, however over the course of years have confirmed to be extra standard than most recorded music ever made.)
That each one being true, one can’t assist however be a bit shocked by the US-centric nature of the higher reaches of the UK chart right now.
Additional proof: in July, the Official Charts Firm issued an inventory of the UK market’s hottest tracks throughout the primary six months of 2024.
Not solely have been simply 4 of the Prime 20 tracks by UK artists however, of these 4, two have been heritage acts having fun with a ‘TikTok second’ (Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Natasha Bedingfield). Of the opposite two, one was signed for information out of the US (Artemas, by way of Elliot Grainge’s 10K Tasks).
Solely Casso/RAYE/D-Block Europe’s Prada, at No.7, might be construed as a UK act signed out of Blighty.
(That mentioned, Irish act Hozier, whose Too Candy was at No.5 on the checklist, is signed to Island UK by way of Irish label Rubyworks.)
I level all of this out to not despair over the business limitations of UK expertise.
For one factor there’s a robust argument that throughout Artemas, Charli XCX, Myles Smith and others, British artists are literally having fun with a fairly good 2024 vs. different current years within the worldwide market.
What’s significantly notable to me in regards to the stats RE: UK acts on the UK chart in 2024 is that they sit so starkly in distinction with what’s happening elsewhere on the planet.
The IFPI just lately launched a report measuring the presence of home artists amongst the Prime 10 tracks of 2023 in a number of EU territories.
In Scandinavia, 90% of the 12 months’s Prime 10 was music from home artists; it was the identical story in Italy. In Germany and France, it was 70%, whereas in some nations like Hungary and Greece, it was 100%.
After all, these markets are naturally smaller importers of US pop music than the UK. The impact of native language tracks (particularly within the hip-hop style) is a significant cause for this. The UK and US share a typical(ish) language, which produces an apparent cultural influence.
But as music streaming reaches maturation, wise questions must be requested about whether or not the UK is glad to float into turning into a heavy import marketplace for North American hits or if adjustments at the moment are required in the best way Britain showcases – and numerically assesses – the success of its personal expertise.
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