Do music charts matter in the digital era? - Patterns in how people consume music are changing. Does this mean music charts are losing their relevance?
For decades, music charts have influenced listeners on which songs are popular at a particular time. As patterns in how people consume music is changing, are music charts still relevant for our time?magazine first started tallying songs. The song at the top of the chart would signify how popular the track was — which meant it was booming on the airwaves, and the musician could look forward to a substantial number of sales.
When songs are listed in print or online, it sparks an interest. People want to gauge how they thought about it, as compared to the chart. According to Lesley Mofokeng, spokesperson for Risa, the chart aggregates streams from four platforms: Apple Music, YouTube Music, Deezer and Spotify, amounting to 90% of all legal music streaming in South Africa.
Andrew Mitchley, chief operations officer at David Gresham Records, says that the charts are essential because they inform the music industry and the public of the current success of songs and artists.