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Greetings Pop Pickers
Welcome to ‘The Definitive Combined Music Papers Chart’ 1955 – 1969
To begin it is important to define the difference between this chart and my previous Ultimate Averaged Chart. The UAC as was defined right from the beginning was an ‘upgraded’ BBC chart. It used the same Inverse Point compilation methodology as the BBC, and allowed both sides of a record to chart in the mid-fifties as did the BBC.
So The UAC:
- Weighted contributory charts according to store returns
- Started earlier than the BBC Chart
- Included RM and RR throughout
- Amended calculation errors.
It therefore justifiably still stands as the ‘Ultimate BBC Chart’.
So, to The Definitive Combined Music Papers Chart.
Much work and collaboration has gone into devising this project.
Unlike the UAC which was devised as a ‘specialist’ BBC chart this goes further. The problem with Inverse Points was always that it was over simplistic in relation to proportional sales between each chart position. For example, for a Top 10 chart Inverse Points assumed a #1 sold 10 times more than a #10. For a Top 30 chart, Inverse Points assumed a #1 sold 30 times more than a #30.
We know this was not the case, sales were much, much closer than that. Like the Extended RM Chart The Definitive Chart will use the Gallup Points System.
A detailed explanation on the Gallup Points System v Inverse Points is given on the post immediately following this one for those of you who may want more information on how it works.
Briefly for here, the Gallup Points System provides a far more accurate means to establish point differential and likely sales proportion in the absence of the actual sales themselves. Once more it is important that store returns are then factored in to balance the chart against the proportion of store returns each music paper used.
THE CHART GUIDELINES
This is a record chart so split sides are now combined by simply adding their individual points together to get a combined chart position.
LP's are excluded as this is a singles chart and also both MM and RR always excluded LP's from their chart.
EP’s are included as most charts always included them and all charts included them for at least some of the time.
When only one chart excludes EPs (like MM between 1959 and May 1963 or RR until December 1967) and that is the only chart to have a blank position for a particular EP, a calculated average position will be assigned. In all other cases blank EP positions will be considered as non-charting.
In summary, this is the most comprehensive chart possible covering that era of 1955 to 1969. Any one music paper of the time collected their individual proportion of dealer returns and converted these into their own chart. But this is a Super Chart because it takes all their charts and combines them into an all-embracing definitive one. So, in 1955 it uses the results of over 100 dealers, by 1956 over 140 dealers, by 1958 over 190 dealers, by 1960 over 300 dealers and by 1964 over 600 dealers.
Alan Smith, much respected as a chart historian with many contacts inside the record business thoroughly researched over a number of years how many stores were used by the music papers, so it is his evidence of figures that is again used here for the purposes of this chart. By further adding Gallup’s mathematical sales proportion calculations to this delivers a chart unequalled anywhere for this pre BMRB era. No other chart for the time comes close to this ‘Definitive’ chart.
In conclusion I need to thank the guys from UKMIX who assisted me with this monumental work, without their particular skills, knowledge, advice, debating, and countless emails of information pouring back and forward we would not have the Definitive chart result that we are now proud of. So, I take my hat off to Robin, Lonnie, Kjell, David and Nick for their valuable assistance in pulling all this together.
So, enjoy the ride all the way from October 1955 to February 1969. Like all journeys there are often surprises along the way. The journey begins here !
Brian
Welcome to ‘The Definitive Combined Music Papers Chart’ 1955 – 1969
To begin it is important to define the difference between this chart and my previous Ultimate Averaged Chart. The UAC as was defined right from the beginning was an ‘upgraded’ BBC chart. It used the same Inverse Point compilation methodology as the BBC, and allowed both sides of a record to chart in the mid-fifties as did the BBC.
So The UAC:
- Weighted contributory charts according to store returns
- Started earlier than the BBC Chart
- Included RM and RR throughout
- Amended calculation errors.
It therefore justifiably still stands as the ‘Ultimate BBC Chart’.
So, to The Definitive Combined Music Papers Chart.
Much work and collaboration has gone into devising this project.
Unlike the UAC which was devised as a ‘specialist’ BBC chart this goes further. The problem with Inverse Points was always that it was over simplistic in relation to proportional sales between each chart position. For example, for a Top 10 chart Inverse Points assumed a #1 sold 10 times more than a #10. For a Top 30 chart, Inverse Points assumed a #1 sold 30 times more than a #30.
We know this was not the case, sales were much, much closer than that. Like the Extended RM Chart The Definitive Chart will use the Gallup Points System.
A detailed explanation on the Gallup Points System v Inverse Points is given on the post immediately following this one for those of you who may want more information on how it works.
Briefly for here, the Gallup Points System provides a far more accurate means to establish point differential and likely sales proportion in the absence of the actual sales themselves. Once more it is important that store returns are then factored in to balance the chart against the proportion of store returns each music paper used.
THE CHART GUIDELINES
This is a record chart so split sides are now combined by simply adding their individual points together to get a combined chart position.
LP's are excluded as this is a singles chart and also both MM and RR always excluded LP's from their chart.
EP’s are included as most charts always included them and all charts included them for at least some of the time.
When only one chart excludes EPs (like MM between 1959 and May 1963 or RR until December 1967) and that is the only chart to have a blank position for a particular EP, a calculated average position will be assigned. In all other cases blank EP positions will be considered as non-charting.
In summary, this is the most comprehensive chart possible covering that era of 1955 to 1969. Any one music paper of the time collected their individual proportion of dealer returns and converted these into their own chart. But this is a Super Chart because it takes all their charts and combines them into an all-embracing definitive one. So, in 1955 it uses the results of over 100 dealers, by 1956 over 140 dealers, by 1958 over 190 dealers, by 1960 over 300 dealers and by 1964 over 600 dealers.
Alan Smith, much respected as a chart historian with many contacts inside the record business thoroughly researched over a number of years how many stores were used by the music papers, so it is his evidence of figures that is again used here for the purposes of this chart. By further adding Gallup’s mathematical sales proportion calculations to this delivers a chart unequalled anywhere for this pre BMRB era. No other chart for the time comes close to this ‘Definitive’ chart.
In conclusion I need to thank the guys from UKMIX who assisted me with this monumental work, without their particular skills, knowledge, advice, debating, and countless emails of information pouring back and forward we would not have the Definitive chart result that we are now proud of. So, I take my hat off to Robin, Lonnie, Kjell, David and Nick for their valuable assistance in pulling all this together.
So, enjoy the ride all the way from October 1955 to February 1969. Like all journeys there are often surprises along the way. The journey begins here !
Brian
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