A change to the way the UK music charts are compiled could see THE BEATLES re-entering the Top 20 again next year. Downloads will now be counted, even if the song is not available in stores and is an online exclusive, which means that there could be older acts mingling amongst the newer acts from January 1st 2007.
With the news that music by THE BEATLES will soon be made available online, this could mean further chart success for the FAB FOUR.

Is it possible?

This could be another new source of money for them ... surely their songs will be among the most downloaded and they'll appear in the Top-20 ... but, will that mean that their sales will increase? ... a bit I think ...

Quoted from Bobber

A change to the way the UK music charts are compiled could see THE BEATLES re-entering the Top 20 again next year. Downloads will now be counted, even if the song is not available in stores and is an online exclusive, which means that there could be older acts mingling amongst the newer acts from January 1st 2007.
With the news that music by THE BEATLES will soon be made available online, this could mean further chart success for the FAB FOUR.

Is it possible?

To be honest, I don't think it'll make much difference to the overall content of the charts. Some positions might change a little, but otherwise I don't expect to see much of a change.

I'm guessing here a little, but I expect that the vast majority of people who pay for downloads from the likes of iTunes are exactly the same type of people that buy pop singles on CD.

Gnarls Berkley and Snow Patrol jumped back in the charts recently on downloads alone because of these changes, so you never know.

'News In Brief'  (taken from the Evening Standard website)

The first new-look singles chart is due to be revealed - with "golden oldies" tipped to make a comeback.

Under new chart rules which came into force this week, any song available as an internet download is eligible for the chart regardless of when it was released.

Previously, songs could only be included if a physical copy of the single was also available in the shops. So Snow Patrol's Chasing Cars - released back in July - is expected to feature in this week's top 10.

Crazy by Gnarls Barkley, the monster hit of 2006, is likely to gain a top 40 placing, along with Maneater by Nelly Furtado.

Until now songs were automatically removed from the chart two weeks after the physical copy of the single was deleted.



The shake-up also raises the intriguing possibility of the Beatles staging an almighty chart comeback. There are rumours that EMI is negotiating to release the band's back catalogue as downloads for the first time.

HMV spokesman Gennaro Castaldo said: "If the Beatles' songs were made available digitally, there would be such a rush to download them that a top 10 made up entirely of their music would be almost guaranteed. "The chart will now offer a much broader representation of the nation's music tastes."

Well, I think that if the single - even as a promotional tool - is dead, then that could drastically alter the average DJ's playlist, thereby affecting the chart. But I think we'll see the same artists in there, it'll just be more of them, i.e. Snow Patrol won't just have one song in there, but maybe two or three. I think it could actually become more boring than it is now.

I think the demand for Beatles downloads is being over-estimated.

I have mixed feelings about this. This will probably be the death of the purpose- made single, and those three minute wonders have provided rock with some of its greatest moments. But then again as BlueMeanie said it was probably a corpse anyway - for a long time singles have just been "good" tracks lifted off an album as a promotional tool to boost album sales.
And with downloading, does this mean music as a physical thing - like records and cd's, will just disapear? Call me old, but that feels really wierd.

Quoted from Kevin

And with downloading, does this mean music as a physical thing - like records and cd's, will just disapear? Call me old, but that feels really wierd.

I think it will take a very long time. Whilst the record buying public - as it is now - is still around I think there will be something physical that you can hold in your hand, be it CD or whatever is next around the corner. Remember the death of vinyl anyone?!!!

There is a chance that the charts could be invaded by cr*p though. Shows like the X factor could have people text in to download tracks - and threy get 5 million hits a week when the show is on. I can also imagine those clever marketting people to encourage 12 yearolds to text downloads for The Tweenies and the like.
We may have created a monster.

Yes, I feel a sense of doom. The charts as we know them are dead. It's a shame. It was part of everyone's youth watching Top Of The Pops on thursdays, or tuning in to Alan Freeman on Sunday! But then again, if all it is is rap and boy/girl bands, then I won't lose any sleep.

I feel that today charts don't show as much as they used to the likes of people ... there's a lot of pirate and internet downloads all over the world, and mainly associated to young people ... thing that didn't exist 15 years ago, for example ...

Quoted from raxo

I feel that today charts don't show as much as they used to the likes of people ...

The whole chart system has always been a bit flawed anyway. They only show what has sold the most in a particular week, and not acumulated sales. I'd like to see a separate chart say, every 3 months. Some artists never make the chart, but over the period of a year sell more records tthan those in the top 10.

Quoted from BlueMeanie

[...]Some artists never make the chart, but over the period of a year sell more records tthan those in the top 10.

Exactly, and some of those are more respectful and even famous!

Found this:

The Beatles are quoted at 10/1 by bookmakers to occupy every space in the Top 10 chart within the next year.

And Hey Jude is the favourite to be the first Fab Four digital number one following changes to the way the official charts are compiled which allow download sales to be into account.

Apple and the Beatles have finally reached a deal to end a long running dispute over the name Apple which could pave the way for legal downloads of Beatles songs.

Until now, it has been impossible to legally download Beatles songs because of the row. But bookies predict that when the songs become available they will soar to the top of the charts.

William Hill are offering odds of 8/1 that Hey Jude will be the first Beatles number one of the digital era, with Yesterday second favourite at 9/1, and She Loves You having odds of 10/1.

Hill's spokesman Rupert Adams said: "Beatlemania was at its height in the mid sixties, but making their songs available for download could spark a whole new outbreak.

"With iTunes being owned by Apple, and Apple Corps being owned by the Beatles, they've been fighting over who owns the name Apple. It's delayed the Beatles catalogue being available.

"But they're now friends again, so it's highly likely that the songs will be made available to be downloaded. it means the major stumbling block in the process has been taken out.

"There's a very good chance that the whole top ten will be Beatles songs.

"We've debated for years what the best Beatles song of all time is, and now it will be down to the public to decide.

"Personally, I think All You Need is Love is better, particularly with Valentine's Day coming up."

Other favourites for the first Beatles number one include at 10/1- I Want To Hold Your Hand, 10/1 Help, 10/1 Can’t Buy Me Love, 10/1 Hard Days Night, 14/1 I Feel Fine, 14/1 Day Tripper, 14/1 Penny Lane, 14/1 Let It Be, , 16/1 Get Back, 16/1 Something, 20/1 Ticket To Ride, 20/1 Strawberry Fields Forever, 20/1 Paperback Writer, 20/1 Eleanor Rigby, 20/1, We Can Work It Out, 22/1 Long Winding road, 25/1 From Me To You, 25/1 Eight Days A Week, 25/1 All You Need Is Love, 25/1 Lady Madonna, 28/1 Hello Goodbye, 33/1 Yellow Submarine, 50/1 Love Me Do, 50/1 The Ballard Of John & Yoko, 50/1 Come Together

Say you want a revolution? Well, you know...