Games downloads might not qualify for music chart

Two weeks after we revealed that The Official Charts Company was negotiating to integrate games downloads into its UK music Top 40, the body has told MCV that the outcome is not necessarily a certainty.

The OCC today told MCV that it could not be sure that games download data would meet its ‘exacting standards’.

Official Charts Company MD Martin Talbot said:

We’re hopeful of this change happening this year – but there is an issue around whether games downloads qualify. The idea will have to go through various [music] industry committees, who will examine the way in which this data is currently collected. The companies selling the data need to deliver it to us in a way that meets our exacting standards.

We have very high standards in the quality of the data we receive. The music chart has to be flawless. We’re constantly on our guard to ensure there are no loopholes to enable people to ‘cheat’ it or get inappropriate material into it. It’s a hugely important marketing tool and has great history. We take its integrity very seriously.”

Provided a deal is thrashed out between publishers and format holders, music downloaded to play in the likes of Rock Band, Guitar Hero, SingStar and upcoming games like DJ Hero, will be combined with the current download charts.

Globally, some 40m tracks have been downloaded by Guitar Hero fans according to Activision; over 30m are thought to have been downloaded on Rock Band, and millions more have been downloaded for the PS3 version of SingStar.