The pop charts

[snoggle]

This is perhaps pitched a little more at the younger forum members but does anyone pay attention these days to the singles and album charts? I only look in occasionally and see Drake is in grave danger of breaking the "most weeks at number 1" single record held by Bryan Adams with (Everything I do) I do it for you [1]. I haven't even heard Drake's song in full - partly because there's no video on youtube (or wasn't last time I looked).

In the dim and distant days of my youth the pop charts and the new Top 40 were a great feature if you liked music. I used to scribble down the charts every Tuesday lunchtime and kept a folder of all of the top 40 charts. There was also the ritual of Thursday's Top of the Pops (hence my excitement about it being back on BBC4) plus the Sunday evening chart run down.

Nowadays the basis of the chart has had to change to reflect changes to technology but it seems the charts are now a quagmire with not much moving or coming into the top 40. In the olden days (ahem) we have big moves, songs going in at number 1 and all sorts of variety. It all seems a bit flat and unexciting these days.

So how do people find the music they like or new music these days? All via social media?

[1] a song I can't bare to listen to. Give me "Run to you" or "Summer of 69" or even his collaboration with Mel B any time.

[ThinLizzy]

Who is Drake?

I feel really old even looking at the charts (at the grand old age of 36)

[snoggle]

Jul 26, 2016 20:24:22 GMT ThinLizzy said:

Who is Drake?

I feel really old even looking at the charts (at the grand old age of 36)

I believe Drake is a Canadian born black male singer of the "urban/R 'n B" genre. Known to sing with that Bajan female singer who likes Umbrellas ellas ellas - Rihanna.

Oh to be 36.

[vjaska]

Jul 26, 2016 20:24:22 GMT ThinLizzy said:

Who is Drake?

I feel really old even looking at the charts (at the grand old age of 36)

A rapper and singer from Canada, admittedly one of the better modern artists personally. I stopped looking at the charts bar the odd song this year and I'm only 27.

[rmz19]

I don't really look at the charts. The way I find my music now is on the Radio, YouTube, Social Media and I actively follow current activities of musicians I'm a fan of online.

[ThinLizzy]

Jul 26, 2016 21:52:56 GMT snoggle said:

Jul 26, 2016 20:24:22 GMT ThinLizzy said:

Who is Drake?

I feel really old even looking at the charts (at the grand old age of 36)

I believe Drake is a Canadian born black male singer of the "urban/R 'n B" genre. Known to sing with that Bajan female singer who likes Umbrellas ellas ellas - Rihanna.

Oh to be 36.

Oh I know the ella ella ella song.

To be fair (to me) it's not really my cup of tea- if it hasn't got guitars or isn't from the 80s or before its not for me (that's my parents fault!) lol

[enviroPB]

I'm 22 (!) and still struggle to keep up with this 'fad'. My best mate did music for GCSE and he's trained in using a range of instruments; guitar, piano and ukulele to name a few. Long story short, he and I are at loggerheads at times with what we individually describe as good music.

One thing's for sure; that the charts are not as relevant as before as music companies have their hidden agendas; sexualisation of the youth with their inappropriate lyrics & videos the most notable factor. It's true that technology has changed what the Top 40 means these days; but simply put we don't go out to HMV and the like to buy music these days so how can that be a reliable measure of what's popular?

What I'm realising with every passing day is that one's music taste is very subjective. And it's wrong to implement a hidden agenda to [mainly] adolescent teens who are trying to explore feelings through this widely accessible medium. I stopped watching the Top 40 chart show a good 7 years ago now, simply because I didn't like the "bi***es, money & w**d" narrative being blared to my demographic. Give me indie any day or to get myself upbeat, electro indie.