It is said that the people who bite the hand that feeds them usually lick the boot that kicks them. As we see digital music move from an early adopter model to a mass market driver of growth and success in our industry, it’s time we take a closer look at who is doing the feeding and who is doing the kicking.

It was recently announced that on-demand music streaming data will count towards official UK chart rankings, alongside single purchases and downloads. This should not surprise anyone. As downloads decline and we move towards the fabled ‘celestial jukebox’ that consumers love, it’s only natural that we measure the success of a song by how many times it is listened to. This metric recognises talent and artistic (and, indeed, commercial) endeavour on the part of artists, labels and publishers. It should result in a chart system that is more reflective of today’s music market.

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