cary78663

Since a number of people have suggested starting an FAQ thread, I decided to do just that. As subjects come up in this forum, I will add them to the FAQ. I will add a new post for each subject and will provide a link to each subject below. User posts are locked out in this thread so that it will be easier to browse the information. If anyone has a suggestion for an addition to the FAQ, just send a PM to me.

How do Gold and Platinum certifications work?

What does it mean when a song "goes recurrent"?

How do the Mediabase and Billboard charts differ?

On the Mediabase Country chart, I see a song higher on the chart than another song with a higher number of spins and higher auduence impressions. How is this possible?

cary78663

How do Gold and Platinum certifications work?

Gold and Platinum certifications are based on the number of CD shipped by the record label to retail stores and other sales outlets. The amount shipped is based on what the stores order and thus, what the stores think they can sell. So, for the most part, it is assumed that once the CDs are shipped, they will eventually be sold.

The Soundscan sales numbers we see each Wednesday represent actual retail sales to customers.

Since shipments includes actually sales to date plus the CDs that stores have on their shelves for future sales, the number of CDs shipped will always be a higher number than actual sales represented by the Soundscan sales numbers. This is why Some Hearts went 3x Platinum (3 million CDs shipped) while the Soundscan sales numbers showed around 2.5 million CDs sold. And for the same reason, Some Hearts will go 4x Platinum before the Soundscan sales number reaches 4 million.

cary78663

What does it mean when a song "goes recurrent"?

Basically, when a song reaches the top part of an airplay chart, it is given one chance to get as high as it can on the chart. Once the song has peaked and starts declining in airplay, it is designated as "recurrent" and is removed from the chart so as to give other songs their opportunity. This keeps the chart fresh with up-and-coming new songs. The criteria for determining when a song is declining varies. For Mediabase, it is generally when a song goes down in airplay for 3 straight weeks and may require that the song has dropped below a certain position on the chart. For Billboard, it usually requires that the song was on the chart for at least a certain number of weeks, is below position on ther chart, and is declining in airplay.

cary78663

How do the Mediabase and Billboard/R&R charts differ?

First, Mediabase and Billboard/R&R don't base their charts on the exactly same stations, though there are a large number of stations that are used by both Mediabase and Billboard/R&R.

Most of the Mediabase charts are based solely on the number of spins. The country chart is an exception, where the chart is based on a point system that is based on number of spins and the station's market size. Billboard/R&R is more of a mix with some charts based on spins and some based on audience impressions calculated from spin count and market size.

The biggest difference between Mediabase and Billboard is how the get their airplay data. Billboard/R&R uses BDS (Broadcast Data Systems). Mediabase depends on the radio stations to report how many times they played a song and during which timeslot it was played. BDS actually determines a pattern for each song and then "listens" to the airwaves. Whenever the pattern is "heard", it is counted as 1 play for that song.

There are several other smaller difference. They use different rules for when a song goes recurrent. The chart week for Mediabase runs from Sunday through Saturday, while Billboard/R&R's chart week runs from Monday through Sunday.

cary78663

On the Mediabase Country chart, I see a song higher on the chart than another song with a higher number of spins and higher auduence impressions. How is this possible?

This chart is not sorted based on spins or the Mediabase audience impressions. Instead, the chart is sorted by a point value given to each song which is determined by a separate station weightings along with the spin count for each station. This point system is a carryover from when R&R used Mediabase data before it was acquired by Billboard's parent company. Sometimes, the station weightings for audience impressions and the station weightings for points are significantly different. This can result in a song that has a high audience impressions value on Mediabase, but has a low point total for the chart. So, a higher number of spins and higher audience impressions does not guarantee being higher on this Mediabase chart.