NZ music charts embrace legal downloads

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Impact expected to be felt most on singles charts

By Computerworld staff | Auckland | Wednesday, 23 May, 2007

Not before time, some might say, the official New Zealand Music Chart will begin logging sales of digital music.

From May 29 the charts will include downloads from legal digital music retailers.

Recording Industry Association of New Zealand President Adam Holt says with the early emergence of Amplifier and digiRAMA, the strong music presence on the Telecom and Vodafone mobile platforms and the recent launch of iTunes’ New Zealand store, legal digital downloading is now well established in New Zealand.

RIANZ says the market has established a strong digital sales base the changes are necessary to ensure the chart continues to reflect how New Zealanders are buying music.

Holt says he expects the addition of digital sales to have an impact on the chart, especially on the Top 40 singles.

“We believe the introduction of digital sales will make the chart more dynamic,” Holt says. “The singles chart will experience more change than the albums chart simply because of the sharp increase in the sales of digital tracks and singles over the past 12 months."

He says changes in the album chart will be less obvious as physical albums are still dominant format.