The Official Charts Company has announced another set of chart rule changes, mainly to deal with the increasingly popular trend of record companies releasing deluxe versions of albums a few months after a long player's initial release.
Record companies normally want the sales of both standard and deluxe versions of albums to be counted together, so that overall they get a higher chart position. Previously the OCC has only allowed that to happen when the two versions of the albums were 80% the same - so the deluxe edition could only include a limited amount of extra content for sales of it to be lumped with sales of the original release.
That rule has now been changed to give labels the option to include more content in the deluxe release without losing the benefit of a combined sales count. From the end of the month, deluxe editions will only have to include 100% of the standard release to be counted as the same product as the original, though the extra content must be previously unreleased - so, for example, a label couldn't turn the deluxe edition into a virtual hits album by lumping in some back catalogue. If a deluxe version does not include 100% of the original release, the previous 80% rule will apply.
A new set of rules have also been introduced to govern the inclusion of free merchandise or downloads with a physical album release, where sales of the freebie-laden version of an album can be counted with sales of the basic release providing the enhanced package is between 20% and 80% more expensive than the standard album (increase depends on level of freebie included).
The new rules have been introduced in recognition of the increased trend for labels to release enhanced and deluxe versions of albums to boost overall sales, especially in the run up to Christmas.
OCC boss Martin Talbot told CMU: "These changes, which were driven by retailers' demand, are designed to encourage greater experimentation in the packaging of albums through the creation of more enhanced value packages for consumers. We hope it will help support sales in the run-up to Christmas".