Billboard announced today that starting later this month, its flagship Billboard 200 chart will reflect comprehensive sales of all albums, old and new. How come?
To understand the changed rules, think back to the awkward chart situation that followed Michael Jackson’s death this past summer. Sales of his work immediately skyrocketed, and for six non-consecutive weeks, his greatest-hits set Number Ones was the best-selling album in the U.S. Yet since it was more than 18 months old, Number Ones‘ sales weren’t counted for the Billboard 200. It was instead relegated to lesser-seen charts like Top Comprehensive Albums and Top Pop Catalog Albums, while lower-selling new releases like Sugarland’s Live on the Inside topped the the Billboard 200. A similar fate befell the Beatles’ reissued albums, several of which would have qualified for Top 10 spots on the Billboard 200 this fall if they weren’t so old.
Prior to Jackson’s death, no catalog album had outsold the Billboard 200’s No. 1 in the publication’s history. So this is just a matter of keeping up with the times. “What we’ve seen in the past couple years — and not just with Michael Jackson — is a lot of albums reissued with new content,” Billboard director of charts Silvio Pietroluongo tells the Music Mix, citing successful reissue campaigns for Pearl Jam’s Ten and Jackson’s Thriller. “I think what we’ll see in the future is more labels trying to mine their catalog in creative ways. The Billboard 200 needs to show the sales activity of those titles, and also any older titles that receive a spike due to any other exposure, [such as] an artist appearing on American Idol.”
The change will go into effect with the Billboard 200 dated Dec. 5 (covering the sales week from Nov. 16-22).
What do you think of Billboard’s new rules? Are you looking forward to seeing older releases competing alongside new ones? Sound off in the comments section.
(Follow the Music Mix on Twitter: @EWMusicMix.)
More from EW.com’s Music Mix:
Charts on the Music Mix
Wyclef Jean on his new album, the future of the Fugees, and being confused with will.i.am
Aerosmith 2.0: Who should replace Steven Tyler?
The Killers’ Brandon Flowers on live albums, vampires, and Sinatra: A Music Mix Q&A
Comments (1-30) of 95 Add your comment
I like it.
This is great news for those wanting improved sales accuracy. This is also really bad news for new and up-and-coming artists.
Agreed!
Then again, if the new and up-and-coming artists were making great music like MJ and The Beatles, it shouldn’t matter. Too bad a lot of the stuff out is crap.
I like this. We should know what is the top selling record is, no matter how old the record is. New artist will need to earn their top ten status.
I think this is ridiculous. The Billboard 200 is supposed to reflect new releases that are actively promoted by record companies and radio.
What happened with MJ was such an anomaly that it really does not warrant such a drastic change.
Maybe it will push more of the crap off the charts a lot sooner! I’m looking at you Hip Hop!
Do not call that crap (Black eyed sellouts 4 instance)on the charts hip hop that is rap big difference. Rap is something people do, Hip hop is a culture that people live.
Great Billboard finally saw the light and changed the rules, but what about applying them retroactively to last summer. Michael Jackson should have been on the BB200. It was unfair of Billboard to exclude him when all over the world he was the number one seller…His own home country should have given him that last accolade.
These type of things are never applied retroactively. A giant rule change is an admission that “Oops! We royally messed up! But in the future…”
See also: the Academy Awards’ new best picture format (Dark Knight should’ve been nominated last year). Or when ANY sport makes a rule change (ie. NFL with instant replay)
Albums are albums and it should never matter how new or old an album is. If people buy it, the charts should reflect that. To much friggen segmenting. And that crap about counting boxed albums as one (like with the Beatles Boxes) is crap.
And the box set rule is inconsistent, because they count 2-CD sets as 2 and 3-CD sets as 3. So why not continue with a larger box set (e.g., The Beatles) since the price point keeps rising along with the amount of CDs? Billboard, Soundscan and RIAA all need to implements major overhaul and become consistent.
implement major overhauls
TED: You’ve confused the Billboard 200 with the RIAA Gold & Platinum awards. Multi-CD albums on the Billboard 200 have no advantage.
I wrote to Billboard back when Michael Jackson’s album was selling more than any other but not charting and told them that I lost all respect for their sales charts. I am absolutely NOT a fan of Michael Jackson (his music often makes me cringe), but the point is, the biggest selling album of the week should be number one. This is a GREAT IDEA that is long overdue. Sales are about sales and that is period. Those worried about new artists, well there are very few new acts who are going to be able to ever break in the million sales range anyway with all the pirating going on.
@AcaseofGeo you’re a idiot u have no taste in music. how does his music make u “cringe”?
I agree with AcaseofGeo that some of Michael’s music makes me cringe. Some of Thriller is crap – like a lot of his sappy ballads and songs about whales. His songs about his childhood and nearly all of History and Invincible were craptastic. While I certainly respect Michael Jackson’s impact and the great music he has created, popularity is not the same thing as quality.
To Ben: And opinions don’t exactly count as facts. I don’t like the Beatles’ music, but I’m not gonna say it wasn’t quality music just because I don’t like it.
And no the Billborad 200 was not originally supposed to represnet only NEW releases. It shoudl re present what is sold. If you want to have your separate RB, Jazz, catalogue separate charges, be my guest but the top 200 should reflect whatever the hell sells.
I think this is good. New artists might have to work harder to get to the top. Leave it to MJ to shake up the charts again!
I COULDN’T AGREE MORE, ALL HE DO IS BREAK RECORDS!!!!LOL
I think it’s a great idea and not just because I’m a fan Of MJ. Older stuff has more staying power…obviously. New artists don’t have to work as hard it seems most things are handed to them…MJ, Beatles,Elvis, they are true musical pioneers and they are the ones who paved the way by all their dedication and hard work why not still honor their stuff.
This is good news. Now if they would do this on the Hot 100 singles chart as well they would all reflect true sales/popularity.
About time. Top selling albums should reflect top selling albums.
This only makes sense. What’s ludicrous is that it was ever the other way in the first place. What sells the most should be #1. Period.
lol hahha, leave it up to Michael Jackson to shake up the charts again and revolutionise the industry again! Deffo the KING
Hel* Yeah! It’s about time Bilboard and all get with the program. Not that I really care but there should be tracking of mp3 downloads and DVD sales as well.
Thats sad that Pop star Michael Jackson isnt Alive anymore thanks to Dr murray.June 25th 2009.I liked watching his videos a lot.Bad back in 1987.Dirty Diana Back in 1988.The way you make me back in 1988.They were great videos back then.I liked him in the movie moonwalker.That was a great movie on MTV.Also It starred Joe Pesci before he did movies.Also I Remember the Disneyland Attraction Captain EO starring Michael Jackson.I went to it.That was a great Attraction.That was fun to watch.
Michael isn’t alive today because he ALLOWED a doctor to pump him full of drugs he should not have been taking. The doctor clearly screwed up, but MJ is responsible for his own drug abuse, and if Murray hadn’t been the doctor involved, MJ would have found some other doctor to get him the drugs he demanded.
Your an idiot… MJ had Lupas, insomnia and arthritis… He didnt take drugs to get on a high. MJ like many Americans become dependant on medication everyday, becuase thats the sad state of mordern medication.
The poor man was only seeking the most natural healing that is sleep, that most of us can take for granted.
Move your bashing elsewhere.
This is sooooooo awesome.
This album should count as one of his #1 albums….his SEVENTH!!
THIS IS IT #1 woldwide with 708,000 copies the first week globally!! MJ’s 6th #1.
Thriller
Bad
Dangerous
History
Invincible
This Is It
Number Ones!!!!!!!
And Blood On the Dance Floor was #1 in many other (non-US) countries.
Can you imagine having all your albums (after Off the Wall) BE NUMBER ONES? He is the best!
Too bad they did not make this decision 3 months ago when it would have actually mattered.
I don’t understand why anyone would have a problem with this. The chart should reflect the truth in sales, not skew it to promote something just because it’s new. It will also help introduce younger music fans to classic acts from earlier generations that may otherwise be ignored by mainstream radio and TV simply for being unfashionable.
The Beatles are alway’s the best sellers of all time they dominated the 60’s were #2 best sellers of the 70’s, #1 in the 80’s, #1 in sales again in the 90’s and now in the decade of 2000-2009 they are #1 in sales with eminen at #2. NOW THE IS STAYING POWER!!!!!
LEAVE IT TO THE BEATLES TO SHAKE UP THE CHARTS!!!!
The new rules will even give ol’ Madonna one last gasp before it’s all over…
Madonna is nothing but a clever marketing puppet. You’ll see that even with the new BB rules she wont be anywhere in top 200. The true kings are MJ, Elvis and Beatles, in that order (but thats subjective).
As it should be. Who cares if the recording is old or new. If it is a reissue, or compilation of old material, but is selling in numbers great enough to chart, then it should be in the same chart os new recordings.
Just give credit were credit is due. We had some great artist in the 60’s,70’s abd 80’s. Beatles, Elvis and Michael paved the way for many artist today. Their album sales says it all. Whether you are a fan of Michael’s or not you have to be deaf,blind and dumb not to see the creative genius he was.
At the world music awards last night in monaco the Beatles were given a diamond award,diamond awards were started in 2001 for artist with 100 million album sales in their career. according to the WMA the Beatles have sold 1.8 billion more than anybody in history, i don’t think they mentioned wacko jackson at all, the Beatles also have the most platinum albums seven with led zepplin 2nd with 6. so what do you think of those numbers!
You ignorant anti-MJ zealot.
Michael Jackson has already won the Diamond Award back in 2006!
hey, Shrews- Just give credit to the greatest musicians of all-time THE BEATLES!!!!!!!
U MEAN MOST OVERRATED BAND EVER. THEY WERE (KEYWORD) POPULAR BUT THEY ONLY WON LIKE TWO GRAMMY’S. LOL
I wonder what the chart positions for the Beatles would have been…
I really hope the change comes in time so that we can still see the latest releases from both Michael Jackson and The Beatles topping the Billboard 200 in early 2010 !!!
Hey you idiot HACKS: wacko jackson shouldn’t be mention with THE BEATLES or elvis! besides he wasn’t a musician, he was a child molester who is burning in hell! right now, maybe you want to follow him, right!!
and the beatles and elvis were drug addicts…moving on.
“Jackson is not a musician”? Total ignorance of even the basic facts.
The rest of the whole piece is not even opinion, it’s hatred.
What a disgrace for the Beatles and their fans.