Soundscan/Billboard Chart Question

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JonPaulP

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Soundscan says: "Nielsen Soundscan will not process sales that occurred at churches, libraries, YMCAs, malls, campgrounds, public and private schools, offices, lawn and house concerts are all ineligible venue sites."

What if you are an artist who primarily plays at churches? What if your friends ask to buy a CD from you? What if you take preorders from people you know or meet at libraries, schools, the office, at home or on the street?

What if you aren't performing anywhere, but friends ask to buy CDs from you and you just so happen to have copies with you?

None of those sales will count towards the Billboard Charts?

You can only chart based only on sales at a show at a venue other than those listed above?
 
JonPaulP said:
Soundscan says: "Nielsen Soundscan will not process sales that occurred at churches, libraries, YMCAs, malls, campgrounds, public and private schools, offices, lawn and house concerts are all ineligible venue sites."

What if you are an artist who primarily plays at churches? What if your friends ask to buy a CD from you? What if you take preorders from people you know or meet at libraries, schools, the office, at home or on the street?

What if you aren't performing anywhere, but friends ask to buy CDs from you and you just so happen to have copies with you?

None of those sales will count towards the Billboard Charts?

You can only chart based only on sales at a show at a venue other than those listed above?
Click to expand...

You are off of their radar.

They follow an old model that isn't very viable in 2014, but they are slowly changing because they have to to remain relevant.
 
"Malls"?

I can see why a bunch of those locations would be excluded. They're not proper retail locations, so SS can't reliably collect data from them. But malls? Malls are standard retail outlets; they should keep pretty consistent records. I know SS is really bad about keeping their data coherent (I've worked with their exports. Who uses space/0 padding?!), but that is ridiculous!
 
VomitHatSteve said:
"Malls"?

I can see why a bunch of those locations would be excluded. They're not proper retail locations, so SS can't reliably collect data from them. But malls? Malls are standard retail outlets; they should keep pretty consistent records. I know SS is really bad about keeping their data coherent (I've worked with their exports. Who uses space/0 padding?!), but that is ridiculous!
Click to expand...

I've always wondered if they just don't count wholesale and not retail. in other words they know how many CDs Wal-mart bought from the distributor and that is what is counted, whether those pallets of CDs just sit in a warehouse in Bentonville, AR or they are actually sold to people.
 
JonPaulP said:
Soundscan says: "Nielsen Soundscan will not process sales that occurred at churches, libraries, YMCAs, malls, campgrounds, public and private schools, offices, lawn and house concerts are all ineligible venue sites."

What if you are an artist who primarily plays at churches? What if your friends ask to buy a CD from you? What if you take preorders from people you know or meet at libraries, schools, the office, at home or on the street?

What if you aren't performing anywhere, but friends ask to buy CDs from you and you just so happen to have copies with you?

None of those sales will count towards the Billboard Charts?

You can only chart based only on sales at a show at a venue other than those listed above?
Click to expand...

I guess the question is, Are you selling that many off the radar that the uncounted sales could potentially put you on the charts?? (Serious question)
 
jokerone said:
I've always wondered if they just don't count wholesale and not retail.
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Because I know next to nothing about Neilson and soundscan, I looked it up. It says to be able to report sales you need an internet connection and a Point Of Sale system. Sounds like retail to me. Sign up and you get a unique identifier then you just report your sales each week.

Do people still buy music anymore?
 
jokerone said:
I've always wondered if they just don't count wholesale and not retail. in other words they know how many CDs Wal-mart bought from the distributor and that is what is counted, whether those pallets of CDs just sit in a warehouse in Bentonville, AR or they are actually sold to people.
Click to expand...
That's how the artist is paid, at least it was last time I paid attention. That's why buybacks were a problem.
 
Chili said:
I guess the question is, Are you selling that many off the radar that the uncounted sales could potentially put you on the charts?? (Serious question)
Click to expand...

Depending on your genre, you can chart pretty high by just selling a couple thousand cds in a week.

I know in the metal community, if you sell 50,000 cds, it is a huge success akin to going gold 20 years ago.

Those sales figures would have gotten you dropped from the label in the 90's, now they make you #1.
 
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