‘A Game Changer for Australian Artists’: Industry Reacts to ARIA Charts Revamp

Formats come, formats go. From vinyl and cassette to the CD, downloads, streams, and back to vinyl, the ARIA Charts have evolved across a 42-year timeline to reflect what’s hot and how music fans are listening. Physical to digital; sales to “consumption”.

The changes that are now coming to the ARIA Charts are nothing short of radical. The Australian industry is ready, and willing.

From September 1st, the ARIA Main Charts (Singles and Albums) and the Australian Artist Singles and Albums Charts will exclude titles released more than two years ago.

With the upgrades, Vance Joy’s “Riptide” will no longer lead the Australian contingent.  

Catalogue won’t be banished, but listed in a separate home. The ARIA On Replay Charts will present the most popular titles released more than two years ago.

A new rule will apply to older recordings that catch a viral moment. Think Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill”, which caught fire thanks a sync to Stranger Things.

The chart overhauls are “simple, and simple is good a lot of the time,” and should go some way to addressing Australian artists’ “visibility” problem, ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd explained at an industry gathering last week at Sydney’s Ace Hotel.

Feedback from the music community, chart anoraks, and even international observers on those changes have been mostly positive. The Music Network cast the net. 

More information about the ARIA Charts is available here. 

Kiri Martin

Kiri Martin, Senior Music Director, Music Events & Partnerships, Hit Network

“This is a game changer for Australian artists.

“It’s been a long time coming, and I’m thrilled to see ARIA take meaningful action to make the charts more dynamic and give our domestic artists a better opportunity to crack these charts.

“It’s an exciting time for the Australian music scene and our industry.”

Mardi Caught

Mardi Caught, Head of The Annex

“This change feels like a great first step and I want to thank the board for taking such a bold jump.

“It’s exciting to think that debut albums from Australian artists won’t have to compete with Ed Sheeran’s debut album anymore.

“The next step needs to be addressing the single chart – which is still effectively a broadcast chart based on passive streaming rather than active engagement.

“We are constantly asking our media partners – whether it be radio or TV or press – to support Australian music but we are not giving them any context of why they should.

“We need to know the local impact of engagement on tracks going forward to ensure everyone can see what Aussies are vibing on.

“I appreciate this is a difficult process as it’s a combination of streams, UGC, Shazams, saves and more – but artists can still chart in our Top 10 over here on passive listening to US playlists rather than on local audiences engaging with music actively on different platforms.”

Jaddan Comerford

Jaddan Comerford, CEO & Founder at UNIFIED Music Group

“At UNIFIED, we’ve always believed in the power and importance of new music and artist discovery.

“Any move that gives emerging artists a better shot at being discovered and celebrated is one we’ll stand behind.

“These changes to the ARIA charts are a great step forward. By focusing the main charts on newer releases while still making space to celebrate special moments – such as Vance Joy’s ‘Riptide’ which has spent record breaking time on the singles chart since 2013, or Ocean Alley’s ‘Confidence’ that went viral again last year – the new-look ARIA Charts will help paint a more accurate picture of what’s connecting with people right now.

“We’re committed to finding and supporting the next wave of Aussie stars. That’s why we’ve been building initiatives like Community Music, which exists to uncover, nurture and develop the next wave of Australian talent. This evolution of the charts only strengthens that path.”

Nic Kelly

Nic Kelly, co-host of The Hot Hits with Nic & Loren

“These changes are a welcome, well-considered development to allow artists to tell a more accurate story of their acute impact with audiences whilst not neglecting the lasting effect of iconic catalogue music.

The hope now is that it allows Australian music to be more celebrated and discoverable – but it’s a great step forward from an industry body that has made leaps and bounds forward recently with its connection to music communities.”

Eamonn Forde (Photo credit: Louise Haywood-Schiefer)

Eamonn Forde, UK-based Music Industry Writer and Author

“The charts are constipated.

“Looking at the top 40 albums in the UK this week, it is buckling under the weight of albums from generations ago (Oasis, Fleetwood Mac), albums that were released more than five years ago (Lana Del Rey, Arctic Monkeys) and far, far too many compilation/greatest hits albums.

“The problem, since 2014 when streaming data was added, is that there has been a unhealthy compacting on certain albums that, because of the way streams are counted, reward the already big by making them bigger.

“The charts have become atrophied and increasingly look like they are unfit for purpose, a cobwebbed anachronism that looks backwards more than it looks forward.

“The methodology behind how the charts are counted feels increasingly broken by attempting to pull off incompatible (or contradictory) things.

“They are seeking to marry physical and download sales (i.e. purchases) with premium streams and ad-supported streams (i.e. listens, but with ad-supported streams counting for less than subscription streams).

“This tabulation system is like trying to knit together wool, bark and sand. The UK charts cannot be expected to get everything absolutely right forever in a business that is constantly shifting; but it should be carefully watching for what relief comes with the ARIA amendments.

“It feels apt that the best solution so far for chart constipation should come from Down Under.”

Ben Watts, Head of Music (ANZ) at Spotify

“As a proud partner of ARIA, Spotify welcomes these changes to the ARIA Charts as an important step forward in spotlighting new music and better reflecting what’s resonating with Australian listeners right now.

“Championing homegrown talent is core to Spotify’s mission, as seen in our work on Turn Up Aus and other local programs – so these chart updates are a positive move for the industry and the next generation of Australian artists.”

Annabelle Herd

Annabelle Herd, CEO of ARIA

“These updates ensure the ARIA Charts continue to evolve in step with the listening habits of Australian music fans.

“We’re creating clear space to spotlight exciting new music while recognising the lasting impact and relevance of timeless classics through our ARIA On Replay Charts.

“Our aim is to support the discovery and celebration of great Australian music at every stage of its life.”