PattiHum 💚 · @PattiHum
17th Apr 2015 from TwitLonger
Full explanation of how iTunes charts pre-orders now. Store chart only.
The latest move inside iTunes addresses how pre-orders are counted. Previously, pre-orders impacted the store chart as the orders came in, as well as the day of the release, when those orders were fulfilled to customers. That usually meant a title with a large amount of preorders would be assured the No. 1 slot on the day of release, an effective marketing tool for labels which allowed them to bring attention to the album's availability by touting its No. 1 spot in the iTunes chart.
However, in the new configuration, all pre-orders are wiped clean as the clock strikes midnight on the day of the release. Consequently, that title's chart position is determined by what new sales activity takes place on the first day of its release, not all the activity it had generated through pre-orders. This move cuts down chances of landing the No. 1 spot, as the new release will have to get there solely through new purchases on the day of release.
Major label executives say they understand why Apple made the move it did, but that it will take some getting used to. "This is a big move, because everyone in the industry pays attention to the iTunes storefront more than any other store or service," says one major label executive. "No one looks at the Amazon, Google or Spotify music pages the way they pay attention to iTunes."