The popular music singles that are recorded by the British record industry are organized by The Official UK Charts Company.  The data records start recording on Sundays, and then the following Saturday, the chart is published in Music Week magazine.  The chart is also published online on the web page called Yahoo! Music UK.  The site was formerly called ‘Dotmusic’.  The 6,500 retail shops in the UK provide the data to the chart company.  Online music stores, such as iTunes, also contribute their music data.  The USA records airplay data as well, but the airplay statistics in the UK are not recorded on the UK Singles Chart.  Many of the new singles are put on the shelves in shops on Mondays.

The chart consists of the top 200 songs as well as album sales and music downloads.  The Top 75 is usually thought of as the official chart.  However, only 40 of those listed will be available to the public.  The Top 200 Singles list, as well as the list for the Top 200 Artist Albums, are published in the ChartsPlus newsletter every Wednesday.  As of January 13 of 2008, there were 1,067 songs that had made it onto the UK Singles Chart. Many have questioned the accurate counts of the charts from the 1950s, through the 1980s.  During this time, sales were recorded manually.  However, the lists are enforced by the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles.  The list was then taken over by The Official UK Charts Company.  The latest song to hit the number one spot on the UK chart is “Now You’re Gone” by the group Basshunter.

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