Australia’s first official Country Music Airplay Chart launches

In a first for the country music industry, a weekly airplay chart will be published that accurately reflects what is playing on radio nationally. It will be managed by music publisher and charts provider The Music Network, and played on Ray Hadley’s weekly Country Music Countdown, which airs on over 65 radio stations nationally.

The chart has been produced in consultation with a prominent group of country music stakeholders and CMA members, including promoters Rob Potts and Michael Chugg, Foxtel’s Country Music Channel (CMC) and representatives from Southern Cross Austereo, Commercial Radio Australia and labels Sony, Warner, Universal and ABC Music.

Chairman of the CMA Australian Advisory Group, Rob Potts said. “To finally have one official and authentic airplay chart for country music in Australia will have huge impact on helping develop and create hit-driven stars in Aussie country music, something we have been struggling to do for a decade. For all the industry and fans to be hearing the most popular songs around the country at the same time will mean we have national radio hits again. We are genuinely excited about this announcement and to have the music industry bible, The Music Network as the compiler and presenter of the chart gives it immediate credibility.”  

CMC’s Group Program Manager, Tim Daley is an avid supporter of the project. “A properly compiled, weighted and accurate national airplay chart is a critical tool for everyone who works with Country Music.  From a TV or radio programming standpoint, it’s important to know which artists and single are having real impact.  For artists, managers and labels, knowing where to place promo and marketing resources is more important than ever.  For fans, it brings all parts of the genre together.  Our industry needs to know definitively what is a bona-fide national hit and what isn’t, based on airplay at full time country media.”

Spins data and new additions are being submitted weekly to The Music Network by country music radio networks Hot Country and KIX-FM, along with key stations including Radio 2KA Cool Country and Good Morning Country, as well as Foxtel’s Country Music Channel.

The chart is published on Fridays and uploaded to www.countrymusiccharts.com.au. The Top 20 will be made available freely to fans and artists, while the full Top 50 with searchable archive and comparative digital and sales data will be a paid service to the industry.

Ray Hadley will play the Official Top 20 on his popular Country Music Countdown on 2CH on Thursday nights, with syndication to over 65 metro and regional radio stations. “I love country music and I love presenting the Country Music Countdown across Australia. The partnership we now have with the Music Network means we get to play the songs that listeners want to hear.” said Hadley.

For more information contact daniel.respall@themusicnetwork.com

For this week’s Official Top 20 visit: www.countrymusiccharts.com.au

For the full Top 50, archive, and tracking service, subscribe here.