TheOfficial Record Store Chart is a weeklymusic chart based on physical sales of albums in almost 100 independentrecord stores in the United Kingdom, such asRough Trade,Rounder Records, Jumbo andSound It Out.[1][2] It is compiled by theOfficial Charts Company (OCC), and each week's number one is first announced on Friday evenings on the OCC's official website.
The chart's launch was first announced by the OCC on 17 April 2012[3] – at the time, British record stores were selling 4.5 million albums per year, and were contributing towards 95 per cent of the country's total vinyl sales.[4] However,music downloads held a considerable share of the albums market, leading to a decline in the number of outlets.[5] In promoting the chart, Martin Talbot, managing director of the OCC, remarked that he could see the benefits to both digital and physical album sales, but that there was "nothing nicer than the smell and feel of a nice chunky vinyl".[4]
The Official Record Store Chart was first broadcast by British DJSteve Lamacq on his eponymous radio programme on BBC 6 Music; the first number one wasBoys & Girls, the debut studio album by American bandAlabama Shakes.[6]Geoff Travis, founder of Rough Trade, the label that distributedBoys & Girls, stated that he was "very proud" that his label had achieved this feat.[7]
The first Official Record Store Chart was announced on Friday 20 April 2012, five days later than normal, to coincide with the eve of the UK's fourth annualRecord Store Day, an international initiative founded to encourage purchases at record shops.[8] Talbot explained that the purpose of the chart was to "help spread the Record Store Day word throughout the year".[4]
