Meeting the chart rules
After preparing your music for release and registering it for the Official Charts, you must make sure its release adheres to the Official Chart rules.
Once you have registered your releases, you need to ensure that any releases you have qualify for the Official Charts.
It is the responsibility of the releasing label to ensure that their releases comply with the chart rules for both physical and digital formats – any releases which do not adhere to the rules will not be eligible for the published charts, although the Official Charts Company will still track sales of the product providing it has been registered correctly. In certain cases, specific formats will be ineligible and sales can be removed.
The full chart rules are available for download below. These are set and reviewed on an ongoing basis by the Official Charts Company in partnership with the music industry, via the Chart Supervisory Committee (CSC) and approved by our board. The rules set out basic criteria for each of the key charts and are designed to outline eligibility for entry, to protect the integrity of the charts and ensure they are an accurate reflection of the popularity of each recording by reference to genuine sales.
If you have specific questions, or questions which do not appear to be covered by the Chart Rules, further advice on your releases’ chart rule compliance please email the Official Charts Company's chart rules experts at chartrules@officialcharts.com
Eligibility- It is also important that you understand which charts your releases are eligible for. The Official Charts Company complies a large number of charts, across a range of genres and sectors – all of the top selling singles, albums and downloads are coded according to their relevant genres, in line with criteria laid down by Official Charts. Should you wish your release to be considered for a particular genre chart, please contact chartrules@officialcharts.com for further information.
Singles charts - Both physical and/or digital releases are eligible for the Official Singles Chart from release. This is under the proviso that your release meets all of the Chart Rules.
Click to download the Official Singles Chart Rules - PDF
Albums charts- Digital and physical album formats can be linked and count towards the Official Artist Albums and the Official Compilation Albums Charts from release. An Album Bundle without a physical component is eligible to appear in its own right in the Official Album Download Chart from release. Once again, this is dependent on formats meeting the chart rules.
Click to download the Official Albums Chart Rules - PDF
Download Classical Albums Chart Rules - PDF
Film and TV charts - In addition to music charts, the Official Charts also compile home entertainment charts and data for the film and TV industries. Video titles are eligible for the Official Film Chart, the Combined Video Chart, as well as the applicable format charts, for instance the Official DVD Chart or Blu-ray charts.
For further information on any of the above, contact the Operations team: chartrules@officialcharts.com
Official Irish Charts
Singles charts -
Click to download the Official Irish Singles Chart rules - PDF
Albums charts -
Click to download the Official Irish Albums Chart rules - PDF
Official Irish Homegrown Chart - In order to be considered for the Official Irish Homegrown Chart, all singles must comply with the Official Irish Singles Chart Rules and in addition to the rules below.
Click to download the Official Irish Homegrown Top 20 rules - PDF
