The biggest change in the history of the Irish Singles Chart took place on June 30, when digital downloads became eligible for the Top 50. The chart now includes all tracks purchased through eight legal downloading sites, combined with the physical sales from almost 400 music stores around the country.

The first national chart to include downloads showed around 35,000 tracks were purchased online by Irish consumers, of which around 15,000 were eligible for the singles chart. The eight sites which are included in the charts are Apple iTunes, Vodafone, Mycokemusic, Eircom Music Club, Sony Connect, Bleep, Wippit and easyMusic. Director General of IRMA Dick Doyle says the arrival of digital downloads into the charts is a significant event.
“There’s no doubt that it’s the start of a major re-think in how music is sold. What’s amazing is that 41% of total sales are downloads,” says Doyle. “It took the UK a year to get to 50% [downloads compared to physical sales] and we’re at 41% in the first week, which is incredible.”
In the past year, legal downloads have tripled in the UK. Since April last year they’ve counted alongside physical sales in the chart placing, and earlier this year ‘Crazy’ by Gnarls Barkley became the first song to go to Number One based on only on digital sales.
It’s pretty clear that any band serious about making a name for themselves, and making some money, will have to look at the opportunities offered by digital downloads.
“It’s a relief that after all the confusion, chaos and panic about downloading over the last number of years, it’s finally come to pass that there’s a solution available in Ireland,” says Dave O’Grady of Independent Records, the record company who represent Josh Ritter and Mark Geary.
“Digital distribution means that the artist and the record labels can get paid whilst the consumer gets to utilise a format they’ve been demanding over the last few years,” he says. “This model means everyone wins.”
RMG Chart Entertainment, which manufactures and distributes CDs and DVDs by Irish acts, recently launched a new digital division, which will represent artists and record labels seeking to distribute their music online. RMG Digital will facilitate the downloading of new releases and back catalogues for Irish artists, and RMG Chart’s Business Development Director Janine Nallen says their aim is to “simplify the whole process for our artists.”
Stephen McCormack is chief executive of Wildwave, who helps bands transfer their music from master recordings to digital formats, as well as preparing digital packs which include artist bios and screensavers. Companies like Wildwave are the first stop for many Irish bands seeking to establish an online presence. The company have contracts with digital content providers like Vodafone and 3. Wildwave help Irish bands to put their music on these networks, and he reckons that bands who don’t take advantage of downloads are committing commercial suicide.
“If you do want to get your music out there, the vast majority of the new music buying public are going to get their music digitally,” says McCormack. “And you just want to be up there. You can get your music up without the help of a big label. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have to be clever.”
Wildwave recently got The Chalets’ ‘Feel The Machine’ video onto German phone networks, something which helped the band to break into that country. And McCormack says that The Chalets’ innovative use of new technology is something other bands could learn from. “They’ve got to think, ‘If I had a phone and I wanted to buy music, how would my fans discover me?’”
“Everyone’s got to rethink the way they promote themselves,” says John Pinder, director of Chart-Track, who compile the charts on behalf of IRMA. Pinder adds that bands who adapted well to the online revolution have already seen the benefits. “It’ll take time for everyone to get used to it,” he says, “but in five years time we’ll be wondering what the fuss is about – it’ll be completely normal.”
“New bands have to embrace digital downloads,” says Dick Doyle of IRMA, “their future is less positive if they don’t do it. The problem with the digital marketplace is that there may be hundreds of thousands of new releases available. I still think you need a marketing push so people know you’re out there. How do you differentiate yourself from everybody else?”
Irish bands could do worse than pay attention the current crop of chart-toppers who have used digital media to their advantage. ‘Crazy’ by Gnarls Barkley was available online long before it reached music store shelves, and eventually spent nine weeks at the top of the chart. Sandi Thom replaced the hip-hop duo at Number One, having built a significant fanbase using the Internet. Thom webcasted gigs from her flat after the car she used to tour the country broke down, and soon 70,000 people were logging on to watch her shows.
But perhaps the best example of using downloads to build a fanbase is Arctic Monkeys. Before they had even released a single, the Sheffield band had built a massive fanbase. They gave out a few CDs after gigs, fans distributed them online, and just a few months later the Monkeys were the biggest new band since Oasis. These bands show the importance of standing out in what is already a crowded online marketplace.
However, there are pitfalls of which artists should be aware, including the issue of rights. Stephen McCormack of Wildwave says bands should be careful not to give away their rights too easily.
“Our policy is very simple: we do a specific job for a specific song, whereas the history of the music industry seems to be, ‘We’ll take everything forever, thanks’. Your digital rights should be given on a piece by piece basis, and you have to watch out for these music sites online where you upload your songs, because a lot of them take rights as well.”
But as long as bands are careful about issues like this, they’ll be able to benefit immensely from taking advantage of downloading. Everyone agrees that the music industry will undergo massive change in coming years; the challenge for bands, promoters and record labels is to embrace the new technology.