to buy the new Arctic Monkeys ('cause I like them).

The last CD I bought was their first album (loved the singles; quite liked the rest).

I couldn't.

Release date Monday 23rd April it said.

Why is anyone bothering with release dates these days?
It used to be because radio won't play until there's a release date.

DOH. Give the audience what they want and will enjoy. We proved that with No Limits, using tracks that were often out of copyright or by dead people - and got 5.7 million viewers at peak on BBC2 6pm.

Second reason - it gets a high chart position.

DOH. Nobody pays any attention to the chart anymore.

The sole priority these days should be to sell music and to expose it so people want it.

End of story. Scrap all release dates.

Release dates have to be scrapped and replaced by "PR launch dates".

I went to Virgin and bought a single which I assumed was dig only.

It`s chaos.

If you order them online at play.com they arrive before the release date. I should have my copy tomorrow morning. They were brilliant at the astoria last week.

I think the chart still gives exposure though JK. If it's a choice between selling in dribs & drabs and not making the chart or a bulk load and charting, I would choose the 2nd option every time.

JK2006 wrote:

DOH. Nobody pays any attention to the chart anymore.

The sole priority these days should be to sell music and to expose it so people want it.

End of story. Scrap all release dates.

Whilst I agree release dates should be scrapped, I think we are witnessing an era where the charts are in total turmoil and disarray. HMV, Virgin, Woolworths and other retailers seem to compile their own charts these days so the main Top 40 isn't as unified as it could and should be.

I read that the HMV chart in the shops won't feature download only items and the fact that some singles are only available as downloads I think is a serious problem. If the charts are to be taken seriously again, then the public need to have a PRODUCT that they can buy.

Then theres the fact that "Top Of The Pops" got axed last year which I think was a major blow to the charts and such a show I think is badly needed if people are going to take the charts seriously again. TOTP was a major brand name and the place to see what was happening in the charts. Think of the many acts that got their breaks on that show and the many people like myself who saw performances on there that changed our lives. Now its gone, what is there to replace it and get one interested in the charts?

A sad but chaotic state of affairs.