This time last year, the Official Chart company decided not to use YouTube data when compiling the UK charts. Maybe we'd get a bit more metal if they did.
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| Mvula: big numbers after a big year. But not #1 |
I do this chart every six months. Again, there's a new leader of the pack, with big numbers. Some people are doing really well - either under their own steam, or with the help of a big marketing push, at both ends of the chart. It's fascinating stuff. Well, I think so.
By the way, this isn't perfect - it can't be. YouTube numbers, like many Google reckonings, can wander about a bit. Not every genre - like rap battles - fits the criteria. And Ruby Turner would place impressively high if her showcase TV slots with Jools Holland were included – but these are live fan captures, not commissioned videos.
We don't live in a perfect world. Two charts follow the break: the basic totals, and a breakdown of who's made the most progress in the past six months. Numbers were collected in the week just gone. And if I've missed you out, I'm really sorry. Yell at me in the email box at top right, or drop me a snarky comment, and I'll fix things.
The criteria: who and what what qualifies?
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| Heavy metal - still the most popular genre |
- West Midlands acts only
- Proper videos only: smartphone stuff and fan clips are out, official vids are in.
- The two most-viewed videos in the past three years are used; minimum total is 10,000.
- No live videos unless specifically commissioned.
- Only one version of the song allowed - no remixes.
The big numbers for February 2014
Acts are listed by total views for two videos. Click any video title to view
| Act |
Video 1 |
Video 2 |
Total |
| Oceans Ate Alaska |
Clocks |
To Catch A Flame |
2,927,643 |
| Laura Mvula |
Green Garden |
That's Alright |
2,817,257 |
| Editors |
A Ton Of Love |
Formaldehyde |
2,122,272 |
| George Barnett |
Swimming Pools |
Animal Keeper |
1,318,040 |
| Peace |
Wraith |
Bloodshake |
1,310,438 |
| Swim Deep |
Honey |
King City |
1,177,508 |
| Lady Leshurr |
F64 |
Look At Me Now |
967,223 |
| The Enemy |
Like A Dancer |
Saturday |
647,558 |
Napalm Death
Electric Swing Circus |
The Wolf I Feed
Penniless Optimist |
Analysis Paralysis
Everybody Wants To be A Cat |
624,836
368,949 |
| UB40 |
Blue Eyes Cryin in the Rain |
- |
259,093 |
| Jo Hamilton |
There It Is |
Alive Alive |
161,751 |
Templeton Pek
Dexy's |
Wake Me Up
Incapable Of Love |
What Are You Waiting For
Nowhere Is Home |
140,507
139,623 |
| Jaws |
Toucan Surf |
Surround You |
96,335 |
| No Americana |
Washed Out Summer |
Wax Poetic |
95,214 |
Clare MacGuire
Troumaca |
Paper Thin
Lady Colour |
Changing Faces
Layou |
94.463
79,254 |
| Soweto Kinch |
Help |
A People With No Past |
69,288 |
| Mahalia |
Let The World See The Light |
Goldrush (with Ed Sheeran) |
61,055 |
| Superfood |
Superfood |
Bubbles |
48,798 |
| Musgraves |
Last Of Me |
So Sophia |
41,933 |
| The Wonderstuff |
Planet Earth |
Oh No! |
39,690 |
| The Traps |
Calypso |
The Honeydrip |
38,517 |
| Destroyers |
Hole In The Universe |
- |
33,255 |
| Carpels |
Sand |
Handshakes |
33,614 |
Isolated Atoms
Boat To Row |
Sex War
A boat to row, to row to you |
Give Me What I Want
Grassmarket |
31.560
27,558 |
| Hanging Doll |
Carival Of Sin |
The Sacred and Profane |
24,555 |
| Toy Hearts |
The Captain |
- |
22,098 |
| God Damn |
Heavy Money |
I'm a Lazer, You're a Radar |
21,301 |
| Malik MD7 |
I bear my soul |
Skooled By |
18,691 |
| Old Dance School |
Spaghetti Panic |
Chasing The Light Promo |
16,851 |
| ADO |
Power |
Waterfall |
16,716 |
DC Fontana
Broken Witt Rebels |
Meshkalina
Call Out The Sun |
Abbesses
All Worn Out |
16.348
15,033 |
| Erica Nockalls |
Cut Them Out |
Manikin |
14,915 |
| 1Eye |
Mr Bailiff |
- |
14,633 |
Dumb
Victories At Sea |
Dive
Poles Apart |
Retina
Future Gold |
12,390
10,169 |
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| That was then... and, a bit battered, they're still here now |
Making progress?
And here are the best ten performers in a six-month increase in total views. Given the usual rate of progress, I'be worked out that a typical increase for a reasonably active band will be around 10-15%. So here are the above average guys...
Artist |
Increase in views |
UB40 |
700.80% |
| Laura Mvula |
308.36% |
| Superfood |
298.71% |
| Editors |
52.08% |
| Soweto Kinch |
47.75% |
| The Wonderstuff |
45.21% |
| Troumaca |
44.96% |
| Jaws |
39.97% |
| Swim Deep |
29.35% |
| Erica Nockalls |
24.00% |
Some conclusions?
Laura Mvula has been going like a train, again; up 500% or so six months ago, and now tripling views again. But then again, she's had a brilliant year.
UB40 still have a big fat loyal following, despite their continuing troubles. The only comparable act in the list is Dexy's who haven't advanced at all. The very solid growth is entirely on the video for Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain, released last year in time to get in the August 2013 chart, and showing big numbers since then.
George Barnett is still racking up enormous numbers, despite removing his enormously appealing cover clip of Get Lucky. All in all, a wise decision, as it allows his own solo work to shine. It's new videos each time for George - he is very prolific, and manages to focus views really well for each video. Great marketing.
Several artists - ADO, Destroyers - have slipped down the rankings, as some videos are no longer eligible. Both are complex and musicianly bands who love music above all else, and who share musicians. They take a lot of time get new stuff done, while smaller outfits bang out more videos in the same period. Toy Hearts are still showing well, despite only having one major current video. But then that's a great score for a band who spent most of 2013, not in Birmingham, but pitching hard in Austin, Texas.
Go Superfood!
Don't let anyone tell you old-skool rock, metal and grunge ain't popular anymore. Broken Witt Rebels, God Damn, Hanging Doll, No Americana, Isolated Atoms and Oceans Ate Alaska will testify to the opposite. Oceans Ate Alaska are particularly impressive - they have yet to release their first album.
Hi Dumb! Good to see you showing up. Please note - still a lot of love for Carpels.
This chart moves slowly compared to a sales chart - it's got a three year span. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it can mean that new videos - like Boat To Row's latest, for example - can take a while to overhaul previous numbers. It also means that acts that are now inactive will still show up.
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