Sunday 9 February 2014

A local YouTube chart: February 2014

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.

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? 

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


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.

More music business posts on Radio To Go

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