For many years, Melody Maker were credited as starting the Album chart listing (before the Record Mirror charts where remembered). After 1960 though, when Record Retailer began their chart, the Melody Maker albums where forgotten despite being more accurate.
In the mid 2000’s though, they where resurrected for an 8 week period in 1971 when the strike by postal workers meant that no Album charts where compiled by the British Market Research Bureau. That means that for a brief period, Melody Maker are now credited, again, as compiling the official chart.
1988 would be the last year that they would compile their own chart before taking first the MRIB chart and then from 10 June 1995 the Official charts, compiled by Chart Information Network.
Melody Maker had the biggest sample size of all the papers charts at one point, proudly proclaiming over 200 record stores sent them data. It would be the largest sample size until the 1980’s for the official chart. Yet Melody Maker only compiled a Top 10 albums for almost all of the period 1958-1969. Why? The single was cheaper and sold more copies. You could buy a single with your pocket money but an album was a treat. Something for Christmas.
I’ve just finished adding the Melody Maker charts to my database (well, almost, still stuck in the 1980’s) and I wanted to put out the first volume in this series. I hope you like the new format and do let me know if you have any feedback on it.
I’ve also included the weekly charts as well, as the Melody Maker albums charts are difficult to track down and lacked some important information on first publication. For example, it was when Music Business Weekly began printing the Top 30 (and Breakers) that catalogue numbers where printed.
Check out the sample and link below to the book and let me know what other books you would be interested in to help while away long hours shut indoors.