As part of an online effort to try and bring back rock and roll music to the mainstream charts, James said he decided to launch the #takebackthecharts movement. However, even this handicap isn’t sufficient to stop “Three Lions”, first released in 1996, returning to the top slot each time England looks like winning an international tournament, because of the millions of plays the track gets. During the changeover between the decline of purchased music and the dominance of streaming, record companies agreed that a piece of music someone actually paid for should have a higher chart value than one listened to for free. The rise of Spotify, YouTube and viral platforms such as TikTok means the Top 40 now reveals the most-played songs of the week, whether through individual selection or algorithmically-compiled playlists. For the past three decades, he has run his Chart Watch UK page – initially in print, … Read More