Commercial chart ditches CD sales

Commercial radio chart Hit40UK has announced it is ditching CD sales from its official figures.

The weekly singles chart, which broadcasts across 130 stations, is to be based solely on digital downloads from this weekend.

Its owner, Global Radio, says downloads account for 96% of the data from which the chart is compiled.

The show, broadcast on Sunday and available online, pulls in 1.9 million weekly listeners.

Global Radio's Hit Music Network group programme director Paul Jackson said: "Downloads have now become the driving force for record sales, as the statistics clearly show."

"It makes complete sense to reflect the changes in how people are listening to music."

Official Charts Company managing director Martin Talbot said: "We are delighted to be working with the commercial radio sector to take the chart into the future."