Changes To ARIA Weekly Sales Data

SYDNEY, Australia (ARIA) - ARIA will shortly introduce some changes to the weekly sales data that it makes available to subscribers. ARIA has, for some years, offered paid subscriptions to ARIA chart sales data. That data has included details of across the counter sales on a title by title basis, which has been made available to all subscribers regardless of who released the title. In the near future, ARIA will cease to make such information available generally to subscribers. Once the changes are implemented, record labels will only be able to obtain retail sales data for their own titles, not those of any other label.

ARIA regularly reviews its practices and procedures, including those in relation to the collection and publication of market statistics. The latest review commenced in the middle of 2004 following the issuing of new guidelines by IFPI, the peak international recording association. The IFPI guidelines made a number of recommendations which, relevantly, caused ARIA to reconsider the continued publication of the weekly sales data in the current format. Following advice and consideration over the last six months, ARIA recently decided to change the form of the reports.

The proposed changes will not, of course, impact the production or publication of the weekly ARIA sales charts. These changes will only affect those who take out paid subscriptions to the ARIA sales data.
No firm date has yet been set for the implementation of these changes, but all subscribers will be notified before the changes occur.