UK Music Chart Moves With The Times As Spotify And YouTube Finally Count

Both YouTube and Spotify’s presence has been huge for the music scene in the past decade, but it’s only now that their influence will have an impact on the official charting of music.

The announcement was made during last night's What Makes a Hit in 2014? Event in London, with Earshot Creative tweeting: "So @GeorgErgatoudis has just announced that @BBCR1 will v.soon be including @Spotify streams in the Top 40 charts not just sales!" The Radio 1 chief himself added: "To be clear @PeteyJamesDP @littleboots @earshotcreative @BBCR1 @Spotify Not just Spotify, other music streaming services will be included."

There’s no confirmed date yet, but Ergatoudis did say that services like YouTube, Spotify, Deezer, Rdio and others could be included in official chart positions this summer. In other Spotify news, the Swedish-born music service is reportedly readying themselves for an IPO, which fans of The Wolf of Wall Street will understand as an Initial Public Offering. But if it does go ahead, it won’t be like Jordan Belfort’s legally questionable (illegal) IPO offering of Steve Madden Shoes.

"It looks like they are preparing themselves for an IPO," said a corporate finance lawyer, according to Reuters. The speculation derives from a job posted on Spotify's website and on LinkedIn, which says the successful candidate - an "External Reporting Specialist" - would be required to "prepare the company for SEC filing standards. Set up all reports necessary to be SEC compliant".

"As Spotify grows and becomes a more mature company we are looking for people who can help us keep our financial reporting in order and up to global standards," a spokesman said.

Spotify declined to comment on whether it has IPO plans