We're all quite aware that songs often miss out on the number 1 slot these days despite having ridiculously good sales figures (Rolling in the deep etc) because they chart before they're released. When did this become commonplace?

Surely the whole point of a release date is when it becomes available and becomes able to chart?

Due to this, I think the charts need to rethink their methods of allowing entry onto the top 40, which is the generally recognized UK chart for pop music.

I propose that any downloaded songs before the release date count toward the chart position upon the date of release - meaning songs not due to be released can be putchased individually and downloaded still, but they won't count towards getting charted unless the song is officially released. Downloads of future singles won't make it chart until its release date.

This means we'd have a cleaner chart with less spread out sales for songs that haven't even been released yet, allowing them their rightful statistic of having been a number one.

They do it with Albums, don't they? It doesn't chart on the album chart before it's released, so why not with singles? Exactly. Sort it out.

The charts should reflect what is popular now, not what's been popular over what could possibly be months or even years.

I agree ever since the advent of downloads allowed onto the chart there can be like 5 songs from one album charting so when released as a single their position is diminished why not put the album only tag on future singles etc

Problem being that they don't reflect that at all.

Sometimes songs barely chart at all because of the spread out downloads over the length of time they've been online, but when they're officially released and played on radio etc, everyone already has the song, but it's got a bump in popularity due to video, radio play, tv promotion etc. So the charts are basically reflecting nothing.