ANNOUNCING OFFICIAL FOLK ALBUMS CHART

The Official Charts Company is to launch the first Official Folk Albums Chart in celebration of the popularity of folk music: Saturday 17th October – Launch event hosted by Mark Radcliffe and live-streamed from HOME, Manchester

In recognition of the popularity of the folk music genre, the Official Charts Company announces the first Official Folk Albums Chart. Launched in partnership with English Folk Expo’s Manchester Folk Festival and supported by Showcase Scotland Expo, the first chart will be revealed on 17 October 2020

The monthly chart is compiled using physical and digital album sales, downloads and streams, from UK and Irish musicians releasing folk albums within the past 18 months. The chart is to be released on the first Monday of each month on OfficialCharts.com, englishfolkexpo.com and to subscriber mailing lists. A monthly Official Folk Albums Chart playlist will also be available to stream on Spotify.

The very first chart will be unveiled at a special live-streamed event from HOME in Manchester on 17 October, the weekend which would have seen the fourth annual edition of the Manchester Folk Festival. Hosted by BBC Radio 2’s Folk Show presenter, Mark Radcliffe, the event will feature performances from top UK and Irish folk artists, with more details to be announced.

A broad genre taking in everything between acoustic pop and traditional music, folk artists including Laura Marling, Richard Thompson, Cara Dillon, Eliza Carthy, Karine Polwart, Kate Rusby, Seth Lakeman, Eddi Reader, Sam Lee, Tide Lines, Frank Turner, Skerryvore, The Unthanks, Julie Fowlis, The Gloaming, Dougie MacLean (to name a few) have achieved significant profile in recent months. The Official Folk Albums Chart is now set to offer a dedicated platform for this rich genre.

The Official Folk Albums Chart follows the launch of July’s inaugural Official UK Afrobeats Chart which joined a list of genre-specific charts – including Americana, Jazz & Blues and Progressive – all genres characterised by a high percentage of independent releases. Indeed, according to new Official Charts Company analysis, over 90% of the biggest new folk albums of 2020 are independent releases*, showing the potential for the new chart as a platform for discovery.

The Official Folk Albums Chart aims to do more than recognise the popularity of the genre. Running parallel with the chart are English Folk Expo and Showcase Scotland Expo’s initiatives for providing career development tools for emerging artists in the genre. Both will provide dedicated web pages addressing the need for profile enhancement and chart inclusion.

Musician Frank Turner; “As an artist who has at least one foot in the folk world, I am extremely excited by the news that there is going to be an Official Folk Albums Chart for the UK and Ireland. It’s a genre that quite often doesn’t get the props it deserves from the powers that be and from the mainstream music industry, and at times that’s been incredibly frustrating. So, it’s wonderful to see the UK Official Charts Company giving it its backing. …fingers crossed, at some point down the road I might even see my name in there!“

Musician Kate Rusby adds, “It’s fantastic news that folk music will now have its own officially recognised chart. This will give hundreds of incredible musicians across the UK and Ireland the recognition they deserve.”

Mark Radcliffe, BBC Radio 2’s The Folk Show presenter adds, “Some people might say that folk and charts are odd bedfellows, but I don’t think so. Whatever kind of musician you are, you want to be successful, and imagine the thrill, whoever you are, of being number one in the charts! I’m very proud to be involved with the Official Folk Chart and wish everybody involved with it lots of luck…. here we go!”

Read the full news here

To receive a copy of the monthly Official Folk Albums Chart, email info@englishfolkexpo.com

The Official Folk Albums Chart is presented by Manchester Folk Festival and produced by English Folk Expo, the Arts Council England’s Sector Support Organisation for folk, roots and acoustic music in England. Founding partners with English Folk Expo include Showcase Scotland Expo and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

The Official Folk Albums Chart Launch presented by Manchester Folk Festival and hosted by Mark Radcliffe will be live-streamed from HOME, Manchester, 17 October 2020. Audiences can watch the live-streamed event, free of charge, via English Folk Expo’s Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.