Chart Geek Moment

Well, as I've mentioned before I'm a CHART GEEK. I love music charts/countdowns whether local or international. And last Friday, I was surprised when my e-mail was chosen in the CHART BEAT CHART portion of Billboard.com. It was my first time to e-mail Fred Bronson [the "Ernie Baron" of Billboard charts] and I did not expect my e-mail to be chosden. Here is the link

If you are too lazy to click the link, here it is:

Fred,

I'm curious if there has ever been an instance when there were songs occupying the same position. I'm not talking about two-sided singles, but two separate songs that were tied for the same position. Is it even possible?

Regards,

Jecoup Asombrado
Cavite, The Philippines

Dear Jecoup,

Under current chart policies, there are tiebreakers in place and those rules have been sufficiently explicit to eliminate all ties. In general, ties are broken by awarding the title with the greatest increase over the previous week the higher position. If neither title has an increase (in sales and/or airplay, depending on the chart), then the title that has the smallest decrease is listed in the higher position.

You did ask if there has ever been a case where two songs occupied the same position, and if we're talking about the Hot 100, the answer is yes. On the chart dated March 7, 1960, "I Was Such a Fool" by the Flamingos fell from 74-100 and "Down by the Riverside" by Les Compagnons de la Chanson debuted at No. 100. The people who compiled the Hot 100 in 1960 are either no longer with Billboard or no longer with us on Earth, so it's not possible to ask them why this tie occurred.

Prior to the introduction of the Hot 100 in August 1958, ties on charts such as Best Sellers in Stores, Most Played by Jockeys and Most Played in Juke Boxes were commonplace. If two songs were tied at No. 11, there would be no song No. 12. The next song on the chart would be No. 13.

My e-mail was short but his answer was very comprehensive. With my "exposure" on the Billboard.com website it just raised up the ante on my chart geekiness ha!ha!

Anyway when you google my name that webpage will now show up!