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David Bowie track 'not eligible' for UK singles chart David Bowie single may reach UK chart
(about 7 hours later)
The first new track from David Bowie in a decade is not eligible for the UK singles chart. David Bowie's first new song in a decade could appear in the UK singles chart this weekend, with the Official Charts Company (OCC) trying to fix a problem with calculating sales data.
The Official Chart Company said sales of Where Are We Now? "cannot currently be counted... as the release is linked to an album pre-order promotion". Bowie surprised fans when he released Where Are We Now? on Tuesday.
"It is not possible to distinguish" people who purchase the song on its own from those who pre-order the album and get it for free, the company explained. The OCC cannot currently distinguish between sales of the song as a single track and fans who pre-order his new album online and get the song for free.
The track was released on Tuesday, coinciding with Bowie's 66th birthday. But they hope to resolve that and include the song in Sunday's chart.
It was made available as a video and an iTunes download and will be followed by a new album, The Next Day, in March. The track went straight to the top of the UK iTunes chart after it was put on sale.
Where Are We Now? currently tops the iTunes UK singles chart, while The Next Day is the online retailer's most requested pre-order. A statement from the Official Charts Company said chart rules meant Bowie's sales figures "cannot currently be counted towards the official singles charts, as the release is linked to an album pre-order promotion and it is not possible to distinguish album sales from track sales from the retail data received".
If it had reached number one, it would have given the musician his first UK chart-topper since Let's Dance in 1983. It added: "Should it become possible in the future for regular track sales to be distinguished from album pre-order incentive purchases, then these sales can be counted towards the chart."
Fans were upset to find out the song would not feature in this week's countdown. If the song was to reach number one, it would give the musician his first UK chart-topper since Let's Dance in 1983.
"Surely someone high up can step in and sort it out," href="https://twitter.com/WadeyWade/status/289036868086005762" >wrote Ian Wade on Twitter. The single, which was released to coincide with Bowie's 66th birthday, will be followed by a new album, The Next Day, in March.
"A terrible shame," agreed Lee Thompson. "Means we're stuck with will.i.am and Britney instead."
Another writer suggested Bowie wouldn't be overly concerned, writing: "He must be crying diamond tears into his dodo-feather-stuffed golden pillow".
Bowie has not performed live since 2006 and has rarely been seen in public since then, prompting speculation over the state of his health.Bowie has not performed live since 2006 and has rarely been seen in public since then, prompting speculation over the state of his health.
The Official Charts Company said the singer's new track could not be considered for its singles countdown due to "rules which are agreed in partnership with UK record companies and retailers".
"Should it become possible in the future for regular track sales to be distinguished from album pre-order incentive purchases, then these sales can be counted towards the chart."