How The CML Chart Works
What is the CML Chart? The CML Chart (short for The Country Music Lovers’ Chart) is a fun attempt at combining the actual charts with some input from anyone who happens to stumble across this blog. The chart is a formula-based chart that takes into account four things–the Billboard Chart position, the Mediabase Chart position, airplay increase or decrease, and the current Star Score of the song. Songs earn “CML Points” that orders the songs from #1 to #”whatever.” Each “factor” has a maximum amount of “CML Points” that can be earned with it, and the maximum amount of ”CML Points” a song can earn each week is 100. Here’s a look at each of the factors:
Note: The CML Chart Formula will change beginning in January 2010. These changes will be highlighted on a separate page in November 2009. The hope is for these changes to make the chart better.
Star Score: 60% of the CML Chart Points
Once a song appears on a chart, the song will receive one star. Songs will then be voted on by the readers of this blog in the CML Chart Interactive. Only 10 songs can be 2-star songs at a time, and only 5 songs each can have a 3-star, 4-star, and 5-star rating. Each star gets the song an additional 12 points as part of the CML Chart formula.
Mediabase Chart Position- 15% of the CML Chart Points
The #1 song will earn 15 in CML Points. The #2 song will earn 14.85, #3 song will earn 14.70, etc., with the amount decreasing by 0.15 each step down the chart. Another way to look at is a song gets 1% less points than #1 for each space away from #1.
If a song had been listed on the Greatest Increased Spins (GIS) page and is not listed in a subsequent week or in the Top 50, it will be given the points for its last known position. For example, had a song been listed on the GIS page at #65 and then isn’t seen the following week, it will still receive the points for being at #65 the next week even if another song is listed there.
Once a song makes the Top 50, it will be earn points as if it were song #51 if it falls out of the Top 50 and will be so until it returns to the Top 50 or is no longer eligible for the chart.
Billboard Chart Position- 15% of CML Chart Points
The #1 song on the Billboard chart each week will receive 15 points. As you go further down the chart, the amount of cash earned is decreased by 0.15 points for each position just like the Mediabase chart.
Due to a change in the availability of the entire Billboard Top 60, several changes were made to the formula. Songs will receive points for their current position if it is shown on the Top 30, Weeks on Chart, Biggest Jump, or Biggest Fall pages. If a song was in the Top 30, but is no longer listed, I will treat it as #31. If a song was listed on the other three pages, but is not anymore, I will use the peak for the song listed on the artist’s Wikipedia page.
Spins Increase- 10% of the CML Chart Points
A song that receives an increase in spins receives 10 in points. If the song loses spins from the previous week on either chart, it receives 6 points. If it loses spins again the next week on either chart, it then gets 2 points. A song will receive 0 points for a third week of lost spins in a row.
Example:
Let’s say a song has a 5-star score, is #3 on Billboard with an increase in airplay and is #4 on Mediabase with a decrease in airplay for the first week.
5-Stars = 60 points
Billboard: #3 = 14.7 points
Mediabase: #4 = 14.55 points
Spin Increase: A loss for the first week on either chart = 6 points
Adding the points together: 60 + 14.7 + 14.55 + 6 = 95.25
The song will have earned 95.25 points for the week.
“Rules” for Removal from the CML Chart.
Songs are on the CML Chart for a minimum of 10 weeks and will be removed from the CML Chart is one of two ways:
Criteria #1:
If a song is entering its 11th week (or later) and I determine the single to be done, I will remove it from the chart immediately. Normally, these songs are not in the MediaBase Top 50 and its peak has not increased on the artist’s wikipedia page for a couple of weeks.
Criteria #2
If the amount of points a song earns has decreased for three weeks in a row with a decrease in spins on the Billboard and/or MediaBase charts, it will be removed after that week. Decreases in points that are not accompanied by a loss in airplay on either chart do not count towards the three weeks. The first week a song is eligible for this is when it is entering its 10th week, meaning that it would have to have a decrease entering weeks 11 and 12 to be removed or it has to fit in the first requirement for removal.
Note: Once a song reaches 2-Star status or higher, about 99% of the time the song will not be removed until it meets Criteria #2. I have only had one or two songs since I started the CML Chart Interactive (CMLCI) that I have removed before it meets Criteria #2. This is how I am able to create the CMLCI because they have reached Criteria #2.
Any questions? Feel free to post them here and I will answer them the best that I can.
