Official Charts Company

Every Friday afternoon, millions of people tune in to BBC Radio 1 to hear the UK's Official Singles Chart Top 40. That countdown, along with over 50 other rankings spanning genres and formats, is produced by the Official Charts Company. The OCC compiles data from roughly 8,000 sources daily through market research firm Kantar, covering 99% of the singles market and 95% of the album market. Its methodology is a full market count rather than a sample-based estimate, making it the most comprehensive picture of what the UK is listening to and watching.

The company was incorporated on February 4, 1998 as Music Industry Chart Services Limited in Bristol, later becoming the Chart Information Network and then the Official UK Charts Company. It rebranded as the Official Charts Company on September 5, 2008. The OCC is jointly owned by the British Phonographic Industry and the Entertainment Retailers Association, each holding a 50% stake. Martin Talbot served as CEO from 2007 until his departure in 2025, overseeing the transition from physical sales to streaming and the launch of the Official Streaming Chart in May 2012.

Beyond the weekly singles and albums charts, the OCC runs the Official Film Chart, the Official Number 1 Award programme, and B2B data services for labels, publishers, and advertisers. Its consumer website, OfficialCharts.com, attracts up to 2 million monthly users and 64 million page views annually. Internationally, the OCC compiles charts for Ireland under a deal signed in 2017 and took over French chart compilation from GfK in January 2021. [edit]