Ultratop

Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium. Ultratop is a non-profit organization, created on the initiative of the Belgian Entertainment Association (BEA), the Belgian member organization of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry.[1] Two parallel set of charts are concurrently produced and published, one on behalf of Belgium's mainly Dutch-speaking Flanders region, and the other catering to the nation's mainly French-speaking region of Wallonia.

Ultratop charts

The music charts produced by Ultratop organization are separated along regional-language boundaries, an unusual division that is justified by the cultural differences in Belgium. So it is that the mainly Dutch-speaking Flanders region has one set of charts of record activity there, while the mainly French-speaking Wallonia region has another set to measure popularity in those provinces.

The charts are broadcast on several Belgian radio stations, and on TV stations TMF in Flanders and Plug RTL in Wallonia.[2]

Procedure

Ultratop creates charts based on record sales of around 500 retail outlets and legal digital downloads.[2] Currently GfK is the market observer of the charts. The chart broadcasts on Radio Contact on Saturdays from 12:00 to 14:00. The combined number of Ultratop chart listeners on the various radio or TV stations exceeds two million every week. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the charts in 2005, a jubilee book was published. It covers all 15,282 singles from 5,882 artists thus far.[2]

Prominent charts

Ultratop 50 Singles (Flemish chart)

The Flemish Ultratop 50 chart has existed since 31 March 1995.[3] Prior to 1995, the official weekly chart was the Radio 2 Top 30 (previously known as the BRT Top 30) broadcast by the Belgische Radio- en Televisieomroep (BRT) and subsequently by the Belgische Radio- en Televisieomroep Nederlandstalige Uitzendingen (BRTN) - a chart which continues to be broadcast to this day by the BRTN's successor, the Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie (VRT) (hence its alternative name, the VRT Top 30). The Ultratop 50 chart is compiled in Dutch and presented on the Belgian radio station MNM. It also used to air on the now defunct TMF Flanders, and has not been shown on television since.

Ultratop 50 Singles (Walloon chart)

The Walloon Ultratop chart began in 1995 as the Ultratop 40, ranking the forty best-selling singles in the mainly French-speaking region of Belgium.[4] On 4 September 2010, the Walloon chart was renamed Ultratop 50 as well after being increased from a 40-position into a 50-position chart.

Ultratop 200 Albums (Flemish chart)

Compiled in Dutch, it covers weekly albums sales in Belgium's Dutch-speaking Flanders region. Originally brought out as the Ultratop 50 Albums chart, it was expanded to become the Ultratop 100 Albums chart, and eventually the Ultratop 200 Albums chart.

Ultratop 200 Albums (Walloon chart)

Published in French, it covers weekly albums sales in Belgium's French-speaking Wallonia region.

Complete list of Ultratop charts

The Ultratop charts published include:

Chart nameFlandersWallonia
Ultratop 50 SinglesTop 50Top 50
Ultratop 200 AlbumsTop 200Top 200
Ultratop CompilationsTop 20Top 20
Ultratop DanceTop 50Top 50
Ultratop UrbanTop 50N/A
Ultratop AirplayTop 30Top 30
Ultratop Alternative AlbumsTop 50N/A
Back Catalogue SinglesTop 50Top 50
Dance Bubbling UnderTop 20Top 20
Albums Belges / Belgische AlbumsTop 40Top 20
Mid PriceTop 20Top 20
Heatseekers AlbumsTop 20Top 20
Albums Classiques / Klassiek AlbumsTop 20Top 20
DVD Musicaux / Muziek-DVDTop 40Top 10
Ultratop VlaamsTop 10N/A
Radio 2 VlaamsTop 10N/A
Vlaams KidsTop 5N/A

Ultratip

In addition to the main Ultratop 50, another weekly singles chart known as Ultratip is published. Also referred to as the Tipparade, it is an indicator chart of commercially available singles, with chart positions based on a combination of sales and airplay, i.e., the number of times a song is played on the radio or television, coupled with the calculated audience size for each station, region and language.

Ultratip differs from the Ultratop charts, in that it depends on both airplay and sales, whereas Ultratop charts are based solely on sales. A song cannot chart on the Ultratop chart on airplay figures alone.[2]

Ultratop charts
FlandersWallonia
Ultratop 100[5]Ultratop 50[6]

See also
  • List of number-one hits (Belgium)
  • List of best-selling Belgian music artists
  • Music of Belgium

References
  1. "LINKS - Local record industry associations". IFPI. Retrieved 2010-05-31.
  2. "Ultratop Belgian Charts". Ultratop.be. ULTRATOP & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. Retrieved 2010-05-31.
  3. "Archives on "Ultratop.be"". ultratop.be.
  4. "Whitney Houston avait conquis les Belges". 7 Sur 7. 12 February 2012.
  5. "Ultratop Ultratop Bubbling Under". ultratop.be.
  6. "Ultratop Ultratip Bubbling Under". ultratop.be. Retrieved September 18, 2019.

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