Fanfare, a UK-based direct-to-consumer (D2C) startup, will launch on 1 September with a platform for independent artists and labels to sell physical music and merchandise online and at concerts. The company is also introducing two monthly charts tracking all sales processed through its platform:
- Music sales
- Merchandise sales
Fanfare said the rankings are intended to "give a genuine indication of the popularity of musicians" who are "shut out" of the UK’s official charts because those rankings are dominated by streaming.
Co-founder Adam Washington said: "Fanfare’s charts exist because the current charts are not a signal new and independent artists can use, and it never will be while streaming and other barriers are clogging it up."
The UK’s official album chart continues to give significant weight to physical formats. Some independent acts have used fan-driven physical sales campaigns to secure high positions, including Overpass, The Reytons and The Lottery Winners; the last of these did so last year.
