I’ve noticed a lot of people have been coming to this blog looking for information about a UK metal chart. I have to say, such a chart is not a good idea.

I know that a lot of people have been coming across a list of my metal songs which have got to number 1, while they have been looking for information about a UK metal chart.

There is also a fairly popular facebook campaign group for there to be an official metal chart in the UK.

But really, it’s not the best idea for a number of reasons:

1) Metal bands aren’t about singles.
Now I’m not entirely sure if people are asking for a metal singles chart or a metal albums chart (the facebook group isn’t entirely clear about that), but charts are generally associated with hit singles and the like. Metal bands are all about making the best album, not single. Well, the decent ones are anyway.

2) Who would define what is metal?
The dividing line between metal and hard rock is not the clearest thing in the world. I would struggle to call The Blackout or their like metal, but some people do. I’m not also sure what qualifies Motley Crue and the other hair metallers to take the name ‘metal’ rather than hard rock, and have never really heard a good explanation.

3) Popular enough metal bands make the exisiting charts.
A lot of brilliant metal bands cater for particular tastes and remain underground – this is a good thing. Other metal bands are more mainstream and even get to the top of the singles charts. Either way, a chart which mixes the two is going to be a bit pointless.