2025 ARIA Chart changes
What you need to know
FAQs
1. Why is ARIA changing the chart calculation methodology now?
ARIA regularly assesses the charts to ensure they reflect modern listening habits and industry standards. This update results from extensive discussion and consideration between the ARIA Board and Chart committee, as well as consideration of public feedback and new chart models being implemented globally. All has been with the aim to better support new Australian music and reflect contemporary music consumption.
We have spent significant time and resource testing various chart to see if any changes will provide genuine benefit to artists without unduly skewing the data many industry professionals rely on the charts to provide. We’re very happy to announce we have found one such change.
2. What is the ARIA On Replay Chart?
The ARIA On Replay Chart, previously known as the Catalogue Chart, has been tracked for some time but not widely shared. It has been rebranded and elevated to prominently showcase enduring music more than two years old, highlighting its continued cultural relevance and popularity.
3. How will these changes specifically support Australian artists?
This update will allow us to surface greater dynamism in consumption of all new music, but particularly, it will free space on the Main Charts for new Australian artists by reducing the requirement for them to compete with 60 years of contemporary music whenever they hope to chart.
4. Will there be changes to the ARIA Charts trophies?
No, trophies will continue to be awarded to the #1 single and album on the Main Charts, and the #1 single and album on the Australian Charts. No new trophies will be introduced.
5. Does this mean there is no single place to see what Australians are consuming?
Not at all, it’s much more information for the music industry and music fans! Australians can now clearly see what’s popular through both the ARIA Main Charts for recent music and the ARIA On Replay Charts for enduring tracks. Together, these charts offer a comprehensive view of Australian listening habits, clearly distinguishing new hits from long-term favourites. All charts are centralised on the ARIA website each week for easy viewing.
6. Do these changes impact eligibility for the 2025 ARIA Awards?
No. The new rules take effect after the 2025 ARIA Awards eligibility period concludes, ensuring continuity and a level playing field for this year's Awards.
7. Why implement a two-year eligibility rule?
The two-year window keeps the ARIA Main Charts dynamic and relevant, clearly spotlighting new releases and creating space for new local music and local artists to Chart in both the Main and Australian artist Charts.
A number of options were considered and tested, but two years was selected to provide the optimal opportunity for titles – on both the Singles and Albums Charts – to have their moment on the main chart which may take some time to reach full momentum.
8. What feedback did ARIA receive from the industry about these changes?
This update results from extensive discussion and consideration between the ARIA Board and Chart committee, as well as listening carefully to industry and public feedback. All has been with the aim to better support new Australian music and reflect contemporary music consumption.
9. Are these changes aligned with international chart practices?
Yes. The ARIA Charts follow international best practice, aligning ARIA Charts with other leading global charts that similarly prioritise recent music to reflect current audience interests and consumption trends. We are aware of charts in other major markets that have a cut off, like France, and other markets that are currently considering similar changes.
10. Will these changes alter how streaming is measured or included?
No. The fundamental methods of calculating chart positions based on streaming, sales, and downloads remain unchanged.
11. Why not include likes and saves in how the charts are calculated?
The ARIA Charts are designed to transparently and consistently reflect active music consumption through sales, streams, and downloads. While metrics such as likes and saves provide insight into listener preferences, they don’t necessarily demonstrate active listening in the same measurable and consistent way. However, ARIA continually evaluates how its charts are calculated and will make any changes that more clearly reflect how Australians are consuming music in an unbiased way.
12. Did you consider any changes to the weighting of streaming versus physical?
The ARIA Chart methodology remains the only transparent, unbiased way to observe Australian music consumption on a week-to-week basis. Despite testing various models, at this stage we have not found that the weighting methodology itself is disadvantaging artists, and changes to weighting would only serve to unnecessarily skew data. Having said that, we will continue to evaluate how the charts are calculated and will make any changes that more clearly reflect how Australians are consuming music in an unbiased way.
13. Did you consider creating a single chart that factors in airplay, as some US charts do?
ARIA Charts are currently designed specifically around active consumption – sales, streams, and downloads – rather than passive consumption like radio airplay. This is to maintain objectivity based purely on audience choices and preferences. However, we will continue to evaluate how the charts are calculated and will make any changes that more clearly reflect how Australians are consuming music in an unbiased way.
14. What other options did you consider and why were they rejected?
We have tested the accelerated decline method adopted by The Official Charts Company in the UK, but did not find it made the difference we had hoped. We could also see that the issues we were facing were also being experienced in the UK, under that methodology. We have also looked at limiting the number of appearances on a Chart in any given week by an individual artist (as is the case in some other territories), but felt that did not provide a proper reflection of consumption for that week.
