Rhythm of the Night Launches SA Alternative Music Chart

Great News! Rhythm of the Night have launched the SA Alternative Top 20, an official / unofficial SA Alternative Music Chart.

They noticed that there is a wide gap within the alternative scene when it comes to providing musos and fans alike with the best-performing songs and artists within the industry. Cue Rhythm of the Night’s SA Alternative Top 20 Chart.

Rhythm of the Night was founded by a collective of music lovers who share a passion for the alternative music scene in South Africa.

More info about the Rhythm Of The Night SA Alternative Music Chart

Their chart will act as a showcase for the new hits and talent within the alternative music scene of SA. It will be a combination of a traditional, data-based chart and a buzz chart.

They measure a song and its artist’s overall impact starting from the release date of a selected track or single. Commercial charts are determined by multiple factors including sales, streams and radio airplay. Some songs climb the chart due to extensive airplay, while others climb due to streaming power. However, in a local context we can agree that the alternative genre does not get the extensive amount of airplay and commercial support.

And this is where online, as well as live performance presence comes in as a determining factor for us amongst these other qualifying criteria:

1. Songs must be original works created by the artist/band (no covers, as they want to encourage creativity and originality)

2. A song should not be older than six (6) months from its release date (this rule ensures that songs are measured and compared more accurately with others released in the same time frame)

3. No more than one song per artist/band will be allowed on the Top20 (this makes way for more artists to feature on the chart, and eliminates domination of the chart…think Ed Sheeran in 2017 who had 16 songs in the Top 20 for over a gazillion weeks)

4. Music must be available on all major streaming platforms (i.e. Spotify, Apple Music etc.)

5. Artists/bands may be independent or signed

6. Submissions are welcome

7. They also look at growth of the track since its release (in terms of views/streams) and growth of the artist (online, and other presences) as mentioned above.

The aim is to not only provide an indication of which alternative artists and tracks are doing the best when looking at the data, but also to portray the best newcomers within the scene. Whose music is being talked about? Who is creating a buzz?

The SA Alternative Top 20 will be released weekly on Fridays, using Friday-to-Thursday chart weekly measurements. You can check out their Facebook and Instagram pages for the weekly charts.

Watch this space for regular updates in the Music News category on SA Music Zone.