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| EURO 200 CHART RULES Introduction These Chart Rules have been established to determine which music qualifies for inclusion in the Euro 200 chart. The aim of the rules is to protect the integrity of the chart and ensure that it accurately reflects the popularity of each recording. The rules apply equally to all companies and artists releasing and/or distributing recordings. Record companies, distributors, and artists are free to package and promote their products as they see fit. However, recordings that do not comply with the rules will not be eligible for inclusion in the chart. The Chart Rules are issued by APC Chart in collaboration with chart management. The management of the Euro 200 chart is responsible for interpreting and applying the rules. The chart manager of the Euro 200 holds ultimate responsibility for matters regarding the interpretation of the Chart Rules. Sales (CD tracks and downloads), airplay, and streaming All sales data for tracks used to compile the chart must result from genuine purchases by genuine consumers. Airplay data is provided by more than 1,800 major radio and TV stations across the European Union, the United Kingdom, Norway, Switzerland, and Ukraine. Streaming data is also collected from these countries. These data come from all major platforms accessible to consumers. The data is calculated over a period of 14 days and refreshed weekly. No record company, distributor, retailer, artist, or other party may act or encourage others to act in a way intended to distort, or that has the effect of distorting, the chart by achieving a higher or lower position than would otherwise occur. Actions considered violations of these rules include: Promoting the sale of a recording by providing a dealer with recordings of another artist free of charge or under more favorable terms than would normally apply. Purchasing recordings or causing recordings to be purchased other than as genuine consumer purchases. Multiple purchases of recordings on behalf of others. Interfering with the operation of sales recording devices, equipment, or software, or otherwise submitting false or inaccurate data to the data collector. Offering money or other benefits to a dealer contingent upon a recording achieving a chart position. Purchasing a recording in combination with an unrelated or excessive gift that provides the consumer with a product, voucher, or other benefit, regardless of the value of the recording. Any other activity intended to unfairly influence chart positions. When chart management has reason to believe that a recording is subject to the above activities, it may, at its discretion, remove irregular sales and streaming data or exclude the recording from the chart with immediate effect. Definition of Tracks In principle, all tracks from a physical album released in the European Union qualify for the Euro 200 through airplay data or streaming. Downloads or streams of individual album tracks not officially released by the record company are also included. Tracks in different languages by an artist, sold in various EU states, are combined. Since January 1, 2024, the EURO 200 editorial team has applied a minimum track length for inclusion in the weekly charts compiled by apcchart.com. . The minimum track length is set at 100 seconds (excluding fade outs). Criteria for Combining Tracks For chart purposes, sales or streams of different formats are combined if they are reasonably considered variants or alternative formats of the same product. Sales and streams of different formats and variants of a single are combined for chart purposes if each format contains the featured track. Labels may include unpublished remixes or alternative versions of a current Top 200 single on a new release. Any data related to the featured track in the Euro 200 will be combined with the existing data for that specific featured track. There is no maximum for physical formats or bundle formats per title eligible for the singles chart. AUTHENTICITY & RELEASE INTEGRITY To protect the editorial integrity of the Euro 200 and ensure that the chart reflects genuine artistic output, APC Chart applies the following authenticity and release integrity standards: 1. Only official, authentic releases are eligible A track must originate from an official release distributed through recognized channels (labels, verified artist accounts, or accredited distributors). User generated uploads, unofficial edits, or unlicensed derivatives are not eligible. 2. Slowed, sped up, reverb, nightcore, and similar edits are excluded The following categories are not eligible for inclusion in the Euro 200: slowed + reverb edits sped up edits / nightcore / phonk / batidγo remixes without an official release TikTok derived audio variants - extended or lengthened versions created solely to meet minimum runtime any derivative version not explicitly released or approved by the rights holder These formats are considered non authentic derivatives and fall outside the editorial scope of APC. 3. Artificially extended tracks are not eligible Tracks must meet the 100 second minimum with genuine musical content. The following practices result in disqualification: adding silence to reach 100 seconds looping identical segments artificially stretching short TikTok audio any manipulation intended solely to meet eligibility thresholds 4. Artist identity must be verifiable Eligible tracks must be attributed to a verifiable artist with: a consistent catalog a legitimate digital presence identifiable authorship Aliases that exist solely to upload slowed/sped up edits, AI generated audio, or algorithm targeted content are not eligible. 5. AI generated audio and AI generated artists are excluded Recordings created primarily or entirely by generative AI systems, or attributed to non existent or synthetic artists, are not eligible unless: the human creator is clearly identified the release is official and rights cleared the work meets all other chart criteria Unattributed AI audio is excluded by default. 6. Editorial discretion APC Chart reserves the right to exclude any recording that: undermines the integrity of the chart is misleading, manipulative, or non authentic exists primarily to exploit algorithmic trends lacks artistic or editorial merit The editorial team may remove such recordings at any time. Revised rules January 1, 2026. |
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