Gakusoku
| Categories | Music industry |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Weekly |
| Year founded | 1950 |
| Country | Akashi |
| Based in | Hirakawa, Matō |
| Language | Miranian and Gothic |
| Website | gakusoku |
Gakusoku (Miranian: 楽測; "Music Monitor") is the main trade magazine of the Akashian music industry. It publishes the official record charts of Akashi.
History
Gakusoku was founded in 1950 by the Akashian Music Industry Federation, the main organisation representing Akashi's music industry. It was initially affiliated with the Keidanren, but underwent drastic changes after the Summer of Freedom, and switched affiliation to the Kyōkuren.
It began to publish a singles chart in 1955, and an album chart in 1965. It computerised its collection of sales data in 1988.
Profile
Gakusoku publishes the following official charts:
- Singles Chart
- Album Chart
- EP Chart
Each chart is divided between domestic and international releases, resulting in a total of 6 charts. In turn, Gakusoku publishes chart breakdowns by province in print and on its website, allowing for a detailed look at regional music tastes.
The charts are compiled based on physical sales from retail outlets, digital downloads, radio play, and online streaming. Data is received every Monday and the charts published every Tuesday for the entire week.
In addition to the charts, the magazine publishes features, interviews, and industry news. It is considered the principal source of music industry news in Akashi.
Isshūkanya
Gakusoku adopted a new rule in 1972: any release that reaches #1 on any of its charts is automatically disqualified from the chart after a week. It was introduced in response to the discontent of the Summer of Freedom and ongoing reforms to "open up the system".
Little heralded at the time, the rule has come to be a defining feature of Akashian charts, and produced the phenomenon of isshūkanya (一週間屋), roughly "one-week wonders". Since no album, EP, or single can spend more than a week at #1, the charts thus experience rapid turnover, contributing to significant diversity and dynamism.
Mari Takeuchi, the most successful musician of the neondai, described the one-week rule as "very interesting and democratic — no matter how big or small you are, you have an equal chance to get a #1 hit, and then turn it over to the next one. I think it's been a very healthy thing for Akashian music." The rule is credited with aiding the success of previously obscure, underground, or independently released bands such as Shonen Knife and Scandal.