The Chart Show
A presenterless music video chart show with computer-generated graphics.
The Chart Show (also known as The ITV Chart Show between 1989 and 1998) was a weekly syndicated music video programme that aired in the United Kingdom from April 1986 until August 1998, with revivals in 2003 and 2008–2009. It was notable for having no presenters, instead using computer-generated displays and a graphical user interface called HUD to present chart information between music videos. The show was an important outlet for music videos on British television before the widespread adoption of satellite and cable channels like MTV Europe.
- First aired
- 11 April 1986
- Last aired (original run)
- 22 August 1998
- Network (original)
- Channel 4
- Network (later)
- ITV
- Production company
- Video Visuals
- Known for
- No presenters; computer-generated graphics; use of MRIB chart
Lore & Background
Shortly after launching, The Chart Show found itself being taken off air during a dispute with the Musicians' Union over the showing of music videos on Channel 4, which lasted throughout the summer of 1986. During this time, a show called Rewind, made by the same production team, was aired. The dispute was resolved by the end of the summer, and The Chart Show returned in August. The show originally ran on Channel 4 on Friday evenings, then moved to ITV on Saturday mornings from 7 January 1989. It was renamed 'The ITV Chart Show' in September 1989 after ITV launched its new corporate identity, reverting to 'The Chart Show' on 22 October 1994. The last edition was shown on 22 August 1998, after being axed in favour of a live, performance-based show, CD:UK.
Reader's Guide
The Chart Show holds significance as a pioneering music video programme that offered an alternative to the BBC's Top of the Pops, particularly in the era before dedicated music video channels were widely available. Its use of computer-generated graphics and a presenterless format was innovative for its time, and the show became a regular Saturday morning fixture on ITV for nearly a decade. The show's legacy includes its role in premiering music videos on UK television and its distinctive visual style, which evolved from early Amiga-based graphics to later animated banners. The show also contributed to confusion over chart positions, as it used the MRIB chart or its own compiled chart rather than the official Gallup/CIN chart used by BBC Radio 1, leading to occasional differences in the number one single. The show's influence can be seen in later music programmes that adopted similar formats, and its revivals in 2003 and 2008–2009 demonstrate its lasting appeal.
Did You Know?
- The first video on The Chart Show was 'What You Need' by INXS, though the final show mistakenly claimed Robert Palmer's 'Addicted to Love' was first.
- The show was taken off air during a dispute with the Musicians' Union over showing music videos on Channel 4 in summer 1986, replaced by a show called Rewind.
- When a music video was unavailable, the show sometimes showed a photo of the artist over a short excerpt, or used footage from a previous video, as with Pearl Jam from 1993 to 1997.
- A late night repeat on 31 August 1997 was interrupted to report the breaking news of Diana, Princess of Wales' car accident.
More in Channel 4 original programming 1-24
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