The Association of Independent Music (AIM) doesn’t like the idea of incorporating downloaded music into the official charts. This is for two reasons:

1. They allege that downloaded music can be purchased en-masse by record labels in order to force music higher up the chart
2. They are also concerned that the iTunes Music Store (iTMS) is so dominant that the charts will be skewed by major label products

Boohoo. AIM were the organisation that held out against putting independent artists onto iTMS because they wanted the artists to get more money. But lets face it, if you’re a big fish you’ll get a better deal.

Now they think that the charts won’t give a fair reflection to independent artist purchases. If anything, such charts will give a better reflection. It’s more straightforward and less hassle for independent record companies to get their music into iTMS than it is to get them into major (chart-contributing) record shops. Anyone can approach iTMS to get their music on the store.