History The first attempt at a French national chart of best-selling records originated from a request by the American music industry magazine
Billboard. The magazine's French correspondent, Eddie Adamis, compiled a top 10 list of the country's preferred format, the
extended play (EP), for
Billboards "Hits of the World" column of 5 June 1961. The number 1 record was an
Edith Piaf EP featuring the song "
Non, je ne regrette rien". France's coverage in
Billboards "Hits of the World" continued until May 1964, when Adamis resigned from his position. The chart then resumed in June 1967, overseen by a new French correspondent, until SNICOP's involvement in late 1968. While the list continued to demonstrate the dominance of EPs, the British band
Procol Harum succeeded in achieving the first French number 1 single, with their 1967 release "
A Whiter Shade of Pale". Earlier that year, with reference to the new chart compiler,
Billboard had reported that "for the first time the main record companies are cooperating in an effort to produce a reliable sales chart which will serve the industry." However, this was resolved when
Top No. 1 came up with propositions in May 1992 which SNEP approved of and that were fully implemented in stores by October 1992. In September, 1993, Europe 1 together with Canal+ who had compiled the French charts since 1984, decided to stop producing the charts for SNEP because they were making losses. The singles chart was not published by SNEP again until mid-November 1993, and was not published in
Music & Media magazine again until mid-April 1994. The new singles chart was criticised by
UPFI as being unreliable but this was disputed by SNEP. The albums chart was not resumed until early June 1994. In December 2020, the London-based
Official Charts Company (OCC) announced it was taking over the contract from German company GfK, in compiling the French music charts for SNEP /SCPP (Civil Society of Phonographic Producers), with the OCC taking over on 1 January 2021. The Current number-one is "
Melodrama" by
Disiz and
Theodora.
21st century methodology Since September 2002, the official charts have been as follows: • Top 100 best sold singles • Top 150 best sold albums ("nouveautés") sold at full price, • Top 40 best compilations ("nouveautés") sold at full price • Top 40 best sold albums and compilations ("long" format) sold at mid-price or budget price Criterion: The following guidelines are applied: • "Nouveauté" album means its first day of release is less than 2 years • Full price album means the catalogue price of album sold is €10 or higher • The albums whose release is more than 2 years and/or sale price lower than €10 are excluded from the "nouveauté" charts. • The albums sold at "mid-price" or "budget price" are classified in a separate chart and also includes long albums sold at discounted prices. == Certification awards ==