Portsmouth’s celebrated Local Music Chart on Express FM is introducing a clearer set of rules designed to better support truly local talent from across Portsmouth and the wider PO postcode area.
Sponsored by Victorious Festival, the chart has become one of the city’s most respected platforms for emerging artists, helping shine a spotlight on homegrown musicians who have gone on to achieve national recognition, including Crystal Tides, Mackenzie and Harvey Jay Dodgson.
As Portsmouth’s music scene continues to grow at an incredible pace, the updated rules - which take effect from Monday (8 June) - are intended to ensure the chart remains focused on championing the extraordinary talent developing right here in the city and surrounding communities.
New Local Music Chart Rules
- The primary artist(s) must be based within the PO postcode area.
- New songs uploaded through the Local Music Upload page on Express FM will usually be added to the voting list shortly afterwards. Artists should continue checking the listings after uploading.
- Any song that does not reach the Top 10 will stay on the voting list for at least four weeks.
- Songs will be removed from the voting list if they do not appear in the Top 10 for eight consecutive weeks.
- If a song drops out of the Top 10, its eight-week countdown starts again from that point.
- Existing terms and conditions for uploads still apply.
Example:
- A song charts in the Top 10 for two weeks.
- It then drops out of the Top 10.
- If it does not return to the Top 10 within the next eight weeks, it will be removed from the voting list.
Harrison RB, Content Manager at Express FM, said:
“The Local Music Chart has become an incredibly prestigious platform for artists across Portsmouth and the PO postcode area. Over the years we’ve seen so many brilliant musicians build audiences here before going on to achieve huge national success.
“With exciting initiatives like the Portsmouth Music Awards and the continued growth of the local scene, there’s clearly an enormous amount of talent in this city and surrounding communities ready to be discovered.
“Our primary point of difference is Portsmouth. It’s important that our chart continues to support genuinely local musicians, remains relevant and always understands its place within the market. These changes are all about making the Top 10 more competitive and giving the best possible platform to the artists who make this area’s music scene so special.”
A new permanent presenter for Portsmouth’s Local Music Show will be announced in the coming months but it continues to be a fixture every Saturday evening from 6pm, introducing you to the very best new music from talented local artists.
Artists can upload music and view the latest chart listings each week on our socials.
