EXPLANATION OF THE U.K. CHART MISHAP OF
'IT'S THE WAY YOU MAKE ME FEEL'
This story is taken straight from Dotmusic News Tuesday 2nd January 2001
STEPS IN CHART TRAGEDY
Steps have charted at an abysmal number 72 with their new single, after almost 1,000 copies were sold across the country a week before the actual release, dotmusic has learnt.
'The Way You Make Me Feel' was due in the shops on January 1, 2001, but was put on-sale by some bungling stores who had been issued with the CD early to ensure stock was available.
A spokesman for the band's record label Jive today confirmed the cock-up, but suggested there would be no action of behalf of the band, despite the long-term impact on the single's chart placing.
"About 980 have been sold over the counter," the spokesman said. "We're looking at it as a nice early New Year present for some Steps fans who got hold of it early.
"We've not seen the midweeks yet, but if the figures prove significant then it will be a bit of a disappointment, but we don't plan on grumbling about it."
James Masterton, dotmusic's official chart spokesman, commented on the situation: "Despite being plastered with huge labels saying 'do not sell until January 1st 2001', some copies did find their way onto shelves and subsequently into the hands of the paying public.
"The charts do not discriminate between leaked and officially released tracks and so the sales have registered and the single has been given a chart position".
It is not the first time such an error has occurred. In January 1992, The Prodigy's 'Everybody In The Place' was made available prematurely and charted at number 48, before rising to number 10 the following week, on general release.
If Steps climb to Number One this week, it will signify that biggest ever leap to the top spot.
Apparantly, the "bungling store" was Woolworths, who placed the single on sale last week - Daniel.
