Singles confusion

Wikipedia states the Plastic was a single (no idea who put it there) it's in the chronology of singles although not listed in the discography.

My personal take is it certainly isn't a single, just an album track released early as there is no separate digital entry in iTunes from the album. Music is so complicated these days! Do we take Restless as the release date of the digital track or the physical release? And did it chart? Another thing I cannot work out as this would be the first single not to (even Video 586 did). 😕

thehim wrote: Wikipedia states the Plastic was a single (no idea who put it there) it's in the chronology of singles although not listed in the discography.

My personal take is it certainly isn't a single, just an album track released early as there is no separate digital entry in iTunes from the album. Music is so complicated these days! Do we take Restless as the release date of the digital track or the physical release? And did it chart? Another thing I cannot work out as this would be the first single not to (even Video 586 did). 😕

Ha - Wikipedia probably got their information from Discogs (which adds every single release - even if it's a free download from a website), and, yeah you're right - it was just a digital file released as a taste to the album and not really a single...

As for Restless, I don't think it did chart? It's certainly not listed in the official chart history...?

😎

No, not a single. Just an album track made available early (and a wise choice, too).

I don't think any of the singles released from MC are geared toward a radio audience, they're just creating a broader experience for fans of the band and collectors: colored vinyl, a special slipcase to hold the CD singles, digital releases coming out long before physical releases, and a video even long before that. They're certainly not coordinated like a targeted/marketed singles campaign.

When is a single not a single..? When it's an "instant grat". A pre-release track from a forthcoming album. Sales count towards a singles chart placing, but only for one of them. Explained here: http://www.musicweek.com/news/read/instant-grat-tracks-to-qualify-for-chart/054179. Also explained on page seven of the official album chart rules: http://www.officialcharts.com/media/319098/official-uk-charts-album-chart-rules-april-2013.pdf

So, I assume 'Restless' was the nominated instant grat track off 'Music Complete'. 'Plastic' was the second instant grat, but I don't think it would have been eligible for the singles chart. 'Restless' is now, of course, a stand alone single release anyway. Now the album is out, any track from it could theoretically chart if bought in high enough quantities individually.

Still very confusing how this works. Some artists have, technically, in recent years not released any singles from albums, but have had hits through instant grat album track releases. As far as I'm concerned, 'Restless' is an official New Order single, as (now) is 'Tutti Frutti', but 'Plastic' was merely an album track made available early.