Christian SoundScan is a tracking system designed to reflect consumer intent of purchase for Christian music and video products. Not all sales that occur in retail outlets or at concerts are counted by Christian SoundScan. Only sales that fall within the Christian SoundScan guidelines and policies will be tracked. These guidelines and policies can be found in full in the label information packet. In an effort to further clarify any questions or confusion about these policies, this Frequently Asked Questions page was created.

This FAQ page will be updated periodically as the need arises.
FAQ Creation Date: 11/17/06
Last Updated: 08/16/07

1. How can I have my product tracked in Christian SoundScan?
2. What is a CMTA Code and how is it used?
3. Are there price restrictions for Christian SoundScan tracking when selling my product?
4. How can I have pre-sales tracked in Christian SoundScan? (Updated 08/16/07)
5. Are bulk sales counted in Christian SoundScan?
6. How can my artist's concert/venue sales be counted in Christian SoundScan?
7. Are give-a-ways tracked in Christian SoundScan?
8. I have two or more UPCs for the same product in retail. How can those sales be linked together on the same title report? (Updated 02/15/07)
9. How can I have my digital sales tracked in Christian SoundScan?
10. How is marketshare counted toward my label/distributor in Christian SoundScan?
11. Can a special edition be linked to the regular edition of the same product?
12. Can a product that has both an audio component and a music video component chart on the audio and music video charts? (Updated 11/20/06)
13. Can my product appear on more than one genre chart? (Added 11/20/06)
14. Can my product appear on the Billboard Christian and/or Gospel charts? (Added 12/1/06)
15. What is an EAN? (Added 12/8/06)
16. I received a response informing me my title has been registered. Why is it not showing up on the Christian SoundScan site? (Added 12/8/06)
17. Can a product be packaged with a ticket to an event and still count as valid sales in Christian SoundScan? (Added 01/30/07)

1. How can I have my product tracked in Christian SoundScan?
   
   • Product tracked in Christian SoundScan must be nationally distributed to retail outlets nationwide. National distribution qualification is determined by the CMTA.
   • Each title tracked in Christian SoundScan also has to meet one of the following criteria set by the CMTA: 50% Christian content on product, significant national Christian radio airplay, or 25% of total first week sales originating in Christian retail outlets.


2. What is a CMTA Code and how is it used?
   
   • CMTA codes represent the style or type of each product tracked in Christian SoundScan. The CMTA Code you select for a product determines what chart the product to appear on should the sales warrant a chart position. Please see the CMTA Standardized Music Categorization Codes for descriptions.


3. Are there price restrictions for Christian SoundScan tracking when selling my product?
   
   • Yes. Christian SoundScan does not track any sales for full-length albums or full-length videos that are sold below $5.00 each. All other products cannot be tracked if sold below 50% off MSRP.
   • For all product, if the title is sold below 50% off of MSRP, all sales below 50% off MSRP will not be eligible to be reflected in any of the Billboard charts, even if the sale price is above the $5.00 limit.


4. How can I have pre-sales tracked in Christian SoundScan? (Updated 08/16/07)
   
   • Pre-sales may be counted if sold within four (4) months of street date.
   • Pre-sales can only be held and reported at a later time if the customer does not receive product until a later date. Pre-sales must be reported during the week the customer receives the product.
   • If pre-sales are conducted by a non-traditional reporter (internet, mail order) then the sales need to be reported by the zip code of the customer (not the zip code of the reporter) when the product has been shipped to the customer.
   • We advise that those conducting the pre-sale contact Christian SoundScan in advance to alert them to the campaign and to confirm all reporting guidelines.
   • Pre-sales are considered sales that the customer pays for before the project's street date, but does not receive the product at the time of purchase. If a project is being sold ahead of street date and the customer receives that product when they purchase it, this is considered a regular sale and cannot be reported as a pre-sale at a later time. It must be reported when the customer receives the product.


5. Are bulk sales counted in Christian SoundScan?
   
   • No. Bulk sales are not tracked in Christian SoundScan regardless if the purchaser is an individual or a business/organization. A bulk sale is considered a sale in which one customer buys more than four (4) units of the same product.


6. How can my artist's venue sales be counted in Christian SoundScan?
   
   • Venue sales can be reported by a retail reporter in the specific market area of the event/venue. Contact your distribution company for additional options.


7. Are give-a-ways tracked in Christian SoundScan?
   
   • No. Give-a-ways are not tracked in Christian SoundScan. If an individual or company buys product in order to give-a-way, it would be considered a bulk sale.


8. I have two or more UPCs for the same product in retail. How can those sales be linked together on the same title report? (Updated 02/15/07)
   
   • A linking request needs to be submitted to link separate UPCs of the same product in Christian SoundScan. A linking request can be emailed by the label or distributor of the product to soundscan@cmta.com at least two (2) weeks prior to street date. In the email, list each UPC that needs to be linked together with a description of each UPC.
   • Please also see the Billboard Merge Criteria.


9. How can I have my digital sales tracked in Christian SoundScan?
   
   • Digital sales are tracked by digital UPCs and digital ISRCs. The digital UPC represents the entire digital product, while the digital ISRC represents each digital track on the product. Please see the digital track submission instructions for more information on submitting digital titles.


10. How is marketshare counted toward my label/distributor in Christian SoundScan?
    
    • Each UPC is required to be registered under a label code. Each label code is required to be registered under a distributor code. Marketshare is broken down by two levels: 1. Distribution (primary) 2. Label (secondary).
    • All sales collected for each UPC are attributed to the marketshare for the label code and distributor code is has been registered under.
    • If your label has different products distributed by two (or more) separate distributors, you will have to separate label codes for each UPC distributed. One UPC can not be registered under multiple label codes.


11. Can a special edition be linked to the regular edition of the same product?
    
    • Yes. A special edition product can be linked to the regular edition of the same product. All of the original content from the regular edition must be included in the special edition.
    • There may be no more than four (4) additional tracks on the special edition if the UPCs are being linked together.
    
    
12. Can a product that has both an audio component and a music video component chart on the audio and music video charts? (Updated 11/20/06)
    
    • Yes, but only if the content on both components is equal. For example, if the product contains a CD and DVD of a live concert, it must be the same material on the CD and on the DVD. Otherwise, the product would be flagged for the chart in which the majority of its content leans.
    • This is not an automatic process, however. For the product to appear on both charts, please email soundscan@cmta.com to request dual charting on audio and video charts prior to the release of the project.
    
    
13. Can my product appear on more than one genre chart? (Added 11/20/06)
    
    • No, each title may only appear on one Christian SoundScan genre chart.
    • If a product has been incorrectly registered for the wrong genre chart, it may be switched to another genre chart within the first four (4) weeks of its release.
    
    
14. Can my product appear on the Billboard Christian and/or Gospel charts? (Added 12/1/06)
    
    • Yes, as long as the product is approved by Billboard. Please review the information packet you can download at the top of this page for more information.
    
    
15. What is an EAN?(Added 12/8/06)
    
    • Please visit www.barcodeisland.com/ean13.phtml for information on EANs.
    
    
16. I received a response informing me my title has been registered. Why is it not showing up on the Christian SoundScan site?(Added 12/8/06)
    
    • It usually takes a week from when the title has been registered for it to show up on the Christian SoundScan site.
    • If it has been more than a week since you received confirmation and it still is not on the Christian SoundScan site, please email soundscan@cmta.com.
17. Can a product be packaged with a ticket to an event and still count as valid sales in Christian SoundScan?(Added 01/30/07)
    
    • A product can only be packaged with a ticket to an event and counted in Christian SoundScan only if the ticket for the event can be purchased without the product at a lower price with the difference being at least $5. Please see FAQ #3 (price restrictions) for more information.