THE Official Chart Company has been blasted after it scrapped the Scottish singles chart.

For years, alongside the top 40 for the UK as a whole, the firm has produced a weekly rundown of what Scots music fans are listening to.

But last month they quietly dropped the Scottish hit parade, with the last chart produced on November 27.

Scottish bands and music fans have now signed up to a petition urging the industry body to think again. 

Journalist and radio broadcaster Jim Gellatly tweeted: “It's very disappointing @officialcharts  seem to have ditched the Scottish Chart.

“It was a great platform for acts like  @TheSnuts @LukeLaVolpe and @joshua_grantt to boost their profiles with No.1 hits early in their careers.”

Responding to Gellatly on social media, the Official Chart Company said it had not made a "decision to ditch the chart".

They explained: "There are simply new geographical data limitations which means the necessary data to create a Scottish Chart is sadly no longer available. It is out of our hands unfortunately."

However, the company added, the Scottish Albums Chart is still available "as that is less affected by these data limitations".

Joshua Grant, who topped the chart earlier this year with his single, Edinburgh, said he was devastated by the news. 

Taking to social media, he said: "To artists in Scotland this chart was a lifeline. This isn't about numbers, music is bigger than that, but the Scottish singles charts provided an excellent platform for artists to kickstart careers. It gave us the chance to get on a chart and have a really special moment in the spotlight."

Grant added: "I understand the Scottish singles chart is an extremely small piece of the big puzzle that is the official charts and the data limitations mean the chart is gone, but I would ask the official charts to fight against these data limitations and try and bring our chart back.
 

Chief Radio, who started the petition, wrote: “I'm signing because I believe like the UK chart and the Irish Chart the Scottish chart should be represented. It serves a purpose for smaller lesser known and unsigned bands from all across the UK to chart. Please consider reinstating it”.

Richard Spence, who signed the petition, said a separate chart for Scottish artists helped level “the playing field against the larger population of the rest of the UK”.

Julie Tansey said it was about Scottish bands and singers getting the “opportunity to be heard by all in Scotland".