I've heard that dead pop stars are getting their own chart, is this true

A.� It's a possibility, although not a definite fact, the idea has been put forward by Mike Shalett, founder of�a company called SoundScan, a New York data company that compiles US record sales charts.

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Q.� It all sounds very gruesome!

A.� It is, and that's one of the problems that�Shalett has encountered�- if the chart is to become a regular feature, joining the various other charts available, just what can it be called It's impossible to think of a name that defines what the chart consists of,�namely rock and pop stars that are no longer around, without sounding morbid and unsavoury. So far the notion remains at the idea stage, and because of the 'label' problem, it may get no further.

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Q.� Why do we need a 'Dead Rock Stars Chart' anyway

A.� Because the music industry loves statistics, and likes to put artists into categories, it's inevitable that someone would notice the expanding market in deceased artists' recordings and right behind noticing a sales trend, comes the notion that there's a chart in there somewhere. So, to be fair, we don't 'need' such a chart, it just makes people in the industry comfortable if they have statistics to compare with other sales figures.

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Q.� Is the idea of cashing in on dead musicians a new one

A.� No, it's been around since people�such as Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran departed�- death has always been big business for popular music. As soon as a famous artist dies, you can expect a re-issue of their back catalogue, and a 'Greatest Hits' package to hit the shops with indecent speed.

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Q.� So why has no one thought of tracking the sales with a chart before ������

A.� The reason why the idea of chart has surfaced now is because of the increasing numbers of deceased musicians who are having material released, in increasing amounts.�What was originally a trickle has turned into a flood over the last few years.

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Q.� Why is that

A.� In a word:�technology. Releasing compilations of existing material in various forms, such as has been done with Elvis Presley's back catalogue since his death in the mid-seventies,�is common practice. Then someone hit on the idea of combining living and dead artists,�the most successful example was an album of 'duets' featuring the late Nat 'King' Cole and his daughter Natalie. The novelty of mixing two versions of a song using old master recordings and new tapes was a success, and others began to see the profit potential.

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Q.� That doesn't exactly give rise to a huge market -�how many 'senior' and 'junior' singing partnerships are there

A.� There aren't that many, and even bona fide second, and even third generation mixing hasn't always paid off. The conjoining of 1940s country legend Hank Williams, with his son and grandson was a critical and commercial failure,�critics branded the whole notion as unpleasant commercial exploitation.

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Q.� That hasn't stopped other people though

A.� No, where there is money to be made, commercial sensibility will always overcome personal sentimentality, and the increase in studio technology has meant that less and less original material is required.

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Q.� Can you explain �

A.� Originally, a record company who obtained studio outtakes from Jimi Hendrix recording sessions was able to add new bass and drums, and release the material as a series of albums, which were duly snapped up by the growing numbers of Hendrix fans who already enjoyed all the official recordings Hendrix released. Because of modern studio and computer technology, it is possible to take a fragment of music, or just a line of vocal, and fashion them into songs, and from there into albums.

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Q.� This sounds decidedly unethical

A.� It is,�especially when often the material used is scraps of studio workthat the artists in question had already rejected as unsuitable, or simply used to work towards a finished song or album, and never intended the abandoned material to be heard by anyone, much less sold to their fans.�Since the artists aren't�around to complain, there's not much to stop the practice from continuing. A market is created by the fans' willingness to purchase anything with their idol's name on�- however sub-standard or dubious the quality of that material may be.��

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Q.� Who is included in the proposed charts for this beyond-the- grave cyber-music

A.� A number of deceased musicians would make a Top Ten.�Some such as Eva Cassidy, have simply found fame with genuine recordings�that were released during her lifetime, and have sold significant quantities since her death. Others, such as Bob Marley, have had vocal lines grafted onto dance mixes, making new hits. The Doors recorded some music to accompany deceased vocalist Jim Morrison's spoken word recordings.

Top of the 'deceased' pops is rapper Tupac (2Pac) Shakur who was shot dead in 1996, and who's fame and record sales have increased steadily since that date. Tupac never actually recorded with Big L, another deceased rapper, but never the less, a duet featuring both is on release, and selling to fans of both artists. Also selling strongly are soul legend Marvin Gaye, and 80s indie legends Joy Division.

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