Posted 04/13/09 at 11:22:42 AM by Paul Lilly

It looks like iTunes' new variable pricing scheme isn't just shuffling money around inside everyone's wallets, but also has the iTunes Top 100 chart playing a game of leapfrog. The losers in this new game? The higher $1.29 tracks.

According to Billboard, on Wednesday the iTunes Top 100 chart had 40 songs priced at $1.29 and 60 with the original $0.99 price point. The songs selling for $1.29 slid, on average, 5.3 places on the chart, while the $0.99 tracks gained 2.5 chart positions. The trend continued on Thursday, with 53 songs priced at $0.99 rising an average of 1.66 places and 47 songs priced at $1.29 losing an average of 2 chart spots.

So far the changes have only been in chart position, but as Billboard points out, "a general idea of incremental changes in revenue can be reached. By looking at the unit sales of the most recent Soundscan top track downloads chart, the difference between chart positions can offer a view into how moving up and down the chart impacts revenue." 

Thoughts on how the variable pricing structuring is affecting chart positions? Hit the jump and sound off!

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