Ringtones are big business. Last year alone, the ARC Group reported ringtone sales reached $3.5 billion dollars, or about equal to 10 percent of the worldwide music market.

Since ringtones are more often than not samples and reproductions of today's hits and other songs, venerable music industry magazine Billboard, in partnership with Consect—a provider of U.S. mobile market analysis—will launch the new Billboard Hot Ringtones chart with its November 6th issue. The first of its kind in North America, the aggregated U.S. polyphonic ringtone chart will debut in the magazine's new Digital Entertainment special section.

The magazine said the new ringtone survey is similar to its CD sales charts. Instead of monitoring airplay, however, it will reflect the Top 20 polyphonic ringtone sales for each week, including song title, artist, previous week's position, and number of weeks listed.

Billboard Publisher John Kilcullen enthused, "Billboard is delighted to introduce the Hot Ringtones chart, which reflects the growth, innovation and success of the rapidly growing mobile music market. Our team has been working closely with major ringtone distributors, wireless carriers, and influential industry associations and leaders to debut this chart. The launch coincides perfectly with the expansion of our digital entertainment coverage."

The data for the chart is aggregated from each of the major ringtone distributors and wireless carriers, which represents more than 90 percent market share sampled every week. Primary ringtone providers in the U.S. include 9Squared, AG Interactive, Dwango Wireless, Faith West, Infospace Mobile, Kanematsu, Zingy and Ztango.