A feature by Surely Revive Zanoni spotlighting historical American Top 40 music lists.
The full program! – https://www.mixcloud.com/AircheXX/caseys-top-40-with-casey-kasem-from-december-15-1990/ The full chart – https://weeklytop40.wordpress.com/1990-all-charts/ (Sadly, this chart does not have its own dedicated page; I’m not sure if they’re trying to hide it, or what. You can find it by scrolling down) Note: I’m … Continue reading American Top 40 Flashback EXTRA: December 15, 1990
The full chart: https://weeklytop40.wordpress.com/1976/12/11/us-top-40-singles-week-ending-11th-december-1976/ How’s the chart as a whole? 1976 was a blockbuster year on the pop charts, with a twist– there’s an almost even split between the sublime and the wretched. For every groundbreaking and influential “Bohemian Rhapsody,” … Continue reading American Top 40 Flashback: December 11, 1976
The full chart: https://weeklytop40.wordpress.com/1972/12/09/us-top-40-singles-week-ending-9th-december-1972/ How’s the chart as a whole? Arriving just after Nixon’s reelection, this is by far the most politically conscious pop chart I’ve reviewed, covering a wide range of social concerns. Even when the political content is … Continue reading American Top 40 Flashback: December 9, 1972
The full chart from December 8, 1979: https://weeklytop40.wordpress.com/1979/12/08/us-top-40-singles-for-the-week-ending-december-8-1979/ All the Casey Kasem segments from this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suqnl4DymtQ How’s the chart as a whole? Decades are arbitrary markers of time, but there does seem to be a changing of the guard … Continue reading American Top 40 Flashback: December 8, 1979
The full chart from November 26, 1977: https://weeklytop40.wordpress.com/1977/11/26/us-top-40-singles-week-ending-26th-november-1977/ All the Casey Kasem segments from this episode (no songs): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL0whbAVpqk How’s the chart as a whole? In its component parts– soft ballads, disco, and what we now call classic rock– it’s not much … Continue reading American Top 40 Flashback: November 26, 1977
The full chart: https://weeklytop40.wordpress.com/1975/11/15/us-top-40-singles-week-ending-15th-november-1975/ How’s the chart as a whole? Once you get past Paul McCartney at #36, it’s possible to squint at this chart and see an alternate music history where the late 60s faded into the background instead … Continue reading American Top 40 Flashback: November 15, 1975
The full chart from November 10, 1973 How’s the chart as a whole? Other than a string of variety-show-style pop in the top ten, it’s quite good. This chart marks a high point for funk, largely rooted in the southern … Continue reading American Top 40 Flashback: November 10, 1973
The full chart from November 7, 1970 How’s the chart as a whole? Shockingly primitive. Perhaps in backlash to hippie excess, this week’s chart (from the earliest days of Casey Kasem’s American Top 40) is loaded with blues-rock growlers and raw soul and funk records. It’s lightyears removed from the lush sounds of the 1974 chart we heard last week. The Beatles (as a group and solo) are conspicuously absent, and this year’s model seems to be Creedence Clearwater Revival. Luckily, Motown is still going strong, and manages to seriously class up this chart with appearances from nearly all of … Continue reading American Top 40 Flashback: November 7, 1970
The full chart from October 26, 1974 Radio stations playing this episode How’s the chart as a whole? Some critics have argued that 1974 was the worst year in the history of popular music. If you focus solely on the year’s #1 hits, it’s a compelling case: it’s an extraordinarily weak crop, loaded with kitsch and ugliness of all kinds. But personally, I find a lot to like about the year. We may have sent our worst music to the very top of the chart, but I’ve found that the bottom of these charts fill out rather well. I think … Continue reading American Top 40 Flashback: October 26, 1974
The full chart from October 18, 1980: https://weeklytop40.wordpre… How’s the chart as a whole? We conclude our tour through the 80s with a visit to the turn of the decade. A year after Disco Demolition Night, there was still enough disco … Continue reading American Top 40 Flashback: October 18, 1980
The full chart: https://weeklytop40.wordpre… How’s the chart as a whole? It’s packed with star power. The only true one-hit wonder on this chart is Joyce Kennedy, and even that song was a duet with Jeffrey Osborne. The filler on this chart … Continue reading American Top 40 Flashback: October 13, 1984
The full chart: http://americantop40.wikia…. How’s the chart as a whole? 1987 is a huge year in pop; an echo of 1984 with blockbuster albums that are really quite good, a crop of breakout stars, and a goldmine of forgotten pop nuggets … Continue reading American Top 40 Flashback: October 3, 1987
The full chart: https://weeklytop40.wordpress.com/1981/09/26/us-top-40-singles-week-ending-september-26-1981/ How’s the chart as a whole? I regret wasting that F on last week’s chart from 1986. While that chart was full of tacky, disposable music, much of it was at least peppy and listenable. 1981, … Continue reading American Top 40 Flashback: September 26, 1981
Full chart: https://weeklytop40.wordpre… How’s the chart as a whole? Dreadful. I rate 1986 overall as a middle-of-the-pack 80s year, and I like the day-glo accents and British sophisti-pop that are hallmarks of the year. However, this chart is a showcase for … Continue reading American Top 40 Flashback: September 13, 1986
The full chart: https://weeklytop40.wordpre… How’s the chart as a whole? Freakin’ fantastic. 1983 is a banner year for pop music. I’m not sure the world of American pop music would ever feel so unified again: the rock of this year swung, … Continue reading American Top 40 Flashback: September 10, 1983
American Top 40 – September 4, 1982 – Here’s the link to the full chart. How’s the chart as a whole? Along with 1981, 1982 has the feel of a transitional year, with disco finally dead as a doornail and MTV … Continue reading American Top 40 Flashback: September 4, 1982
The full chart: https://weeklytop40.wordpress.com/1985/08/31/us-top-40-singles-for-the-week-ending-august-31-1985/ For about the last year, I’ve developed a Sunday ritual of listening to the syndicated rebroadcasts of Casey Kasem’s American Top 40 countdowns from the 70s and 80s. A list of stations that broadcast the programs can … Continue reading American Top 40 Flashback: August 31, 1985
