From the Billboard site by Gary Trust.
On November 1, 1894, the first Billboard Magazine "All That Is New, Bright and Interesting" was published. It cost a dime and consisted of 8 pages. This was its first weekly publication. Before that, it had been a monthly periodical called "Billboard Advertising." Its mission then and still is "to report and analyze the entertainment business."
Back then, however, they weren't listing top tunes as the publication is famous for nowadays. Its first national music chart was the ten-position "National List of best Selling Retail Records" which appeared on July 27, 1940. Previously the magazine had highlighted "Sheet Music Best Sellers", "Records Most Popular on Music machines" and "Songs With the Most Radio Play" which was based on the playlists of a handful of New York radio stations.
The "National List" was the first one based on nationwide record sales.
In case you're wondering, Tommy Dorsey occupied the #1 spot with his "I'll Never Smile Again" with vocals by one Frank Sinatra. It spent 12 weeks at #1 and thrilled the Bobbysoxers.
The Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart debuted on March 24, 1956 and Billboard's Hot 100 premiered August 4, 1958, with Ricky Nelson's "Poor Little Fool" at #1.
To date, there have been 1,047 Number Ones.
And Now With the Top 40.
Name That Tune: "For Tears Would Fill My Eyes." --RoadDog
MORE TO PONDER: The short fortune teller who escaped from prison was a small medium at large.
"I'll Never Smile Again"
Being an account of some things I'm interested in, what I'm doing, and reflections on my past, especially music.
Listen to this man. Seven years of college, you know. Trying to reason with 2020 and, now, 2022.
No comments:
Post a Comment