Today in Music

1955 - Based on sales from stores, radio and jukebox plays Billboard named 'Unchained Melody' by Les Baxter the number 1 US song of 1955.



2005 - The John Lennon song Imagine was voted the nations favourite song a quarter of a century after his death. A UK radio station conducted the poll of 7,000 listeners. The Beatles were voted into second and third place with 'Hey Jude' and 'Let It Be.'

Your Classic Country Video of the Week

This week its "Whisperin" Bill Anderson and his top 10 country hit from 1963 "Still"

America's Top 10 Casey Kasem Top Acts Of The Rock Era January 8,1983

Casey Kasem's American Top 40 - The 80s - December 25th 2010

This week AT40 the 80s has the top 100 songs of 1985 Part 1.

Here are the top 20 singles from that year.

20 - We Are The World - USA For Africa
19 - The Heat is on - Glenn Frey
18 - St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion) - John Parr
17 - Cherish - Kool and the Gang
16 - Don't You (Forget About Me) - Simple Minds
15 - Power of Love - Huey Lewis & The News

14 - We Built This City - Starship


13 - Can't Fight This Feeling - REO Speedwagon
12 - Easy Lover - Phil Collins & Philip Bailey

11 - Every Time You Go Away - Paul Young


10 - Take On Me - a-ha
9 - Crazy For You - Madonna
8 - Money For Nothing - Dire Straits
7 - Everybody Wants To Rule the World - Tears for Fears

6 - Out of Touch - Hall and Oates


5 - I Feel For You - Chaka Khan
4 - I Want To Know What Love is - Foreigner
3 - Wake Me Up Before You Go Go - Wham
2 - Like A Virgin - Madonna

1 - Careless Whisper - Wham

Casey Kasem's American Top 40 - The 70s - December 25 2010

This week on AT40 the 70s, the Top 50 Songs of 1974

Are the Top 20 Singles

20 - Hooked on a Feeling - Blue Swede
19 - Sideshow - Blue Magic
18 - Sunshine On My Shoulder - John Denver
17 - Rock On - David Essex
16 - Spiders and Snakes - Jim Stafford
15 - Show and Tell - Al Wilson
14 - You Make Me Feel Brand New - The Stylistics
13 - Midnight at the Oasis - Maria Muldaur

12 - Jungle Boogie - Kool and the Gang
11 - Until You Come Back To Me - Aretha Franklin
10 - One Hell of a Woman - Mac Davis
9 - Bennie and The Jets - Elton John
8 - The Streak - Ray Stevens


7 - T.S.O.P. - MFSB
6 - The Locomotion - Grand Funk
5 - Dancing Machine - The Jackson 5
4 - Come and Get Your Love - Redbone


3 - Love's Theme - Love Unlimited Orchestra
2 - Seasons in the Sun - Terry Jacks
1 - The Way We Were - Barbra Streisand

Christmas #1 Songs - The 60s

Today lets see what songs topped the Billboard Hot 100 during Christmas time in the 1960s

1960 - Its Now or Never - Elvis Presley
5 weeks to end 1960 and the first week of 1961. The #2 song for 1960.



1961 - The Lion Sleeps Tonight - The Tokens
3 weeks at #1


1962 - Telstar - The Tornadoes
2 weeks to end 1962 and the first week of 1963. The first song by a British band to reach #1 on the Hot 100.


1963 - Dominque - The Singing Nun
Spending the last 4 weeks of the year at #1 and the 2nd biggest song of 1963


1964 - I Feel Fine - The Beatles
Beatlemania in full swing as the Fab Four close out the year with 1 week at the top and the first 2 weeks of 1965.


1965 - Over and Over - The Dave Clark Five
Reaching the top on Christmas Day for one week.



1966 - Winchester Cathedral - The New Vaudeville Band
Spending the 2nd of 2 weeks at the top during Christmas 1966 and becoming the 3rd biggest seller of 1966.


1967 - Daydream Believer - The Monkees
In the 4th of 4 straight weeks at the top with the 5th biggest song of 1967


1968 - I Heard it Through the Grapevine - Marvin Gaye
The 3rd of 7 consecutive weeks at #1


1969 - Leaving on a Jet Plane - Peter, Paul and Mary
One week at the top for this legendary folk group with this John Denver penned classic.

Today in Music

1969 - B.J. Thomas received a gold record for the single, Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head -- from the motion picture, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Raindrops hit number one on the pop charts on January 3, 1970 and stayed there for 4 weeks.

Top of the Pops (Birthday Edition)

Today is the 58th birthday of songwriter, composer, musician Walter Murphy. He achieved a cult status for his disco version of Beethoven with his single "A Fifth of Beethoven.

He spent a week on top of the Billboard Hot 100 in October of 1976 with that song.

Here is the Top 5 for the week of October 9th 1976

5 - If You Leave Me Now - Chicago
on the way to 2 weeks at the top.


4 - Disco Duck (Part 1) - Rick Dees and His Cast of Idiots
what can you say, it was the disco era


3 - Lowdown - Boz Scaggs

Peaking at #3 this was the 1976 winner of the Grammy for the Best R&B song.


2 - Play That Funky Music - Wild Cherry

Dropping a spot after 3 weeks at #1

1 - A Fifth of Beethoven - Walter Murphy and His Big Apple Band

Spending 1 week at the top of the Billboard Hot 100

Your Classic Country Video of the Week

Terri Gibbs reached #8 on the country charts in 1981.

#1 Song of The Week

This week in 1972 "Me and Mrs Jones" was on top of the Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard R&B chart. Staying #1 for 3 weeks on the Hot 100 and for the entire month of December on the R&B chart.

Top of The Pops

This Top of The Pops edition goes back to this week in 1988 and the Top 5 from the Billboard Hot 100.


5 - Waiting For a Star To Fall - Boy Meets Girl
peaking at #5 for 2 weeks and their biggest hit on the Hot 100


4 - My Perogative - Bobby Brown
heading for the top and the ninth biggest song of 1989, the future Mr Whitney Houston


3 - Giving You the Best That I Got - Anita Baker
peaking at #3 this from her multi million selling album that topped the Billboard Album chart for 3 weeks in December and January of 1989.


2 - Every Rose Has its Thorn - Poison
Soon to be the first and only #1 hit for the big hair metal band and also the #3 song of 1988


1 - Look Away - Chicago
The 3rd and to date late Hot 100 chart topper for the legendary band from the Windy city.
In its 2nd of 2 weeks at the top and would be the 4th biggest single of 1988

Record 19.4 mln see X Factor final

Record 19.4 mln see X Factor final

Here is the winner of X Factor 2010 (UK's version of American Idol) Matt Cardle

Casey Kasem's American Top 40 - The 80s - December 11th 2010

AT40 the 80s, this week December 10th 1983

The Top Ten Singles

10 - Church of The Poison Mind - Culture Club
9 - Crumblin' Down - John Cougar Mellencamp
8 - Cum On Feel the Noize - Quiet Riot
7 - Union of the Snake - Duran Duran
6 - Islands in the Stream - Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton
5 - Love is a Battlefield - Pat Benatar
4 - Say it Isn't So - Hall & Oates
3 - Uptown Girl - Billy Joel
2 - All Night Long - Lionel Richie
1 - Say Say Say - Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson
(1st of 6 consecutive weeks at #1)



The Top Ten Albums

10 - Rock N Soul Part 1 - Hall & Oates
9 - Colour By Numbers - Culture Club
8 - Eyes That See in the Dark - Kenny Rogers
7 - What's New - Linda Ronstadt
6 - Metal Health - Quiet Riot
5 - An Innocent Man - Billy Joel
4 - Undercover - The Rolling Stones
3 - Thriller - Michael Jackson
2 - Synchronicity - The Police
1 - Can't Slow Down - Lionel Richie
(2nd of 3 consecutive weeks at #1)

Lionel Richie's 2nd solo album was the 3rd biggest selling album of 1984 in the US and would win a Grammy for Album of the Year for 1984.
It also reached the top of the UK album chart and was the #1 selling album in the UK for 1984.
Every single released from the album would hit the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 with 2 reaching #1 with "Hello" and "All Night Long". The other hits were "Stuck on You" #3, "Running with the Night" #7 and "Penny Lover" #8.

Today's Billboard Top Ten Singles and Albums

The Top Ten Singles for the week ending December 11th 2010

10 - Grenade - Bruno Mars
9 - The Time (Dirty Bit) - The Black Eyed Peas
8 - Just a Dream - Nelly
7 - Like a G6 - Far East Movement
6 - We R Who We R - Ke$ha
5 - What's My Name - Rhianna w/Drake
4 - Just the Way You Are - Bruno Mars
3 - Only Girl in the World - Rhianna
2 - Firework - Katy Perry
1 - Raise Your Glass - Pink



The Top Ten Albums

10 - Glee: The Music - The Christmas Album
9 - Libra Scale - Ne-Yo
8 - Danger Days - My Chemical Romance
7 - My Worlds Acoustic - Justin Bieber
6 - Loud - Rhianna
5 - O Holy Night - Jackie Evancho
4 - Speak Now - Taylor Swift
3 - The Gift - Susan Boyle
2 - Pink Friday - Nicki Minaj
1 - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy - Kanye West

Happy Birthday

Well even though today in music is sad day to remember being the anniversary of the tragic death of John Lennon, there are some mighty big names that were born December 8th.

1925 - Sammy Davis Jr, singer, actor, (1972 US No.1 single 'The Candy Man'). Died of throat cancer on 16th May 1990.



1943- Jim Morrison,The Doors, (1967 US No.1 & UK No.49 single 'Light My Fire' & 1971 single 'Riders On The Storm'). Morrison died of heart failure in a bathtub in a Paris hotel room on 3rd July 1971.


1947 - Gregg Allman, keyboards, guitar, vocals, Allman Brothers Band, (1973 US No.12 single 'Ramblin Man').


1951 - Dan Hartman, multi- instrumentalist, producer, worked with Edgar Winter.
("I Can Dream About You" #6 US)
He died on 22nd March 1994. Wrote ‘Relight My Fire’ a UK No.1 for Take That and Lulu, collaborated with Tina Turner, Dusty Springfield, Joe Cocker, Bonnie Tyler, Paul Young, James Brown, Holly Johnson and Steve Winwood.


1966 - Sinead O'Connor, Irish singer, songwriter, (1990 UK, US and world-wide No.1 single with the Prince penned 'Nothing Compares To U'). Her version of the song was also a No.1 hit in 18 other countries.

Casey Kasem's American Top 40 - The 70s - December 4th 2010

AT40 the 70s this week December 2nd 1978

The Top Ten Singles

10 - Sharing The Night Together - Dr Hook
9 - My Life - Billy Joel
8 - Time Passages - Al Stewart
7 - I Love the Night Life - Alicia Bridges
6 - Double Vision - Foreigner
5 - I Just Wanna Stop - Gino Vannilli
4 - Le Freak - Chic
3 - How Much I Feel - Ambrosia
2 - MacArthur Park - Donna Summer
1 - You Don't Bring Me Flowers - Neil Diamond & Barbra Streisand
(1st of 2 non consecutive weeks at #1)



The Top Ten Albums

10 - Some Girls - The Rolling Stones
9 - Living in the USA - Linda Rondstadt
8 - Comes a Time - Neil Young
7 - Greatest Hits - Barbra Streisand
6 - Pieces of Eight - Styx
5 - Grease - Soundtrack
4 - Double Vision - Foreigner
3 - A Wild and Crazy Guy - Steve Martin
2 - Live and More - Donna Summer
1 - 52nd Street - Billy Joel
(3rd of 8 non consecutive weeks at #1)

The 6th studio album and first #1 album for Billy Joel and featured 3 top 40 singles.
The biggest of these 3 was "My Life" which reached #3 and would be the theme song for the tv sitcom "Bosom Buddies" in the early 80s. The other songs to reach the charts were "Big Shot"
at #14, "Honesty" #24.
The album also earned the NY singer Grammy awards for Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male.

Casey Kasem's American Top 40 - The 80s - December 4th 2010

AT40 the 80s this week December 6th 1986

The Top Ten Singles

10 - To Be a Lover - Billy Idol
9 - Love Will Conquer All - Lionel Richie
8 - Human - Human League
7 - Everybody Have Fun Tonight - Wang Chung
6 - Word Up - Cameo
5 - Walk Like an Egyptian - The Bangles
4 - The Way it is - Bruce Hornsby & The Range
3 - Hip To Be Square - Huey Lewis and The News
2 - You Give Love a Bad Name - Bon Jovi
1 - Next Time I Fall - Peter Cetera & Amy Grant
(1 week at #1)



The Top Ten Albums

10 - Word Up - Cameo
9 - True Colors - Cyndi Lauper
8 - Whiplash Smile - Billy Idol
7 - Dancing on the Ceiling - Lionel Richie
6 - Graceland - Paul Simon
5 - The Way it is - Bruce Hornsby & The Range
4 - Fore! - Huey Lewis & The News
3 - Slippery When Wet - Bon Jovi
2 - Third Stage - Boston
1 - Live 1975-1985 - Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band
(2nd of 7 consecutive weeks at #1)


The first album of more than 2 LPs to top the Billboard album chart.
2 weeks previous it debuted at the top and scored a single Top 40 hit with Springsteen's version of "War" peaking at #8 on the Hot 100. The single also peaked at #19 in UK and the LPs reached #4 on th UK album chart.

Happy Birthday Ozzy!

Happy Birthday to John Michael Osborne or Ozzy as he known to the world.

Born on this day in 1948 he would become a legend in rock n roll and was a pioneer in heavy metal with his band Black Sabbath.

Here is Ozzy's biggest charting solo single on the Billboard Hot 100:
"Close My Eyes Forever" with Lita Ford.
Peaking at #8 in 1989.



Ozzy's biggest singles chart success without Black Sabbath came in 2003. He and daughter Kelly sang a duet of "Changes", the Black Sabbath song from 1972. They reached #1 in the UK on December 14th and spent one week at the top.

Grammy Nominations for 2010

The 2010 Grammy nominations were announced this week. I wont go into listing them all here but if you want to see all of them check out Grammy.com

I will look at the different awards I find interesting. Here is the first.

Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance:
Eric Clapton - Run Back To Your Side


John Mayer -Crossroads


Paul McCartney - Helter Skelter


Silver Rider - Robert Plant


Angry World - Neil Young

Your Classic Country Video of the Week

From October 1977 a #1 Country hit for the Kendalls.

"Heaven's Just a Sin Away"

Casey Kasem's American Top 40 - The 80s - November 27th 2010

AT40 the 80s this week November 29th 1980

The Top Ten Singles

10 - Dreaming - Cliff Richard
9 - Love on the Rocks - Neil Diamond
8 - (Just Like) Starting Over - John Lennon
7 - Master Blaster (Jammin') - Stevie Wonder
6 - More Than I Can Say - Leo Sayer
5 - I'm Coming Out - Diana Ross
4 - Another One Bites the Dust - Queen
3 - The Wanderer - Donna Summer
2 - Woman in Love - Barbra Streisand
1 - Lady - Kenny Rogers
(3rd of 6 consecutive weeks at #1)


Top Ten Albums

10 - Triumph - The Jacksons
9 - One Step Closer - The Doobie Brothers
8 - Diana - Diana Ross
7 - Crimes of Passion - Pat Benatar
6 - Back in Black - AC/DC
5 - The Game - Queen
4 - Hotter Than July - Stevie Wonder
3 - Greatest Hits - Kenny Rogers
2 - Guilty - Barbra Streisand
1 - The River - Bruce Springsteen
(4th of 4 consecutive weeks at #1)

Springsteen's 5th release and first to reach #1 album on the Billboard 200 album chart.
It was a double album that yielded one top 40 single with "Hungry Heart", which reached #5 on the Hot 100.

(a personal note on this video, I found several clips of this song being done live in concert but the first 2 verses were sung by the crowd. Now this is a pet peeve of mine and why I dont do concerts anymore. I did not pay to sing nor to hear the 10 people around me sing, I paid to here the guy on stage! So I finally found this "video" of the the song where its all sung by Bruce Springsteen).

Casey Kasem's American Top 40 - The 70s - November 28th 2010

This week on AT40 the 70s December 1st 1973.

The Top Ten Singles

10 - The Most Beautiful Girl in the World - Charlie Rich
9 - Heartbeat, Its a Lovebeat - The Defranco Family
8 - The Love I Lost - Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes
7 - Midnight Train To Georgia - Gladys Knight & The Pips
6 - Just You and Me - Chicago
5 - Keep On Truckin' - Eddie Kendricks
4 - Space Race - Billy Preston
3 - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Elton John
2 - Photograph - Ringo Starr
1 - Top of the World - The Carpenters
(1st of 2 weeks at #1)


The Top Ten Albums

10 - Los Cochinos - Cheech & Chong
9 - Life and Times - Jim Croce
8 - Brothers & Sisters - The Allman Brothers Band
7 - The Joker - The Steve Miller Band
6 - Goats Head Soup - The Rolling Stones
5 - You Don't Mess Around With Jim - Jim Croce
4 - Jonathan Livingston Seagull - Neil Diamond
3 - Quadrophenia - The Who
2 - Ringo - Ringo Starr
1 - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Elton John
(4th of 8 consecutive weeks at #1)

The 7th and best selling studio album for the superstar from England. A double LP that had 4 singles reach the top 40 in the US and UK.

"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" (#2 US, #6UK),


"Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting" (#7 UK, #12 US)


"Bennie & The Jets" (#1 US)


"Candle in the Wind" (#11 UK). "Candle in the Wind" was not released as a single in the US until 1987 and then it also went to #11 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The album itself spent 2 weeks at the top of the UK album chart and 8 weeks on the Billboard Top 200 Album chart.

Your Classic Country Video of the Week

This week our country classic is George Strait and his #1 hit from July of 1987 "All My Ex's Live in Texas"

#1 Song of the Week

This weeks song goes back to this day in 1993 when Meatloaf had his first #1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Top 40.
The song he took to the top was "I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Wont Do That)". Meatloaf spent 5 weeks at the top of the Billboard chart and 7 weeks on the UK Top 40, becoming the UK's #1 single of 1993.

Top of the Charts (November 20th 2010)

Here are Billboard's #1 songs on the various charts for the week ending November 20th 2010

Hot 100 and Digital Song: What's My Name - Rhianna w/Drake



Billboard 200, Country Album Chart and Digital Album: Speak Now - Taylor Swift



Hot Country Chart: As She's Walking Away - Zac Brown Band w/Alan Jackson


Billboard Rock Song Chart: Say You'll Haunt Me - Stone Sour


UK Top Single and UK Digital Single: Only Girl (In the World) - Rhianna



UK Album Chart: The Gift Susan Boyle



UK Country Album:
The Age of Miracles - Mary Chapin Carpenter

Top of The Pops 1982

This week because AT40 the 80s is a so so week from 1982 I decided to do the top 5 for our Top of the Pops installment.

The Top 5 singles for the Week of November 20th 1982


5 - Heartlight - Neil Diamond
From the monster smash movie "ET".


4 - Gloria - Laura Branigan
On the way to peaking at #2


3 - Heart Attack - Olivia Newton-John
In its 3rd week of 4 weeks at #3


2 - Truly - Lionel Richie
The former lead singer of the Commodores is looking for his first #1 single as a solo artist.


1 - Up Where We Belong - Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes
In the 3rd of 3 weeks at the top, from the soundtrack to the movie "An Officer and a Gentleman"

Top of the Charts Retro Hot 100 (US)

Today is November 20th 2010

The top of the Billboard Hot 100:

45 Years Ago: I Hear a Symphony - The Supremes


40 Years Ago: I'll Be There - The Jackson 5


35 Years Ago: Island Girl - Elton John


30 Years Ago: Lady - Kenny Rogers


25 Years Ago: We Built This City - Starship


20 Years Ago: Love Takes Time - Mariah Carey


15 Years Ago: Fantasy - Mariah Carey


10 Years Ago: Independent Women Part 1 - Destiny's Child


5 Years Ago: Gold Digger - Kayne West w/Jamie Foxx