Casey Kasem's American Top 40 - The 80s - March 28

This last weekend here is what was on AT40 The 80s, March 28th 1987

10- I Knew You Were Waiting - Aretha Franklin & George Michael
9 - Don't Dream Its Over - Crowded House
8 - The Final Countdown - Europe
7 - Come Go With Me - Expose
6 - Somewhere Out There - Linda Rondstadt & James Ingram
5 - Mandolin Rain - Bruce Hornsby & The Range
4 - Tonight, Tonight, Tonight - Genesis
3 - Let's Wait Awhile - Janet Jackson
2 - Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now - Starship
1 - Lean on Me - Club Nouveau


The #1 Album this week in 1987 was "Licensed To ILL" by the Beastie Boys in its 4th week of 7 consecutive weeks at #1.

Cover of the Rolling Stone

Today in 1973 Dr Hook and The Medicine Show got their wish and appeared on the March 29th issue of Rolling Stone magazine.

Your Classic Country Video of the Week

This is Buck Owens and The Buckaroos singing the 1965 #1 country hit "I've Got a Tiger By the Tail". It spent 4 weeks on top of the Billboard country singles chart and hit #15 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles list.

Today in 2006 Alvis E. "Buck" Owens Jr. died from a heart attack at the age of 77 just hours after a performance at his own theater.

Jeff Healy

Today would have been the 44th birthday of guitar genius Jeff Healy.

Top of The Pops

This weeks Top of the Pops goes along with the AT 40 the 70s broadcast this week on stations all over the country. Its from March 30th 1974 and its a legendary top 5 and all the songs are instantly recognizable.

5- Dark Lady - Cher
After spending one week at the top Cher falls to #5 this week with her last #1 of the 1970s.


4- Bennie and the Jets - Elton John
The B side of "Candle in the Wind" in Britain it was the A side in the USA after R&B radio stations started giving it heavy airplay and eventually made it to #15 on the Billboard R&B chart. Its on its way to becoming Sir Elton's second #1 in the US.


3-Season in the Sun - Terry Jacks
After spending 3 weeks at #1 this Terry Jacks million seller holds at #3 for a second consecutive week.


2-Hooked on a Feeling - Blue Swede
The first Swedish group to top the Billboard Hot 100, next week they jump to #1. They would top the chart for the week ending April 6th 1974 which in an odd twist is the same day that a group of fellow swedes called ABBA would win the Eurovision Song Contest.


1- Sunshine on My Shoulders - John Denver
After a nine week climb up the chart John Denver lands his first #1 single after charting 9 previous times but not hitting the top as a singer. He did hit #1 in 1969 as a writer when Peter,Paul and Mary were tops with "Leavin on a Jet Plane". This was from the #1 album "John Denver's Greatest Hits" which was in its first of 3 weeks at the top of the album chart.

70s Pop Hit of the Day

October 1978 

"Hot Child in the City" - Nick Gilder

1week at number #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Top Downloads

Here are the top 5 single downloads from Itunes as of 03/21/2010

5- Telephone - Lady GaGa
4- Rude Boy - Rhianna
3- Hey, Soul Sister - Train
2- Nothin' on You - B.o.B
1- Break Your Heart - Taio Cruz featuring Ludacris


Now for those loyal followers of this blog, this is new and I know nothing of the new acts since about 1995. I will say this, not a bad song at #1 and has a good sound and a real voice without the autotune device.

Jimi Hendrix back on the charts

Jimi Hendrix new album "Valleys of Neptune" has entered the Billboard Top 200 Album chart at #4 this week nearly 40 years after his death.
This breaks the record held by Elvis Presley. His Elvis: 2nd To None debuted at #3 in October 2003, a little more than 26 years after his death.

Happy Birthday

Today is the 49th birthday of Slim Jim Phantom, drummer for the Stray Cats.

Randy Rhoades

Yesterday March 19th 2010 was the 28th anniversary of the passing of legendary guitar wizard Randy Rhoads. He died in a freak airplane crash when the pilot of the single engine plane decided to buzz the Ozzy Osbourne tour bus, the wing of the plane clipped the top of the bus sending it flipping over into a house. The house and plane exploded on impact and Randy was killed instantly.
Here is the song that Randy is most remembered for and probably has his most recognizable guitar sound, Crazy Train by Ozzy Osbourne.

Here is the AP story of that crash.

Casey Kasem's American Top 40 - The 70s -March 20 2010

AT40 the 70s this week March 11th 1978.

10- Can't Smile Without You - Barry Manilow
9- Just the Way Your Are - Billy Joel
8- I Go Crazy - Paul Davis
7- Dance, Dance, Dance - Chic
6- Stayin' Alive - The Bee Gees
5- Lay Down Sally - Eric Clapton
4- Emotion - Samantha Sang
3- Sometimes When We Touch - Dan Hill
2- Night Fever - Bee Gees
1- Love is Thicker Than Water - Andy Gibb
Second of 2 Weeks at #1

Casey Kasem's American Top 40 - The 80s - March 20

This week on AT40 The 70s March 15th 1980

10- Too Hot- Kool & The Gang
9- The Second Time Around - Shalamar
8- Him - Rupert Holmes
7- Yes, I'm Ready - Terri DeSario & KC
6- Working My Way Back to You/Forgive Me Girl – The Spinners
5- On The Radio - Donna Summer
4- Desire - Andy Gibb
3- Another Brick in the Wall - Pink Floyd
2- Longer - Dan Fogleberg
1- Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Queen
The last of 4 Weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100

Queen - Crazy Little Thing Called Love [
Uploaded by I-WANNA-ROCK. - See the latest featured music videos.

Metal Fact

If you’ve ever laid awake at night tossing and turning and wondering who sold more albums, Def Leppard or Poison, then fret no more! The answer is right here (well, on Billboard.com). Although both bands predate the Nielsen SoundScan album sales data that went active in ’91, since that time, Poison has sold 6,058,000 albums in the U.S. (their best seller: Greatest Hits 1986-1996). Sounds like a lot, but Def Leppard has more than doubled that number in sales. Since 1991, Def Lep has sold 16,566,000 albums; its best-seller is 1995's Vault - Greatest Hits 1980-1995.

Happy Birthday

Today March 18th is the 72nd birthday of country legend Charley Pride.
"Kiss An Angel Good Morning", released in 1971,became Charley's biggest single and helped him win the Country Music Association's Top Male Vocalist for 1971 and 1972. He also won the CMA Entertainer of the Year in 1971.
He took "Kiss An Angel" to #1 on the Billboard Country chart for 5 weeks in late 71 and early 72 and got his only Pop Top 40 hit with "Angel" reaching #21.

Alex Chilton R.I.P.

Alex Chilton who gained fame as a 16 year old, when he was the lead singer of the rock group the Box Tops and hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with "The Letter", died yesterday at the age of 59.

LA Times Obituary

1971 Grammy Awards

Today in 1971 The Grammy Awards for the year in music 1970 were held in Los Angeles California at the Hollywood Paladium and hosted by Andy Williams.
The BIG winner was Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon and Garfunkel.
They took home Record of the Year (Performer), Song of the Year (writer/producer Paul Simon), Album of the Year, Contemporary (Rock) Song of the Year,Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) and Best Engineered Recording (Roy Halee).



This video clip is very cool because it is one of the only times Simon and Garfunkel performed this song together before their breakup. They had recorded the song in there own studios and had it mixed together and basically refused to be together at this point. In the clip from that years Grammy's you could sense the tension between them but the managed to seem like a team for the show.

The other big hit at the 1971 Grammy awards was Ray Stevens and his #1 hit Everything is Beautiful, which was nominated for all the major awards and lost to Simon and Garfunkel. He did however win Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year and Best Sacred Performance.


The Beatles took home a Grammy Award in 1971 for Best Original Score written for a Motion Picture or Television Special with Let It Be


Best New Artist Grammy and Contemporary Vocal Group - The Carpenters



On the Country side, Ray Price won for Best Country Vocal Performance, Male with his hit For The Good Times

Best Country Vocal Performance, Female was Lynn Anderson for Rose Garden

Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group was Johnny Cash/June Carter with
If I Were a Carpenter

Best R&B Song went to General Johnson & Ronald Dunbar (songwriters) for Patches performed by Clarence Carter

Happy Birthday

Today is the 56th birthday of Heart singer Nancy Wilson.
Here is Heart's last #1 single to date on the Billboard Hot 100, Alone. This was #1 for 3 weeks in July of 1987.

Your Classic Country Video of the Week

"Rednecks, White Socks and Blue Ribbon Beer" by Johnny Russell.
The song peaked at #4 on the Billboard Country Chart in October 1973 and went to #1 on the Canadian Country Chart.
Johnny Russell first found fame for writing "Act Naturally" that was made famous by Buck Owens and later recorded by the Beatles.

Today in Grammy History

Today in 1966 the Grammy Awards for the year in music of 1965 were handed out in Chicago, Los Angeles, Nashville and New York.

Record of the Year (Producer) went to "A Taste of Honey" produced by Jerry Moss and Herb Alpert.


Song of the Year (writers) went to Johnny Mandel & Paul Francis Webster for
"The Shadow of Your Smile" (Love Theme from The Sandpiper) sung by Tony Bennett.


Best Comedy Performance was Bill Cosby for "Why is There Air"


Best Country & Western Vocal Performance Male, Best Country & Western Single, Best Contemporary Vocal Performance Male and Best Contemporary Single - "King of the Road" by Roger Miller


Best R&B Recording "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag" by James Brown

Sly Stone

Today is the 66th birthday of Sly Stone, founder and leader of Sly and the Family Stone.
Here they are with there #1 hit from February 1969 "Thank You (Falettin Me Be Mice Elf Agin)

Billboard Album Chart

On this day in 1945 Billboard Magazine published its first chart for the top albums sold in the USA.
The first #1 album was "The Nat King Cole Trio".
These were not the 33 1/3 albums we know today but 78 rpm records. The album chart came to track the top 200 albums and today has adjusted to include downloads in the sales chart.

Happy Birthday

Happy 65th Birthday to Michael Martin Murphy. Michael had his biggest hit in 1975 with "Wildfire", he took it to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June of that year. It reached #2 on the Cashbox Top 100 singles.

Casey Kasem's American Top 40 - The 80s - March 13th 2010

AT40 The 80s This week March 12th 1983.

10- Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) - Journey
9- Baby, Come to Me - Patti Austin with James Ingram
8- We've Got Tonight - Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton
7- You Are - Lionel Richie
6- Back on the Chain Gang - The Pretenders
5- Hungry Like the Wolf - Duran Duran
4- Do You Really Want to Hurt Me - Culture Club
3- Stray Cat Strut - The Stray Cats
2- Shame on the Moon - Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band
1- Billie Jean - Michael Jackson
(2nd of 7 consecutive weeks at #1 and from the #1 album Thriller which was in its 3rd of 22 weeks it would spend at #1 in 1983)

Casey Kasem's American Top 40 - The 70s -March 13th 2010

American Top 40 the 70s. This week its from March 13th 1971.

10- IF YOU COULD READ MY MIND – Gordon Lightfoot
9- DOESN’T SOMEBODY WANT TO BE WANTED – The Partridge Family
8- A-Side HAVE YOU EVER SEEN THE RAIN – Creedence Clearwater Revival
8- B-Side HEY TONIGHT – Creedence Clearwater Revival
7- PROUD MARY – Ike & Tina Turner
6- MAMA’S PEARL – The Jackson 5
5- SHE’S A LADY – Tom Jones
4- JUST MY IMAGINATION (RUNNING AWAY WITH ME) – The Temptations
3- FOR ALL WE KNOW – The Carpenters
2- ME AND BOBBY MCGEE - Janis Joplin
1- ONE BAD APPLE - The Osmonds (5th of 5 consecutive weeks at #1)



The #1 Album in the USA March 13th 1971: Pearl - Janis Joplin

Today in Grammy History

Today in 1970 the Grammy Awards were handed out to celebrate 1969 in music.
This year didn't see any one group or individual dominate the awards.

Record of the Year to Bones Howe (producer) & The 5th Dimension for "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In"


Album of the Year- "Blood, Sweat & Tears" by Blood,Sweat & Tears

Song of the Year - Games People Play - Joe South

Best Country Vocal Performance Female - "Stand by Your Man" Tammy Wynette


Best Country Performance Male - "A Boy Named Sue" Johnny Cash


Best Contempory Vocal Performance Male - "Everybody's Talkin at Me" - Harry Nilsson


Best Rhythm & Blues Performance by a Duo or Group, Vocal or Instrumental-
"Its Your Thing" - The Isley Brothers

John Fogerty

John Fogerty is set to be recognized as a BMI Icon at BMI's 58th annual Pop Awards. The former Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman will be awarded the honor at the event, which will take place on May 18th at L.A.'s Beverly Wiltshire Hotel.

Artists are certified as BMI Icons for their "unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers." With the award, Fogerty joins other such recipients as Gamble & Huff, the Jacksons, the Bee Gees, Paul Simon, Brian Wilson, James Brown, Hall & Oates and many more.

For more info, check out BMI's official announcement.

#1 Song of the Week

This week's #1 song is "I Just Want to Be Your Everything" by Andy Gibb.

Today marks the 22nd anniversary of his death due to a heart infection.

This song hit the top July 30th 1977 and spent 4 consecutive weeks on top before beginning a slow fall out of the top 10.

Andy was the 4th and youngest of the world famous Gibb brothers but older brother Barry still helped write and produce the majority of Andy's records.

This was the first of 3 #1 singles for Any Gibb, he followed up with "(Love is) Thicker Than Water" in March of 1978 with 2 weeks at the top.

His biggest single was "Shadow Dancing" in June of 1978, which spent 7 weeks at #1.

Today's 80s Pop Hit

#1 on the Billboard Hot 100 today in 1986: Sara by Starship

Top of The Pops

Here we go again with another edition of Top of The Pops. Here are the top 5 songs for this week in 1965. At this time in chart history it seemed that any song reaching #1 was just keeping it warm waiting for the next Beatles single to be released.

5 - Eight Days a Week - The Beatles
being released only 4 weeks earlier this future #1 song by the Beatles was not released in the UK and was the first single to reach the top in the US and not make the chart in their home country.


4 - The Jolly Green Giant - Kingsmen
Peaking this week at #4 the Kingsmen of "Louie Louie" fame make the top 5 with a truly odd song.


3 - You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' - The Righteous Brothers
A former #1 song drops to the 3rd spot this week after spending 2 weeks at #2.


2 - This Diamond Ring - Gary Lewis & The Playboys
After 2 weeks in the top spot the son of comic legend Jerry Lewis drops a notch to make way for the new #1 song in the land.


1 - My Girl - Temptations
The first male group from Motown to hit #1 on the Hot 100 the Temptations rest on top with this Smokey Robinson penned tune. They debuted on the Hot 100 on January 16th at #76 and will spend one week at the top.

Today in Music

Today in 1998 the single "How Do I Live" by Leanne Rimes was certified triple platinum (3 million copies sold).



Mickey Gilley was born in Mississippi today in 1936. A cousin of Jerry Lee Lewis, he took over the country music scene in 1976 with his monster smash "Don't The Girls All Get Prettier at Closing Time". The song hit #1 on the Billboard country singles chart May 1st 1976. He won the Academy of Country Music Awards Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year and Song of the Year for 1976.

Casey Kasem's American Top 40 - The 80s - March 6th 2010

This weeks show from March 9th 1985

5- Material Girl - Madonna
4- California Girls - David Lee Roth
3- The Heat is On - Glenn Frey
2- Careless Whisper - Wham! featuring George Michael
(last week's #1 from the this week's #1 album "Make it Big")
1- Can't Fight This Feeling - REO Speedwagon
(First of 3 Weeks at #1)

Today in Rock History

1965 – The classic Temptations song “My Girl” reached No. 1 in the US.

1975 - Led Zeppelin earned a gold record for Physical Graffiti.

1976 - Fleetwood Mac released the single “Rhiannon,” from their highly-acclaimed album, Rumours.

Casey Kasem's American Top 40 - The 70s - March 6th 2010

This weeks show is from March 8th 1975.

10 - Can't Get it Out of My Head - ELO
9 - Pick Up the Pieces - Average White Band
8 - Lovin' You - Minne Ripperton
7 - Best of My Love - The Eagles (last week's #1)
6 - Lady - Styx
5 - Lonely People - America
4 - Lady Marmalade - Labelle
3 - My Eyes Adored You - Frankie Valli
2 - Black Water - The Doobie Brothers
1 - Have You Never Been Mellow - Olivia Newton-John
(1 week at the top)

Happy Birthday

Today is Kiki Dee's 63rd birthday. She gained lasting music fame in a duet with superstar singer Elton John and the smash hit "Don't Go Breaking My Heart".
The song reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 August 7th 1976 and stayed there for 4 consecutive weeks.

Music news of the strange

Weird things continue to happen at AC/DC concerts. First it was a woman going into labor at a show last month; the following day, a man suffered cardiac arrest at one of the band’s concerts and was rushed to the hospital. Now, a 31 year-old quadriplegic fan has gone blind in one eye due to an accident during an AC/DC show. His friend accidentally hit the joystick on the wheelchair, which sent the man flying off the platform of the wheelchair-accessible seat and into the mosh pit below. When he landed, the metal pin he used to move objects impaled him in his eye. He’s recovering at a hospital in Brisbane, Australia. Yes, mom, rock 'n' roll IS dangerous!

Hurricane Smith

Two years ago today Norman "Hurricane" Smith died at the age of 85. Originally famed for being the engineer on all the Beatles recordings up to 1965 with the last one being "Rubber Soul".
He was promoted to producer after that album, but he still was a part time singer/songwriter and in 1973 his work paid off with the big hit "Oh Babe, What Would You Say?". Reaching #1 on the Cashbox top 40 and #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in Feb of 1973. It would be his only true success on the performing side of the recording studio.

Your Classic Country Video of the Week

One of the best truck driving songs in the long history of country music, first released in 1963 it went to #2 on the Billboard Country charts and #32 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Today in Grammy History

Today in 1967 the 9th Annual Grammy Awards were handed out to celebrate the music of 1966. This years ceremonies were noted for the fact that they did not give out the award for best new artist.
The ceremony was held in Chicago, New York City, Los Angeles and Nashville TN.
The Record of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Performance, male and Album of the Year went to "The Chairman of the Board" Frank Sinatra for his song "Strangers in the Night" and album "A Man and His Music".


Song of the Year (for the writers) went to John Lennon and Paul McCartney for "Michelle".


The Grammy for Best Comedy Performance went to Bill Cosby for his album "Wonderfulness"


The big winner for the country Grammy's was David Houston and his blockbuster "Almost Persuaded", winning Best Country and Western Vocal Performance, Male, Best Country & Western Recording and Best Country & Western Song for the writers Billy Sherrill & Glenn Sutton .


Also they had awards that covered "contemporary music" which was what Grammy committee called Rock n Roll.
Best Contemporary (R&R) Solo Vocal Performance - Male or Female
* Paul McCartney for "Eleanor Rigby"
Best Contemporary (R&R) Group Performance, Vocal or Instrumental
* The Mamas & the Papas for "Monday, Monday"

Best Contemporary (R&R) Recording
* New Vaudeville Band for "Winchester Cathedral"



The R&B Grammy's were dominated by Ray Charles with him winning
Best R&B Solo Vocal Performance, Male or Female and Best Rhythm & Blues Recording for "Crying Time"