1980

the winner of the 1980 Grammy for the Best Pop Vocal Performance - Male

Kenny Loggins - This Is It

1997 MTV VMA

the winner of the MTV Video Music Award for Best Group Video

Don't Speak - No Doubt

Welcome to My Nightmare

Today in 1975 Alice Cooper was awarded a Gold Record for his first "solo" LP "Welcome To My Nightmare". Released in February 1975 the album peaked on the Billboard Album chart at #5 the week of June 21st.

Previous Alice Cooper LPs were band efforts but this time it was just Alice and several studio musicians putting it together.
He released 3 singles off the album, Department of Youth (which peaked on the Hot 100 at #67), the title track which made it to #45 and "Only Women Bleed" which made it to #12.

Top of The Pops (Ladies Night)

Today's Top of the Pops is from this week in 1990 when for the first time in Billboard Hot 100 singles chart history women occupied the top 5 spots on the chart.
Who were they? Lets start the countdown and find out.


5- Alright - Janet Jackson


4- Hold On - Wilson Phillips
The children of 60s Icons John Phillips and Brian Wilson have a smash on their hands and are on the way to the top.


3- Nothing Compares 2 U - Sinead O'Connor
Still holding on strong in the top 5 after 4 weeks at the #1 spot


2- All Wanna Do is Make Love To You - Heart
Peaking in the #2 spot


1- Vogue - Madonna
2nd of 2 weeks at the top for her 8th #1 single.

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

AT40 The 70s This week May 27th 1972

10 - Hot Rod Lincoln - Commander Cody
9- Sylvia's Mother - Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show
8- I Gotcha - Joe Tex
7- Tumbling Dice - The Rolling Stones
6- Morning Has Broken - Cat Stevens
5- Candy Man - Sammy Davis Jr.
4- Look What You Done for Me - Al Green
3- The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - Roberta Flack
2- I'll Take You There - The Staples
1- Oh, Girl - The Chi-Lites
(1 Week at #1)


The #1 Album this week in 1972:
First Take - Roberta Flack (5th of 5 weeks at #1)

Featuring the "First Time I Ever Saw Your Face" which spent the 6 previous weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100.

Chart Watch

This weeks Chart Watch Blog from Yahoo!
Great stuff and I love all the chart minutae and trivia.

Read it here on Yahoo!

This Week's Top 10 singles on the Billboard Hot 100:

10- Hey Soul Sister - Train
9- Rude Boy - Rhianna
8- Alejandro - Lady GaGa
7- Your Love is My Drug - Ke$ha
6- Not Afraid - Eminem
5- Break Your Heart - Taio Cruz featuring Ludacris
4- Nothin' On You - B.o.B featuring Bruno Mars
3- Airplanes - B.o.B. featuring Hayley Williams
2- California Gurls - Katy Perry
1- OMG - Usher (first week at #1)

This Week's Top 5 Albums on the Billboard Top 200 Album chart:

5- Distant Relatives - Nas & Damien Marley
4- My World 2.0 - Justin Bieber
3- Brothers - The Black Keys
2- Exile on Main Street - The Rolling Stones
1- Glee : The Music, Volume 3 : The Show Stoppers - Cast of Glee
(Debuts in the #1 position)

Casey Kasem's American Top 40 - The 80s - May 29th 2010

AT40 the 80s this week May 30th 1981

10- Watching the Wheels - John Lennon
9- Too Much Time on My Hands - Styx
8- A Woman Needs Love - Ray Parker Jr & Raydio
7- Just the Two of Us - Grover Washington Jr/Bill Withers
6- Living Inside Myself - Gino Vanelli
5- Take it on the Run - REO Speedwagon
4- Sukiyaki - A Taste of Honey
3- MEDLEY: INTRO VENUS/SUGAR SUGAR/NO REPLY/I’LL BE BACK/DRIVE MY CAR/DO YOU WANT TO KNOW A SECRET/WE CAN WORK IT OUT/I SHOULD HAVE KNOWNBETTER/NOWHERE MAN/YOU’RE GOING TO LOVE THAT GIRL/STARS ON 45 - Stars on 45
2- Being With You - Smokey Robinson
1- Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes
(3rd of 9 non consecutive weeks)


The #1 Album this week in 1981:
Hi Infidelity - REO Speedwagon

featuring this weeks #5 hit "Take it on the Run" and this future #1 smash "Keep On Loving You".

One Hit Wonders

Today's One Hit Wonder is an obscure #6 hit from May of 1972. It peaked at the #6 spot on May 27th 1972, Jimmy Castor Bunch with "Troglodyte".

Top of The Pops - 25 Years Ago Today

Here is the top 5 from Billboard's Hot 100 for today in 1985 .


5- Smooth Operator - Sade
Holding at #5 for 2nd consecutive week



4- Axel F - Harold Faltermeyer
Moving into the top 5 for a four week stay, from the soundtrack to "Beverly Hills Cop".



3- Everybody Wants To Rule the World - Tears for Fears
On its way to the top, the first single from the million selling album "Songs From the Big Chair".



2- Don't You (Forget About Me) - Simple Minds
Moving down after a one week run at the top of the Hot 100, from the soundtrack of the hit movie "The Breakfast Club".


1- Everything She Wants - WHAM!
The first act since the Bee Gees in 1979 to get 3 straight #1 singles from one album, WHAM! moves into the top spot for a 2 week stay. This was after "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" and "Careless Whisper" all topped the Billboard Hot 100.

One Hit Wonders

Here is a One Hit Wonder from October 1969, Tracy by Cuff Links.
Now you may say that the voice sounds familiar on this song, and it should, its Ron Dante the voice of The Archies. The week that Tracy entered the Billboard Top 10, 'Sugar Sugar' was the #1 song in the Hot 100, so Ron Dante had to top 10 hits the same week yet his name is nowhere to be found on either one. Strangely enough both are considered One Hit Wonders.
Ron never did another Cuff Links "album", he did the first Cuff Links album and was done with the "group". The producer needed a fill in so he called Rupert Holmes to do the second Cuff Links album since he had been the arranger on the first one.
Rupert Holmes went on to have one of the biggest one hit wonders of the 70s with 'Escape (Pina Colada Song)'.

Your Classic Country Video of the Week

This week we have true classic and one of the biggest country songs of the 1970s. In 1971 Freddie Hart recorded "Easy Loving" and it eventually became his first #1 song on the Billboard Hot Country chart.
In 1972 he also took home several awards from the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association. He won the Song of The Year from the ACM as well as Male Vocalist and Entertainer of the Year.
The CMA named "Easy Loving" the Song of the Year for both 1971 and 1972. That feat has only happened two other times, 1980 & 81 for "He Stopped Loving Her Today" by George Jones and 1982 & 83 for "Always on My Mind" performed by Willie Nelson.

#1 Song of the Week

This week we spotlight April 1961 with "Runaway" by Del Shannon. This reached the top of Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart on April 24th 1961 and spent 4 consecutive weeks at #1.
The song gained a new following in 1986 when the NBC series Crime Story used a new version "Runaway" by Del Shannon as its theme song.

Casey Kasem's American Top 40 - The 80s - May 22nd 2010

AT40 The 80s is from this week in 1987.

10- Talk Dirty To Me - Poison
9- La Isla Bonita - Madonna
8- Always - Atlantic Starr
7- Big Love - Fleetwood Mac
6- Heat of the Night - Bryan Adams
5- Died In Your Arms - Cutting Crew
4- You Keep Me Hangin' On - Kim Wilde
3- The Lady in Red - Chris Deburgh
2- Looking for a New Love - Jody Watley
1- With or Without You - U2
(2nd of 3 weeks at #1)
From the #1 album this week in 1987 'The Joshua Tree' (5th of 9 weeks at #1)

Casey Kasem's American Top 40 - The 70s - May 22nd 2010

This week on AT40 the 70s, May 22nd 1976.

10- Trying to Get the Feeling Again - Barry Manilow
9- Shannon - Henry Gross -
8- Misty Blue - Dorothy Moore
7- Happy Days - Pratt & McClain
6- Welcome Back - John Sebastian
5- Get Up and Boogie - The Silver Convention
4- Boogie Fever - The Sylvers
3- Fooled Around and Fell in Love - Elvin Bishop
2- Love Hangover - Diana Ross
1- Silly Love Songs - Wings
(1st of 5 non-consecutive weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100)


The Number 1 Album this week in 1976:
Black and Blue - The Rolling Stones
(2nd of 4 weeks at #1)
featuring the single 'Hot Stuff'

Your 80s Pop Hit of the Day

Eric Carmen and 'Make Me Lose Control' from 1988. This song peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot100 the week of August 13th, for one week and spent 6 total weeks in the top 10.

Ronnie James Dio 1942-2010

Today we got the sad news that heavy metal rocker Ronnie James Dio lost his battle with stomach cancer at the age of 67.
Ronnie's big break came as the lead singer of the group ELF in 1969 when they opened for Deep Purple. When Ritchie Blackmore left Deep Purple in 1975 he ask Ronnie to front his new group Rainbow. On their self title first album in '75 they had a minor hit with "Man on a Silver Mountian" that became a cult hit during the metal surge of the 1980s.

In 1979 Ronnie became the new lead singer of Black Sabbath when Ozzy Osbourne left to start a solo career. After a somewhat successful stint with Sabbath, Ronnie left them in 1982 to start his own band Dio with then Sabbath drummer Vinny Appice. They released their first album in '82 called Holy Diver which has become a staple of hard rock/metal radio and has been called his best work. That album produced 2 now metal classics "Rainbow in the Dark" and "Holy Diver" which helped the album chart at #56 on the Billboard Top 200 Album chart and #13 in the UK.



In 1984 Dio's second album was released, The Last in Line, and it became Dio's first platinum album (1 million sold) in 1987. This album while not as well received by the critics was a huge hit with the fans and it made it to #24 on the Billboard Album chart. The single "The Last in Line" became a staple of MTV and made Dio a household name in the music world.

America's Top Ten May 15th 1983

See the previous post of the top ten and now see the actual countdown on America's Top Ten.

Casey Kasem's American Top 40 - The 80s - May 15th 2010

This week AT40 the 80s is from May 14th 1983.

10 - Der Kommisar - After the Fire
9 - Solitaire - Laura Branigan
8 - Little Red Corvette - Prince
7 - Flashdance (What a Feeling) - Irene Cara
6 - Come on Eileen - Dexy's Midnight Runners
5 - She Blinded Me With Science - Thomas Dolby
4 - Overkill - Men at Work
3 - Jeopardy - Greg Kihn Band
2 - Let's Dance - David Bowie
1 - Beat It - Michael Jackson
(3rd of 3 consecutive weeks at #1)

Casey Kasem's American Top 40 - The 70s - May 15th 2010

AT40 the 70s, this week May 11th 1974.

10- Midnight at the Oasis - Maria Muldaur
9- (I've Been) Searchin So Long - Chicago
8- TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia) - MFSB
7- Tubular Bells - Mike Oldfield
6- The Show Must Go On - Three Dog Night
5- Bennie & The Jets - Elton John
4- The Entertainer - Marvin Hamlisch
3- Dancing Machine - Jackson 5
2- The Streak - Ray Stevens
1- The Loco - Motion - Grand Funk
(2nd of 2 consecutive weeks at #1)

Upcoming CD release

Christian rockers Stryper plan to release an album of covers called…wait for it…The Covering. They’ll be churning out their take on Judas Priest’s “Breaking The Law,” Iron Maiden’s “The Trooper” (guess “Number of the Beast” was out, eh?), Scorpions’ “Blackout,” Ozzy’s “Over The Mountain” (definitely NOT “Mr. Crowley”) and more…including our favorite, a cover of Black Sabbath’s “Heaven And Hell.” . “We wanted to step outside the box and record a record that shows you, the fans, where we come from — our historical, musical roots so to speak,” said vocalist Michael Sweet. “It's a side to Stryper that no one has really seen or heard before, or at least quite like this.”

Your Classic Country Video of the Week

George Jones and "Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes?".
The Academy of Country Music Video of the Year for 1985.

Dave Fisher 1940-2010

Dave Fisher, who played banjo and sang tenor as a founding member of the folk group 'The Highwaymen' died last Friday May 8th at his home in New York state.

The Highwaymen reached worldwide success in 1961 with their version of "Michael", which went to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 and also #1 in the UK.

Top of The Pops

Today our Top of the Pops celebrates the birthday Steve Winwood, born May 12th, 1948 in Birmingham, England.
Lets start the countdown for the week ending August 30th 1986.

#5- Dancing on the Ceiling - Lionel Richie
On its way to peaking at #2



#4- Take My Breath Away - Berlin
From the biggest movie of 1986 "Top Gun".
Moving up the charts and on its way to the #1 spot, this song would also win the Oscar as Song of the Year for 1986.



#3- Papa Don't Preach - Madonna
Dropping to #3 after 2 weeks in the top spot, this was the fourth #1 single for Madonna.



#2- Venus - Bananarama
On the way to the top this remake of a Shocking Blue #1 hit from 1970, stops at the #2 spot.



#1 - Higher Love - Steve Winwood
Coming in at #1 twenty years, five months and 3 weeks after his chart debut in 1966, Steve Winwood tops the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time. He would spend one week as the bestselling song in the land.
This song would earn Steve Winwood Grammy Awards for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance and Record of the Year for 1986.

Forgotten

Here is a song from 1985 by Paul Hardcastle called '19'.
It dealt with the US involvement in the Vietnam war had a strong anti war message. The title refers to the claim that the average age of the US soldier in Southeast Asia.

This week in 1985 it went to #1 on the UK to 40. Also having reached the #1 slot in most European countries and New Zealand, it only made it to #15 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

Rock Me Amadeus

Today in 1986 Falco reached the top of the UK singles chart with his smash "Rock Me Amadeus" which in March of that year had spent 3 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100.

1983 Academy of Country Music Awards

Today in 1983 the Academy of Country Music handed out its awards and the Single of the Year was given to "Islands in the Stream" a duet by superstars Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton.
This was the #1 country single of 1983 as it spent 2 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard Hot Country Singles charts


The Album of the Year for the Academy of Country Music was Alabama "The Closer You Get". All 3 singles released from the album (Lady Down on Love, The Closer You Get and Dixieland Delight)reached the top of the Hot Country charts. The album was #1 on the Billboard country album charts for 21 non consecutive weeks and reached number 10 on the Billboard Pop Album chart.


This would also help garner Alabama the Entertainer of the Year Award and the Grammy Award for Best Country & Western Performance - Duo or Group with Vocal

Happy Birthday

Tommy Roe is 68 today

Today in Music History

2008 - Country legend Eddy Arnold passes away just one week shy of his 90th birthday.
He charted 147 songs on the Billboard country charts, including 28 #1 singles, which is second only to George Jones. He hit #4 on the pop chart in 1965 with "Make the World Go Away".


1940 - Born on this day, Ricky Nelson-(1958 US No.1 'Poor Little Fool', 1961 UK No.2 single 'Hello Mary Lou' plus over 30 US Top 40 hit singles). Played himself on his parent's US TV The Adventures Of Ozzie and Harriet.' Nelson died on 31st December 1985.


1941- Born on this day - John Fred Gourrier, from John Fred and His Playboy Band, (1968 US No.1 & UK No.3 single 'Judy In Disguise'). Died on 15th April 2005 after a long battle with kidney disease aged 63.


1943- Toni Tennille, The Captain and Tennille,


1947 - Rick Derringer, producer, guitar, vocals, The McCoys, (1965 US No.1 & UK No.5 single 'Hang On Sloopy'), Edgar Winter Group, (1973 US No.1 & UK No.18 single 'Frankenstein') solo 'Rock N Roll Hoochie Koo'

Abba

The biggest selling single for Abba is "Fernando" and it reached #1 on the UK charts this week in 1976.

Casey Kasem's American Top 40 - The 80s - May 8th 2010

This week AT40 The 80s is May 10th 1980.

10- Hold on to My Love - Jimmy Ruffin
9- Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer - Kenny Rogers & Kim Carnes
8- Sexy Eyes - Dr Hook
7- You May Be Right - Billy Joel
6- Fire Lake - Bob Seger
5- Another Brick in the Wall - Pink Floyd
4- With You I'm Born Again - Billy Preston & Syreeta
3- Lost in Love - Air Supply
2- Ride Like the Wind - Christopher Cross
1- Call Me - Blondie
(4th of 6 consecutive weeks at #1)

Happy Birthday!

Celebrating birthdays today May 7th:

Jimmy Ruffin - born 1939 and the brother of The Temptations singer Eddie Ruffin, he went to #7 on the Hot 100 with "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" in 1966.


Bill Danoff - 1946 - lead singer of Starland Vocal Band. With wife Kathy he had his first big success writing "Take Me Home Country Roads" for John Denver and then had this own singing success in July 1976 when he and Kathy with friends Jon Carroll and Margot Chapman, known as Starland Vocal Band hit the top of the Hot 100 for 2 weeks with "Afternoon Delight".

Eddie Rabbit

Today May 7th is the anniversary of the passing of country/pop star Eddie Rabbit. He died this day in 1998 at the age of56 from lung cancer.


He was a very successful singer/songwriter with 20 #1 songs on the Billboard country charts dating back to 1976. He also topped Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart with "I Love a Rainy Night" in February of 1981.

#1 Album Spotlight

This week's spotlight falls to this month in 1984. The Los Angeles Summer Olympics were just a few weeks away so everyone was feeling good and ready for summer. To prove how easy going things were the #1 Album in the country was the soundtrack to the movie"Footloose" starring Kevin Bacon.

The album had reached the top spot April 21st, knocking the now legendary "Thiller" album by Michael Jackson out of #1, where it had been since the beginning of the year.

Four of the albums singles were hits and 2 of which reached the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, "Footloose" by Kenny Loggins and "Lets Hear it for the Boy" by Denice Williams.
The other hits were a #7 song "Almost Paradise" by Mike Reno & Ann Wilson, and a song by Bonnie Tyler called "Holding Out for a Hero" which was #2 smash in the UK.
The album spent 10 weeks at #1 before giving way to Huey Lewis and the News "Sports"

Casey Kasem's American Top 40 - The 70s - May 8th 2010

This week on AT40 the 70s its May 14th 1977.

10- I Wanna Get Next To You - Rose Royce
9- Got To Give it Up - Marvin Gaye
8- I'm Your Boogie Man - KC & The Sunshine Band
7- So In To You - Atlanta Rhythm Section
6- Right Time of the Night - Jennifer Warnes
5- Couldn't Get it Right - Climax Blues Band
4- Southern Nights - Glen Campbell
3- Hotel California -The Eagles
2- Sir Duke - Stevie Wonder
1- When I Need You - Leo Sayer
(1 Week at #1)

80s Metal Song of the Day

Ronnie James Dio with "Rainbow in the Dark"
from 1983,what memories this brings back.

Today (May 6th) in Music History

2002 - 'Bohemian Rhapsody' by Queen was voted the UK's favourite single of all time in a poll by the Guinness Hit Singles book. 'Imagine' by John Lennon was voted in at No.2 and 'Hey Jude', The Beatles No.3, 'Dancing Queen' by Abba was fourth and Madonna 'Like A Prayer' was in fifth place.


Celebrating Birthdays for May 6th

1942- Colin Earl, Mungo Jerry, (1970 UK No.1 & US No.3 single 'In The Summertime')


1945 - Bob Seger (1987 US No.1 single 'Shakedown', from the film 'Beverly Hills Cop II', 1995 UK No.22 single 'We've Got Tonight','Turn the Page')


1948 - Mary MacGregor, (1977 US No.1 and UK No.4 single 'Torn Between Two Lovers').

#1 Song of the Week

This week its "Love Bites" by Def Leppard. This was the group's only #1 single on the Billboard Hot 100. Topping the chart for 1 week in October 1988.
Co-written by the entire group and super producer Robert "Mutt" Lange

1994 Grammy Winner

This duet between Reba McEntire and Linda Davis for "Does He Love You" won the 1994 Grammy for Best Country Vocal Collaboration.

Today's Billboard Album Chart

The Top 5 Albums on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart for the Week ending May 8th 2010.

5- Raymond V Raymond - Usher
4- Iron Man 2 Soundtrack - AC/DC
3- My World 2.0 - Justin Bieber
2- Need You Now - Lady Antebellum
1- Glee: The Music, The Power of Madonna - Cast of Glee

Today's Billboard Hot 100

The top 5 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for the week ending May 1st 2010

5- Need You Now - Lady Antebellum
4- Break Your Heart - Taio Cruz featuring Ludacris
3- Hey Soul Sister - Train
2- Rude Boy - Rhianna
1- Nothin' on You - B.o.B. featuring Bruno Mars

Happy Birthday

Today is the 43rd Birthday of country superstar and actor Tim McGraw.
In 2004 he had the Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music's Song of the Year and Record of The Year with his monster hit "Live Like You Were Dying". This song was also named Billboard Magazine's 2004 Country Song of the Year.

Casey Kasem's American Top 40 - The 80s - May 1st 2010

AT40 The 80s this week May 3 1986.

10- Manic Monday - The Bangles
9- Take Me Home - Phil Collins
8- Your Love - The Outfield
7- Greatest Love of All - Whitney Houston
6- What Have You Done for Me Lately - Janet Jackson
5- Harlem Shuffle - The Rolling Stones
4- Why Can't This Be Love - Van Halen
3- Kiss - Prince and the Revolution
2- West End Girls - Pet Shop Boys
1- Addicted To Love - Robert Palmer
(1 week at #1)