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Post by brownjb81 on Sept 4, 2012 14:10:51 GMT -5
I spent this past weekend listening to the American Top 40 show from September 4, 1982 and I noticed something interesting about that show. Casey mentioned that there lack a several song that were in the Top 10 during the summer of 1982 that rarely moved up or down the chart. In fact, several songs that were in the Top 10 held at the same positions for several weeks.
Hurt So Good--John Cougar: It spent 4 weeks at No.2 and was in the Top 10 for 16 weeks.
Even The Nights Are Better--Air Supply: It was No. 6 for 4 consecutive weeks before peaking at No. 5 and holds the record for the biggest drop out of the Top 40. It feel out of the Top 40 from No. 6.
Hold Me--Fleetwood Mac: It was No.4 for 7 weeks
Hard To Say I'm Sorry--Chicago: It was at No.5 for 4 consecutive weeks before hitting No. 1.
Eye of the Tiger--Survivor: It was No. 1 for 6 consecutive weeks.
Abracadabra--The Steve Miller Band: It was at No. 3 for 4 consecutive weeks before hitting No. 1.
There must have been some good songs that were out in the summer of 1982, which may explain the lack of chart movement during that summer.
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Post by pointpark04 on Sept 4, 2012 14:39:54 GMT -5
I spent this past weekend listening to the American Top 40 show from September 4, 1982 and I noticed something interesting about that show. Casey mentioned that there lack a several song that were in the Top 10 during the summer of 1982 that rarely moved up or down the chart. In fact, several songs that were in the Top 10 held at the same positions for several weeks. Hurt So Good--John Cougar: It spent 4 weeks at No.2 and was in the Top 10 for 16 weeks. Even The Nights Are Better--Air Supply: It was No. 6 for 4 consecutive weeks before peaking at No. 5 and holds the record for the biggest drop out of the Top 40. It feel out of the Top 40 from No. 6. Hold Me--Fleetwood Mac: It was No.4 for 7 weeks Hard To Say I'm Sorry--Chicago: It was at No.5 for 4 consecutive weeks before hitting No. 1. Eye of the Tiger--Survivor: It was No. 1 for 6 consecutive weeks. Abracadabra--The Steve Miller Band: It was at No. 3 for 4 consecutive weeks before hitting No. 1. There must have been some good songs that were out in the summer of 1982, which may explain the lack of chart movement during that summer. Great post. And, yes, I noticed that myself in the past. There must be something about years that end with a '2' and lack of chart movement. For instance - without going as in-depth as you did in your post - the year 1992 had similar stagnant-to-little chart movement. Many songs spent double-digit weeks in the Top 10. The summer of 2002 saw a plethora of songs enjoying extended stays within the top 10, as well. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Billboard_Hot_100_top_10_singles_in_2002And, if you've followed the Billboard charts at all this year - as I have - you'll know that there has been an remarkable lack of movement in the summer of 2012, as well. I don't know to what to chalk this lack of chart movement and years ending in '2', but there must be something to it other than coincidence. Anybody? |
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Post by artsmusic on Sept 4, 2012 15:28:34 GMT -5
The logjams in 1982 were caused in major part by a methodology change that included "stars" and "superstars" which didn't allow songs below to advance.
I'm trying to find my original issues since I haven't found the documentation online. What makes it so difficult to compare years are such changes like allowing tracks on the hot 100, the charting (or not) allowance for Christmas music, and the drop or maintenance of songs on the chart due to total week limitations.
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Post by matt on Sept 4, 2012 16:02:47 GMT -5
There is an entire thread devoted to 1982 and the wacky chart movements that occurred that year (going to bump it). It's actually the most fun year to read through in Pete B's book due to the unusually large number of "odd chart stats" that he cites throughout the year.
Generally speaking, 1982 charts had two rather common occurrences: 1) traffic jams which caused songs to remain in certain positions for an unusually long period of time (e.g. Billy Joel's "Allentown" was at #17 for 6 weeks or something odd like that), and 2) when certain songs dropped, they really dropped (there were some unusually high climbs too)...some of the most infamous cases being Air Supply's drop from #6 out of the top 40, and the "Beatles Movie Medley" dropping 72 notches... and the list goes on.
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Post by torcan on Sept 5, 2012 16:05:39 GMT -5
Billboard actually introduced "superstars" in the fall of 1980. In the beginning, they were awarded to the songs with the biggest upward movement on the chart. Over time, the criteria for awarding them seemed to change. By mid-1982, almost anything that moved up within the top 40 earned a "superstar", which then meant three weeks or more at the peak position before it could fall. Sometimes songs outside the top 40 that only moved up a notch or two would also earn superstars.
Maybe the reason they reverted to one symbol in June 1983 is because they couldn't figure out what should get a superstar, and what should get a star. It became kind of vague after a while.
Over time, the criteria for awarding "bullets" has lessened. I read that a song has to have a 10% increase in points from the previous week to earn a bullet, but sometimes that could leave them in the same position. I've seen records hold their position in the lower '90s and still receive a bullet. That wouldn't have happened back then.
For the record, the "star"/"superstar" rule also applied to the album charts. Most albums in the top 20 log-jammed during that period as well.
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Post by reachinforthestars on Sept 5, 2012 18:36:26 GMT -5
I located the message where this was originally discussed back in 2010: There was a rule in the late '70s/early '80s that a song could not drop if it was bulleted the week before. That resulted in many songs holding their position for several weeks before taking a plunge (especially toward the latter part of the period, when Billboard had the two-tiered bullet system of "stars" and "superstars"). I believe the no-drop rule for a bulleted song the prior week began in June of 1975. In October of 1980 the two-tiered bullet system was introduced (superstar and regular star) and initially it was more liberal to allow a record to go from a superstar to no bullet at all the following week. But as time went on, it appeared they were a bit more strict and rarely did a record go from a superstar to no bullet the following week. It usually had to drop from the superstar bullet to a regular bullet and then to no bullet before the song was allowed to drop. In June of 1983 we were back to the one bullet system. |
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Post by doomsdaymachine on Sept 7, 2012 2:15:34 GMT -5
Other unusual chart stats from 1982:
"Forget-Me-Nots," Patrice Rushen - 3 weeks peaked at #23.
"Freeze-Frame," The J. Geils Band - 4 weeks peaked at #4.
"Heart Attack," Olivia Newton-John - 4 weeks peaked at #3.
"Heartlight," Neil Diamond - 4 weeks peaked at #5.
"Hold Me," Fleetwood Mac - 7 weeks peaked at #4.
"Hot in the City," Billy Idol - 4 weeks peaked at #23.
"It's Raining Again," Supertramp - 4 weeks peaked at #11.
"Kind in America," Kim Wilde - 4 weeks peaked at #25.
"Love Will Turn You Around," Kenny Rogers - 5 weeks peaked at #13.
"Missing You," Dan Fogelberg - 5 weeks peaked at #23.
"Muscles," Diana Ross - 6 weeks peaked at #10.
"Only The Lonely," The Motels - 4 weeks peaked at #9.
"Open Arms," Journey - 6 weeks peaked at #2.
"A Penny For Your Thoughts," Tavares - 4 weeks peaked at #33.
"Rock This Town," The Stray Cats - 5 weeks peaked at #9.
"Rosanna," Toto - 5 weeks peaked at #2.
"Shadows of the Night," Pat Benatar - 4 weeks peaked at #13.
"Steppin' Out," Joe Jackson - 4 weeks peaked at #6.
"Take It Away," Paul McCartney - 5 weeks peaked at #10.
"Take Me Down'" Alabama - 4 weeks peaked at #18.
"Voyeur," Kim Carnes - 4 weeks peaked at #29.
"Waiting For A Girl Like You," Foreigner - 10 weeks peaked at #2*
"Wasted On The Way," Crosby, Stills & Nash - 4 weeks peaked at #9.
"What Kind of Fool Am I," Rick Springfield - 6 weeks peaked at #21.
"What's Forever For," Michael Murphey - 5 weeks peaked at #19.
"You Can Do Magic," America - 5 weeks peaked at #8.
"You Dropped A Bomb On Me," The Gap Band - 5 weeks peaked at #31.
*Actually late 1981-early '82.
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Post by mct1 on Oct 1, 2012 20:01:25 GMT -5
The logjams in 1982 were caused in major part by a methodology change that included "stars" and "superstars" which didn't allow songs below to advance....I'm trying to find my original issues since I haven't found the documentation online. Billboard issues from 1982 are available online at Google Books: books.google.com/bkshp?hl=en&tab=wpSearch for "Billboard Magazine September 4, 1982" and you can see the issue whose chart prompted this thread. There is an entire thread devoted to 1982 and the wacky chart movements that occurred that year. |
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