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Post by franky on Jul 16, 2011 11:12:23 GMT -5
If "Stairway to Heaven" were released, how many weeks do you think it would have spent at #1? Casey basically said that it would have been a for-sure #1. Would it have been the #1 song of 71 or 72? If you listened to FM radio in the early 70s, was it more influential and famous than "Whole Lotta Love"? Darn, I wish I lived in the early 70s.
By the way, even if you weren't alive in the early 70s, your opinion is very welcome.
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Post by blackbowl68 on Jul 16, 2011 11:48:39 GMT -5
IMHO, I don't think the song would've made it to #1...I think it would've likely peaked @ #3!
Taking all factors into consideration, it would have been released as a single in November 1971 and would've been surpassed by Don McLean's "American Pie" & Al Green's "Let's Stay Together" on its way up the charts.
Not even the song's parent album "Led Zeppelin 4" topped the Billboard LP Chart!
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Post by franky on Jul 16, 2011 11:55:03 GMT -5
Great points blackbowl68. Even though the album peaked at #2, it is among the all-time best sellers at over 20 million copies. Maybe "Stairway to Heaven" was one of those songs that did better as the years went by than when it was originally played in 71.
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Post by reachinforthestars on Jul 16, 2011 11:56:47 GMT -5
If "Stairway to Heaven" were released, how many weeks do you think it would have spent at #1? Casey basically said that it would have been a for-sure #1. Would it have been the #1 song of 71 or 72? If you listened to FM radio in the early 70s, was it more influential and famous than "Whole Lotta Love"? Darn, I wish I lived in the early 70s. By the way, even if you weren't alive in the early 70s, your opinion is very welcome. I usually don't like speculating, but since I was an avid Top 40 radio listener during that period, at least I can hopefully offer some insight. "Stairway To Heaven" was not played on any AM radio station I listened to in the early 70's. In 1972, I used to track radio station playlists for all stations within reach of my AM dial. That was a lot of stations and sometimes as far as 1000 miles away. FM was a different story, but FM radio was not readily available to the masses back then. Younger folks don't understand that. Top 40 radio was AM radio. FM radio was progressive radio and not as much of an influence on the Billboard chart. So that's why I chuckled when you mentioned that Casey said "Stairway To Heaven" would have been a for-sure #1. Casey should know better than that. Take a look at the chart stats of such rock classics as "Iron Man" and "Paranoid". Then you will get a better understanding why there is no way "Stairway To Heaven" would have been a #1 song if it had been released as a single.
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Post by franky on Jul 16, 2011 12:06:01 GMT -5
^But "Whole Lotta Love" peaked at #4, and it is universally known that "Stairway to Heaven" was their biggest hit. So therefore, one would think it would have hit #1 or at least # 3. But I see what you are saying. I assume then that "Whole Lotta Love" was an AM song as well? And maybe "Stairway to Heaven" was only played on FM since it wasn't released as a single. If it was released, maybe AM would have played it.
Thanks Reachinforthestars btw for your comments. I always love and respect your comments.
I know this is all speculation, but I love talking about this type of stuff, especially since I am a big Zeppelin fan.
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Post by tarobe on Jul 16, 2011 12:17:11 GMT -5
If "Stairway to Heaven" had been released as a single (edited, of course), my guess is that it MIGHT have made the top 20, possibly somewhere around #17 or #18. It is condidered today their most famous recording, but that is with almost forty years of hindsight. If it had been so big then, you can be sure Atlantic would have released it as a single. They didn't. Only two singles were released from Led Zeppelin IV: "Black Dog" and "Rock and Roll." Both got some airplay on some Top 40 stations, but it was only first that made the national 40 (peaked at #15).
Look at the example of another classic rock staple that DID get released a single (edited, of course): "Won't Get Fooled Again" by the Who. It also only reached #15, and the next single, "Behind Blue Eyes," another FM staple, only got to #34. As has been stated before, in 1971 Top 40 radio was AM. Although rock acts like Led Zeppelin, the Who and Grand Funk Railroad were played (some) on Top 40 stations, they greatly overshadowed by acts like Three Dog Night, the Rolling Stones, and the former members of the Beatles.
By the way, blackbowl68, forgive my rude manners, and welcome to this board!
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Post by reachinforthestars on Jul 16, 2011 12:18:00 GMT -5
^But "Whole Lotta Love" peaked at #4, and it is universally known that "Stairway to Heaven" was their biggest hit. So therefore, one would think it would have hit #1 or at least # 3. Was "Whole Lotta Love" just an FM song? Thanks Reachinforthestars btw for your comments. I always love and respect your comments. I know this is all speculation, but I love talking about this type of stuff, especially since I am a big Zeppelin fan. But "Stairway To Heaven" was not their biggest hit on AM radio. That's key when talking about the Hot 100 singles chart. "Whole Lotta Love" adapts better to AM radio than "Stairway To Heaven" does. And as you mentioned earlier, STH built a following over the years. It wasn't like an "American Pie", in respect to being an instant AM radio friendly pop song.
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Post by blackbowl68 on Jul 16, 2011 12:21:51 GMT -5
Atlantic Records would've had trouble issuing a single for "Stairway To Heaven" not just because of its time length, but it is also a very complex song if you really listen to it. Record buyers would not widely embrace such a song in droves. "American Pie" is essence a simple ditty with lots of verses, which is why it had a strong chance hit #1 when released.
I did not factor airplay into the equation because of a previous post that discusses the chart methodology change Billboard made in 6/09/73. It seems to suggest the top half of the Hot 100 was essentially a sales chart until that date. So it would not have mattered where "Stairway to Heaven" was played in 1971-72.
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Post by franky on Jul 16, 2011 12:23:12 GMT -5
^But "Whole Lotta Love" peaked at #4, and it is universally known that "Stairway to Heaven" was their biggest hit. So therefore, one would think it would have hit #1 or at least # 3. Was "Whole Lotta Love" just an FM song? Thanks Reachinforthestars btw for your comments. I always love and respect your comments. I know this is all speculation, but I love talking about this type of stuff, especially since I am a big Zeppelin fan. But "Stairway To Heaven" was not their biggest hit on AM radio. That's key when talking about the Hot 100 singles chart. "Whole Lotta Love" adapts better to AM radio than "Stairway To Heaven" does. And as you mentioned earlier, STH built a following over the years. It wasn't like an "American Pie", in respect to being an instant AM radio friendly pop song. I see what you mean. "Kashmir" definitely would not have been AM friendly, but is one of their biggest hits as well. I guess it's tough to compare songs like these with their AM friendly hits.
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Post by tarobe on Jul 16, 2011 12:40:41 GMT -5
That's a great point about long complex songs. Even "American Pie" was short. The full 8-minute plus song was never heard on the radio back then (Some say it was played, but I never did hear it).
I wouldn't say "Kashmir" wouldn't have gotten some airplay (edited, of course). But it would not have been a very big hit (somehere in the lower 30s, I expect).
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Post by mrjukebox on Jul 16, 2011 12:43:29 GMT -5
"Stairway To Heaven" is arguably the greatest rock song ever recorded-Led Zeppelin has definitely provided their fans with a song that has truly stood the test of time.
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Post by tarobe on Jul 16, 2011 12:46:01 GMT -5
That certainly is arguable.
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Post by dukelightning on Jul 16, 2011 12:47:34 GMT -5
I listened to the radio back then and did not ever hear Stairway to Heaven. In fact, I don't think I heard it until a dance at summer camp in..........1975. Pete Battistini made a good point recently about Taxi which was a single in 1972. It stalled at #24 largely due to its length. American Pie was released as parts 1 and 2 so stations could just play part 1 and that allowed it be played enough times to hit #1.
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Post by pizzzzza on Jul 16, 2011 12:59:36 GMT -5
I listened to the radio back then and did not ever hear Stairway to Heaven. In fact, I don't think I heard it until a dance at summer camp in..........1975. Pete Battistini made a good point recently about Taxi which was a single in 1972. It stalled at #24 largely due to its length. American Pie was released as parts 1 and 2 so stations could just play part 1 and that allowed it be played enough times to hit #1. I couldn't agree more. I pretty much had a radio glued to my ears growing up - and as you already know, bought every song that hit the Hot 100 back then. But I hardly ever heard "Stairway" except on FM radio stations. And reachinforthestars makes an excellent point about FM stations back then - it sounded nothing like the AM, top 40 stations. To me, "Stairway" became bigger and bigger over the years until it became this mammoth rock classic - in the minds of classic rock listeners, it's one of the all time best. But I think in all fairness, 'if' the song had been released on AM Top 40 radio, it would've definitely made AT 40 - but how high...who knows...but like others mentioned, it's quite long and complicated, and thus would've either been edited down (heaven forbid) or not even played....that's just how it was back then on AM radio in the 70s. It almost reminds me of "Hey Jude" when it came out....it was SO long, but AM stations played it - probably because it WAS the Beatles, after all. And it's length was not like any other song that was released in the 60s that made it big on AM radio.
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Post by dukelightning on Jul 16, 2011 13:28:56 GMT -5
Hey Jude forced AM stations to abandon their rule that no song be longer than 3 minutes. Stations said flat out that they would not play a song if it was longer than 3 minutes.
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