Top 40 Songs of the Rock Era Special Updated

[vince]

For the 4th of July weekend in 1972, AT40 did a Top 40 Songs of the Rock Era special. I decided to update the special. This is the Top 100 of the Pre-SoundScan Rock Era, so the survey period is from January 1955 through November 1991. I used the Best Sellers Chart prior to the introduction of the Hot 100 in August 1958.

The methodology used was AT40's 1982 inverse point formula and correction factor. For details see the attached memo.

Rank Formula.pdf (134.57 KB)

TOP 100 HITS of the ROCK ERA (1955 – 1991)

Index
Points Pos. TITLE Artist (Year)

2268 1 THE TWIST Chubby Checker (1960 & 1962)
2102 2 HEY JUDE The Beatles (1968)
2048 3 MACK THE KNIFE Bobby Darin (1959)
2033 4 YOU LIGHT UP MY LIFE Debby Boone (1977)
1885 5 DON'T BE CRUEL / HOUND DOG Elvis Presley (1956)
1807 6 PHYSICAL Olivia Newton-John (1981)
1743 7 THEME FROM "A SUMMER PLACE" Percy Faith and His Orchestra (1960)
1739 8 TOSSIN' AND TURNIN' Bobby Lewis (1961)
1697 9 CHERRY PINK AND APPLE BLOSSOM WHITE Perez Prado (1955)
1656 10 I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND The Beatles (1964)
1622 11 BETTE DAVIS EYES Kim Carnes (1981)
1597 12 I'M A BELIEVER The Monkees (1967)
1591 13 TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT (Gonna Be Alright) Rod Stewart (1976)
1584 14 ENDLESS LOVE Diana Ross and Lionel Richie (1981)
1545 15 EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE The Police (1983)
1544 16 NIGHT FEVER The Bee Gees (1978)
1498 17 SINGING THE BLUES Guy Mitchel (1956)
1494 18 (We're Gonna) ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK Bill Haley and His Comets (1955)
1484 19 HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE The Bee Gees (1977)
1464 20 SHADOW DANCING Andy Gibb (1978)
1462 21 (Everything I Do) I DO IT FOR YOU Bryan Adam (1991)
1459 22 LE FREAK Chic (1979)
1456 23 I JUST WANT TO BE YOUR EVERYTHING Andy Gibb (1977)
1455 24 THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS Johnny Horton (1959)
1445 25 I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE Marvin Gaye (1969)
1419 26 THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW YOUR FACE Roberta Flack (1972)
1417 27 AQUARIUS/LET THE SUNSHINE IN (Medley) The Fifth Dimension (1969)
1416 28 JOY TO THE WORLD Three Dog Night (1971)
1408 29 ALONE AGAIN (Naturally) Gilbert O'Sullivan (1972)
1393 30 SUGAR SHACK Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs (1963)
1378 31 EYE OF THE TIGER Survivor (1982)
1375 32 FLASHDANCE...WHAT A FEELING Irene Cara (1983)
1372 33 RAINDROPS KEEP FALLIN' ON MY HEAD B. J. Thomas (1970)
1371 34 IT'S ALL IN THE GAME Tommy Edwards (1958)
1361 35 LIKE A VIRGIN Madonna (1985)
1361 36 MONSTER MASH Bobby "Boris" Pickett & the Crypt Kickers (1962 & 1973)
1359 37 HEARTBREAK HOTEL Elvis Presley (1956)
1339 38 CALL ME Blondie (1980)
1335 39 SAY, SAY, SAY Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson (1983)
1332 40 CENTERFOLD The J. Geils Band (1982)
1325 41 SUGAR SUGAR The Archies (1969)
1324 42 I'LL BE THERE Jackson 5 (1970)
1317 43 TO SIR WITH LOVE Lulu (1967)
1316 44 THE BALLAD OF THE GREEN BERETS SSgt. Barry Sadler (1966)
1314 45 ALL SHOOK UP Elvis Presley (1957)
1312 46 THAT'S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR Dionne and Friends (1986)
1302 47 LOVE IS BLUE Paul Mauriat & His Orchestra (1968)
1300 48 STAYIN' ALIVE The Bee Gees (1978)
1294 49 MAGGIE MAY / REASON TO BELIEVE Rod Stewart (1971)
1293 50 HELLO, DOLLY! Louis Armstrong (1964)
1292 51 SAY YOU, SAY ME Lionel Richie (1986)
1292 52 LOVE LETTERS IN THE SAND / BERNADINE Pat Boone (1957)
1291 53 BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER Simon & Garfunkel (1970)
1290 54 TIE A YELLOW RIBBON 'ROUND THE OLD OAK TREE Tony Orlando and Dawn (1973)
1288 55 MY SHARONA The Knack (1979)
1288 56 I CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU Ray Charles (1962)
1285 57 LOVE WILL KEEP US TOGETHER The Captain & Tennille (1975)
1283 58 WHEN DOVES CRY Prince and the Revolution (1984)
1283 59 LADY Kenny Rogers (1980)
1282 60 BILLIE JEAN Michael Jackson (1983)
1281 61 WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL The New Vaudville Band (1966)
1281 62 AMERICAN PIE (Parts 1 and 2) Don MacLean (1972)
1280 63 THE WAY WE WERE Barbra Streisand (1974)
1277 64 I LOVE ROCK 'N' ROLL Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (1982)
1270 65 RHINESTONE COWBOY Glen Campbell (1975)
1266 66 BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY The Four Seasons (1962)
1263 67 AT THE HOP Danny and The Juniors (1957)
1262 68 IT'S TOO LATE / I FEEL THE EARTH MOVE Carole King (1971)
1260 69 STAND BY ME Ben E. King (1961 & 1986)
1258 70 EBONY AND IVORY Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder (1982)
1250 71 ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST Queen (1980)
1249 72 BEST OF MY LOVE The Emotions (1977)
1247 73 JAILHOUSE ROCK / TREAT ME NICE Elvis Presley (1957)
1241 74 ARE YOU LONESOME TO-NIGHT Elvis Presley (1960)
1236 75 (I Can't Get No) SATISFACTION The Rolling Stones (1965)
1236 76 ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE Phil Collins (1989)
1231 77 IT'S NOW OR NEVER Elvis Presley (1960)
1229 78 PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM The Elton John Band (1975)
1226 79 SILLY LOVE SONGS Wings (1976)
1225 80 AUTUMN LEAVES Roger Williams (1955)
1218 81 LET'S GET IT ON Marvin Gaye (1973)
1217 82 WALK LIKE AN EGYPTIAN The Bangles (1986)
1217 83 JUMP Van Halen (1984)
1216 84 (Let Me Be Your) TEDDY BEAR / LOVING YOU Elvis Presley (1957)
1213 85 BIG BAD JOHN Jimmy Dean (1961)
1200 86 HONEY Bobby Goldsboro (1968)
1187 87 I THINK I LOVE YOU The Partridge Family (1970)
1184 88 HE'S SO FINE The Chiffons (1963)
1184 89 THE WAYWARD WIND Gogi Grant (1956)
1183 90 PEOPLE GOT TO BE FREE The Rascals (1968)
1183 91 WIPE OUT The Surfaris (1963 & 1966)
1176 92 (Sittin' On) THE DOCK OF THE BAY Otis Redding (1968)
1175 93 DOMINIQUE The Singing Nun (1963)
1173 94 FAITH George Michael (1987)
1171 95 HOT STUFF Donna Summer (1979)
1169 96 KILLING ME SOFTLY WITH HIS SONG Roberta Flack (1973)
1165 97 (They Long To Be) CLOSE TO YOU The Carpenters (1970)
1164 98 KNOCK THREE TIMES Dawn (1971)
1163 99 (Just Like) STARTING OVER John Lennon (1981)
1162 100 LISBON ANTIGUA Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra (1956)

[jmack19]

Very good job.

I was always more impressed by Hey Jude's run than any of the long running #1 songs of the late '70s & early '80s due to the chart turnover of the late '60s. Most of those '60 songs were removed from the Hot 100 when they fell from the Top 50.

[vince]

To bump this up, I am adding the 100 songs that bubbled under my Top 100 of the Pre-soundScan Rock Era. Here is positions #101 to #200.

Index
Points Pos. TITLE Artist (Year)

1159 101 MISS YOU MUCH Janet Jackson (1989)
1159 102 BECAUSE I LOVE YOU (The Postman Song) Stevie B (1990)
1156 103 CARELESS WHISPER Wham! Featuring George Michael (1985)
1155 104 NOTHING COMPARES TO YOU Sinaed O'Connor (1990)
1154 105 LOVE TAKES TIME Mariah Cary (1990)
1152 106 UNCHAINED MELODY The Righteous Brothers (1965 & 1990)
1149 107 WONDERLAND BY NIGHT Burt Kaempfert (1961)
1147 108 A FIFTH OF BEETHOVEN Walter Murphy & the Big Apple Band (1976)
1146 109 WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT Tina Turner (1984)
1143 110 PLAY THAT FUNKY MUSIC Wild Cherry (1976)
1142 111 YOU'VE LOST THAT LOVIN' FEELIN' The Righteous Brothers (1965)
1142 112 SEASONS IN THE SUN Terry Jacks (1974)
1138 113 VISION OF LOVE Miriah Cary (1990)
1133 114 BAD GIRLS Donna Summer (1979)
1131 115 DO YA THINK I'M SEXY? Rod Stewart (1979)
1131 116 UPSIDE DOWN Diana Ross (1980)
1125 117 KISS YOU ALL OVER Exile (1978)
1124 118 DO THAT TO ME ONE MORE TIME The Captain & Tennille (1980)
1122 119 ROLL WITH IT Steve Winwood (1988)
1122 120 I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor (1979)
1122 121 LIVIN' ON A PRAYER Bon Jovi (1987)
1122 122 WINDY The Association (1967)
1120 123 ON MY OWN Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald (1986)
1118 124 LOVE ME TENDER Elvis Presley (1956)
1117 125 EVERY ROSE HAS ITS THORN Poison (1988)
1117 126 ODE TO BILLIE JOE Bobbie Gentry (1967)
1116 127 ROSES ARE RED (My Love) Bobby Vinton (1962)
1115 128 IN THE YEAR 2525 (Exordium & Terminus) Zager & Evans (1969)
1115 129 HONKY TONK WOMAN The Rolling Stones (1969)
1114 130 I'M SORRY Brenda Lee (1960)
1113 131 ALL NIGHT LONG (All Night) Lionel Richie (1983)
1113 132 ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL (Part 2) Pink Floyd (1980)
1112 133 SIXTEEN TONS Tennessee Ernie Ford (1955)
1110 134 THE YELLOW ROSE OF TEXAS Mitch Miller (1955)
1108 135 DAYDREAM BELIEVER The Monkees 1967)
1107 136 THE LETTER The Box Tops (1967)
1107 137 THE PEPPERMINT TWIST Joey Dee and the Starlighters (1962)
1106 138 LOOK AWAY Chicago (1988)
1106 139 TEQUILA The Champs (1958)
1106 140 THE PURPLE PEOPLE EATER Sheb Wooley (1958)
1106 141 ALONE Heart (1987)
1105 142 MY SWEET LORD / ISN'T IT A PITY George Harrison (1971)
1105 143 HURTS SO GOOD John Cougar (Mellencamp) (1982)
1104 144 TAMMY Debbie Reynolds (1957)
1104 145 DOWNTOWN Petula Clark (1965)
1104 146 VENUS Frankie Avalon (1959)
1104 147 MY LOVE Paul McCartney & Wings (1973)
1104 148 YOU'RE SO VAIN Carly Simon (1973)
1104 149 SHE LOVES YOU The Beatles (1964)
1103 150 HE'LL HAVE TO GO Jim Reeves (1960)
1102 151 COME SEE ABOUT ME The Supremes (1965)
1102 152 STRAIGHT UP Paula Abdul (1989)
1101 153 ABRACADABRA The Steve Miller Band (1982)
1100 154 DON'T / I BEG OF YOU Elvis Presley (1958)
1100 155 BENNIE AND THE JETS Elton John (1974)
1099 156 I CAN'T HELP MYSELF The Four Tops (1965)
1099 157 LOVE CHILD Diana Ross and the Supremes (1968)
1099 158 DOWN UNDER Men At Work (1983)
1096 159 LIGHT MY FIRE The Doors (1967)
1093 160 RUSH RUSH Paula Abdul (1991)
1091 161 TO KNOW HIM, IS TO LOVE HIM The Teddy Bears (1958)
1091 162 EXODUS Ferrante and Teicher (1961)
1091 163 DON'T YOU WANT ME The Human League (1982)
1091 164 (You're My) SOUL AND INSPIRATION The Righteous Brothers (1966)
1090 165 Y.M.C.A. The Village People (1979)
1090 166 ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM The Everly Brothers (1958)
1089 167 SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYES The Platters (1959)
1088 168 SHERRY The Four Seasons (1962)
1088 169 AGAINST ALL ODDS (Take a Look at Me Now) Phil Collins (1984)
1087 170 LOVE THEME FROM "A STAR IS BORN" (Evergreen) Barbra Streisand (1977)
1086 171 WITHOUT YOU Nilsson (1972)
1086 172 CATHY'S CLOWN The Everly Brothers (1960)
1084 173 TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART Bonnie Tyler (1983)
1083 174 EVERYDAY PEOPLE Sly and the Family Stone (1969)
1080 175 RUNAWAY Del Shannon (1961)
1078 176 FOOTLOOSE Kenny Loggins (1984)
1077 177 BLUE VELVET Bobby Vinton (1963)
1076 178 I WANT TO KNOW WHAT LOVE IS Foreigner (1985)
1075 179 HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART The Bee Gees (1971)
1074 180 NEL BLU DIPINTO DI BLU Domenico Modugno (1958)
1072 181 ONE BAD APPLE The Osmonds (1971)
1072 182 GET BACK The Beatles with Billy Preston (1969)
1072 183 HEY PAULA Paul and Paula (1963)
1071 184 LOVE IS THICKER THAN WATER Andy Gibb (1978)
1070 185 TELSTAR The Tornados (1962)
1070 186 LIMBO ROCK Chubby Checker (1962)
1070 187 SINCERELY The McGuire Sisters (1955)
1068 188 IT MUST HAVE BEEN LOVE Roxette (1990)
1067 189 I'M SORRY / CALYPSO John Denver (1975)
1067 190 CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE Queen (1980)
1067 191 MANEATER Daryl Hall and John Oates (1983)
1067 192 NEED YOU TONIGHT INXS (1988)
1067 193 96 TEARS ? (Question Mark) and the Mysterians (1966)
1066 194 HOLD ON Wilson Phillips (1990)
1064 195 ROCK WITH YOU Michael Jackson (1980)
1062 196 MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THIS Dean Martin (1956)
1062 197 THE STREAK Ray Stevens (1974)
1061 198 THE BALLAD OF DAVY CROCKETT Bill Hayes (1955)
1059 199 OH, PRETTY WOMAN Roy Orbison (1964)
1058 200 I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW Johnny Nash (1972)

[at40petebattistini]

If accurate, the special's original Top 40 list should be in its original order on the updated list -- *not* in the original positions, just in the original order. For example, "I Want To Hold Your Hand" should be ranked higher than "Theme From A Summer Place" and "Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White". But it's ranked lower on the updated list. There are other examples. Why is that?

Also, there are countless pre-1972 songs on your list that were not in the original special, and yet they rank higher than some of the original special's list of 40. "Satisfaction" by the Rolling Stones (from 1965) is listed at #76 on your list. But it was not part of the original special's Top 40. One of the most extreme examples is Dean Martin's "Memories Are Made Of This" which originally ranked at #34. Your list has it at #196. And Dawn's "Knock Three Times" was originally at #29; on your list it's #98. There are other examples. How do you account for these vast discrepancies?

Is the original list completely inaccurate?

[mga707]

Jul 22, 2015 1:00:51 GMT -5 at40petebattistini said:

If accurate, the special's original Top 40 list should be in its original order on the updated list -- *not* in the original positions, just in the original order. For example, "I Want To Hold Your Hand" should be ranked higher than "Theme From A Summer Place" and "Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White". But it's ranked lower on the updated list. There are other examples. Why is that?

Also, there are countless pre-1972 songs on your list that were not in the original special, and yet they rank higher than some of the original special's list of 40. "Satisfaction" by the Rolling Stones (from 1965) is listed at #76 on your list. But it was not part of the original special's Top 40. One of the most extreme examples is Dean Martin's "Memories Are Made Of This" which originally ranked at #34. Your list has it at #196. And Dawn's "Knock Three Times" was originally at #29; on your list it's #98. There are other examples. How do you account for these vast discrepancies?

Is the original list completely inaccurate?

He's using 1982 methodology, not what the AT40 staff used in 1972. Cut him a little slack, OK?

[vince]

Pete,

Mga707 gave the short explanation. This is the long version. The main reason for the differences in order of the songs is that I used a different methodology than AT40 did in 1972, when they did the Top 40 of the Rock Era show. I don't have the 1972 methodology, and the AT40 statistician did use a correction factor, making it virtually impossible the work backwards to figure out what the formula was.

The methodology I did use is what AT40 used for their year end countdown for 1982 - 1984, and 1990 - 1995. I add a correction factor developed by AT40 in 1982, explained in the memo I attached at the beginning of the thread as index numbers, since I was comparing records from different years.

Another issue that may have contributed to significantly different rankings from the 1972 show for songs from the '50's, was that I used the Best Seller chart from January 1955 up to the beginning of the Hot 100 in August 1958. AT40 may have used the Top 100 chart instead from November 1955 to August 1958. The reason I chose to use the Best Sellers chart was because of numerous ties, including many at the #1 position on Top 100 chart. Ties were less common on the Best Sellers chart and there were none at #1.

In my opinion, AT40's original 1972 list was probably mostly accurate going by the methodology AT40 used in 1972. Without knowing the exact methodology AT40 used, I could not say for sure that their original list was completely accurate or completely inaccurate. I do find it odd that AT40's original list did not include "Tossin' & Turnin'" by Bobby Lewis considering it was #1 seven weeks with 23 weeks on the Hot 100. Billboard did a Top 200 of 1956 - 1975 that was published in their July 4, 1976 issue. BB probably used a different methodology than AT40 did in 1972 or I did to for my list, but BB had "Tossin' & Turnin'" at #5.

My list was meant as an update and not a correction of AT40's 1972 list.

[top40collector]

Thank you.