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Post by adam31 on Jun 4, 2014 22:02:56 GMT -5
I can only address the chart-watching angle of this thread. I think the argument you use about the amount of data out there and people's interest in it is the very reason why countdown shows no longer hold their appeal for some. When I first started listening to AT40 in the early 1980s, it was mainly for the chart positions, and there was one chart as far as I knew--the Billboard Hot 100--used by THE countdown show--AT40. And it seemed the rest of America followed their lead. Even today, if a news report mentions an artist's chart position, like following Michael Jackson's death, it generally uses Billboard's chart history. When our newspaper prints the top songs and albums each week, it's Billboard's Hot 100 and Top 200. Liner notes of "greatest hits" albums reference Billboard Hot 100 positions. When Entertainment Weekly does their chart flashbacks, they use Billboard's rankings. So does Rolling Stone. I recently saw Jimmy Fallon do a bit on the Tonight Show about the week's top songs, and the positions he used were the Billboard Hot 100's. So, as a listener in the early 1990s who had been conditioned to follow the Hot 100 as gospel, to read news reports that Boyz II Men had broken Elvis's record of weeks at #1 with "End of the Road," then listening to AT40 and not only NOT hearing anything about it, but not having the song spend 13 weeks at #1 was troubling. Reading how Nirvana cracked the Top 10 of the Hot 100, ushering in the sound of grunge to the mainstream, and not having the song even appear on AT40. Reading about the big jumps Kris Kross and Sir Mixalot made into the Top 10 and then hearing a countdown where they maybe move up one spot somewhere in the 30's, it made the countdown seem out of touch with what was "true," especially since in those years those were the acts and songs everyone in my circle of friends was buzzing about as "popular," moreso than the Jon Secada and Charles & Eddie songs that seemed to linger on AT40 for months. In Rob Durkee's book, there's a blurb where someone on AT40's staff (it might have even been Shadoe) talked about how the listener questions about chart history started fading out in the 1990s, and he couldn't tell why. Well, mostly I think it was because the chart was "meaningless" as far as history. It was "a" Top 40, but not "the" Top 40. And that was the time when I went from moving heaven and earth to make sure I had four free hours each weekend to listen to American Top 40 to listening if I got the chance, to eventually barely listening at all. For me, it became a show that played some popular songs, but whether Toad the Wet Sprocket was ahead of Counting Crows or Celine Dion climbed more spots than Janet Jackson, it really didn't matter, because they didn't use "the most authoritative chart in the business," they used "the chart that fits our format best so radio stations will play it." I completely agree that the Hot 100 is the authoritative chart source, and I have said in many posts, that it wouldn't hurt to still be used to this day on AT40. It is truly the ONLY connection of history we still have to the beginnings of "rock 'n' roll". However, I also feel Billboard's tabulation of the Hot 100 has gotten WAY out of hand with the addition of YouTube and such, it is too far different than when it was used for Classic AT40 from 1970-1991. I Know for a fact that Ryan Seacrest is a fan of the original AT-40 more so than his current version. It's the style which he would have liked to have done the show. It's so unregognizable from the original, I bet the young people listening to the show don't even know it's a countdown. They most likely don't even know or care about the concept of a countdown at all. It's become a "rag" of sorts. This by no means discredits Ryan Seacrest in anyway! He is an amazing air talent, smart businessman and a great human being. This would be great if it were true, may I ask your knowledge of this? Not to be rude or anything, but do you personally know Mr. Seacrest, if so that's great. If he really wanted to do a show like the original AT40, I'm ready to listen. It shouldn't be hard for Mr. Seacrest to get whatever he wants in media. |
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Post by mkarns on Jun 7, 2014 23:10:55 GMT -5
Here's something interesting regarding the current AT40 and chart history: on this week's show (June 7, 2014), leading into the #1 song, John Legend's "All of Me", Ryan played a piece of a previous #1 song with the same title, which was a hit for Louis Armstrong...in 1932. (Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories lists it as such.)
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Post by jayenn71 on Jun 8, 2014 11:30:22 GMT -5
The answer to your first question is yes I do. In response to the second statement, the reason Ryan is not doing it "the old way" is because he IS a great businessman. He knows his demographics and believes it simply isn't doable or profitable.
In my generation,and perhaps yours, we listened in the 70 and 80s to American top 4O to route for our favorite songs that we purchased. We understood how the chart system worked because ( in most cases) of years and years of education from MR Kasem himself. I have a feeling it would take more than a little "Iheart plays them, itunes sells them, Billboard ranks them and AT-40 counts them down" to get the younger generation interested in the "numbers game". There has been too long of a gap to start this educational process over again. It's just a belief that it wouldn't work today.
There are too many other sources to get info on their favorite pop stars now anyway. I think they are selling "Brand Ryan Seacrest" and unfortunately NOT AT-40. I would listen too. ( if they used the old format)I'am still a major chart buff even now. I'am happy that Fred Bronson and Paul Grein still enjoy watching the charts as stagnant as they are. I know I do. And no, you most certainly are not rude. I'm just thankful we have reruns to listen to and enjoy. Luckily, I was able to amass a large collection of Casey's old programs from radio stations who simply wanted to "Clean House". I enjoy every one of them. I look forward to getting to know all if you. I already have known a few of you for years. Have a good day & let's keep Casey in our thoughts.
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Post by your friend on Jun 19, 2014 9:00:26 GMT -5
www.kenoshanews.com/opinion/casey_kasem_477573635.html" We rolled our eyes at the arcana and minutiae of pop-chart trivia we were required to master. We rolled our eyes as we leafed through rock magazines, searching for anecdotes on the lives of debauched young stars that we could spin into the tales of pluck and success Casey loved. (“Coming up, a rocker from Cleveland who slept on bus benches while chasing his musical dreams …”) "We rolled our eyes. Then we did it his way. "Like Dick Clark and Fred Rogers, Casey understood something we often forget about our national character. For all the cynicism of our people, all the balkanization of our politics, all the studied disaffection of our celebrities, all our pose and pretense of being over it, Americans bend toward optimism. Toward hope and pluck. And toward a moving story, well told." With Casey's passing, it is really interesting reading some of these articles. Several decades years ago the exact same arguments against AT40 are being today by some AT40 fans on this very board. No one is arguing the show shouldn't have changed and updated with the times. But it also didn't need to toss out some of the critical elements and features that helped make it successful to begin with.
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Post by snarfdude on Jul 19, 2014 6:56:49 GMT -5
I Know for a fact that Ryan Seacrest is a fan of the original AT-40 more so than his current version. It's the style which he would have liked to have done the show. It's so unregognizable from the original, I bet the young people listening to the show don't even know it's a countdown. They most likely don't even know or care about the concept of a countdown at all. It's become a "rag" of sorts. This by no means discredits Ryan Seacrest in anyway! He is an amazing air talent, smart businessman and a great human being. Talent is subjective. Seacrest is an OK jock, but sometimes OK jocks who are really driven to have what they deem to be success up the corporate ladder is enough to convince the powers that be that he should have that job. His big break was hosting American Idol. It would make sense for premiere to consider him for the host at the point they were looking, especially with national TV visibility. He's worked to brand his image on TV and radio. I'm surprised the guy hasn't burned out yet quite frankly. Sometimes that's the cost of success. AT40 had to change. Casey doing LDD's was great, Shadoe, less so, but still acceptable, Seacrest with his smarmy delivery in some cases, just wouldn't cut it. While I don't necessarily agree with the music/celebrity focus, that's the trend for CHR for over a decade and works. It's being produced that way it should be. |
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