Post by doofus67 on Jan 1, 2022 18:56:47 GMT -5
CHART DATE: January 1
Welcome to phase four.
There's a multi-layered process to these projects. I thought this time I'd walk you through it.
I chose the time window of 1997 to 2004. My wife got me into this music, and '97 was the year we started dating. Also, I'm cutting back to eight years' worth of mischief to make it easier to keep up with the posting of the daily charts. We'll see how that works out, ha ha.
Around the end of June, the song selection stage was underway. Using fellow Milwaukeean Joel Whitburn's Top Country Songs 1944-2005, I did this alphabetically by artist name. It's always the most time-consuming part.
Of course, every tune needs a peak position. Along with it comes a "where" and a "when."
In a subjective way, I assign a peak range to each song -- #1, top 3, top 5, top 7, or top 10. Also time-consuming, but worth every minute. This takes care of the "where."
Next -- using a hidden gem exclusive to this Country phase, the Records & Charts Database -- I looked up all of the official Billboard peak dates, so I could better organize the songs chronologically.
Then it's time to type up my master list. It gets everything in order, year by year, broken down by peak date. This time it took up 21 pages, double spaced.
Out come the spiral notebook and the ruler -- full-blown old school here -- for the peak placement stage. Being a lefty, I use just the back side of each sheet, which will hold one month's worth of charts. The ruler is there to make it sort of neat, stray ink marks and all.
I do the peak placements using a mechanical pencil with a really good eraser. The master list is nothing more than a guide. The actual Fantasy peak dates end up reflecting a lot of tweaking on my part, for better flow and continuity. This takes care of the "when."
Now, if the whole Fantasy concept isn't weird enough, the next stage makes it super bat-poop weird.
I proceed to fill in the actual weekly positions -- backwards. That's starting at 12/25/04, song by song, working backwards from the peak position. At 1/4/97, I made a U-turn and worked forward, chart by chart, from the peak positions. Each song title is shortened to one or two words for space considerations.
When an individual top-ten chart has all ten notches accounted for, it's ready for posting. As of this writing, not all of the filling in is done. It will be.
Loads of fun, right? It's a chart hound's jigsaw puzzle!
At the risk of sounding "pitchy" (not offkey), I'll give you the link to the Records & Charts Database. Just so you know, there is a subscription fee for sustained "hunting."
racpro.com
Welcome to phase four.
There's a multi-layered process to these projects. I thought this time I'd walk you through it.
I chose the time window of 1997 to 2004. My wife got me into this music, and '97 was the year we started dating. Also, I'm cutting back to eight years' worth of mischief to make it easier to keep up with the posting of the daily charts. We'll see how that works out, ha ha.
Around the end of June, the song selection stage was underway. Using fellow Milwaukeean Joel Whitburn's Top Country Songs 1944-2005, I did this alphabetically by artist name. It's always the most time-consuming part.
Of course, every tune needs a peak position. Along with it comes a "where" and a "when."
In a subjective way, I assign a peak range to each song -- #1, top 3, top 5, top 7, or top 10. Also time-consuming, but worth every minute. This takes care of the "where."
Next -- using a hidden gem exclusive to this Country phase, the Records & Charts Database -- I looked up all of the official Billboard peak dates, so I could better organize the songs chronologically.
Then it's time to type up my master list. It gets everything in order, year by year, broken down by peak date. This time it took up 21 pages, double spaced.
Out come the spiral notebook and the ruler -- full-blown old school here -- for the peak placement stage. Being a lefty, I use just the back side of each sheet, which will hold one month's worth of charts. The ruler is there to make it sort of neat, stray ink marks and all.
I do the peak placements using a mechanical pencil with a really good eraser. The master list is nothing more than a guide. The actual Fantasy peak dates end up reflecting a lot of tweaking on my part, for better flow and continuity. This takes care of the "when."
Now, if the whole Fantasy concept isn't weird enough, the next stage makes it super bat-poop weird.
I proceed to fill in the actual weekly positions -- backwards. That's starting at 12/25/04, song by song, working backwards from the peak position. At 1/4/97, I made a U-turn and worked forward, chart by chart, from the peak positions. Each song title is shortened to one or two words for space considerations.
When an individual top-ten chart has all ten notches accounted for, it's ready for posting. As of this writing, not all of the filling in is done. It will be.
Loads of fun, right? It's a chart hound's jigsaw puzzle!
At the risk of sounding "pitchy" (not offkey), I'll give you the link to the Records & Charts Database. Just so you know, there is a subscription fee for sustained "hunting."
racpro.com
| TW | LW | Title and artist |
| 1 | 2 | WHAT DO YOU SAY...Reba McEntire |
| 2 | 1 | SHE THINKS MY TRACTOR'S SEXY...Kenny Chesney |
| 3 | 3 | POP A TOP...Alan Jackson |
| 4 | 4 | ALL THINGS CONSIDERED...Yankee Grey |
| 5 | 5 | BIG DEAL...LeAnn Rimes |
| 6 | 6 | BREATHE...Faith Hill |
| 7 | 8 | LIVE, LAUGH, LOVE...Clay Walker |
| 8 | 10 | COWBOY TAKE ME AWAY...The Dixie Chicks |
| 9 | --> | IT'S A LOVE THING...Keith Urban |
| 10 | --> | SMOKE RINGS IN THE DARK...Gary Allan |