Best Year Ever!

[woolebull]

I am hating to think (and at the same time glad relieved) that the year 2024 is almost done. At the start of the year 2025, I have an early resolution!

Many of us are fortunate to have a whole year of countdowns. I am, for the first time, going to dedicate it hearing a whole year from the beginning of January to December and commenting on it. The fun is deciding what year. For me, I want it to be a "landmark" so the year needs to end in a 0 or a 5. 1975 is a no for me. Same with 1980...if I had thought about it last year, 1979 would have been perfect for me. Alas, I did not.

I "think" I am going 1985. I want to start the year with Jack Wagner and end it with Eddie Murphy both at or getting close to #2. How 1985 transformed from the beginning to the end has always intrigued me, specifically female artists like Amy Grant, Whitney Houston, and Kate Bush who all changed the game in their own amazing ways. 1990 is my favorite year for the top 40 but there is something about the entire year of 1985 that makes me happy. 1995 would be fun because I would switch through THREE different countdowns (AT through January, Dees through May, the Dees Urban countdown through the remainder of the year}. Unfortunately, that year gets old quick with the exception of that Fun Factory song that never hit the top 40 but was on the top 100 of the year lol. And I would never that song until week 51.

If you only could listen to one year of AT 40 (or any show) , which year would it be?

Edit: Never thought about it but was CT and Dees year end show the same for 1995? Wondering how Dees did it considering he changed it up like he did in June of 1995. Gotta check it out to see if that Fun Factory song is there.

[LC]

Nov 16, 2024 17:36:27 GMT -5 woolebull said:

If you only could listen to one year of AT 40, which year would it be?

For the 70s, it would be 1979, the year I discovered AT40.

For the 80s, probably 1981.

[mrjukebox]

I would choose 1970 which was the year "AT40" was launched-There was so much diversity as far as the music was concerned.

[woolebull]

Nov 16, 2024 18:18:29 GMT -5 mrjukebox said:

I would choose 1970 which was the year "AT40" was launched-There was so much diversity as far as the music was concerned.

1970 would be wild for sure...I hate that Casey didn't sign on until literally a half a year in, with no other shows that I know of doing a national top 40.

[woolebull]

Nov 16, 2024 18:02:56 GMT -5 LC said:

Nov 16, 2024 17:36:27 GMT -5 woolebull said:

If you only could listen to one year of AT 40, which year would it be?

For the 70s, it would be 1979, the year I discovered AT40.

For the 80s, probably 1981.

Yeah 1979 is one of my sweet spots as well, especially October 20 until the end of the year. And hearing "Sultans" in March of 79 in the top 10 certainly would be worth it.

[burcjm]

Nov 16, 2024 17:36:27 GMT -5 woolebull said:

Edit: Never thought about it but was CT and Dees year end show the same for 1995? Wondering how Dees did it considering he changed it up like he did in June of 1995. Gotta check it out to see if that Fun Factory song is there.

The last time the Rick Dees app featured a 1995 countdown the Fun Factory song was on it.

[woolebull]

"I Wanna B With U" spent a half a year or so in the top 40, so I am assuming it is the one you heard (In fact, as far as I know it is the longest running song on any CHR chart to not hit the top 20). "Close To You" never got higher than #46 on R and R, yet still finished in the top 100 for the year. And since it came out in March of 1995 or so, I don't think that was the song you heard. Why 1995 is fun: you could only listen to three strategically thought out shows for the year and a good chance you would hear 99 of the top 100 for the year. You also could listen to every one and still only hear 99 of the top 100 songs for the year.

[OnWithTheCountdown]

woolebull - 1985 is a great choice, and it is the only year in countdown history where every single show in every calendar date is a regular show; no specials, no year-end show - 52 regular ones, from 1/5 to 12/28. The 1985 year-end countdown aired on 1/4/1986, which was a frozen week in Billboard. I am going to be listening to 1985 as well, once I'm done with 1983-1984 (currently in late October).

I began my run with the first week of 1978 when I got the whole collection, and have been working my way through since. 🙂

You asked, if I could pick one year, what would it be? I'd go with 1984, which I'm most of the way through now. In June of that year, I discovered AT40, and it didn't take me long to get hooked. I spent the next several years listening whenever I could. I followed Casey over to CT40 (though I mostly listened to Shadoe in 1989, but drifted to Casey in 1990). But I'm partial to 1984 for that reason. The countdown giant was awakened. 😂 Even my birthday is a countdown.

I think I have Dees' year-end for 1995, so I'll look into it and see what the differences are between it and CT40's year-end.

[dth1971]

Nov 17, 2024 4:36:24 GMT -5 OnWithTheCountdown said:

woolebull - 1985 is a great choice, and it is the only year in countdown history where every single show in every calendar date is a regular show; no specials, no year-end show - 52 regular ones, from 1/5 to 12/28. The 1985 year-end countdown aired on 1/4/1986, which was a frozen week in Billboard. I am going to be listening to 1985 as well, once I'm done with 1983-1984 (currently in late October).

I began my run with the first week of 1978 when I got the whole collection, and have been working my way through since. 🙂

Don't forget 1985 had guest hosted AT40 shows - 6 with Charlie Van Dyke (The first 2 1985 shows in January 1985 had CVD guest hosting 2 weeks in a row) and 1 with Chuck Britton.

[OnWithTheCountdown]

🤦‍♂️

[woolebull]

Nov 17, 2024 4:36:24 GMT -5 OnWithTheCountdown said:

woolebull - 1985 is a great choice, and it is the only year in countdown history where every single show in every calendar date is a regular show; no specials, no year-end show - 52 regular ones, from 1/5 to 12/28. The 1985 year-end countdown aired on 1/4/1986, which was a frozen week in Billboard. I am going to be listening to 1985 as well, once I'm done with 1983-1984 (currently in late October).

I began my run with the first week of 1978 when I got the whole collection, and have been working my way through since. 🙂

You asked, if I could pick one year, what would it be? I'd go with 1984, which I'm most of the way through now. In June of that year, I discovered AT40, and it didn't take me long to get hooked. I spent the next several years listening whenever I could. I followed Casey over to CT40 (though I mostly listened to Shadoe in 1989, but drifted to Casey in 1990). But I'm partial to 1984 for that reason. The countdown giant was awakened. 😂 Even my birthday is a countdown.

I think I have Dees' year-end for 1995, so I'll look into it and see what the differences are between it and CT40's year-end.

1978 is where I start my rotation of shows as well! Though, I might have to go back a few weeks just to hear "Sentimental Lady" more!

My birthday was a countdown in 1984 as well! Unfortunately, the number one song is one of my least favorite songs..."Let's Hear It For The Boy".

And just looked up Dees year end countdown for 1995 and there is no Fun Factory at all! Of course, one of the reasons is that the one Fun Factory song that never made the top 40 I think was at something like #98 and he only counted down the top 95, but I could've sworn "I Wanna B With U" was like 85 for 1995 on CT. Quick glance: I am pretty sure they are different countdowns just because "I Believe" was #15 on Dees for the year and I know it was much higher on CT. I wanna say #4.

[dukelightning]

It's too much about pulling hairs to name one year. I have a pair of back to back years from AT40 1.0 and 2.0 that collectively are my fantastic four. 1978 and 1979 from 1.0 so I really enjoyed the last 2 weeks 70s shows, 2002 and 3 from CT40/2.0 Casey. Btw, I am not penalizing 1978 for the edits in the 3 hour shows. I go to YouTube anyway for those songs which is too much!

[chrislc]

1976. Happy vibes.

[johnnywest]

Nov 17, 2024 4:36:24 GMT -5 OnWithTheCountdown said:

I think I have Dees' year-end for 1995, so I'll look into it and see what the differences are between it and CT40's year-end.

From memory, I think the biggest difference was the #1 song. It was "I Know" in R&R/CT40 and "Kiss From A Rose" on Dees' show. And of course Dees started at #95 instead of #100.

[johnnywest]

For the 70s, I would do 1978.

For the 80s, 1984, 1983 or 1985.

For the 90s, 1990, 1994, 1995 or 1991.