Back in the 1960s, I listened to countdown shows on WMCA and WABC which of course were local. Very often records were hits nationally but did not chart in New York City. American Top 40 debuted nationally on July 4, 1970, and reported on the top 40 hits in Billboard magazine. I remember that day I had a date with a young lady from Coney Island. At that point, only 7 stations carried the show but over the years it grew by leaps and bounds. New York stations that carried it over the years include WNBC, WXLO, WPLJ, WPIX-FM, and Z-100. Some of my radio friends are big chart enthusiasts to this day, but I feel that if I liked a song I didn't about its chart positions. Most Sunday mornings I listen to a show from the 1970s or 1980s on the iHeart Radio app. Sadly so many people who worked on the show for years have passed away. These include:
- Casey Kasem
- Don Bustany
- Tom Rounds
- Ron Jacobs
So much has been written about the show, so instead of repeating it here, I will refer my readers to the following sites:
- NPR story on the 50th anniversary
- Zoom Meeting with Kerri Kasem, Guy Aoki, and others associated with the show
- Wikipedia Site
In radio, the music isn't everything. It is often what is said between the songs is more important. Casey Kasem was the best.
