What's up with Casey Kasem/American Top 40/ etc etc?

[C hristian]

I grew up in the 80s listening to American Top 40 with Casey Kasem every sunday on WPRO out of Providence. Living on the Cape, how else was a 10 - 15 year old kid gonna access the wolrd of music? I didn't know any better way.

So driving through the Bronx last weekend at 2am, or at least 95 South's stretch of it, I scan the stations and low and behold, it's Casey counting them down! But WHAT is he counting down these days? IT used to be Bilboard's Hot 100 which used to be a semi-accurate (?) account of what was indeed, "hot" at the time.

But times have changed, and I don't think Billboard and Casey are 1 anymore. So what is he counting down exactly? Who is counting down Billboard's Hot 100, and which chart, these days is generally considered the authority? And is the authority still necessarily the most accurate?

Here's the top 40 from a few different places. Today's top 40 (Because we are all so damn out of touch with top 40!)


BTW Casey's favorite song is Rocket Man.
-------------------------------------
The Billboard Hot 100TM
Top 50 Positions /Issue Date: November 22, 2003


This
Week
Last
week
Weeks
on chart
"Title,"Artist
Imprint| Catalog No.| Promotion Label


Peak
Position
1
1
15
Baby Boy, Beyonce Featuring Sean Paul
Columbia| 76867*

1
2
2
12
Stand Up, Ludacris Featuring Shawnna
Disturbing Tha Peace/Def Jam South| 001183*| IDJMG

2
3
3
10
Holidae In, Chingy Featuring Ludacris & Snoop Dogg
Disturbing Tha Peace| 52816*| Capitol

3
4
4
16
Damn!, YoungBloodZ Featuring Lil Jon
So So Def| 52215*| Arista

4
5
13
6

Hey Ya!, OutKast
Arista| (B/W THE WAY YOU MOVE)*

5
6
5
13
Here Without You, 3 Doors Down
Republic/Universal| ALBUM CUT| UMRG

5
7
6
30
Get Low, Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz Featuring Ying Yang Twins
BME| 2377*| TVT

2
8
7
9
The Way You Move, OutKast Featuring Sleepy Brown
Arista| 54962*

7
9
11
14
Suga Suga, Baby Bash Featuring Frankie J
Universal| 001055| UMRG

9
10
12
14
Step In The Name Of Love, R. Kelly
Jive| 55572*

10
11
10
12
Walked Outta Heaven, Jagged Edge
Columbia| 76974

10
12
9
18
Why Don't You & I, Santana Featuring Alex Band Or Chad Kroeger
Arista| PROMO SINGLE OR ALBUM CUT

8
13
8
13
Rain On Me, Ashanti
Murder Inc./Def Jam| 001107*| IDJMG

7
14
14
22
Shake Ya Tailfeather, Nelly, P. Diddy & Murphy Lee
Bad Boy| SOUNDTRACK CUT| UMRG

1
15
15
28
Right Thurr, Chingy
Disturbing Tha Peace| 77995| Capitol

2
16
16
31
Headstrong, Trapt
Warner Bros.| ALBUM CUT

16
17
28
4
Stunt 101, G-Unit
G-Unit/Shady| 001601*| Interscope

17
18
19
7
Wat Da Hook Gon Be, Murphy Lee Featuring Jermaine Dupri
Fo' Reel/Universal| 001451*| UMRG

18
19
18
14
Harder To Breathe, Maroon5
Octone/J| ALBUM CUT| RMG

18
20
17
36
Unwell, matchbox twenty
Atlantic| ALBUM CUT

5
21
21
7
Stacy's Mom, Fountains Of Wayne
S-Curve| ALBUM CUT| EMC

21
22
22
14
Someday, Nickelback
Roadrunner| ALBUM CUT| IDJMG

22
23
23
9
Bright Lights, matchbox twenty
Atlantic| ALBUM CUT

23
24
24
17
So Far Away, Staind
Flip/Elektra| ALBUM CUT| EEG

24
25
36
8
Milkshake, Kelis
Star Trak| 54243*| Arista

25
26
27
4
It's My Life, No Doubt
Interscope| ALBUM CUT

26
27
39
6
Runnin (Dying To Live), Tupac Featuring The Notorious B.I.G.
Amaru| 001670*| Interscope

27
28
26
12
I Love This Bar, Toby Keith
DreamWorks (Nashville)| ALBUM CUT

26
29
31
10
White Flag, Dido
Arista| 56070*

29
30
34
8

Read Your Mind, Avant
Geffen| 001449

30
31
54
2
Change Clothes, Jay-Z
Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam| ALBUM CUT| IDJMG

31
32
29
6
Pass That Dutch, Missy Elliott
The Gold Mind/Elektra| 67506*| EEG

27
33
20
24
Into You, Fabolous Featuring Tamia Or Ashanti
Desert Storm/Elektra| 67452* OR ALBUM CUT| EEG

4
34
40
10
(There's Gotta Be) More To Life, Stacie Orrico
Forefront| 52925| Virgin

34
35
33
24
Where Is The Love?, Black Eyed Peas
A&M| 000714*| Interscope

8
36
30
15
Who Wouldn't Wanna Be Me, Keith Urban
Capitol (Nashville)| ALBUM CUT

30
37
63
2
You Don't Know My Name, Alicia Keys
J| ALBUM CUT| RMG

37
38
42
14
I Melt, Rascal Flatts
Lyric Street| ALBUM CUT

38
39
25
17
Can't Hold Us Down, Christina Aguilera Featuring Lil' Kim
RCA| 54526*| RMG

12
40
35
27
Calling All Angels, Train
Columbia| ALBUM CUT

19
41
49
10
Why Can't I, Liz Phair
Capitol| ALBUM CUT

41
42
41
35
Drift Away, Uncle Kracker Featuring Dobie Gray
Lava| ALBUM CUT

9
43
32
16
Can't Stop, Won't Stop, Young Gunz
Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam| ALBUM CUT| IDJMG

14
44
38
5
Me Against The Music, Britney Spears Featuring Madonna
Jive| 57304*

38
45
47
5
Clap Back, Ja Rule
Murder Inc./Def Jam| 001584*| IDJMG

45
46
44
27
Crazy In Love, Beyonce Featuring Jay-Z
Columbia| 79949*

1
47
48
12
Clubbin, Marques Houston Featuring Joe Budden & Pied Piper
T.U.G./Elektra| ALBUM CUT| EEG

39
48
52
13
Wave On Wave, Pat Green
Republic| ALBUM CUT| Universal South

48
49
59
4
Perfect, Simple Plan
Lava| ALBUM CUT

49
50
58
5
The First Cut Is The Deepest, Sheryl Crow
A&M| ALBUM CUT| Mercury/Interscope

50


© 2003 Billboard/VNU Business Media Inc., and Nielsen SoundScan

------------------------------------------

Radio & Records National Airplay©

Week Ending:11/14/2003

*


LW

TW

**
Artist*Title (Label)
Total Plays


1


Gerald Levert*U Got That Love (Call It A Night)(Elektra/EEG)
1122


2


R. Kelly*Step In The Name Of Love(Jive)
992


4


Kem*Love Calls(Motown/Universal)
924


3

4

Luther Vandross*Dance With My Father(J)
816


6


Dwele*Find A Way(Virgin)
804


5

6

Heather Headley*I Wish I Wasn't(RCA)
729


7


Aretha Franklin*Wonderful(Arista)
694


8


Smokie Norful*I Need You Now(EMI Gospel)
682


11


Anthony Hamilton*Comin' From Where I'm From(So So Def/Arista)
622


12


Joe*More & More(Jive)
599


9

11

Tamia*Officially Missing You(Elektra/EEG)
590


10

12

Javier*Crazy(Capitol)
516


14


Will Downing*A Million Ways(GRP/VMG)
492


13

14

Rhian Benson*Say How I Feel(DKG)
460


15


Jaheim*Backtight(Divine Mill/Warner Bros.)
443


17


Michael Jackson*One More Chance(Epic)
433


19


Ashanti*Rain On Me(Murder Inc./IDJMG)
392


16


Calvin Richardson*Keep On Pushin'(Hollywood)
380


20


Avant*Read Your Mind(Geffen)
362


22


Erykah Badu*Back In The Day(Motown)
349


21


Isley Brothers f/Ron Isley*Busted(DreamWorks)
338


24


Alicia Keys*You Don't Know My Name(J)
333


18

23

Floetry*Getting Late(DreamWorks)
330


29


Musiq*Forthenight(Def Soul/IDJMG)
247


23

25

Vivian Green*What Is Love?(Columbia)
224


¯


Luther Vandross*Think About You(J)
193


25

27

Manhattans*Turn Out The Stars(Love-Lee)
181


26

28

Stephanie Mills*Can't Let Him Go(J&M)
167


27

29

Earth, Wind & Fire*Hold Me(Kalimba)
160


28


Kem*Matter Of Time(Motown)
154


BACK TO TOP

Urban AC New & Active


Artist*Title(Label)
Plays

Stations

Adds


Freddie Jackson Natural Thang(Martland)
118

14

0


Van Hunt Seconds Of Pleasure(Capitol)
113

16

2


Al Green I Can't Stop(Blue Note/EMC)
110

13

1


Jagged Edge Walked Outta Heaven(Columbia)
95

5

1


Tony Rich Project Red Wine(Compendia)
88

8

0


BACK TO TOP

Urban AC Most Added©


Artist*Title(Label)
Adds


Alicia Keys* You Don't Know My Name (J)
31


Kindred The Family Soul* Stars (Hidden Beach)
11


Shirley Caesar f/Faith Evans* Hurting Woman (Word)
9


Luther Vandross* Think About You (J)
8


Michael Jackson* One More Chance (Epic)
5


BACK TO TOP

Urban AC Most Increased Plays


Artist*Title(Label)
Plays


Luther Vandross* Think About You (J)
+132


Dwele* Find A Way (Virgin)
+116


Musiq* Forthenight (Def Soul/IDJMG)
+109


Alicia Keys* You Don't Know My Name (J)
+104


Kem* Love Calls (Motown/Universal)
+96


BACK TO TOP

Urban AC Most Played Recurrents


Artist*Title(Label)
Plays


Jaheim* Put That Woman First (Divine Mill/Warner Bros.)
428


Kindred* Far Away (Epic)
334


Ruben Studdard* Superstar (J)
327


R. Kelly* I'll Never Leave (Jive)
299


Brian McKnight* Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda (Motown/Universal)
278


BACK TO TOP

Urban AC Going For Adds


Artist*Title(Label)


En Vogue* Losin' My Mind (33rd Street)

----------------------------------------------

[Martin Red]

Casey graemlins/rofl.gif he used to have that countdown chart broadcast in the UK late at night in the 80's.


is he still keeping the hair dye companies in buisness ?

[ngeso]

Casey Kasem ruled my world when i was twelve years old. American Top 40 was my door to the world at the time. my most vivid musical recollection stem from that time at the beginning of the 80's, when i was glued to my dad's hand-me-down radio. there are certain images and spaces, and unique patterns and tastes and views burnt into my mind, that link me to my early teenage years, that get triggered into lucid presence the moment one of those songs comes on.

case in point: ten days ago i'm strolling along the beach in Cuba some friends; suddenly - (mind you: Cuba equals salsa and son, right?) - i hear Tenille singing " ...do that to me one more time, once is never enough with a man like you...". i allmost keeled over! i am rushing up the dune and through the bushes to find out just where that is coming from! because my ass had just been dematerialized and teleported back to 1980, when Casey Kasem first "gave" me this song.

the first thing i did when i got back from Cuba is i ran to the record shop and bought a Best-Of-Captain & Tenille - CD.

peace. ngeso.

[C hristian]

ngeso. I know exactly what you mean! I have the same experiences! I started on it a year later, however. 1981. I followed Genius of Love- Tom Tom club's hit on the charts very closely, and then I just continued listening for the entire 80's. No, I stopped in highschool. So around 88 or 89.

Hair dye? You be the judge!

(misspelled as "heir die!" too much bush stuff on my mind!)

http://www.radiohof.org/cards/caseykasem.jpg

[ November 19, 2003, 08:20 AM: Message edited by: C hristian ]

[Andrew Osborne]

Back in the 70s I used to sit out in my dad's car on Sunday afternoons because that was the only radio powerful enough to get the American Top 40 signal from KNOX in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Some of the shows turn up on eBay on vinyl, the way they were distributed to the stations, and go for big money.

[MarkK]

Me too. I lived in Austria from 76 to 85 and kasem was my only link to American music. I listened to that show every damm week. For me big memories were things like Pink Floyd (Brick in the Wall), Jack and Diane, etc.



Originally posted by C hristian:
ngeso. I know exactly what you mean! I have the same experiences! I started on it a year later, however. 1981. I followed Genius of Love- Tom Tom club's hit on the charts very closely, and then I just continued listening for the entire 80's. No, I stopped in highschool. So around 88 or 89.

Hair dye? You be the judge!

(misspelled as "heir die!" too much bush stuff on my mind!)

http://www.radiohof.org/cards/caseykasem.jpg

[C hristian]

I'd sit in the car, late for church , in the parking lot. God himself did not come between me and Casey!

Another song I remember well on there was this new song by this "new" singer! Forget me Nots - Patrice R. !

[mercado]

...

[ November 19, 2003, 08:41 AM: Message edited by: mercado ]

[mercado]

Originally posted by mercado:
remember those teary eyed long -distance dedications? well...
http://www.negativland.com/audiogadgets.html
stream the radio edit...
beware coarse language

[C hristian]

Jack and Diane! I have doubles of that on vinyl!
I use it!

That was the summer of me at my GrandParents. 1983? Same summer of Elton John song...ummm, Motels, Steve Miller's Abracadabra...

(if memory serves me correctly)