https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/ Copyright (c) 2006-2013 Web Wiz Forums - All Rights Reserved. Tue, 07 Apr 2026 12:44:34 +0000 Mon, 20 Nov 2023 06:58:07 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Web Wiz Forums 12.07 360 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/RSS_post_feed.asp?TID=10016 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum//images/Top-40-Music-on-CD-Forum-Logo.png https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/ https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10016&PID=64037&title=entire-year-or-decade-charts#64037 Author: Hykker
Subject: 10016
Posted: 20 November 2023 at 6:58am

mjb50 wrote: Right around the time the records were made & sold, sure, someone had that info. But I think most of those filing cabinets were emptied long ago... especially if any of it might be incriminating.

And let's not forget that the number of copies pressed/shipped does not always equal the number of copies sold. Lots of stuff went
into cutout bins, to salvage stores or into the dumpster.
I recall seeing ads in Billboard back in the early 70s for LPs I'd never even heard of that "shipped platinum".]]> Mon, 20 Nov 2023 06:58:07 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10016&PID=64037&title=entire-year-or-decade-charts#64037 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10016&PID=64035&title=entire-year-or-decade-charts#64035 Author: torcan
Subject: 10016
Posted: 19 November 2023 at 12:55pm

mjb50 wrote: torcan wrote: Just out of curiosity, didn't record companies keep records of how many singles (and albums) were pressed/shipped/sold? Ha. In 2006, an intern from Atlantic emailed me and asked if I could supply him with complete discographies of 12" singles released on Atlantic, Elektra, Warner Brothers, Tommy Boy, Cold Chillin' and Sugarhill. So no, I get the impression most labels were just living in the moment. Their job was to make and sell records, not help chart/discography nerds and librarians of the future. Right around the time the records were made & sold, sure, someone had that info. But I think most of those filing cabinets were emptied long ago... especially if any of it might be incriminating.

OK. Along the same lines, how exactly were gold and
platinum awards calculated? I know the record company
had to pay a fee and request the RIAA to audit the
numbers to determine if it actually sold 500,000 or
1,000,000 copies, right? Exactly what did they have to
submit?

Anyone know exactly how it worked?]]> Sun, 19 Nov 2023 12:55:07 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10016&PID=64035&title=entire-year-or-decade-charts#64035 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10016&PID=64033&title=entire-year-or-decade-charts#64033 Author: mjb50
Subject: 10016
Posted: 18 November 2023 at 8:10pm

torcan wrote: Just out of curiosity, didn't record companies keep records of how many singles (and albums) were pressed/shipped/sold?

Ha. In 2006, an intern from Atlantic emailed me and asked if I could supply him with complete discographies of 12" singles released on Atlantic, Elektra, Warner Brothers, Tommy Boy, Cold Chillin' and Sugarhill.

So no, I get the impression most labels were just living in the moment. Their job was to make and sell records, not help chart/discography nerds and librarians of the future.

Right around the time the records were made & sold, sure, someone had that info. But I think most of those filing cabinets were emptied long ago... especially if any of it might be incriminating.

Edited by mjb50]]> Sat, 18 Nov 2023 20:10:11 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10016&PID=64033&title=entire-year-or-decade-charts#64033 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10016&PID=64032&title=entire-year-or-decade-charts#64032 Author: torcan
Subject: 10016
Posted: 18 November 2023 at 6:53pm

Just out of curiosity, didn't record companies keep records
of how many singles (and albums) were pressed/shipped/sold?
That would be the true representation.

I always prefer to rank via "chart points" rather that just
peak position if true sales numbers weren't available, but
I guess if the companies did keep that info they'd probably
never release it publicly, would they?]]> Sat, 18 Nov 2023 18:53:32 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10016&PID=64032&title=entire-year-or-decade-charts#64032 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10016&PID=64031&title=entire-year-or-decade-charts#64031 Author: JMD1961
Subject: 10016
Posted: 18 November 2023 at 2:47am

Paul Haney wrote: This seems like a good time to mention that our next Record Research project will be an updated Pop Annual. We are talking about perhaps starting it in 1950 instead of 1955. It would go all the way thru 2023.

Count me in. I'd love to have the rest of the 50s added
to the book to round out the decade. ]]> Sat, 18 Nov 2023 02:47:41 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10016&PID=64031&title=entire-year-or-decade-charts#64031 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10016&PID=64024&title=entire-year-or-decade-charts#64024 Author: Paul Haney
Subject: 10016
Posted: 17 November 2023 at 11:10am

kingofskiffle wrote: That sounds like an excellent idea. Would starting in 1940 add too much to it? I can easily see that more pages does really add a lot to the size, but that may just be another 35 pages, assuming all those from Pop Hits 40-54 were included.

We're still talking it over. The 1940s really were a different animal than even the early 1950s with all the big band stuff.
And yes, page count is always an issue. Don't forget we're adding 7 years from 2017-2023 and I'm sure you know how many
charted songs there are per year in recent years.]]> Fri, 17 Nov 2023 11:10:11 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10016&PID=64024&title=entire-year-or-decade-charts#64024 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10016&PID=64023&title=entire-year-or-decade-charts#64023 Author: kingofskiffle
Subject: 10016
Posted: 17 November 2023 at 10:10am

That sounds like an excellent idea. Would starting in 1940 add too much to
it? I can easily see that more pages does really add a lot to the size, but that
may just be another 35 pages, assuming all those from Pop Hits 40-54
were included. ]]> Fri, 17 Nov 2023 10:10:23 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10016&PID=64023&title=entire-year-or-decade-charts#64023 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10016&PID=64022&title=entire-year-or-decade-charts#64022 Author: Paul Haney
Subject: 10016
Posted: 17 November 2023 at 6:37am

This seems like a good time to mention that our next Record Research project will be an updated Pop Annual. We are talking about perhaps starting it
in 1950 instead of 1955. It would go all the way thru 2023.]]> Fri, 17 Nov 2023 06:37:37 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10016&PID=64022&title=entire-year-or-decade-charts#64022 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10016&PID=64019&title=entire-year-or-decade-charts#64019 Author: NightAire
Subject: 10016
Posted: 16 November 2023 at 11:59pm

Paul, Aaron, PopArchivist, it appears my path forward is clear. :-)

Thank you so much for the advice! These publications look like they would be very helpful.]]> Thu, 16 Nov 2023 23:59:54 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10016&PID=64019&title=entire-year-or-decade-charts#64019 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10016&PID=64012&title=entire-year-or-decade-charts#64012 Author: PopArchivist
Subject: 10016
Posted: 16 November 2023 at 9:04am

aaronk wrote: Yes, the Pop Annual has been one of my go-to Record Research books for years.

This is the way.]]> Thu, 16 Nov 2023 09:04:07 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10016&PID=64012&title=entire-year-or-decade-charts#64012