billboard book of top 40 hits 10th

jebsib wrote: Paul, do you still research peak positions of the Hot 100 Airplay chart? The last time I recall seeing that data was as supplementary info for each applicable post-1984 title in the 2002 Top Pop Singles book. What with the varying and confusing ways they get songs on to the Hot 100 these days, the raw airplay stats might be interesting to include.

Nope. Had to give that up about 10 years ago when we had some serious staff cut-backs. In addition to working on the new books (the Cash Box and Record World books have been especially labor-intensive), I also have to keep up with the major weekly charts as well as several other duties around the office, including printing off internet orders, helping to answer the phone, filing, etc. Only so many hours in the day.

Paul Haney wrote: ...but seriously, I don't know how many younger folks even follow the charts anymore. I'm 48 years-old and I always felt like I was on the younger-end of the chart fanatic spectrum. I hope I'm wrong and that there's a new generation of chart watchers coming up, but I don't see a ton of evidence to support it (at least not in the numbers that grew-up in the heyday of Top 40 radio).

Do you think that's because the charts just aren't that interesting anymore? Songs are spending forever on the charts and many weeks go by where there's little movement in the top 10. Plus, album cuts can chart high and drop off a week or so later, so it's not as if a new 45 was speeding towards the top 10 that would be the next big hit.

What even is a single these days anyway? You can't buy them except for download, and I have no interest in that.

Plus, for most of us older folks on here (51), most of today's music is crap. There are a few needles in the haystack, but I can count on one hand the number of current CDs or LPs I buy in a given year. Most of what I get are older songs on 45 from record shows and online retailers.

Having said that, I still look at Billboard's Hot 100 online every week to keep up with what's on top. I stopped subscribing over 10 years ago.

It was more fun following the charts during the '70s and '80s.

The last Top Pop Singles book I bought was the 1999 edition, but I'm thinking of updating soon. I liked the Cashbox book!

Paul Haney wrote: Well Aaron, I certainly hope that our current customer base has a lot of years left in them yet!

Ha! Yes, I do, too! But it doesn't make your job any easier to sell books, because your current consumer base, as you stated, has no interest in newer charts. How many times can you re-hash or update the old charts to make a profitable book? Surely, that's the reason you've turned to researching Cash Box and Record World, but before long, you'll likely run out of non-Billboard, pre-1990s material to publish. Then what?

Oh, and I agree with others who have said that I LOVE what you and Record Research are doing to publish all of the chart information. For guys like us, your books are the music equivalent of the Bible.

Paul Haney wrote: I do check out some of the current chart discussion sites, but it seems like the same core group posting each and every week.

Boy, that sounds a lot like this discussion site :)