"Top 40" Definition?

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   The database contents on this site appear to be slightly out of sync with one fairly standardized definition of "Top 40", i.e., as characterized by entry in the Top 40 "Billboard" Pop Music charts.

Am I off base, here?  Artists like John Valenti, Melba Montgomery, Marilyn Sellars, Travis Wammack (to name a few) do not turn up in a database search, and yet they were responsible for Pop Music Top 40 singles (as defined in this post). 

Thanks,

Ivan

Edited by Ivan

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Ivan Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 20 January 2006 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote Ivan Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: "Top 40" Definition? Posted: 20 January 2006 at 3:56pm
	The database contents on this site appear to be slightly out of sync with one fairly standardized definition of "Top 40", i.e., as characterized by entry in the Top 40 "Billboard" Pop Music charts. Am I off base, here? Artists like John Valenti, Melba Montgomery, Marilyn Sellars, Travis Wammack (to name a few) do not turn up in a database search, and yet they were responsible for Pop Music Top 40 singles (as defined in this post). Thanks, Ivan Edited by Ivan

Brian W. Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 13 October 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 37	Post Options Post Reply Quote Brian W. Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 20 January 2006 at 4:21pm
	I seem to recall that Pat's criteria, if I understand it correctly, is that it had to have made the top forty in BOTH Cash Box and Billboard. None of those songs (all of which just grazed Billboard's top forty) quite made the top forty in Cash Box. I have found exceptions -- Tiny Dancer is listed for Elton John, and it only made the Top 40 in Cash Box and Record World, but not in Billboard.

Ivan Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 20 January 2006 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote Ivan Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 20 January 2006 at 6:17pm
	Oh, okay... I see. Thanks so much for the response!

JMD1961 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 29 March 2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 13	Post Options Post Reply Quote JMD1961 Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 20 January 2006 at 8:21pm
	I think it's actually an average of a song's peak chart position on various charts. Let's use your example of Elton John's "Tiny Dancer". Billboard #41 Cash Box #29 Record World #32 Average #34 I could be wrong about this, but that was my understanding on what qualified a song for inclusion in the database.

Moderator Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Joined: 10 July 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote Moderator Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 21 January 2006 at 6:22am
	The example above is correct. Chart positions especially in the 50's and 60's were often "purchased" in one way or another and in my opinion, this is the best method of trying to filter out the "purchased" chart positions. As I mentioned several weeks ago, I will in time be expanding the database to include more titles. Pat
	Top 40 Music On Compact Disc Moderator