The 50s was the decade I knew the least about, but it was made easier by lack of records in the charts i.e. it began as a Top 12 and was still just a Top 30 at the end of the decade. We also had many instances of the same song being recorded by different artists that made it easier.
When it became a Top 40 in the 60s it became more time consuming, it was still an era I didn't live through and more records were charting.
I could breath a sigh of relief once I got to 1976 thanks to the repeats of Top of the Pops giving me a good idea about what was going on in the charts at the time. I managed to get through the 80s quite quickly and the fact I've now reached years I actually remember is helping too.
However, the 90s is going to bring me a new challenge. Despite it being a decade I remember from beginning to end I can see it will be more time consuming for one reason, the number of records in the Top 40 goes through the roof this decade.
The above chart shows the number of Top 40 hits each year. I have coloured the 90s in red so you can see just how much it goes up by. By the end of 1957, the sixth year of the singles chart, the total number of records which had ever charted was less than the total number of Top 40 hits in 1997 alone.
Needless to say my 90s chart reviews will not be appearing every week, even every fortnight might be pushing it. It will be the same for the early 00s too, maybe by the time we get to 2008 where the number of record per year gets to the same level as the 80s I could potentially do it weekly.
By 2016 though we will be below 50s levels in terms of number of hits despite it still being a Top 40.
My next chart review post though will be a review of the 80s which I'll put up in around a week or so, but the 90s will come even if it takes a while.
No comments:
Post a Comment