Monday, 26 May 2025

How do I know these chart acts: Part 4

I've now identified the 13 biggest chart acts who debuted prior to 1987 in terms of number of Top 40 hits whose music I never heard pre-internet. All of them have had 17 or more Top 40 hits but I came across the other 107 via other means. I'm going to keep on going with this, the ones I relied on the internet to hear are in red:

Max Bygraves: I tried to name a Max Bygraves record without looking but couldn't. All I know is he was a comedian who made novelty record mostly in the 50s. I can however establish a time when I first heard his music. Around 15 years ago I discovered a now defunct website called Chart Stats which had every weekly chart since it began in 1952. I thought I'd listen to every Top 40 hit ever starting at the beginning but I don't think I made it beyond 1953. Max Bygraves was in that first ever chart.

Fats Domino: I remember a friend playing me his music and calling it proper R&B.

Little Richard: I feel like I've always known "Tutti Frutti" and have a memory of hearing it when I was very young at a village fete but I already knew what it was and who it was by then.

Ricky Nelson: Remember "Hello Mary Lou" on an advert and learned some years later that it was written by Gene Pitney.

Bobby Darin: Have known "La Mer (Across The Sea)" for as long as I can remember.

Neil Sedaka: Remember "Oh Carol" from a young age, not sure when I learned it was Neil Sedaka but pretty sure it was before the internet.

Sandie Shaw: Countless BBC shows throughout my life have pointed out that "Puppet On A String" won Eurovision.

Barbra Streisand: Always known her as the one who sings the dreary songs from musicals.

Marvin Gaye: On his collaborations with Diana Ross which my mother used to play.

Aretha Franklin: My memory doesn't stretch as far back as "I Knew You Were Waiting" topping the charts but it was still being played regularly on the radio once my memories do begin.

Fleetwood Mac: In 1988 when "Everywhere" was in the Top 40.

John Lennon: He was on the Now Christmas Album and I learned to play "Imagine" on the piano when I had lessons.

Carpenters: First properly appeared on my radar when I heard the guitar solo on "Goodbye To Love".

Stylistics: My mother was a fan and played them at home.

Roxy Music: I definitely was still at school when I saw the video to "Jealous Guy" and remember thinking Bryan Ferry looked like a school headmaster in it.

Leo Sayer: I heard "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing" in the 90s thinking it was the Bee Gees but later discovered it was Leo Sayer.

Bob Marley: Heard the name before the music and when "Iron Lion Zion" charted in 1992 I finally heard one of his songs.

The Clash: When "Should I Stay Or Should I Go" topped the charts in 1991.

Elvis Costello: The first Elvis I'd heard of, "Oliver's Army" was played on the radio all the time.

Ultravox: Would have definitely heard "Vienna" pre-internet and the story of how it was denied number one by a novelty record.

Human League: Very difficult to not know "Don't You Want Me".

The Smiths: First heard the name when my guitar teacher told me they were his favourite band. Seen footage of "This Charming Man" on Top of the Pops many times.

Guy Mitchell: A bit like Max Bygraves he mostly did novelty records in the 50s and was in the first ever chart. Unlike Max Bygraves though he wasn't a comedian and had a couple of chart toppers that I would have listened to in the early days of YouTube.

Doris Day: Have known "Whatever Will Be" for as long as I can remember.

Winifred Atwell: Heard the name long before the internet but didn't hear any of her music until the early days of YouTube when I listened to her 2 chart toppers.

Frank Ifield: Don't think I even knew the name until I listened to his 4 chart toppers in the early days of the internet.

Bob Dylan: The first actual song I learned to play on the guitar was "Mr Tambourine Man".

The Sweet: "Ballroom Blitz" was played on the radio all the time.

Thin Lizzy: "The Boys Are Back In Town" appeared on the Gladiators in the early 90s but I already knew the song by that point but didn't know who it was by until later, though can't remember when.

Mud: "Lonely This Christmas" is on the Now Christmas Album and I've always known "Tiger Feet".

Bryan Ferry: "Let's Stick Together" was on Now 13.

Boney M: There was renewed interest in them in 1992 and a megamix made the Top 40.

Billy Joel: In 1989 when "We Didn't Start The Fire" charted.

Big Country: When "Republican Party Reptile" appeared on Pebble Mill in 1991, the song title stood out.

Style Council: "Groovin" used to get played a lot and I discovered it was the Style Council when I bought a compilation in 2001.

Paul Young: In 1991 when he charted with "Senza Una Donna".

Five Star: Caught the tail end of their Top 40 career though can't pinpoint any song, they still all merge into one today.

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