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The Lost Art Of Radio Station Charts
They were an artifact from a very different time - when radio stations, especially those with a Top 40 format - used to release a weekly chart, usually to local record stores. Everyone here is well aware of the CHUM Chart, which started in 1957 and didn't stop publishing the weekly distributed one until April 26th, 1975. (For several years thereafter, it would appear in the Toronto Sun.)
Some of them have since become collectors' items, while others are just fondly remembered by those who were around back then. I still have quite a few CHUM Charts and even the first year of CKFH rankings. I'm still amazed by the work that went into them. Not only did they have to be distributred to stores across the city, but someone (or even some"ones") had to do the graphics, the pictures, the copy and the layout on a deadline every single week.
That's a lot of work for what was essentially a weekly throwaway.
I thought it might be fun to feature some of the lists from other stations in other cities you never got to see. We'll start with two places that could not be more different from each other, at least weatherwise - KINY and KSUP in Juneau, Alaska in 1986 and KGMQ in Honolulu, Hawaii back in December 1973. More in the coming weeks.
- mace
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In my humble opinion, the 1963-68 era of the top 50 CHUM Chart was extremely polished and professional. Far superior to what was issued weekly by monster top 40's WABC, WLS and WCFL. In addition to the top 50 tunes, they also had five hitbounds, top five from a previous year plus a quick biography on a current artist. The flip format chart used by CKLW, KHJ and CKFH gave you the top 30 tunes plus several hitbounds.
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mace wrote:
In my humble opinion, the 1963-68 era of the top 50 CHUM Chart was extremely polished and professional. Far superior to what was issued weekly by monster top 40's WABC, WLS and WCFL. In addition to the top 50 tunes, they also had five hitbounds, top five from a previous year plus a quick biography on a current artist. The flip format chart used by CKLW, KHJ and CKFH gave you the top 30 tunes plus several hitbounds.
Couldn't agree more. WABC, North America's most listened to radio station at the time. had a relatively unimpressive chart considering how big its success was.
Notice it only listed the Top 14 and a few extras, owing to 77's small playlist, the theory being one of the top songs should always be playing whenever you tune in. 
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Thread Starter- RadioActive
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In this continuing look at the days of radio charts, comes two great stations, both of whom used the same kind of style for a while. WRKO was once one of the biggest rock stations in Boston. And KHJ Los Angeles needs no introduction.
This Beantown edition is from this week in 1971.
The WRKO Chart underwent a number of noticeable changes over the years. Here's the same station, only in 1974
A year later, the chart format changed again.
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And by 1979, when listeners first began to abandon AM in earnest for FM, it underwent yet another alteration. 
WRKO was the only radio station that took out an ad in the Woodstock program in 1969.
Meanwhile, this KHJ Los Angeles edition is from Sept. 1970 and is equally colourful to the early RKO pamphlet.
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Thread Starter- mace
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Comparing the CHUM and KHJ charts, CCR and Edwin Starr held two of the top three positions on both charts. Interesting that Anne Murray's Snowbird climbed to #4 in LA. On CHUM Snowbird stalled at #13 and would start its decline the next week, Indiana Wants Me was aleady Top 10 on CHUM. It would not debut on the Hot 100 until September and peak at #5 in November.
- Shorty Wave
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Thanks for posting these charts RA, I could go over them all day! It is interesting to see the range of styles that were charting, from rock to pretty much bubblegum. I especially like it when there’s a song that I don’t know, often seek it out! Thanks again!
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Thanks for posting these charts RA, I could go over them all day! It is interesting to see the range of styles that were charting, from rock to pretty much bubblegum. I especially like it when there’s a song that I don’t know, often seek it out! Thanks again!
If you're looking for songs you don't know, this will provide a bonanza. These charts are from 2SM, a rock radio station in Sydney, Australia. What's fascinating about them is the number of songs by artists we never even heard of up here. (Or should that be Up Under?)
Like many former AM Top 40 outlets, it's now an all talk format.
We start with two weeks in November 1974:
Next comes March 1975:
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Thread Starter- paterson1
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Judging by these charts, Australian radio certainly supported local artists in the mid 70's. Many were not heard on this side of the world.
- RadioActive
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Judging by these charts, Australian radio certainly supported local artists in the mid 70's. Many were not heard on this side of the world.
Much like Canada, Australian radio stations must play a specified amount of Aussie artists. I think the rule is generally 25% for most formats, with 10% for ethnic or classical stations. I believe these edicts came into effect in 1969.
There is one big difference between us and them - they don't have the U.S. on their doorstep like we do, so they also don't have the influence that the giant market to our south does.
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Thread Starter- paterson1
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Judging by these charts, Australian radio certainly supported local artists in the mid 70's. Many were not heard on this side of the world.
Much like Canada, Australian radio stations must play a specified amount of Aussie artists. I think the rule is generally 25% for most formats, with 10% for ethnic or classical stations. I believe these edicts came into effect in 1969.
There is one big difference between us and them - they don't have the U.S. on their doorstep like we do, so they also don't have the influence that the giant market to our south does.
Maybe true, maybe not. The first music quotas in Australia began in 1942 with 2.5%. It was doubled to 5% in 1956, 10% in 1973 with a change that the song needed to be written and performed by an Australian, 1976 increased to 20% and today it is 25%. And a quarter of the songs must be from the past 12 months, assuming the stations format would allow this. However some or many of the large radio networks often do not meet the the guidelines. More recently there has been concern about the lack of Australian content on radio and the charts. Public broadcaster ABC has a 60% Australian music quota. Australian radio quotas: how did we get here? | Support Our Sound
I was also able to listen to some Australian stations and they were not geoblocked. iHeart stations have similiar websites as Canada. Pop / Top 40 Radio Stations from Australia. Listen Online
- paterson1
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Well looky here! Australia has brand spankin new radio codes for commercial broadcasters as of July 1st 2026. The CRTC should give this a look. Scanning over it briefly, looks reasonable. However Australia's music industry is not pleased. You can see the pdf of the radio codes with the pdf link at the bottom...Australia’s Music Industry Slams New Commercial Radio Code - Fonyeradionetwork
- RadioActive
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Speaking of Canadian and Australian content rules, here's a question that could only really be posed in the last year or so: is a song created using A.I. by someone in their respective countries count towards their content rules?
It's become a problem in the land Down Under and it just may be the first of many controversies using the technology.
"Late last month a producer and DJ called Needs No Sleep took to Instagram to describe AI-generated content as the “biggest issue in music right now”. He said he was speaking up because music produced by AI receives royalties each time it is streamed or played on the radio. Plus the work of artists, including Needs No Sleep, is used to train AI models.
“If this is the future of music production … then we really are cooked,” he said."
Is the most popular song played on Australian radio stations the product of generative AI?
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Thread Starter- RadioActive
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Everyone remembers the CHUM Chart and later, for a few short years, its CKFH counterpart.
But they weren't the only record listings in the province. Here's a look at some of the others that made the weekly record store rounds in Ontario.
HAMILTON
Perhaps the only CHUM competitor who went the distance. The CKOC Chart was available in the Steel City but was not widely available in Toronto.
KINGSTON
Now on FM, there was a time when CKLC-AM was the rock of Kingston.
OTTAWA
Now a talk station owned by Bell Media, CFRA was one of the rock stars of the Nation's Capital. 
LONDON
In its day, London was a thriving and terrific radio market, with CJBK and CKSL locked in a battle for Top 40 supremacy, until both were shut down by their respective owners. CFPL still survives as a talk station. A lot of future Toronto talent came from the town, which sadly is not quite the same without those two AM competitors hitting each other over the head. But it was great while it lasted. 
WINDSOR
The Big 8. What more is there to say?
SAULT STE. MARIE
The other 1050 in Ontario and its competitor.
ONE MORE FOR THE ROAD
Although CHUM and CKFH (and later CFTR) became the most listened to rockers in Toronto in the days AM ruled the roost, there was one last chart that was discontinued when the station changed format. But for several years, CKEY was CHUM's major competition, until it turned to a more adult easy listening station in the 60s. (And be sure to check out the major dig at CHUM in the bottom left part of the chart.).jpg)
(CKEY Chart courtesy Doug Thompson)
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