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July 27, 2022 7:45 am  #1


Anniversary Of Billboard Chart's First Ever #1 - Was It CanCon?

What was the first ever #1 song on the Billboard charts as we know it today? This is the anniversary of those rankings, the first one ever based solely on record sales instead of other criteria, a listing that would eventually spawn the radio show "American Top 40" and make a household name of Casey Kasem.

The tune dates back to July 27, 1940 and featured a very familiar artist: "I'll Never Smile Again" by Frank Sinatra. He was just on his way to becoming a legend and it helped send his career into the stratosphere. The song was composed by a Canadian woman, after the loss of her husband. So does that mean the very first Billboard #1 was CanCon? 

It probably wouldn't qualify under the MAPL rules, but it's certainly an intriguing thought!

Billboard’s First Retail No.1: Frank Sinatra Makes 1940 Chart History

 

July 27, 2022 8:50 am  #2


Re: Anniversary Of Billboard Chart's First Ever #1 - Was It CanCon?

Ruth Lowe is credited as the sole composer (the L&M of MAPL). Two points. This would qualify as CanCon under the current regulations.

 

 

July 27, 2022 11:09 am  #3


Re: Anniversary Of Billboard Chart's First Ever #1 - Was It CanCon?

Only one of the four MAPL points was required to qualify for anything recorded before
January 1972 when the Cancon regs first took effect.
Believe any of those songs still count. Easy Peasy for the Sinatra track.

 

July 27, 2022 12:28 pm  #4


Re: Anniversary Of Billboard Chart's First Ever #1 - Was It CanCon?

The Canadian content rules actually came into effect on January 18, 1971, but up until January 1972, recordings only had to meet one of the MAPL criteria. Any such recordings do indeed still qualify as Canadian content. 
https://radiowest.ca/forum/viewtopic.php?f=88&t=39502
https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/INFO_SHT/R1.htm

 

July 27, 2022 12:35 pm  #5


Re: Anniversary Of Billboard Chart's First Ever #1 - Was It CanCon?

Well, how 'bout that? There's a good bar bet for you sometime in the near future: What was the first Canadian content record to make it to #1 in on the modern day Billboard chart? I'm betting you'll win every time! 

     Thread Starter
 

July 27, 2022 12:57 pm  #6


Re: Anniversary Of Billboard Chart's First Ever #1 - Was It CanCon?

RadioActive wrote:

Well, how 'bout that? There's a good bar bet for you sometime in the near future: What was the first Canadian content record to make it to #1 in on the modern day Billboard chart? I'm betting you'll win every time! 

And if you are betting with non broadcast friends, they will likely say.."what's a Canadian content record..?"  

 

July 27, 2022 1:12 pm  #7


Re: Anniversary Of Billboard Chart's First Ever #1 - Was It CanCon?

You have non-broadcast friends? What's that like?

     Thread Starter
 

July 27, 2022 1:32 pm  #8


Re: Anniversary Of Billboard Chart's First Ever #1 - Was It CanCon?

RadioActive wrote:

You have non-broadcast friends? What's that like?

HAHAHAHA...good one RA..  The non-broadcast friends can be a lot of fun..

 

July 27, 2022 8:36 pm  #9


Re: Anniversary Of Billboard Chart's First Ever #1 - Was It CanCon?

Non broadcast friends. Does that mean only people who don't work in the industry or does it include radio geeks who are interested in ratings, format changes, talent layoff/firings etc.

 

July 27, 2022 8:44 pm  #10


Re: Anniversary Of Billboard Chart's First Ever #1 - Was It CanCon?

Lorne wrote:

The Canadian content rules actually came into effect on January 18, 1971, but up until January 1972, recordings only had to meet one of the MAPL criteria.

Guess I should have stopped here:
“Only one of the four MAPL points was required to qualify for anything recorded before
January 1972”
My “when the Cancon regs first took effect” was a general reference to the ‘era,’ not the
official start date.
Believe me, in Windsor at the time, we were very aware that we might find ourselves
about to compete with all that competition across the river with one hand behind our backs.
As it turned out, not so much. Prior to 1971, we had already learned with These Eyes by Guess Who
that we could break strong Canadian hits in the U.S., we were just going to need enough of them.

 

August 4, 2022 12:40 pm  #11


Re: Anniversary Of Billboard Chart's First Ever #1 - Was It CanCon?

Billboard has published 64 "facts" about the Hot 100 to celebrate the chart's 64th birthday.

Some interesting nuggets here for fans of Joel Whitburn's books (who also gets a mention in the article) including which Beatle wrote more #1s - Lennon or McCartney, how a Canadian wound up with the longest chart run in history (90 weeks with the same song!) and the oldest person to ever have a #1 song. 

Joel Whitburn would be proud.

64 Fun Facts From the Billboard Hot 100’s First 64 Years: From Ricky Nelson to Lizzo & More

     Thread Starter