Billboard magazine

Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis. Its most famous chart, the "Billboard Hot 100", ranks the top 100 songs regardless of genre and is frequently used as the standard measure for ranking songs in the United States. The "Billboard 200" survey is the corresponding chart for album sales.

History

When founded in 1894, Billboard magazine was originally concerned with carnival entertainment, but music coverage grew to the point that its earlier subjects were spun off into a separate journal in the 1950s.

Related Topics:
1894 - 1950s

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On January 4, 1936 Billboard magazine published its first music hit parade and on July 20, 1940 the first Music Popularity Chart was calculated. Since 1958 the Hot 100 has been published, combining single sales and radio airplay.

Related Topics:
January 4 - 1936 - Hit parade - July 20 - 1940 - 1958 - Hot 100 - Single - Airplay

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Radio countdown programs

For many years, the weekly syndicated radio program "American Top 40," hosted by Casey Kasem (1970 to August 1988 and the middle of 1998 to 2004) and Shadoe Stevens (August 1988 to Feb. 1994), played the top 40 songs on that Billboard chart in reverse order; in 2004, Kasem was replaced with American Idol host Ryan Seacrest.

Related Topics:
American Top 40 - Casey Kasem - Shadoe Stevens - Top 40 - 2004 - American Idol - Ryan Seacrest

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A country music version of "American Top 40" – called "American Country Countdown" – is hosted by radio personality Bob Kingsley, and has been on the air since 1973.

Related Topics:
American Top 40 - American Country Countdown - Bob Kingsley - 1973

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~