Remarkably, it is not just Her Maj's Diamond Jubilee in 2012 - today marks 60 years since the very first "official music chart" was published in the UK.
A helluva lot of water has passed under the bridge since those "innocent" days. I'm not quite sure what anyone in 1952 might have made of the likes of Rihanna, Nicki Minaj or Maroon 5... nor indeed what any of the benighted yoof of today would make of the records that made up that very first Top 5.
I know which selection I'd prefer!
5. Guy Mitchell:
4. Bing Crosby:
3. Nat King Cole:
2. Jo Stafford:
1. Al Martino:
I can hear you all singing along...
First ever chart
BBC Breakfast did the hard work for you - they had children aged about 8, and pensioners in their 70's listen to the Top 10 from 1952 and 2012, none of today's youngsters liked the 1952 chart, but most of the couples in their 70's liked Robbie Williams, Adele and one couple even liked Swedish House Mafia - it's got a good beat to it, I could dance to that…
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The idea of watching Breakfast television makes me feel quite queasy so, unsurprisingly, I missed this inciteful gem. Jx
DeleteConsidering that 2012 has to be one of the worst years in history of the UK singles chart, it seems rather odd that it is supposed to be the biggest sales year since the beginning!
ReplyDeleteConsidering that in what we consider the "heyday" of the charts - the 70s and 80s - proportionately a single would cost nowadays over a fiver, and now you can get MP3s for 99p, sales=volume, not value... Jx
DeleteThis is very true. Can't believe the state of the charts these days though, or the extremely low figures most albums end up selling. Such a shame.
ReplyDeleteI am confused how they calculate "album sales" these days as it is so rare for people to buy a whole set, if they have the choice to buy individual tracks separately... Jx
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