donkirkby/top40yearsago

Top 40 music history from 40 years ago.

top40yearsago's Issues

Wording for "peaked at"

When a song enters a range and peaks in the same week, I manually tweak the wording to combine the two. Automate the tweak.

2023-11-27 Crumblin Down

40 years ago this week, "Crumblin' Down" by #JohnCougarMellencamp entered the #Top10 and peaked at 9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PErUiAyVoGc #1980s #musichistory #musicvideo

Backfill old posts

The Twitter and Mastodon pages don't behave well on archive.org, so dump all the old Twitter posts into GitHub issues and close them.

2019-09-12 Ring My Bell

40 years ago this week, "Ring My Bell" by Anita Ward dropped out of the top 40. It peaked at number 1 on 7 Jul 1979. It was her only song to crack the top 40. https://youtube.com/watch?v=4_68RwJyzkA

2023-12-08 Church of the Poison Mind

40 years ago this week, "Church Of The Poison Mind" by #CultureClub entered the #Top10 at 10. It peaked at 10 on 03 Dec 1983. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVzAH0FtNwg #1980s #musichistory #musicvideo

2019-09-29 5:15

40 years ago this week, "5:15" by The Who reached 81. It would peak at 45 on 03 Nov 1979. I had forgotten The Who still had hits this late, but this was from the film, "Quadrophenia". The video is from a 2012 competition, and I think the ending is cute. https://youtube.com/watch?v=XC9YY1urT8Q

2019-09-21 Cars

40 years ago this week, "Cars" by Gary Numan drove to the top of the UK charts. It wouldn't enter the US charts until 6 Feb 1980, and it would peak at 9 on 7 Jun 1980. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ldyx3KHOFXw

2019-09-25 Good Times

40 years ago this week, "Good Times" by Chic dropped out of the top 10 to 11. It had peaked at 1 on 18 Aug 1979. I remember Chic more for their hit from 1978: "Le Freak". https://youtube.com/watch?v=humibwm_-8s

2019-10-06 Sad Eyes

40 years ago this week, "Sad Eyes" by Robert John reached the top of the chart. I don't love this song, but at least it knocked out "My Sharona". Slightly creepy video. https://youtube.com/watch?v=E4cSs3hD7Y0

2023-12-06 Rappin' Rodney

40 years ago this week, "Rappin' Rodney" by #RodneyDangerfield entered the #Top100 at 96. It peaked at 83 on 14 Jan 1984. Yes, this really happened, and yes, that was Pat Benatar. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWTKhQzQl1A #1980s #musichistory #musicvideo

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2019-09-09 Weird Al

40 years ago this month, "Weird Al" Yankovic recorded "My Balogna" in the men's bathroom across from the college radio office where he worked. It spoofed this week's top song and launched his career. https://youtube.com/watch?v=C4_G7HHJ0GE

2019-09-16 Sail On

40 years ago this week, Sail On by The Commodores entered the top 10 at 10. It would cruise to number 4 on 13 Oct 1979. https://youtube.com/watch?v=zg-ivWxy5KE

2023-12-01 Heart and Soul

40 years ago this week, "Heart And Soul" by #HueyLewis&TheNews entered the #Top10 and peaked at 8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TdaXhpjHws #1980s #musichistory #musicvideo

2023-12-04 I won't stand in your way

40 years ago this week, "I Won't Stand In Your Way" by #StrayCats entered the #Top40 at 39. It peaked at 35 on 17 Dec 1983. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1kUu3EkKMI #1980s #musichistory #musicvideo

2019-10-03 Goodbye Stranger

40 years ago this week, "Goodbye Stranger" by Supertramp dropped out of the top 40 to 49. It had peaked at 15 on 08 Sep 1979. It feels like this song has a story, I'm just not sure what it is. I think he's leaving. https://youtube.com/watch?v=9aykOwwRf-Q

2019-09-10 Spooky

40 years ago this week, "Spooky" by Atlanta Rhythm Section entered the top 40 at number 39. It would rise to number 17 on 13 Oct 1979, just a little early for Halloween. https://youtube.com/watch?v=cMAo0m4E4Lc

2023-12-27 Just One More Time

40 years ago this week, "Just One More Time" by #TheHeadpins entered the #Top100 at 89. It peaked at 70 on 04 Feb 1984. I always thought this was a Heart song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjIodztZ9c8 #1980s #musichistory #musicvideo

2019-09-22 Broken Hearted Me

40 years ago this week, "Broken Hearted Me" by Anne Murray added some Canadian content to the U.S. top 100 at number 76. It peaked at 12 on 01 Dec 1979. https://youtube.com/watch?v=5kUW0Dz0BEI

2019-09-27 Is She Really Going Out With Him?

40 years ago this week, "Is She Really Going Out With Him?" by Joe Jackson dropped out of the top 100. It had peaked at 21 on 18 Aug 1979. It was used in the 1998 comedy, "There's Something About Mary." https://youtube.com/watch?v=r8PScDbLdeQ

2023-12-20 Let's Pretend We're Married

40 years ago this week, "LET's PRETEND WE'rE MARRIED" by #Prince entered the #Top100 at 91. It peaked at 52 on 28 Jan 1984. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXkCtFo4ttI #1980s #musichistory #musicvideo

2023-12-15 Holiday

40 years ago this week, "Holiday" by #Madonna entered the #Top40 at 39. It peaked at 16 on 28 Jan 1984. Madonna's first hit, and the Thriller video's release are the peak 80s moment I was waiting for when I started Top 40 Years Ago in the fall of '79! "We have got to celebrate." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k85QBXZ1K-g #1980s #musichistory #musicvideo

2019-09-19 I Was Made For Lovin' You

40 years ago this week, "I Was Made For Lovin' You" by KISS dropped out of the top 100. It had peaked at 11 on 11 Aug 1979. I don't know what I can say about this video. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZhIsAZO5gl0

2019-09-20 Hell On Wheels

40 years ago this week, "Hell On Wheels" by Cher entered the top 100 at 81. It would roll on to number 59 by 13 Oct 1979. I don't remember this one, but the video is as wacky as yesterday's KISS video. I guess it's a trailer for the movie "Roller Boogie". https://youtube.com/watch?v=rW_kIlaU41Y

2019-09-14 Lonesome Loser

40 years ago this week, "Lonesome Loser" by Little River Band entered the top 10 at number 10. It peaked at number 6 on 29 Sep 1979. I had forgotten they were Australian. https://youtube.com/watch?v=tf-AmedKfRc

2019-10-02 Let's Go

40 years ago this week, "Let's Go" by The Cars dropped out of the top 40 to 62. It had peaked at 14 on 08 Sep 1979. https://youtube.com/watch?v=-gr4QhKt8XY

2019-09-23 Good Girls Don't

40 years ago this week, "Good Girls Don't" by The Knack entered the top 40 at 31. It peaked at 11 on 10 Nov 1979. I don't remember this song at all, but at least it wasn't as overplayed as "My Sharona", which was still the top song. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Sc4l5EpCMEc

2019-10-04 Message In A Bottle

40 years ago this week, "Message In A Bottle" by The Police was the top song in the UK. This was one of my favourite 80's bands, but not until their later albums. This video is showing hints of future greatness, but it's still mostly fake concert footage. https://youtube.com/watch?v=MbXWrmQW-OE

Combine new and old top songs

When a new song enters the top spot, I manually add the previous top song and list how many weeks it stayed there. Automate this combination.

2019-09-13 Mama Can't Buy You Love

40 years ago this week, "Mama Can't Buy You Love" by Elton John dropped out of the top 10. It peaked at number 9 on 25 Aug 1979. He had a few other hits. https://youtube.com/watch?v=jAhJ3VVGETE

2019-09-17 You Can't Change That

40 years ago this week, "You Can't Change That" by Raydio dropped out of the top 40. Raydio was started by Ray Parker Jr., who later had a solo hit with "Ghostbusters" in 1984. https://youtube.com/watch?v=4kxpsvW2gAE

2019-10-05 Please Don't Go

40 years ago this week, "Please Don't Go" by KC And The Sunshine Band entered the top 40 at 39. It went to 1 on 05 Jan 1980. This was their last song to chart after many hits, including "I'm Your Boogie Man" (1977) and "That's The Way (I Like It)" (1975) https://youtube.com/watch?v=1jLkbrAfz3Q

2023-12-25 Curly Shuffle

40 years ago this week, "The Curly Shuffle" by #JumpNTheSaddle entered the #Top40 at 32. It peaked at 15 on 21 Jan 1984. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKAfXdb5LsA #1980s #musichistory #musicvideo

2019-09-24 Rise

40 years ago this week, "Rise" by Herb Alpert entered the top 10 at 4. It would ascend to the top of the chart on 20 Oct 1979. Who are all those random people, and why are they following a guy with a trumpet down the beach? https://youtube.com/watch?v=ennMD1fPtXA

2019-09-26 Bad Girls

40 years ago this week, "Bad Girls" by Donna Summer dropped out of the top 40 to 52. It had peaked at 1 on 14 Jul 1979. I'm not sure where this video came from, but it might be a TV appearance edited to match the studio version of the song.

2023-12-29 Break My Stride

40 years ago this week, "Break My Stride" by #MatthewWilder entered the #Top10 at 10. It peaked at 5 on 21 Jan 1984. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cy46iOwWQiE #1980s #musichistory #musicvideo

2023-12-18 Gold

40 years ago this week, "Gold" by #SpandauBallet entered the #Top40 at 37. It peaked at 29 on 14 Jan 1984. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntG50eXbBtc #1980s #musichistory #musicvideo

2023-12-22 Twist of Fate

40 years ago this week, "Twist Of Fate" by #OliviaNewtonJohn entered the #Top10 at 9. It peaked at 5 on 07 Jan 1984. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-KdUAYZOf0 #1980s #musichistory #musicvideo

2019-09-30 Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough

40 years ago this week, "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough" by Michael Jackson entered the top 10 at 4, but it didn't stop until it got to number 1 on 13 Oct 1979. It's one of my favourite Michael Jackson songs, and a good way to get your relatives to dance. https://youtube.com/watch?v=yURRmWtbTbo

2019-09-07 My Sharona

40 years ago this week, "My Sharona" by The Knack was at the top of the Billboard Hot 100. https://youtube.com/watch?v=bbr60I0u2Ng

2019-09-28 Voulez-Vous

40 years ago this week, "Voulez-Vous" by ABBA dropped out of the top 100. It had peaked at 80 on 01 Sep 1979. So shiny! https://youtube.com/watch?v=X7DysvAykpQ

2019-10-01 Still

40 years ago this week, "Still" by The Commodores entered the top 100 at 68. It would peak at 1 on 17 Nov 1979. https://youtube.com/watch?v=aqS6LoBa_nQ

2019-09-08 We Don't Talk Anymore

40 years ago this week, "We Don't Talk Anymore" by Cliff Richard was at the top of the UK charts. It would peak at 7 in the US charts on 19 Jan 1980. I think I need more shiny shirts, even when I'm not performing on German television. https://youtube.com/watch?v=m8FCZ5x8Gpg

2019-09-15 The Rainbow Connection

40 years ago this week, "The Rainbow Connection" by Kermit The Frog (Jim Henson) entered the top 100 at 88. It would peak at 25 on 24 Nov 1979. At the time, muppets riding bicycles were the peak of movie magic.

2024-01-01 Michael Jackson 1983

40 years ago this week was a quiet week, so I'm posting my favourites from 1983.
My favourite artist of the year was #MichaelJackson, with "Beat It" & "Billie Jean", plus 2 duets with Paul McCartney. The "Thriller" video dropped, but the single will peak on the charts next year. My favourite of his videos last year was "Beat It". https://youtu.be/oRdxUFDoQe0?si=YD9euVQIiECK2edV #1980s #MusicHistory #MusicVideo #YearInReview

2023-11-29 The Flyer

40 years ago this week, "The Flyer" by #Saga entered the #Top100 at 82. It peaked at 79 on 03 Dec 1983. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eh7vumx1SA4 #1980s #musichistory #musicvideo

2019-09-18 Hot Stuff

40 years ago this week, "Hot Stuff" by Donna Summer dropped out of the top 100. It had peaked at number 1 on 2 Jun 1979. https://youtube.com/watch?v=AqS4aNi0HQY

2019-09-11 We Are Family

40 years ago this week, "We Are Family" by Sister Sledge dropped out of the top 100. It peaked at number 2 on 16 Jun 1979. Three of them look like they're having fun in this video. https://youtube.com/watch?v=uyGY2NfYpeE

2023-12-11 Say Say Say

40 years ago this week, "Say Say Say" by #PaulMcCartney and #MichaelJackson reached the top spot, replacing "All Night Long (All Night)" by #LionelRichie after 4 weeks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnFknaD9eWY #1980s #musichistory #musicvideo

2023-12-13 Union of the Snake

40 years ago this week, "Union Of The Snake" by #DuranDuran entered the #Top10 at 7. It peaked at 3 on 24 Dec 1983. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6p5Q6_JBes #1980s #musichistory #musicvideo