Billboard Radio Monitor was a weekly music trade publication that followed the radio industry and tracked the monitoring of current songs by format, station and audience cumes. The magazine was a spinoff of Billboard magazine and was mostly available through subscription to people who work in the radio industry as well as music chart enthusiasts. It was developed in Columbia, Maryland, initially by Alan Smith and Jonas Cash, principals of the music company called AIR. AIR created music listening competitions for radio programmers in five different musical genres and were looking for a "qualifier" for the contests. The contests involved testing new songs' potential by having radio programmers listen to and respond to each song's hit potential using a national chart as the qualifier. After using Radio and Records chart for the first 10 years of the competition, AIR developed the BAM, and went into partnership with Billboard Magazine to produce and market the magazine. As members of the Board of Directors, the AIR principals continued to improve its features over the next eight years under the new name of Billboard Radio Monitor .
38-481: It started out in 1993 as one 8-page publication covering Top 40, Rhythm 40, Crossover, Urban, AC, Hot AC, Rock, Alternative and Country formats. Eventually, four different publications under the Airplay Monitor title appeared and became the #1 source of hit music information. They were combined in 2001 and later changed their name to Billboard Radio Monitor in 2003. On July 14, 2006, publication ceased and
76-461: A bi-annual Directory. R&R published its print edition from 1973 through August 4, 2006. Its weekly columns and features were intended to inform and educate the radio industry by each format, in addition to format-specific charts based on radio airplay. With the June 25, 1999, issue, the charts became populated by data from Mediabase , a company that monitors and tracks radio airplay in cities across
114-463: A rival station, KIQQ (now KKLQ ) over the playing of network commercials. (KIIS-FM re-obtained the rights to carry AT40 in 1988, after Shadoe Stevens took over as host.) Initially syndicated by United Stations , the show was initially heard on 10 stations, but expanded to 40 by the end of 1983. By the end of 1984, the show expanded to 275 stations in the United States, and 320 stations by
152-461: A take-off of comedian Joan Rivers. Other comedy routines were "Outrageous!" Facts (inspired by Lionel Richie's reaction to Prince at the 1985 American Music Awards), and "News of the Offbeat", a punchline gag introduced by Rick quoting from bizarre supermarket tabloid stories. Dees Sleaze, a jokey recycling of an item of Hollywood gossip, was often accompanied by the lisping voice of Rick's "boss" at
190-548: Is also heard on Dees's official website for listeners in the United States only. The Weekly Top 40 countdown is available in two versions: Hit Radio (for Top 40 stations), and Hot Adult (for Hot AC stations). A version for AC stations called Weekly Top 30 debuted in July 2009; it has since been cut to 20 songs. The Weekly Top 40 debuted in September 1983, after Rick's then-station, KIIS-FM , lost American Top 40 to
228-508: Is in line with VNU's strategy to further strengthen its services to the radio and record industries,” said Michael Marchesano, president and CEO of VNU Business Media and Nielsen Entertainment. “With the added resources of VNU, especially our music services, including the Billboard Information Group, Nielsen BDS, and Nielsen SoundScan, R&R will continue to grow as a vibrant brand.” With the purchase of R&R it
266-666: Is similar in context to the Inside the NBA segment E.J. 's Neat-O Stat of the Night , where it is known for its similar lack of continued sponsorship). In February 1985, Dees created and hosted a syndicated weekday music program for United Stations, American Music Magazine — the daily, hour-long program was similar to his countdown show, except that it played the "most requested songs", as phoned in by listeners to an 800 number hotline. The songs were not typically played in countdown fashion, but
304-1421: The Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 from the 1980s began airing on the TKO Radio Network in 2010 after a trial run on WQMA in Marks, Mississippi . A few stations under the "Gen X" moniker air old '90s versions of the countdown starting in summer of 2010. As of 2020, KZOY in Sioux Falls, South Dakota , WBAF in Barnesville, Georgia , WFXY in Middlesboro, Kentucky , WFHK in Pell City, Alabama , KXGL in Amarillo, Texas , KQEO in Idaho Falls, Idaho , WIGY-AM in Lewiston, Maine , WKVI in Knox, Indiana , WZON in Bangor, Maine , KWFM in Tucson, Arizona , and WBRX in Cresson, Pennsylvania are
342-647: The Weekly Top 40 for national syndication. In January 2000, Weekly Top 40 moved to Premiere Radio Networks (the same company that owned AT40 ) until 2005, when Dees left KIIS-FM and its owner Clear Channel Communications , which owned Premiere (Dees had apparently been passed over as Casey Kasem 's successor at AT40 in favor of current host Ryan Seacrest , which may have played a role in his departure). The Weekly Top 40 moved its distribution over to Dial Global from 2005 to 2008. It has been streamed on Dees's official website since 2006. From 2017, streaming
380-494: The Weekly Top 40 through the '80s and beyond included "talent booking agent" Bernie Shelley of "Possessive Artists" and his ditzy receptionist; countdown "technician" and wino Willard Wiseman; snide gossip columnist Groanin' Barrett; snappy workout guru Jane Fondle with her Radio Aerobics; call-in airhead John Revolting; salivating agony aunt "Crabby"; tittering sex therapist Dr. Rude (a spoof of popular radio and TV sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer (Dr. Ruth)); and "Joan's Clone",
418-522: The August 4, 2006 issue. From January 9, 1993, up until its last first-run show on January 28, 1995, American Top 40 used the Top 40 Mainstream chart as its main source. From 1995 to 1997 and from 2005 to present, Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 used said chart as its main source. Radio %26 Records Radio & Records ( R&R ) was a trade publication providing news and airplay information for
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#1732781126380456-485: The Billboard Information Group. Once the merger was completed both trades was relaunched on August 11 under the " R&R " name, which combined the features and format articles from the current R&R but continues to use the same BDS charts and format reporting panels that was featured in Radio Monitor , starting with the week ending August 6. The change also ended R&R' s partnership with Mediabase after
494-548: The Joan's Clone exclamations "Yuck!" and "She's a tramp!!". A contest (the Weekly Top 40 Challenge) and a pre-recorded interview ("special in-studio guest") were other enduring features that helped give Rick's show a younger more contemporary sound when compared to American Top 40. By 1985, the Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 could be heard on radio stations around the world as far away as New Zealand . After ABC Radio Networks pulled AT40 from American stations in July 1994, it picked up
532-444: The U.S. From 1987 to 2002 the magazine was owned by Westwood One , which collaborated with Radio & Records to use its charts and format editors for WWOne's syndicated radio programs. On July 6, 2006, VNU, the parent company of Billboard and its sister publication Billboard Radio Monitor , announced the acquisition of Radio & Records, and a month later on August 1, officially took over ownership. R&R then fell under
570-631: The chart are also used to factor in the main Billboard Hot 100 chart, as well as the Hot 100 Airplay , Pop 100 , Pop 100 Airplay , Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks and Hot Country Singles & Tracks music charts. At the start of Airplay Monitor's first issue on January 9, 1993, the publication was available in four editions, which would last until 2001, when they were consolidated into one publication as Airplay Monitor : On January 6, 2003, just ten years after its debut, Billboard renamed
608-648: The charts showing which records were played each week by leading radio stations. Prior to the merger, Radio & Records had used monitored charts and playlists from Mediabase . The format charts used during its run included CHR/Top 40, Rhythmic, Gospel, Urban, Country, Adult Contemporary, Rock, Christian, Latin and Smooth Jazz. In 2000 Radio & Records entered the Spanish music business purchasing weekly trade publication Radio Y Musica and Radio y Musica Convention from Alfredo Alonso . On June 3, 2009, R&R announced that they were immediately ceasing operations after
646-475: The following year. Part of the Weekly Top 40 ' s appeal in the '80s - and how it differentiated itself from the more sober AT40 - was Rick's colorful, signature use of goofy sound effects and comedy voices, often at the end of each segment before commercial breaks . The voice impressions were by Rick and his wife Julie (a voice actor ) as well as other mimics, and included characters imported from Rick's popular morning show on KIIS-FM. Characters heard on
684-418: The fragmentation of music formats, the need for a magazine that would focus on one format would come to the forefront. That move resulted in the spinoff of Airplay Monitor , a publication that would the monitor songs or tracks being played on radio station by the number of spins, which in turn are added and tabulated to the corresponding chart the station reports to. The charts and the number of spins featured on
722-550: The franchise, including "The Daily Dees", "Rick Dees 80s and 8", "Rick Dees 90s at 9", repeats of past editions of "Weekly Top 40", and the "Teen Top 20 with Kevin Dees". On October 25, 2012, it was announced that Dees Entertainment properties switched syndication again to the Compass Media Networks radio network. In early 2017, for unknown reasons, both the Weekly Top 40 Hot AC and CHR charts were removed from
760-653: The iconic Radio Nova and Energy 103 radio stations that broadcast from Dublin in the 1980s, both owned by radio entrepreneur Chris Cary . Occasionally, select songs (mostly in the hip-hop/rap genre at the request of Hot AC-leaning affiliates) would be omitted and "replaced" by those peaking under the top 40 on whatever chart source at the time. Notable “replacements” have included " El Baile Del Gorilla " by Melody , "Shot of Laughter" by Sugar Ray , "Vamos al Mundial" by Jennifer Peña , " Word Up! " by Korn and " Work " by Jimmy Eat World , all of which never charted on Radio & Records CHR/Pop chart (the show’s chart source at
798-422: The most requested was always played at the end of the show. As with most syndicated radio programs, the shows were distributed to radio stations in collector-type boxes—which has been most helpful in keeping the shows in good condition for collectors—by United Stations Programming Network on five LPs, one for each day of the week. Each week's box of LPs typically contained two promo spots: one for weekdays and one for
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#1732781126380836-607: The only notable stations to air reruns of the 1980s versions. Recently the AC version of the countdown was shortened to the Weekly Top 20 . On February 1, 2011, it was announced that the Weekly Top 40 franchise switched syndication to the Westwood One radio network (former syndicator for Casey's Top 40 ), returning to Dial Global after the latter merged in October 2011. The new syndication deal included additional programming in
874-525: The operations of the Billboard Information Group. On July 12, 2006, VNU announced that Radio & Records and Billboard Radio Monitor would be integrated into one publication called R&R. The new R&R published charts based on Nielsen BDS data. Both Billboard Radio Monitor and R&R ceased publication as separate trades, with Monitor issuing its last edition on July 14, 2006 after 13 years, and R&R ending their 33-year run as an independent trade with its August 4, 2006 edition. Radio & Records
912-488: The parent company of Billboard Radio Monitor , announced the acquisition of Radio & Records ( R&R ),which became a part of the Billboard Information Group a month later on August 1. R&R had been considered a rival to Billboard and BRM for more than 33 years (since 1973, the year R&R started) and like BRM also used radio airplay to determine chart activity. In a statement on both R&R and Billboard Radio Monitor' s websites: “This acquisition
950-450: The publication Billboard Radio Monitor . The change was to reflect to growing landscape of the radio industry as it began to incorporate more articles involving programmers, markets, formats and artists into the magazine. They also expanded the number of format airplay panels as well and in 2004 became the first music trade to include satellite and audio networks in its reporting panels. The monitored radio panels are: On July 6, 2006, VNU,
988-425: The radio and music industries. It started as an independent trade from 1973 to 2006 until VNU Media took over in 2006 and became a relaunched sister trade to Billboard , until its final issue in 2009. The company was founded in 1973 and published its first issue on October 5 of that year. Founders included Bob Wilson and Robert Kardashian . The publication was issued in a weekly print edition, and it also issued
1026-773: The radio station. In the '80s, the countdown would open with John Williams 's theme to the 1978 film Superman , with Dees reciting an alternative version of the classic Adventures of Superman opening narration: "...and who, disguised as Rick Dees, mild-mannered disc jockey, fights a never-ending battle for truth, justice, and the pursuit of loose women." By 1988 the show's IDs included voice impressions of former hit songs (early examples were Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors", Michael Jackson's "The Way You Make Me Feel", George Michael's "Faith", and 'Need You Tonight" by INXS). Other commonly heard sound effects were Little Richard's throaty belly laugh, Michael Jackson's falsetto squeal, James Brown's lines "Believe me that's bad" and "I feel good", and
1064-412: The release of the June 5 issue. Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 (sometimes known as The Weekly Top 40 ) is an internationally syndicated radio program created and hosted by American radio personality Rick Dees . It is currently heard on over 200 radio stations worldwide. It is distributed domestically by Compass Media Networks and internationally by Radio Express . It
1102-705: The rick.com website. The show is no longer available in the United Kingdom and Ireland, but in the 1980s and 1990s it aired on Northsound and West Sound as part of the Nova Night Network , Metro Radio and TFM , City FM , Aire FM , Pennine Radio and its successor The Pulse of West Yorkshire , Viking FM , Hallam FM , Mercia FM , Buzz FM , Kix 96 , Cool FM and also Downtown Radio , Trent FM , Power FM , SGR FM and 98FM in Dublin. In December 2023, Rick Dees' Weekly Top 40
1140-406: The show. Guests included Patrick Swayze, Milli Vanilli, Jon Provost of Lassie , Cher's mother, etc. At the end of 1988, Dees left the program and was replaced by Bruce Vidal, who regularly subbed for Dees on his countdown show. Around this time, stations could play the program an hour a day on weekdays, or, for weekend airplay, as a single five-hour block, or as a two-hour and a three-hour block. It
1178-534: The song’s title/artist (done usually before the first song played after a commercial break). Additionally, most of the time, Dees would edit charted songs to include altered lyrics that were usually comedic in nature (by Dees and his staff), these edits are sometimes known as the "Countdown Mix". A running joke also occurs during the Weekly Top 40 Challenge, whenever it has a sponsor for that week, Dees would precede it by saying "because this show has no budget!" (This
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1216-421: The time). Also, Dees would often skip charted songs by just announcing their chart status (mainly older songs) due to time constraints. Additionally, Latin music was sometimes used as Sure Shots or charted songs solely for that week (usually to replace an outgoing hip-hop/rap song). Before introducing a song on a chart, Dees would often play a montage (other songs, soundbites from films/TV shows, etc.) related to
1254-486: The weekends. The show was produced in a "faux-live" style. Dees encouraged callers to "call in" to the show, and often pre-recorded calls and caller montages aired as though listeners were actually calling in at the time of broadcast, even though these shows were recorded and distributed to stations at least a week ahead of the air date. Often these shows featured celebrity guests (either call-in or in-studio) who were promoting events, movies, TV shows or albums un-related to
1292-552: Was announced on July 12, 2006, that their operations were integrated into R&R after the transition was completed, since both BRM and R&R' s charts and radio reporting panels were identical to each other, thus resulting in Billboard Radio Monitor ceasing publication with its July 14 issue. However they continued issuing weekly charts and report on radio industry news online during the turnover, as R&R started integrating their articles and columns into
1330-399: Was limited to listeners in the United States with a smartphone app installed; previously it had been available internationally, and was able to be streamed directly from the rick.com website. In January 2009, Dees and the Weekly Top 40 returned to ABC Radio, which has since been acquired by Citadel Broadcasting , with ABC Radio's programming division renamed as Citadel Media . Reruns of
1368-520: Was once again broadcast in Ireland, on Classic Hits 80s , a temporary radio station licensed by the Irish regulator Coimisiún na Meán to broadcast on FM to the four main cities in Ireland for 30 days. The temporary station was run by multicity broadcaster Ireland's Classic Hits Radio . Rick Dees' Weekly Top 40 was broadcast each day on the new station, evoking fond memories in Ireland of the show's run on
1406-449: Was relaunched as a magazine under new owners VNU Media on August 11, 2006, as R&R . The company, which has since changed its name to The Nielsen Company, currently publishes 6 daily email publications, 35 weekly email publications, and 4 websites, each serving segments of the radio and records industries. Like Billboard , which is also owned by VNU Media, Radio & Records used data from Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems to develop
1444-582: Was relaunched under the Radio & Records banner on August 11, 2006. The move was a result of a merger between the current R&R and Radio Monitor after VNU Media acquired R&R on July 6, 2006. The relaunched R&R would later cease publication on June 5, 2009. Prior to 1993, the radio stations playlists and radio music charts were featured in Billboard. But with the addition of monitored airplay from Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems in 1990 and
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