BEATLEMANIA! Billboard, February 15, 1964The Beatles on Vee-Jay Records, 1964 (click image for largest view).
NEW YORK — Great Britain hasn’t been as influential in American affairs since 1775. The sensational impact of the Beatles on England’s former colonies has had the explosive effect of sending major and independent firms scrambling here for more and more British product. The bidding has been hard and heavy for hit English product, with the greatest emphasis going on the Liverpool sound trend, of course, but a good many other artists who have been in the upper end of the English charts have also come in for their share of attention.
The Beatles’ success has been significant on two levels, U.S. manufacturers note, with satisfaction, that not only is the current British Beatles hit, “I Want To Hold Your Hand” selling, but earlier material leased to other labels than Capitol, on Vee-Jay and Swan, is selling at a torrid pace as well. The single and album on MGM are a different case because that material was cut in Germany by DGG for its Polydor pop label.
The fact that the Swan and Vee-Jay records are selling now, after having been released with little or no impact on the market some months ago, indicates to many industry observers that Liverpool is ready to break as a full-fledged trend.
For this reason, labels that have been unsuccessful originally with Liverpool material are ready to go again with newer material, hoping that the public is ready to accept that sound. They are also hoping that the same retroactive Beatles effect sets in, and that records that originally bombed by these artists will become hits once the artists are established here.
“Hippy Hippy Shake,” Swinging Blue Jeans (Imperial Records 1964).(Click on image for largest view).
A quick check of the British charts show that a large percentage of hit British material has been picked up and issued here. Besides the Beatles on Capitol, Gerry and the Pacemakers have been issued on the Laurie label, the Dave Clark Five has appeared on Epic and the Searchers’ hit, “Needles And Pins” came out this past week on Kapp. The Fourmost’s new one, “I’m In Love,” also came out last week on the Atco label. The Shadows have appeared on the Atlantic label, and Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas have popped up on the Liberty label. Liberty is also preparing to release another big British hit,“Hippy Hippy Shake,” by the Swinging Blue Jeans. Other hit British artists like Cliff Richard (Epic), Kathy Kirby (London), Dusty Springfield (Philips), The Caravelles (Philips), Frank Ifield (Capitol and Vee-Jay) and many more has been issued in this country. Freddie and the Dreamers have been issued in this country on Capitol.
But the accent is on Liverpool sound, and there are some new British climbers that have not yet been issued here. Some of these are the Hollies (who record for EMI’s Parlophone), the Rolling Stones (who record for British’s Decca), and the Merseybeats (who records for the Philips subsidiary Fontana label). END
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(Information and news source: Billboard; February 15, 1964)
“NEEDLES AND PINS” * The Searchers * KAPP Records (January 7, 1964)
NEW YORK — President Lyndon B. Johnson visited here late last week but his arrival was overshadowed by the Beatles’ invasion. Few were aware of the President’s visit in their midst, but no one could miss the fact that Britain’s Beatles have descended upon the city. Radio, TV and all other communication media were filled with Beatle clamor. At Kennedy Airport here, Beatle greeters here began lining up at 4 a.m. Friday to await the group’s arrival that afternoon.
LBJ in a visit to New York, 1964
For the first time in disk history, a single attraction had five sides in the Hot 100 — all going up — plus three albums in the Top LP’s chart. RIAA already has certified the Capitol single already has a million seller, and the Capitol album as having sold more than 500,000 copies. The group, which was first introduced to U.S. television audiences on the Jack Parr Show via film a month ago, arrived here for its live TV debut on the Ed Sullivan Show, February 9. END
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(Information and news source: Billboard; February 15, 1964)
BEATLES FANS awaits to get a glimpse of the Liverpool group following their arrival at JFK Airport, New York City, February 7, 1964.
NEW YORK — The Beatles are hitting are hitting the gold disk route — again. Late last week Capitol Records asked the Record Industry Association of America for gold records award certifications on two albums, “Beatles ’65” and “The Beatles’ Story” and a single, “I Fell Fine.”
“The Beatles’ Story,” a two-disk LP, was released late-November and hit the 1,000,000 sales mark within the first week. “Beatles ’65” was released a week ago and has already scored over 1,000,000 copies in sales. The single, “I Feel Fine,” was released November 23 and Capitol reports 1,000,000 copies were sold immediately thereafter. END
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(Information and news source: Billboard; December 26, 1964)
BEATLES ’65 * Great New Hits By John, Paul, George, Ringo * CAPITOL (12/15/1964)
ANDY WILLIAMS’ YULE MARK; TOPS TWO CHARTS FOR CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY 1963
Andy Williams 1963(click image for larger view)
NEW YORK — Columbia’s Andy Williams gave the label a first place in both the singles and albums derby, according to Billboard’s special Christmas sales recap last week. For the first time in the Christmas listings, Williams scored with his “White Christmas” single and his “Andy Williams Christmas Album.”
In the album running, Columbia held the top position with eight of the 25 packages listed, including three in the top 10. RCA Victor took second-honors with four on the parent label and two others on its low-priced Camden line. Capitol placed third with three Christmas best sellers. On the charts with one album each were Decca, Mercury, 20th-Century Fox, London, Liberty, Philles, MGM and Argo.
In the singles area, Decca and Capitol tied with four listings each out of 16 records reported showing healthy sales on this week’s best-selling Christmas singles charts. Liberty placed two on the list (both by the Chipmunks) while Columbia, 20th-Century Fox, King, Mercury, Epic and Warner Brothers landed one each on the Billboard special Christmas list for 1963. END
CHRISTMAS TOP 10 ALBUMS
The Christmas Top 10 best-selling albums Billboard listed (from 25) for December 21, 1963:
No. 1: “Andy Williams Christmas Album,” Columbia; No. 2: “Sounds Of Christmas,” Johnny Mathis, Mercury; No. 3: “Little Drummer Boy,” Harry Simeone Chorale, 20th-Century Fox; No. 4: “This Christmas I Spent With You,” Robert Goulet, Columbia; No. 5: “Elvis Christmas Album,” Elvis Presley, RCA Victor. No. 6: “Merry Christmas,” Bing Crosby, Decca; No. 7: “Christmas Greetings From Mantovani and his Orchestra,” London; No. 8: “Merry Christmas,” Johnny Mathis, Columbia; No. 9: “Christmas With The Chipmunks, Vol. 2,” David Seville and the Chipmunks, Liberty; No. 10: “Christmas Song,” Nat King Cole, Capitol Records.
This Holiday Season
MCRFB is presenting “The Andy Williams Christmas Album” in its entirety from 1963. You will note the audio source is from the actual vinyl record album, clicks, pops and all, not from a CD. But the album’s high-fidelity audio source is outstanding.
Aside from his best-selling Christmas recordings, Andy Williams brought us some of the best in televised Christmas specials into our homes during the Christmas holiday season as well, for nearly five decades, singing praise with profound holiday spirit and Christmas joy.Andy Williams passed awayin September, 2012.
If only for a moment, in playing this album, imagine it’s Christmas-time 1963 once again. We hope this holiday album will take you back to a special time and place, to a memorable holiday seasons’ past we cherished with loved ones, our families, and with friends we were truly blessed having then when we first heard this beautiful Andy Williams yuletide recording for the very first time . . . . from a long time ago.
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(Information and news source: Billboard; December 21, 1963)
Have yourself a Merry, Merry Christmas. And to one and to all a good night.
From the Desk of Bill Gavin Billboard Contributing Editor
I N P A S T C O L U M N S I’ve referred occasionally to the tight playlist. As an observer of the radio scene, I’ve called attention to the prevailing practice among pop music radio stations of curtailing the number of records available for airplay. Every time I mention such a thing there is a certain backlash of disapproval, mainly from people in the record business. it seems to be a painful subject to them, and they’d prefer I didn’t mention it.
Unfortunately, the impression has been in created in some circles that I am an advocate of the tight playlist. Such is not the case. Facts are one thing, opinions are another. the fact is the tight playlist is being followed by a substantial number of pop format stations, many of which had made comfortable gains ratings and revenues. My opinion is that most of these gains are only an indirect or accidental result of the tight playlist.
A S H O R T E N E D P L A Y L I S T does not by itself automatically produce beneficial results, as not a few managers who have tried can testify. It simply guarantees that a record on the list is played more often. The tight list stage that we are passing through these days is just one more experimental step in the constant search for more effective programming.
I N T H E E A R L Y D A Y S of format radio, considerable importance was attached to the No. 1 record on the survey. The theory was that since this was the best selling record in town, it should be played more often. Some stations played it once an hour and even used elaborate production fanfare and jingles to announce that it was about to be played. In retrospect, it is easy to understand why this didn’t work very well. By the time it had reached it’s No. 1 eminence, following six or eight weeks of steady play, the record’s appeal had usually worn thin with a large share of the audience. With some listeners it has already become such an annoyance through countless repetitions that it turned out to be a tuneout factor. The next step was the requirement that at least three or four records out of the top 10 be played every hour. To the extent that this system brought increased exposure to a few of the fast rising newcomers, this was refreshing improvement. To the extent that it belabored the older hits that had past their peak, it compounded evils of boredom inherent in the hourly repetition of the No. 1 chart item.
Various new experiments in balance and frequency were made by individual stations. Some stations increased their surveys from 40 to 50 or 60 sides. Others increased the frequency with which picks might be played. Still others tried an increased emphasis on the top 40, drastically reducing the number of picks that could be played in any given hour or day. Out of all these experimental efforts there emerged no observable pattern of success. Some stations still did well, others failed, no matter what they tried. Looking back now, we can see that a few stations were fortunate in having disk jockeys who seemed to know which records their listeners wanted to hear, and so programmed them more often, regardless of chart position.
Billboard December 26, 1964
U N F O R T U N A T E L Y D I S C J O C K E Y S with this kind of awareness were (and are) extremely rare. Most deejays, when left to their own devices of 80 to 100 records, sought to relive the tedium of their jobs by selecting the greatest possible variety of available music. Such a tendency ignored the axioms of programming: there are a certain few records that most listeners want to hear considerably more often than any others, regardless what numbers they carry on the charts.
There is nothing about a short playlist that a skilled programmer can accomplish just as effectively — with a long one. The short list of some 30 hits plus 10 to 15 picks obviously includes all the top listener favorites, and its very shortness guarantees that each of them will be played every three hours, if not more often. As a result, it doesn’t make too much difference whether a disk jockey has his radar working or not. He doesn’t have to know which records are top listener favorites; he has to play the entire list on his show every day, and sometimes to repeat a good deal of it in a single shift.
The fact that the older hits are also played with approximately equal frequency apparently is less of a listener deterrent that it was in the days of No. 1 or top 10 overemphasis. Listeners who know that they will hear their favorites in any given three-hour period are seemingly willing to endure the old standards in anticipation of assured listener satisfaction. Of course, a shorter survey has the additional advantage of omitting the tiredness of the old hits that might otherwise increase the boredom hazard.
T H E R E A R E O B V I O U S disadvantages to the tight list, not the least of which is its rigidity being unadaptable to the changing audience structure at different times a day. Skilled programmers with a reasonable adequate playlist, are able to balance their shows in relation to the available audience. The tight list practically assures the same records at all times of day, every day of the week.
Such a policy assumes that these few records are the ones that most of the people want to hear at any time of the day, morning, noon or night. It works well in many cities, primarily because there is no better alternative available at the pop level. It will cease to work, in my opinion, against any enlightened competition that can make an effective programming adjustment to the changing characteristics and components of the radio audience throughout the broadcast day.
I P R E F E R T O regard the tight playlist craze as a temporary and short-lived phenomenon, vulnerable to a more intelligent policy that emphasizes greater awareness of audience structure and taste. The recipes for the early morning, midday and evening musical diets will contain most of the same essential hit ingredients. But the seasoning, as well as the service, will be somewhat different. END
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(Information and news source: Billboard; December 26, 1964)
RADIOS FM SALES BOOMING THANKS TO SIMULCAST FM STEREO PUSH
NEW YORK — Sales of FM stereo, already enjoying a healthy spurt, are expected to increase substantially, due in part to the Federal Communications Commission ruling affecting AM-FM simulcasting, according to William B. Keepin, manager of Norelco radio department at North American Philips Company, Inc., in New York.
1965 GE Table Radio AM-FM (Model C-596)(click on image 2x for largest detailed view).
The FCC has decreed that AM-FM stations in cities of more than 100,000 in population cannot simulcast in more than 50 per cent of the time as of January 1, 1967. It is felt this will result in greater programming variety. Keepin predicts 1967 sales will jump to near the 12 million mark. An estimated 34 million FM receivers are now being used in this country and the Norelco executive expects this figure to double in a few years.
“There are now more than 1,500 FM stations, representing more than 27 per cent of all radio stations,” said Keepin. “This marks a 70 per cent increase over the number in operation five years ago.”
Static-free reception, ability to reproduce the full range of audible sound and the increase of stereophonic (multiplex) programming are other factors cited in the growth of FM radio, according to Keepin.
EIA Sales Figures
Keepin estimates and enthusiasm for FM’s future is substantiated to some degree by figures recently released by the Electronic Industry Association. Cumulative distributor figures to date for 1966 now shoe FM radios at 2,593,358 or 37.0 per cent over the comparable figure of 1,892,324 last year. FM sales of 428,876 in September were 28.1 per cent over last September’s figures.
Other increases in radio distributor September sales were registered in home radios, a category including table, portable and clock sets, where the increase was 21.5 per cent over last September’s figures. Auto radios rose to 35.5 per cent for September but for the year the cumulative figure showed a 7.8 decline.
Console phonographs show a 15.6 increase in cumulative figures for 1966, while portable models, up 10.1 in September, remained even with last year’s cumulative figures: 2,354,844 to 2,387,478. Total 1966 phonograph sales are up 3.9 per cent cumulatively, according to September’s numbers for the year. END
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(Information and news source: Billboard; December 17, 1966)
RCA, COLPIX To Mark President Kennedy’s Death on Anniversary
NEW YORK — Two record companies will observe the first anniversary of the assassination of President Kennedy November 22 with special product marking the Dallas tragedy.
Bill Adler, author of ‘The Kennedy Wit.’
RCA Victor is releasing “The Kennedy Wit,” an album which captures the humor displayed by the late President during the 1960 campaign and during his abbreviated term in office.
Material was selected by the best-selling book of the same title by Bill Adler. Introduction is by Adlai Stevenson, and David Brinkley does the narration.
Colpix Records is re-releasing “Four Days That Shocked The World,”an album produced late last year and released earlier this year in association with United Press International. The actual voices and sounds of November 22-25, 1963, are taken from UPI tapes. A booklet, “The Murder Of The Young President,” written by UPI’s White House correspondent, Merriam Smith, accompanies the album. END
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(Information and news source: Billboard; November 14, 1964)
In commemorating the first anniversary of President Kennedy’s passing, ‘The Kennedy Wit‘ album was initially released, Saturday, November 21, 1964. (Click on both images 2x for large detailed view).
Beatles Off Billboard Chart; 1st Time Since January 18
NEW YORK — This is the first time since January 18 that the Beatles have not been represented on Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart. They broke unto the chart with their smash hit, “I Want To Hold Your Hand.”
The “Fab Four” circa 1964 (click on image for larger view).
Last week spelled the end of their chart streak when “Matchbox” dropped off the single chart.
The group’s peak was reached during Billboard’s April issue when 14 Beatles sides on five different labels were represented on the Hot 100.
Beatle records for Capitol of Canada during April 11 included, “Love Me Do,” “You Can’t Do That,” “Roll Over Beethoven,” “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “I Want To Hold Your Hand,” “I Saw Her Standing There,” ” All My Loving.”
Vee-Jay hits at the time were, “Thank You Girl,” “Do You Want To Know A Secret,” “From Me To You” and “Please, Please Me.”
Swan Records registered with “She Loves You,” and Tollie Records came up with two Beatle releases, “Twist And Shout” and “There’s A Place.” END
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(Information and news source: Billboard; November 7, 1964)
A MCRFB VIEWING TIP: To fully appreciate this Billboard Hot 100 April 11, 1964 chart feature — to enlarge this image FULL SCREEN — click on the image and open to second window. See ‘Original size: ‘1532 × 2103‘ at the top/left and click on that link for EXPANDED LARGEST VIEW (twice). Click image anytime to return to NORMAL image size. (Click your server’s back button to return to MCRFB main home page).
A MCRFB VIEWING TIP: To fully appreciate this Billboard Hot 100 November 7, 1964 chart feature — to enlarge this image FULL SCREEN — click on the image and open to second window. See ‘Original size: ‘1532 × 2103‘ at the top/left and click on that link for EXPANDED LARGEST VIEW (twice). Click image anytime to return to NORMAL image size. (Click your server’s back button to return to MCRFB main home page).
A Beatles Capitol Records ad spread. Billboard, April 11, 1964(click on image for largest view).
DETROIT — Veteran urban programmer and personality Jerry Boulding has joined the staff of WCHB/WJZZ here in the newly created position of operations manager.
“I’m looking forward to programming one of America’s premiere jazz stations, WJZZ, “ says Boulding, who adds that the station will retainits mass appeal jazz directionfor the time being. “I foresee no immediate changes there, but I think we’ve got some very exciting things planned for WCHB, one of the country’s first black-owned stations, in spite of the fact it’s on AM,” he says.
WJZZ switched to its current modern jazz format at some point in the early 1970s. The station was formerly WCHD-FM, Detroit. END
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(Information and news source: Billboard; March 12, 1983)
DETROIT (April 28, 1979) — WLBS-FM (Formerly WBRB-FM) in Detroit’s suburban Mt. Clemens, is planning to increase power from 17 kw to 45 kw for its new disco format. The station was recently acquired by New York-based Inner City Broadcasting, which also operates WBLS-FM New York. Billboard’s man in Detroit John Battaglia reports it has the following new on-air lineup: Keith Bell, from ABC’s WRIF-FM Detroit, from 6-10 a.m.; Pat Edwards, from WKLR-FM Toledo, from 10-2 a.m.; Brent Wilson, from WJZZ-FM Detroit, 2-7 p.m.; Jim Siciliano, from CJOM-FM Windsor, Ont., 7-midnight; and Tom Duggan, from WJZZ, midnight-6 a.m. Working weekends is Dennis Rice, from WWWW-FM Detroit. Edwards is also the music director and Wilson is the station’s program director. END
DETROIT (September 20, 1980) — WLBS-FM, Detroit’s Inner City Broadcasting outlet, collected well over 100,000 signatures for a giant get-well card to ailing comic Richard Pryor. END
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(Information and news source: Billboard Magazine. All excerpts culled as was first published from the dated editions as noted above)
From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1964
