Description
Presents Top 20 music charts for the period and data on each song. Numerical chart ratings are approximate, based on sources that largely contained only prose or qualitative information about the songs of the day. Section I is an index of charted songs, and Section II contains month-by-month song charts. Section III breaks monthly charts into semi-monthly intervals and shows the chart activity of songs from a more detailed viewpoint. Section IV contains complete details for every song mentioned, with information on title, rank for the year, publisher at the time of popularity, publication date, and the month, year, and rank when peak popularity was attained, plus writers of the song and artists connected with the song, and shows or movies in which the song was featured. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
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This valuable reference work's principle feature is 600 monthly popularity charts that document January 1900 through December 1949. Gardner then displays these charts in a spreadsheet format so the reader can see how each song rose and fell during its period of popularity and how it compared with the other competing songs of its day. The remaining section contains a massive and comprehensive encyclopedia of all charted songs, including chart highlights, writers, shows, movies, records, and principal artists. An easy-to-read alphabetical index of song titles eliminates confusion from duplicated song titles or when a song re-charted as a revival or remake. Gardner's research reveals that music periodicals of the day tell a very different story from what has been, until now, recorded history. For example, contrary to popular belief, some enduring standards such as "St Louis Blues" and "Star Dust" never became big chart "hits," and some songs, enormously popular in their time, receive only scant mention in previously issued music history books and encyclopedias. Section 1: Alphabetical Index of Charted SongsSection 2: Monthly Top-20 Song ChartsSection 3: Semi-Monthly Top-20 Songs SpreadsheetsSection 4: Encyclopedia of Charted Songs
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