As The Numbers Get Smaller, The Hits Get Bigger

Most weekends I enjoy listening to rebroadcasts of the old Casey Kasem hosted American Top 40 shows on the radio. Satcaster XM airs episodes from the 70s on Saturdays and 80s countdowns on Sundays.  Yesterday I also stumbled upon a show from February 1978 on terrestrial radio too, on Seattle's B97.3.

I thought it would be interesting to get your vote on which survey from this week of the year in the last five decades has the "best" Top 10, whatever you interpret that to mean. It can be the one with the most songs you like. Or the list with the most songs you consider that are classics, that stand the test of time.  Or the list that is the most fun or best captures the era. It's not scientific but I enjoy lists (Hello, Aspergers!) and seeing some of these titles jogs some fun memories too.

   
Week ending February 10, 1968

10. Bend Me, Shape Me
American Breed
9.  Woman Woman
Gary Puckett & Union Gap   
8.  Nobody But Me
Human Beinz
7. Goin' Out Of My Head/
      Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You
Lettermen
6. I Wish It Would Rain
Temptations
5. Chain Of Fools
Aretha Franklin
4. Judy In Disguise
John Fred & Playboy Band
3. Spooky
Classics IV
2. Green Tambourine
Lemon Pipers
1. Love Is Blue
Paul Mauriat


Week ending February 11, 1978

10.How Deep Is Your Love
Bee Gees
9. Dance, Dance, Dance
Chic
8. Emotion
Samantha Sang
7. Baby Come Back
Player
6. Sometimes When We Touch
Dan Hill
5. Just The Way You Are
Billy Joel
4. We Are The Champions
Queen
3. Love Is Thicker Than Water
Andy Gibb
2. Short People
Randy  Newman
1. Stayin' Alive
Bee Gees


Week ending February 13, 1988

10. She's Like The Wind
Patrick Swayze
9.  Don't Shed A Tear
Paul  Carrack
8.  Say You Will
Foreigner
7.  Hazy Shade Of Winter
Bangles
6. Need You Tonight
Inxs
5.  What Have I Done To Deserve This
Pet Shop Boys
4.  Hungry Eyes
Eric Carmen
3.  I Want To Be Your Man
Roger
2.  Seasons Change
Expose
1.  Could've Been
Tiffany



Week ending February  14, 1998

10. Dangerous
Busta Rhymes
9.  How's It Going to Be
Third Eye Blind
8.  No, No, No
Destiny's Child
7.  A Song For Mama
Boyz II Men
6.  I Don't Ever Want To See You Again
Uncle Sam*
5.  Been Around The World
Puff Daddy
4.  Truly, Madly, Deeply
Savage Garden
3.  How Do I Live
LeeAnn Rimes
2.  Together Again
Janet Jackson
1.  Nice And Slow
Usher

Week ending February  12, 2008

10. Take You There
Sean Kingston
9.  New Soul
Yael Naim
8.  Sensual Seduction
Snoop Dogg
7.  Clumsy
Fergie
6.  Love Song
Sarah Bareilles
5.  No One
Alicia Keys
4.  Apologize
Timbaland & One Republic   
3.  Don't Stop The Music
Rihanna
2.  With You
Chris Brown
1.   Low
Flo Rida & T-Pain

So who wins, readers? Which decade has the "best" Top 10?

 

* Has anyone heard of this song? I sure haven't.

Comments

[Tracy]

68

[Emily Alexis]

That Uncle Sam song is a ridiculous R&B song about this guy who finds a letter written by his best friend all about how he's cheating with his girl. Its pretty bad. However, I do still favor 1998 because thats the year I graduated high school, and those songs have some fun memories.

[HeatherMichelle]

I am torn between 1978 and 1988. I would usually say that I hate 70's music and that I am an 80's child but that 70's list has quite a few of the songs I did like from the 70's while the 80's list has quite a few songs for which “hate” is too light a word. I abhor those Expose and Eric Carmen songs. And don’t get me started on the 2008 list. That is crap.

Thanks, Bean, for making me question my musical taste.

[Fleiter]

68

[steven]

I think it's kind of sad that the last "Rock" song to chart during this week in the last few decades is "How's it going to be" by Third Eye Blind.

[iheartbean]

I favor the 1978 list. I was 11 months old when that list came out, but I love it. Billy Joel is my favorite artist of all time. Love the BeeGees too. I don't recognize the Uncle Sam song either.

[bruin]

Gotta go with 78, I hated disco as a teen but the 80's/90's/00's pop music is crap. At least the 70's songs have a kitsch quality to them. Bean, haven't heard anything new about Andy Gibb lately. Anything new on the horizon?

[Lynn]

Boy, I must be old, but then again I've been listening to XXXX when it first came on in the seventies. The list for 1968 has the most songs that I like. 78 has one song that I like, by Queen. I like Foreigner, Inxs, & Pet Shop Boys for '88, but none of my favorite artists. For '98 I only liked Third Eye Blind from the list, and for 2008, they all suck.

[Lynn]

Boy, I must be old, but then again I've been listening to KROQ when it first came on in the seventies. The list for 1968 has the most songs that I like. 78 has one song that I like, by Queen. I like Foreigner, Inxs, & Pet Shop Boys for '88, but none of my favorite artists. For '98 I only liked Third Eye Blind from the list, and for 2008, they all suck.

[Jennifer W.]

I think it has to be the February 11, 1978 list...any list with two Bee Gee songs has to be the winner.

[Chris]

I have to go with the 1978 list. It was the only one I read that I sang the songs to. I may know the songs of the others, but I really liked recalling the songs from the 78 list.

These are the kind of songs I like hearing when I am ripping open another computer...

[Badafuco]

It's a toss up between 1978 and 1988. Both have some good songs. I'm only 32 and I do not recognize a single song on the 2008 list. And I only recognize three of the artists on that same list. Wow, modern music sucks.

[Frances]

78

Also, if you're interested, and if you know how to work html, you can put a poll in your blog and let people vote. www.pulsepoll.com

[Chrissy]

Anything with Patrick Swayze has my vote! But the list with the most songs that I recognize and would listen to would have to be from 1978.

And thanks, Bean, for taking out Roy Scheider. Haven't you done enough celeb killing this year??

[Abel]

I would have to vote for 1988. I love that stuff. I am 31 and recognize most songs on the lists but almost none on the 68 list. As far as 2008 music sucking, somebody is buying it...

[Marge]

February 1978 ... I was a high school senior with the world at my feet!! I have to say that that Dan HIll song was just the best (at the time!!) and who didn't love "Short People"?! Just about the whole list makes me think: "I can remember just where I was when I heard that song!" Those were the good ol' days!! ;)

[Janet]

For sure 1978! Queen AND the Bee Gees! Just kidding about the BG's. The ONLY decent thing on the 2008 list is Flow Rida/Low, but not the air play version, the Travis Barker remix version is the best (check it out on YouTube).

[Dierdre Jean]

It would have to be the Feb. 11, 1978 list. I was a junior in high school, and my then boyfriend took me to see Billy Joel that year. Ah, memories.

[Liz]

i enojy the most recent 3....mostly because i was alive then and have heard the songs!

[Lillian]

It's a toss up between 1978 and 1988. What is up the 2008 list??

[lynne_T]

1978. The only decade that I know every song. Don't know any for 98 or 2008

[Steve in Sun Valley]

I'm going to go with the 1978 list. It has some great songs. The '88 list was good, but those songs are played constantly on Jack Radio, so they're still pretty "fresh". Sometime after the mid-90's, great pop music decided to leave the planet, and was replaced by Rap/Hip-Hop. I enjoy that crap as much as Mexican Banda and country music!

[Steve Schroeder]

The 78 list has the best songs. It could use a few more Gibb brothers, though.

It is hard to deny any list featuring "I Wanna Be Your Man" by Roger (where was Zapp?), though.

That Uncle Sam song is easily one of my favorites of all time. It is so wrong! I love when R'n'B gets mad.

[K]

I've gotta go with 68, definitely...

[Grey]

The list from 1988 I think is the best "sign-of-the-times" list here. It does the best job at capturing the music of the era, so it's the clear winner in my opinion.

[Kings Fan]

I'd go with 1988, with 1978 being a close second, followed by 1968. Wow, after seeing what's at the top of the charts the last two decades, it's no wonder our society is going to crap. Crap music being bought by crap people.

[db]

Wow music is getting worse

[Geo]

Even though it was a French guy with the number, I still have to go with 68. Good
memories there, thanks for that info Bean.

[cathy g.]

I am gonna have to say 1978... i do like some of the songs from 1988, but I loved disco as a kid ( I was 9 in 1978), and when I am feeling down I tend to gravitate back to it.

[Greg Mucino]

Week ending February 11, 1978 just has the right feel to it when all is said and done. I think it is interesting that some of us that are in our 30's have lost touch with the music of today. I still try to stay active with the music that is played on the airways and not just turn away and live with music of my youth. But Hey! Whatever works for you! Good Times.

[LA]

I'd say 78 followed by '68 followed by '88.

[LS]

The 70's for sure!!!! Love all those songs--BeeGees, Andy Gibb,Queen,Billy Joel....by far the best top 10

[Chad]

Gotta go with 1988 - how do you vote against Roger Troutman and his magic talk box? Though "Nobody But Me" by the Human Beinz is one of my favorite songs...

[Janel]

My vote is for '88

[EditThis]

I'd have to go with '88 with '78 coming in second. 1988 was a little late in the 80s for songs I love but there's some great music on that list, even still. And while I generally hate music from the 70s, there's good songs on that list, too. Once you weed out the disco. I was also surprised looking at the lists from the last 20 years to see how crappy music has gotten. I guess we all favor songs familiar to our youth.

[Mary]

Definitely 1968! I have never even HEARD of any of the 2008 ones!

[Dan]

I would have to vote for the 1998 list! You've got some great stuff there with Puff, Third Eye Blind, Savage Garden!!! I am a huge rock fan and I can sadly say that Usher's Nice and Slow was a guilty pleasure. "It's seven o'clock on the dot... i'm in my drop top ready to go!!!" Still know most of the lyrics! Nice set of lists though!

[Stormbringer]

1978 hands down...you got all four Gibb brothers holding down 3 spots, a rocking anthem by Queen and the best song about midgets ever!

[Terena]

Thanks for writing this.