The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits: Amazon.ca: Joel Whitburn: Books

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"An essential reference that can quickly tell you everything from how many No. 1 hits Roy Orbison had (two) to the name of the group that did "I'm Too Sexy" (Right Said Fred)." - Boston Herald; "I love paging through it, looking for songs I know and songs I should know." - Keyboard"

Book Description

Provides complete, cross-referenced information for all songs and artists to make the Top Forty of Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart from 1955 to today.

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4.9 out of 5 stars (19 customer reviews)

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Brand new 8th edition....... another gem from Joel Whitburn, July 19 2004

By

Paul Tognetti "The real world is so much more... (Cranston, RI USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits (Paperback)

Hot off the presses!!! If you are a record collector or music buff and have never owned any of Joel Whitburn's terrific books you should latch onto this one right away. The price is right and you will be introduced to a great resource. This latest version of "The Billboard Book of Top 40 Singles 1955-2003" contains every single tune to make the Billboard Top 40 pop charts for the past 48 years!!! Some people will use the book as nothing more than a checklist for their collections. But most collectors especially enjoy the biographical information provided on each and every artist. There is simply a wealth of information packed into every Joel Whitburn book.
Now I have owned several of Joel Whitburn's popular Record Research editions for many years. For those who have never seen Joel Whitburns books before "The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits 1955-2003" will serve as a kind of introduction to the entire format. If you enjoy this book you just might be tempted to order one or more of the others. The Record Research books are generally hard cover and contain even more comprehensive chart data for your information and enjoyment. These books are not cheap but are considered to be indispensible for both disc jockeys and serious collectors alike. In the long run I have found any book from Joel Whitburn to be well worth the investment. Give this one a try and see if you don't agree.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars another Whitburn must-have, Mar 16 2004

By

Jerry McDaniel - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits (Paperback)

this book lists EVERY SINGLE ARTIST to ever have a single rank in the Pop Top-40 from 1955-2000. all artists Top-40 singles are listed, their Top-10 hits are in BOLD print. also, below each song are peaks on other charts such as Airplay #3; Sales #8...or if a single reached #1 on another chart, it's also noted: example, "It's a Miracle" by Barry Manilow hit #12 pop and under the title it shows that it hit #1 on the Adult-Contemporary chart for 1 week. Like his country chart books, the pop one also contains record holders and single achievements in the back pages. Because pop music is FULL of one-hit wonders {just look at the '60s and all those R&B groups who were coming and going}, the book is larger than the country one, where artists are given a bit more loyalty/longevity. it's a wonderful look at pop music from 1955-2000 and Whitburn also includes singles that hit the Top-40 on the Sales and Airplay charts for artists but didn't make the Hot 100's Top-40. Example: a single by Amy Grant might not have made the Top-40 of the Hot 100 but it MAY have made the Top-40 of the Sales chart. if so, THAT single is listed as a Top-40 hit with an "S" beside the chart peak to let a reader know the Top-40 peak was from the Sales chart. if you want to go further than the start of the "rock era", Whitburn also has a chart book on Pop Standards {singles prior to 1955} that's also a must-have. i don't have that one...but given his track record, it should be done in loving authority.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Indispensable, May 27 2004

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S. Maguire "seanners" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits (Paperback)

This is an absolute MUST HAVE for anyone who's downloading music. With all the mislabeled files out there, this book is the definitive source.

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