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Thread: Four seconds of every #1 Billboard hit since 1956

  1. #1
    Member Paulrus's Avatar
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    Four seconds of every #1 Billboard hit since 1956

    http://www.ubu.com/sound/keesing.html

    This is amazing and well worth the time to download and listen through for anyone who's has grown up with and/or is interested in the history of pop music. This guy compiled short snippets of *every song* that went to number one starting in the 50s up through 1990.

    It's fascinating to hear how pop music evolved over the years, and really amazing when one of those game changers comes along, like The Beatles. You can really hear how everything gets knocked on its head and the landscape is irrevocably shifted. That said, you can also hear how there are some constants to successful pop music: strong vocals, simple but memorable melodies, plus everything tends to fall within a certain bpm envelope, with danceable music dominating the first 20 years or so of pop music and the influence of other forms starting to make itself felt in the mid 60s. But then disco explodes in the mid 70s and it's all about the beat again.

    Anyways, really fascinating stuff. I'd love to hear what others think about it.

  2. #2
    Member rcarlberg's Avatar
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    I listened to a few minutes of it before my head started to explode.

  3. #3
    Subterranean Tapir Hobo Chang Ba's Avatar
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    LOL

    I like the idea at least.
    Please don't ask questions, just use google.

    Never let good music get in the way of making a profit.

    I'm only here to reglaze my bathtub.

  4. #4
    Member since March 2004 mozo-pg's Avatar
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    Good thing you didn't listen forward, you'd need a new picture with an exploded head.

    I find it fascinating, personally.
    What can this strange device be? When I touch it, it brings forth a sound (2112)

  5. #5
    Member since March 2004 mozo-pg's Avatar
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    I liked the 60s with Motown and then the great rock/pop bands that followed.
    What can this strange device be? When I touch it, it brings forth a sound (2112)

  6. #6
    Member since March 2004 mozo-pg's Avatar
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    LOL - okay, repeatedly your head gets a bit sore but, doesn't explode!!!
    Last edited by mozo-pg; 04-20-2013 at 12:45 AM.
    What can this strange device be? When I touch it, it brings forth a sound (2112)

  7. #7
    I only listened for about 10 mins or so, but I thought it cool Motown and the Beatles came along around the same time and shook things up. I also noticed how totally abysmal '70s pop was. For every song I liked from that decade (of the number one tunes selected) there were easily 10 I loathed.

  8. #8
    Wow... I actually really want to check it out but I'm going to have to burn a CDR and do it in the car...

  9. #9
    Highly Evolved Orangutan JKL2000's Avatar
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    Is it funny when Styx' "Babe" kicks in?

  10. #10
    Member since March 2004 mozo-pg's Avatar
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    or Pink Floyd
    What can this strange device be? When I touch it, it brings forth a sound (2112)

  11. #11
    Member nosebone's Avatar
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    Wow, a gazillion emotions washed over me while listening to the soundtrack of my life!

    The novelty songs like Kung Fu Fighting, Convey and Disco Duck really date me.

    But the progression of styles , Doo wop, crooners,British invasion, folk,Motown, hard rock, bubblegum, novelty, RnB, instrumentals, disco, country, etc. is what really fascinates me.
    Last edited by nosebone; 04-21-2013 at 07:16 PM.
    no tunes, no dynamics, no nosebone

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