Hi everyone,

 

New member here *waves* :cheer:

I’ve been a long-time lurker but have only just decided to sign up.

 

This may be a strange question, but I was wondering if anyone could tell me about the chart compilation date pre-1987. I was living in Ireland at the time and was only a child in the ‘80’s so I never actually listened to the UK Top 40 back then.

 

I know that, from what I’ve read on the Internet, that the charts used to be revealed on a Tuesday morning/afternoon I think. Does anyone have any idea when the chart was actually compiled before it was ready for broadcast, and when the chart was actually finalised before broadcast on the Tuesday? I presume in those days, before computers sped up the process, the actual compiling of the chart probably didn’t start til a Monday? Does anyone know when the compilation of each week’s chart would have been completed – would it perhaps have been compiled late on a Monday or maybe early on a Tuesday? Or was it a really long process that took more than 24 hours?

 

I know that in Ireland, in the pre-Internet days of the early/mid 90’s, the charts were compiled on a Friday afternoon/evening but were not revealed til the Irish radio’s chart show on a Saturday afternoon, almost 24 hours later. So I’m just wondering if it was something similar in the UK pre-1987.

 

Also, was it true that following a Bank Holiday the announcement of the charts (pre-1987) used to be delayed until Wednesday?

 

If anyone can shed any light, I’d be very grateful!

 

BTW, I look forward to sticking around here!

Donnah

 

:)

AFAIA the survey period has always been Sunday-Saturday, it's just that they used to announce it the following Tuesday.

Hi everyone,

 

New member here *waves* :cheer:

I’ve been a long-time lurker but have only just decided to sign up.

 

This may be a strange question, but I was wondering if anyone could tell me about the chart compilation date pre-1987. I was living in Ireland at the time and was only a child in the ‘80’s so I never actually listened to the UK Top 40 back then.

 

I know that, from what I’ve read on the Internet, that the charts used to be revealed on a Tuesday morning/afternoon I think. Does anyone have any idea when the chart was actually compiled before it was ready for broadcast, and when the chart was actually finalised before broadcast on the Tuesday? I presume in those days, before computers sped up the process, the actual compiling of the chart probably didn’t start til a Monday? Does anyone know when the compilation of each week’s chart would have been completed – would it perhaps have been compiled late on a Monday or maybe early on a Tuesday? Or was it a really long process that took more than 24 hours?

 

I know that in Ireland, in the pre-Internet days of the early/mid 90’s, the charts were compiled on a Friday afternoon/evening but were not revealed til the Irish radio’s chart show on a Saturday afternoon, almost 24 hours later. So I’m just wondering if it was something similar in the UK pre-1987.

 

Also, was it true that following a Bank Holiday the announcement of the charts (pre-1987) used to be delayed until Wednesday?

 

If anyone can shed any light, I’d be very grateful!

 

BTW, I look forward to sticking around here!

Donnah

 

:)

 

There was indeed a delay until the Wednesday if there had been Monday Bank Holiday.

In addition there wasn't a chart at all between Christmas and New Year. On the Sunday of this non-chart week, Radio One took the opportunity to broadcast the 40 best sellers of the year.

Thank you both for your replies. :)

 

Donnah

Until Gallup took over compilation of the chart in 1983 and computerised the whole process the charts were compiled from sales diaries sent in by record shops. These would arrive at the chart compilers on a Monday morning, the data from these diaries would be input to computer (punch cards before the late 70s) all day on a Monday and a new chart would be produced on a Tuesday morning. Some security checks were then undertaken before the new chart was phoned / delivered to the BBC for broadcast on Radio 1 at 12.45pm. On a Bank Holiday this whole process was put back by 24 hours with the new chart being announced at 12.45pm on a Wednesday.

 

When Gallup took over, computerisation meant the chart was compiled much quicker and from 1983 to 1987 the time it was completed by became earlier and earlier on the Monday until eventually Gallup were able to compile the chart by a Sunday afternoon. Charts following a Bank Holiday were usually ready by Tuesday afternoon and I believe Radio 1 would do the new countdown at 6pm that evening rather than wait until the Wednesday though I'm not 100% certain about this.

My memory from the period 1981-1985 is:

 

The new chart would be announced on Radio 1 (MW at the time before it went to FM!) at 1245 on a Tuesday. They would play No.5 - No.2 then the Top 40 countdown ending with the No.1

 

At 6pm Peter Powell would play the new entries and climbers for an hour.

 

On the Thursday Top Of The Pops would reflect this new chart.

 

And on Sunday the chart would get played in stereo from 5pm -7pm (Radio 1 using Radio 2's FM frequency). ;)

Edited April 7, 201114 yr by highlander69

Hi Robbie and Highlander,

 

Thank you both for your answers - you're mines of information! :)

And also thanks Robbie for confirming. So from '83 to '87 the charts gradually became available earlier on a Monday 'til they were able to finally reveal a brand new chart for the first time on a Sunday evening by 87.

Things really were different in the days of compiling the chart pre-computers!

 

Donnah

Edited April 7, 201114 yr by donnahjaneymack

think from mid October 1987 - the new weekly chart was revealed on a Sunday evening on R1 (4pm-7pm)...

 

Hi Seanster,

Yep, Oct '87 sounds right, so that's when Gallup were able to start compiling the charts on a Sunday ready in time for broadcast by the Sunday evening

October 4th 1987 to be exact when Radio 1 first revealed the new chart on a Sunday, it meant no Sunday show for M.A.R.R.S' Pump Up The Volume's first week at number 1 which was revealed five days earlier in the last Tuesday chart.

Edited April 8, 201114 yr by zenon

At 6pm Peter Powell would play the new entries and climbers for an hour.

 

ISTR that the programme began 15 minutes earlier at one point and they started off with new releases.... 5 "45"s......

 

October 4th 1987 to be exact when Radio 1 first revealed the new chart on a Sunday, it meant no Sunday show for M.A.R.R.S' Pump Up The Volume's first week at number 1 which was revealed five days earlier in the last Tuesday chart.

 

Thanks Zenon,

I knew it was somewhere around Sep/Oct '87 that the charts switched to being compiled on a Sunday, but wasn't sure of the exact date - thanks for confirming it was actually Oct 4th

 

Donnah

Edited April 11, 201114 yr by donnahjaneymack

ISTR that the programme began 15 minutes earlier at one point and they started off with new releases.... 5 "45"s......

 

 

Yeah, you could be right. I only remember tuning in at 6! :-)