Sounds Sights Smells Links Books Compilation CDs
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Growing up in New York City, I was lucky enough to have experienced the tail end of the "golden age" of New York AM radio. When I started listening in 1978, WABC (AM 770) and WNBC (AM 660) were the dominant top 40 stations. WXLO (FM 98.7) was around, but the real action was on the AM dial. When I started buying 45s at Caldor (an east coast discount chain, much like what Target would have been in the '70s), they would have their own local lists of the top selling 45s, and often had copies of WABC's playlist. Fortunately, I saved the playlists, and this page has scans of all the WABC lists.
The playlists were always 2-color prints, both front and back, and were printed on 5.5 inch by 8.5 inch sheets. The files would be extremely large as color jpg's, so I posted them as black and white gif's. Hope you like them.
July 9 1979: Front
September 3 1979: Front
September 10 1979: Front
September 17 1979: Front
November 12 1979: Front | Back
TOP OF 1979: Front | Inside | Back
February 11 1980: Front | Back
February 18 1980: Front | Back
February 25 1980: Front | Back
May 12 1980: Front
September 1 1980: Front | Back
September 22 1980: Front | Back
September 29 1980: Front | Back
December 15 1980: Front | Back
In May 1982, WABC changed formats from music to talk. In July 1983, WPLJ (FM 95.5) flipped from rock to top 40, and in August 1983, WVNJ (FM 100.3) changed its call letters to WHTZ and became Z-100, the most visible top 40 station in the country. Shortly afterward, WAPP (FM 103.5 - The Apple) and WXRK (FM 92.3 - K-Rock) signed on as rock stations, signaling the end of interesting music on AM in New York. (WNBC later went all-sports. Party over.)
If you'd like to know more about WABC, there is an insanely thorough tribute website here. God bless 'em.
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Every single thing on this website is © 2000-2005 Ron "Boogiemonster" Gerber. All rights reserved. Problems, corrections, questions and comments should be directed to me. |
