Billboard American Top 40 Fifty Years Ago [[1971) / Sundays Radio Countdown - Listen:

[Boogiedown]

This thread is dedicated to forum member Marv2. Rest In Peace friend.

Playing now ! I thought I'd share for those interested:

Every Sunday Bob counts them down in order 11:30 to 2 PST.


hear it here:

https://www.esterobayradio.org/on-air-schedule

Jan 3, 1971

It's a new year and the music of American radio keeps shifting and shaping and redefining itself. Established acts persevere, but as they drop off an eager pack of newcomers eagerly jump into the fray.
In the thick of it all forges Motown, they themselves diversified with the tried and true and the never befores. Coming off a very successful year in 1970, they have strong Top 40 representation [[17%) with seven songs in the countdown as 1971 begins :

Motown has two songs in the Top 10, both of which have now reached their peaks :
TEARS OF A CLOWN by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles ,a former Number One song for two weeks, slides just a bit from number 3 to 4.
STONED LOVE by The Supremes has topped out at a respectable #7 and this week is down one to #8.
Competing against themselves, they are also at #16 , up one , this week along with the Four Tops with a cover of Phil Spector's RIVER DEEP MOUNTAIN HIGH.

Also up one: Gladys Knight & The Pips are at #23 with IF I WERE YOUR WOMAN .

{{{ At #29 is one of Motown's most significant singles in their entire history:
I'LL BE THERE by The Jackson Five has become the label's biggest selling single surpassing the former champ, Marvin Gaye's I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE, and it will hold that distinction as their biggest single for ten years until it is replaced by the Lionel Richie penned ENDLESS LOVE.
The song was #1 for five weeks and Michael Jackson said I'LL BE THERE established their legitimacy beyond a teen fave.
I'LL BE THERE spent the entirety of its four month run on the Hot 100 in the Top 40, and it won't settle for less. It'll finish its last week on it as well, at #29 before it disappears altogether and won't be there . }}}

That leads us to Motown's debut offerings to the Top 40 in this new year:

Entering as the highest debuting single of the week's chart is Edwin Starr's STOP THE WAR NOW at #32.
A year ago this group was unknown , now they are back into the Top 40 with their third successful Top 40 release in a row : Rare Earth and their first original , non -Motown cover hit: BORN TO WANDER finds its way in at #36.


So that's how the year 1971 starts for Motown , amongst a fabulously diverse assortment of musical styles charting , all competing for chart space, Motown has no trouble staying relevant. Fantastic times.

****
Any projections for 1971 in terms of music ? Will it be , for instance, the year of the woman? There are nine performances on the chart that I count, as best I can, that have official female members singing.
But also "woman" seems to be a trending word in song titles:
#5- BLACK MAGIC WOMAN- Santana
#10- GYPSY WOMAN- Brian Hyland
#23 -IF I WERE YOU'RE WOMAN -Gladys Knight
#32 -WE GOTTA GET YOU A WOMAN - Runt

below the Top 40:

#77 -ARE YOU MY WOMAN The Chi-lites
#99 -NOW I'M A WOMAN - Nancy Wilson

also The Bee Gees are at #21 with LONELY DAYS with the prominent line, "where would I be without my woman ...."


if not the year , certainly a strong week for the "woman" theme


BTW
WE GOTTA GET YOU A WOMAN was Todd Rundgren's first hit , it'll peak at #20:



the Four Tops will cheech and chong it in 1972: