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Billboard's Hot 100

Scanning through the back issues of Billboard and found a classic example of why the addition of airplay to the Hot 100 in October, 1980 was so controversial.

From Billboard, January 25, 1986:


"The frantic pace of radio activity marking the new year continues this week as nine records make their debut in the Hot 100. Ten records made their debut last week.

Simple Minds wins "Hot Shot Debut" honors with "Sanctify Yourself" (A&M), which nailed down airplay on almost half of the radio panel to blast in at number 62. All of these new records amassed enough points to chart primarily through radio airplay. Sales points usually come after a few weeks of radio exposure."


Or never, in the case of turntable hits.


Despite that, "Sanctify Yourself" took a 14-point jump to #50 (with a bullet) the following week, and picked up another 10 points to #40 (again with a bullet) in week three.
 
About 23 years ago, on the success of the movie, "Ghost", "Unchained Melody" made the run again, at radio, going to #3 on the Airplay chart. With this in mind, a new version was released to the buying public, peaking at #4 in sales. Because these were two separate recordings, coupled with existing policy, when you combined "Airplay" and "Sales", both versions stalled on the Hot 100. at #13 and #19, respectively. If they'd just reissued the original, it could've beeen #1.
 
semoochie said:
If they'd just reissued the original, it could've been #1.
Click to expand...

In 1965, the first Righteous Brothers version hit #4

The original is from early 1955 and done by Les Baxter, #1 for 2 weeks.
There were other artists that recorded the song in 1955 also (Al Hibbler #3, Roy Hamilton #6 & June Valli #29)
 
I shall reword my statement: If, after the success of "Ghost", a large supply of copies of the Righteous Bros.' original cover version of "Unchained Melody" had been made available to the public, since the song was all over radio at the time, there is a good chance that it would top the Hot 100 in 1990 or thereabouts. I am aware of the original version of the song and did not mean to infer or even imply that the Righteous Bros. had the original version in 1965.
 
semoochie said:
About 23 years ago, on the success of the movie, "Ghost", "Unchained Melody" made the run again, at radio, going to #3 on the Airplay chart. With this in mind, a new version was released to the buying public, peaking at #4 in sales. Because these were two separate recordings, coupled with existing policy, when you combined "Airplay" and "Sales", both versions stalled on the Hot 100. at #13 and #19, respectively. If they'd just reissued the original, it could've beeen #1.
Click to expand...
semoochie said:
I shall reword my statement: If, after the success of "Ghost", a large supply of copies of the Righteous Bros.' original cover version of "Unchained Melody" had been made available to the public, since the song was all over radio at the time, there is a good chance that it would top the Hot 100 in 1990 or thereabouts. I am aware of the original version of the song and did not mean to infer or even imply that the Righteous Bros. had the original version in 1965.
Click to expand...
I doubt that the 1990 re-release of the Righteous Brothers 1965 recording of "Unchained Melody" could have hit #1, or even topped the #4 peak of the original (although it definitely could have made the top 10), but the 1965 version was an AC #1 hit in 1990. I remember trying to find the '65 version in 1990, and not being able to find it. (Take notice, record store suppliers!) I had to settle for a cassette single of the much weaker 1990 version, although it had a cool new tune ("American Rock & Roll") on the b-side. Phil Spector was probably doubly upset about his 1965-produced version becoming a hit again, since that version had actually been intended as a b-side when it was originally released back in 1965. It eventually led to Spector giving up control of the Righteous Brothers. (I am guessing that the reason for the new 1990 recording was because Medley and Hatfield did not own the rights to their original recording.)
michael hagerty said:
I never saw the movie. Did it use the new version or the original?
Click to expand...
It was the 1965 original, according to my Billboard book.
 
firepoint525 said:
semoochie said:
About 23 years ago, on the success of the movie, "Ghost", "Unchained Melody" made the run again, at radio, going to #3 on the Airplay chart. With this in mind, a new version was released to the buying public, peaking at #4 in sales. Because these were two separate recordings, coupled with existing policy, when you combined "Airplay" and "Sales", both versions stalled on the Hot 100. at #13 and #19, respectively. If they'd just reissued the original, it could've beeen #1.
Click to expand...
semoochie said:
I shall reword my statement: If, after the success of "Ghost", a large supply of copies of the Righteous Bros.' original cover version of "Unchained Melody" had been made available to the public, since the song was all over radio at the time, there is a good chance that it would top the Hot 100 in 1990 or thereabouts. I am aware of the original version of the song and did not mean to infer or even imply that the Righteous Bros. had the original version in 1965.
Click to expand...
I doubt that the 1990 re-release of the Righteous Brothers 1965 recording of "Unchained Melody" could have hit #1, or even topped the #4 peak of the original (although it definitely could have made the top 10), but the 1965 version was an AC #1 hit in 1990. I remember trying to find the '65 version in 1990, and not being able to find it. (Take notice, record store suppliers!) I had to settle for a cassette single of the much weaker 1990 version, although it had a cool new tune ("American Rock & Roll") on the b-side. Phil Spector was probably doubly upset about his 1965-produced version becoming a hit again, since that version had actually been intended as a b-side when it was originally released back in 1965. It eventually led to Spector giving up control of the Righteous Brothers. (I am guessing that the reason for the new 1990 recording was because Medley and Hatfield did not own the rights to their original recording.)
michael hagerty said:
I never saw the movie. Did it use the new version or the original?
Click to expand...
It was the 1965 original, according to my Billboard book.
Click to expand...

B-side of what?

ixnay
 
ixnay said:
firepoint525 said:
semoochie said:
About 23 years ago, on the success of the movie, "Ghost", "Unchained Melody" made the run again, at radio, going to #3 on the Airplay chart. With this in mind, a new version was released to the buying public, peaking at #4 in sales. Because these were two separate recordings, coupled with existing policy, when you combined "Airplay" and "Sales", both versions stalled on the Hot 100. at #13 and #19, respectively. If they'd just reissued the original, it could've beeen #1.
Click to expand...
semoochie said:
I shall reword my statement: If, after the success of "Ghost", a large supply of copies of the Righteous Bros.' original cover version of "Unchained Melody" had been made available to the public, since the song was all over radio at the time, there is a good chance that it would top the Hot 100 in 1990 or thereabouts. I am aware of the original version of the song and did not mean to infer or even imply that the Righteous Bros. had the original version in 1965.
Click to expand...
I doubt that the 1990 re-release of the Righteous Brothers 1965 recording of "Unchained Melody" could have hit #1, or even topped the #4 peak of the original (although it definitely could have made the top 10), but the 1965 version was an AC #1 hit in 1990. I remember trying to find the '65 version in 1990, and not being able to find it. (Take notice, record store suppliers!) I had to settle for a cassette single of the much weaker 1990 version, although it had a cool new tune ("American Rock & Roll") on the b-side. Phil Spector was probably doubly upset about his 1965-produced version becoming a hit again, since that version had actually been intended as a b-side when it was originally released back in 1965. It eventually led to Spector giving up control of the Righteous Brothers. (I am guessing that the reason for the new 1990 recording was because Medley and Hatfield did not own the rights to their original recording.)
michael hagerty said:
I never saw the movie. Did it use the new version or the original?
Click to expand...
It was the 1965 original, according to my Billboard book.
Click to expand...

B-side of what?

ixnay
Click to expand...

"Hung On You" was the A-side.
 
firepoint525 said:
(I am guessing that the reason for the new 1990 recording was because Medley and Hatfield did not own the rights to their original recording.)
Click to expand...

Correct. They were getting no royalties from new sales of their original recording.

It's interesting that it took a movie for "Unchained Melody" to become popular again, as it was composed for a movie: "Unchained" (duh), a 1955 prison drama which starred L.A. Rams quarterback Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch, and Barbara Hale. The song was sung in the movie by Todd Duncan, who was in the original Broadway cast of "Porgy and Bess."
 
semoochie said:
The song would've faded into obscurity, otherwise!
Click to expand...
Not necessarily. It was getting plenty of airplay on oldies stations in the '80s, and likely would have continued to do so throughout the '90s and into the 2000s, along with all the other '60s classics that continued to get airplay WITHOUT being featured in movies.

The weak, lame 1990 re-recording has, thankfully enough, indeed faded into obscurity.
 
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