# Where are "The Charts"?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-charts/174117>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [May 9, 2003, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-charts/174117 "2003-05-09T14:54:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Francis\_E\_Dec\_Esq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/48db29/32.png) [@Francis\_E\_Dec\_Esq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_E_Dec_Esq)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-charts/174117/1 "2003-05-09T14:54:41Z")

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I’d love to be able to browse the Top 40 for the past 40 or 50 years, but where do I find them? Are they on line somewhere?

Who creates these lists anyway? And when did they begin?

* * *

- this post courtesy of Worldwide Computer God Frankenstein controls

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**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-charts/174117/2 "2003-05-09T16:27:17Z")

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You’ll find them all [here](http://www.billboard.com/bb/index.jsp).

The most common list you hear is compiled by Billboard magazine (which is where the link above leads). I don’t know for sure who originated the lists, but since it is obviously in the best interest of publishers, distributors, labels and the like to know what is being sold so I suspect some or all of these groups have been keeping them for some time.

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**Author:** ![Francis\_E\_Dec\_Esq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/48db29/32.png) [@Francis\_E\_Dec\_Esq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_E_Dec_Esq)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-charts/174117/3 "2003-05-09T16:57:30Z")

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Thanks, **tanstaafl**

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**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-charts/174117/4 "2003-05-09T16:58:39Z")

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[Coach Z] The Chart? He’s over there on the jaerb, helping Strong Bad.[/Coach Z]

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**Author:** ![Payton\_s\_Servant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3da27b/32.png) [@Payton\_s\_Servant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Payton_s_Servant)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-charts/174117/5 "2003-05-09T23:27:56Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Francis E Dec, Esq \*  
> \*\*I’d love to be able to browse the Top 40 for the past 40 or 50 years, but where do I find them? Are they on line somewhere?
> 
> Who creates these lists anyway? And when did they begin?
> 
> * * *
> 
> - this post courtesy of Worldwide Computer God Frankenstein controls \*\*

You might be interested in checking out [one of these books](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/ref=_sf_b_as/002-4685451-5216860) I think that you might have to subcribe to **Billboard** to get access to the chart archives and a subscription is something like $200 a year.:eek:

Just some more info on _The Charts._ **Billboard** is recognized as the authority when it comes to tracking sales and airplay in the music industry. There are something like 50 different music charts in each issue, covering a wide range of musical genres.