Seventy-four years ago today, Billboard published its first chart ranking the sales of recorded songs.
In the July 27, 1940, issue, the maiden 10-position "National List of Best Selling Retail Records" paved the way for seven decades - and counting - of Billboard's hallmark tracking of music popularity.
Subsequently, the Billboard 200 would begin showcasing the top-selling weekly albums as of March 24, 1956. The premise introduced on this date 74 years ago of ranking the best-selling songs in the U.S. would expand to include a radio airplay component, spurring the birth of the Billboard Hot 100 as the premier national singles chart in the Aug. 4, 1958, issue. (The last year alone has brought the Streaming Songs, real-time Billboard+Twitter and brand-new Billboard Artist 100 charts.)
The "National List of Best Selling Retail Records," however, was the first to poll retailers nationwide on record sales.
Tommy Dorsey crowned the inaugural retail list with "I'll Never Smile Again." The eventual standard, featuring vocals by Frank Sinatra, would total 12 weeks at the summit.
Here is a look at the introductory Billboard songs chart dated 74 years ago today:
Position, Title, Artist
No. 1, "I'll Never Smile Again," Tommy Dorsey
No. 2, "The Breeze and I," Jimmy Dorsey
No. 3, "Imagination," Glenn Miller
No. 4, "Playmates," Kay Kyser
No. 5, "Fools Rush In," Glenn Miller
No. 6, "Where Was I?," Charlie Barnet
No. 7, "Pennsylvania 6-5000," Glenn Miller
No. 8, "Imagination," Tommy Dorsey
No. 9, "Sierra Sue," Bing Crosby
No. 10, "Make Believe Island," Mitchell Ayres
http://www.billboard.com/articles/co...llboard-charts