Note: Some of these documents are pretty old and the original colors have faded, some were printed originally on VERY thin paper. I've dropped out the background color on some to enhance legibility. They're presented here as best we can. Enjoy! Co-curator OldieCarl is wearing his two typing fingers to the bone entering the data from the posted surveys and he's putting them online here.  In the 60's, it was the "Sing Along Survey", complete with lyrics on the back! Note the length of some of the playlists: almost 50 songs! And note the diversity of the music played...that was what Top 40 was all about. Even Bruno and Harvey got their "photos" on the sheet...but who had bigger hair: Bruno J. or KX-OK's Kay?June 6, 1964 December 5, 1964 July 17, 1965 August 27, 1966 February 11, 1967 February 25, 1967 July 8, 1967 August 19, 1967 Selected exhibits from the Larry Hoffman and Mike Bearman Collections By the end of 1965, it looked like WIL (AM 1430) was a beaten egg. WIL's year-end compilation was placed in record stores and distributed as a mimeographed two-sheet. Here's the "Young American Top 50" for 1965.From the Larry Hoffman Collection By the late 1960's, the survey had taken on that "Love Power" look. The on-air playlist had been trimmed to about 30 songs and the jocks had hipper hair and names. The published playlist kept the Bookmark name but became The Powerhouse. And note the "Based in part on actual record sales" disclaimer. Half-a-dozen surveys per year or so will pretty much cover the bases.'69: March 8 June 14 June 28 December 27 '70: January 17 March 28 August 8 August 22 December 19 '71: January 23 May 15 July 17 August 7 '72: July 15 July 22 August 12 November 4 Top 63 '73: January 13 March 17 April 14 July 14 October 13 Selected exhibits from the Larry Hoffman Collection The 1970's were pre-Arbitron days. The company (American Research Bureau) that would go on to dominate the radio ratings industry was still being challenged by Hooper and Pulse. KXOK published this Pulse sales brochure in 1973 (probably done on an IBM Selectric typewriter with the able assistance of a Xerox copier and a touch of Scotch Tape): Pulse p.1 Pulse p.2
Pulse p.3 Pulse p.4From the Larry Hoffman Collection Through the years, every music list had an ad on the flip. Here are some of the best backsides:60's: '64 Elvis movie '69 Mid-America Raceway '69 Energizer Batteries '67 Red Barn Chicken '67 Drags and slacks '66 Esterbrook felt tips '70: Beat the Frizzies Kas Chips Northland Center RC Cola '71: Wehmueller Jewelers Groom'n'Clean '72: Sears Junior Shop American Beauty Spaghetti Union Jack '73: Lemon Frog South County Center Santana Concert/Arena Auto Show/Kiel MultiScrub CreditThrift Stridex Fotomat Bohemian Savings Mavrakos Candies Selected exhibits from the Larry Hoffman Collection |