Jun 4, 2026 · 55 min · 13 segments
Casey Kasem was at the height of his powers as the 1980s began. The countdown show that he launched on July 4, 1970, "American Top 40," was now an international phenomenon and could be heard on over…
American Top 40 debuted on July 4th, 1970, and it was on a grand total of seven stations.
I discussed the '70s era of American Top 40 in episode 39 of this very podcast.
So after this, if you haven't checked out the '70s, go back and check it out and get the backstory on the first decade of Casey Kasem's show.
When the '80s began, American Top 40 was on 525 stations around the world, and it seemed as if American Top 40 was as important to Top 40 music as the radio stations that played it.
And, and that's typically where you found American Top 40 radio stations with Top 40 and/or pop formats.
In many cities, it was on Sunday.
It was on Sunday night where I grew up near Omaha, Nebraska.
Pop music was very much in its glory years at that time.
Kelefa Sanneh, who is the author of the excellent book, Major Labels: A History of Popular Music in Seven Genres, wrote that, "In America, pop in the '80s usually meant something you could dance to, and it had some sort of electronic sound or instrument." He mentioned Borderline by Madonna as his idea of the perfect '80s pop song.
He said he was, quote, "Drawn in by the soft and sentimental keyboard introduction, and then the sudden kick of the drum machine." Like this.
[Borderline by Madonna] Something in the way you love me won't let me be.
I don't want to be your prisoner, so, baby, won't you set me free.
Stop playing with my heart.
Finish what you start.
When you make my love come down.
If you want me, let me know.
Baby, let it show.
Honey, don't you fool around.
Borderline, that's from Madonna's debut album in 1984, and it was her first Top 10 hit, first of many to come.
Definitely a blueprint, if you will, for the '80s pop sound.
But one thing that is true about the Top 40 as the '80s began, it was still a list that included other genres.
You got rock, punk, country, country-ish.
Although you could argue that they all had their edgessmoothed over a little bit to make them, well, more pop.
Or if not that, at least accepted by the Top 40 audience.
As the 1980s end, though, when Casey Kasem is hosting a revival of American Top 40 and hip-hop is taking some control of the Top 40, well, radio stations will not be so forgiving about that.
American Top 40 debuted on July 4th, 1970, and it was on a grand total of seven stations.
I discussed the '70s era of American Top 40 in episode 39 of this very podcast.
So after this, if you haven't checked out the '70s, go back and check it out and get the backstory on the first decade of Casey Kasem's show.
When the '80s began, American Top 40 was on 525 stations around the world, and it seemed as if American Top 40 was as important to Top 40 music as the radio stations that played it.
And, and that's typically where you found American Top 40 radio stations with Top 40 and/or pop formats.
In many cities, it was on Sunday.
It was on Sunday night where I grew up near Omaha, Nebraska.
Pop music was very much in its glory years at that time.
Kelefa Sanneh, who is the author of the excellent book, Major Labels: A History of Popular Music in Seven Genres, wrote that, "In America, pop in the '80s usually meant something you could dance to, and it had some sort of electronic sound or instrument." He mentioned Borderline by Madonna as his idea of the perfect '80s pop song.
He said he was, quote, "Drawn in by the soft and sentimental keyboard introduction, and then the sudden kick of the drum machine." Like this.
[Borderline by Madonna] Something in the way you love me won't let me be.
I don't want to be your prisoner, so, baby, won't you set me free.
Stop playing with my heart.
Finish what you start.
When you make my love come down.
If you want me, let me know.
Baby, let it show.
Honey, don't you fool around.
Borderline, that's from Madonna's debut album in 1984, and it was her first Top 10 hit, first of many to come.
Definitely a blueprint, if you will, for the '80s pop sound.
But one thing that is true about the Top 40 as the '80s began, it was still a list that included other genres.
You got rock, punk, country, country-ish.
Although you could argue that they all had their edgessmoothed over a little bit to make them, well, more pop.
Or if not that, at least accepted by the Top 40 audience.
As the 1980s end, though, when Casey Kasem is hosting a revival of American Top 40 and hip-hop is taking some control of the Top 40, well, radio stations will not be so forgiving about that.
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