History of the WPGC 'Super Hit Surveys'

As early as 1957 and continuing through May 11th, 1974, each week the (Washington) Evening Star printed Top Ten song lists from various radio stations in the Metropolitan DC area, entitled "Area Disc Jockeys Pick Top Ten Records". These lists included ten songs, plus a "consensus of ratings". One Pick Hit was also listed each week. WPGC was included as far back as 10/05/58.

At first, they were published on Sundays and appeared in the Teen section which was a separate tabloid insert in the Star, moved to Fridays on 04/07/61 then moved to Saturdays when the Teen section moved to the new Weekender insert, beginning on 04/04/64.

Each station had a primary DJ listed. For WPGC, these included Gene Winters from 10/05/58 - 03/13/60, 'Gentleman Jim' Granger from 03/20/60 - 06/05/60, Stan Major from 06/12/60 - 10/23/60, Dean Griffith (Dean Anthony) from 10/30/60 - 11/21/64, Harv Moore from 11/28/64 - 11/12/66 and then simply the "Good Guys" from 11/19/66 on.

A very special Good Guy salute to Jack Maier who tirelessly researched all the WPGC weekly playlist surveys that were published in the (Washington) Evening Star at the Arlington County library, an enormous collection that exceeds over 800 weekly lists!

Year-End Surveys

Beginning in the the mid '60's WPGC would publish its annual Top 100 Hits of the Year. These were sponsored in some years but not in others. Sponsors for mobile homes, furniture dealers and motorcycle shops (and the lack of an obvious tie in with local record stores) suggests not a lot of lead time was allotted in selling these to coincide with the annual year end on-air countdown of the year's biggest hits.

'GO Magazine'

Go Magazine was a teenage tabloid newspaper published nationally from 1966-69 (the Editor was none other than Robin Leach, later of 'Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous'!). It offered a center two page layout spread to a station in each market in exchange for on air mentions. WPGC began distributing it in March of 1967 in Hecht Company record departments, Burger Chef restaurants, Giant Music Stores, Beyda's Petites and the Stag Shops. The magazine made its money back by selling advertising space elsewhere in the paper for pimple medications and other products catering to the teen crowd.

Typically, photos of WPGC promotional appearances (such as the 'Hide The Picnic' contest in September of 1967) were featured along with music news and the like. It also included the full list of WPGC's Top 40 tunes plus the Best Bet of the week. The Top Ten songs appearing in the (Washington) Evening Star were the same ones published in Go Magazine for the corresponding week, though GO was originally six days behind the Star.

'WPGC All Hit Music Surveys'

Beginning on 05/21/71, WPGC like many other stations around the country at the time began distributing pocket sized surveys of its most popular records played to record stores throughout Metro DC. Most weeks featured a photo of one of the Air Personalities on the front cover (for those keeping track at home, Harv Moore holds the record for most number of covers), a list of hit singles and hit albums on the inside and an advertisement for a record label promoting new releases on the back. Initially, the lists included upwards of 40 songs but as time wore on and playlists shrank, that number gradually diminished to 30 and by the time of their demise in 1980 had fallen to only 25.

 

 

WPGC Music Survey Playlist Chronology

10/05/58	The (Washington) Sunday Star includes WPGC's Top Ten song list as part of 'Area Disc Jockeys Pick Top Ten Records' in a separate tabloid insert for the first time. The DJ listed was Gene Winters.
12/07/58	The (Washington) Sunday Star does not publish WPGC's Top Ten song list as part of 'Area Disc Jockeys Pick Top Ten Records' due to a strike. The list resumes the following week however.
03/13/60	Gene Winters' name appears as the primary DJ for the last time and is replaced the following week by 'Gentleman Jim' Granger.
06/05/60	'Gentleman Jim' Granger's name appears as the primary DJ for the last time and is replaced the following week by Stan Major.
10/23/60	Stan Major's name appears as the main DJ for the last time and is replaced the following week by Dean Griffith (Dean Anthony).
04/02/61	Last WPGC playlist published on a Sunday by the (Washington) Sunday Star as part of 'Area Disc Jockeys Pick Top Ten Records'.
04/07/61	The 'Area Disc Jockeys Pick Top Ten Records' lists including WPGC's move to Fridays in the Teen section of the (Washington) Evening Star.
08/23/63	The (Washington) Evening Star changes the layout of the weekly Top Ten list. A new 'consensus of ratings' appears in the far left column while the new hits at the bottom are now 'Predicted Hits'.
01/03/64	The Beatles debut in the WPGC Top Ten for the first time at #10 with 'I Want To Hold Your Hand'. It hits #1 one week later, stays there the following week and is joined by 'She Loves You' at #2. Both songs remain in the same spots the following week and are joined at #4 by 'Please Please Me'.
02/21/64	The Beatles hold all five of the Top Five postions with 'I Want To Hold Your Hand', 'She Loves You', 'Please Please Me', 'All My Lovin'' and 'Till There Was You' in spots #1 - #5. All five songs remain in the same slots the following week and are joined by 'Twist And Shout' at #9. Ironically, Elvis 'It Hurts Me' debuts at #10.
03/27/64	Last WPGC playlist published on a Friday by the (Washington) Evening Star as part of 'Area Disc Jockeys Pick Top Ten Records'.
04/04/64	First WPGC playlist published on a Saturday by the (Washington) Evening Star as part of 'Area Disc Jockeys Pick Top Ten Records' in the Teen portion of the new 'Weekender' section.
05/09/64	The WPGC playlist was not published due to a recent printers strike. Although there were papers published that weekend, they were very abbreviated with only a few features.
06/20/64	For the first time in 24 consecutive weeks, The Beatles do not have a song in the WPGC Top Ten. Ironically, the Rolling Stones make their first chart appearance with 'Not Fade Away' at #7. Three weeks later they hit #1 again with 'A Hard Day's Night'. The following week it stays at #1 while the Boston Pops hits #10 with their cover of 'I Want To Hold Your Hand'.
09/14/64	For the first time in an unbelievable 37 consecutive weeks, the Fab Four do not have a song in the Top Ten at any Washington area station (though in all certainty, many songs from both the 'A Hard Day's Night' soundtrack and the 'Something New' album still appeared in the Top 40 on these stations). That anomaly would be very short lived; the following week The Beatles would again reemerge within the Top Ten.
10/17/64	As new music is released, another trifecta is reached by The Beatles with 'I'll Be Back', 'I'm A Loser' and 'Kansas City' hitting #1 - #3, in order. The following week these songs remain in their exact positions.
11/21/64	Dean Griffith (Dean Anthony's) name appears as the main DJ for the last time and is replaced the following week by Harv Moore.
12/26/64	By year's end, The Beatles have placed an unprecedented 21 different songs in the WPGC Top Ten with 'I Want To Hold Your Hand', 'She Loves You', ,'Please Please Me', 'All My Lovin', 'Till There Was You', 'Twist And Shout', 'Can't Buy Me Love', 'Do You Want To Know A Secret', 'Love Me Do', 'Roll Over Beethoven', 'P.S. I Love You', 'A Hard Day's Night', 'Ask Me Why', 'And I Love Her', 'Matchbox', 'Things We Said Today', 'Anytime At All', 'I'll Be Back', 'I'm A Loser', 'Kansas City', and 'I Feel Fine'. All told, The Beatles have at least one song in the WPGC Top Ten for 41 weeks of the year!
11/12/66	Harv Moore's name appears as the primary DJ for the last time and is replaced the following week by simply 'The Good Guys'.
07/27/68	The WPGC playlist is not published due to a typesetters' strike at the (Washington) Evening Star, Post & Daily News from 07/25/68 - 07/27/68.
01/02/71	The (Washington) Evening Star does not publish WPGC's Top Ten song list as part of 'Area Disc Jockeys Pick Top Ten Records' due to a strike. The list resumes the following week however.
05/21/71	First playlist distributed in retail stores. Inside consists of 40 singles, 10 Albums & 10 Most Requested Oldies.
06/26/71	Individual photo of one DJ (Harv Moore) used on front cover for the first time instead of mini photos of all the station DJs.
07/03/71	Inside now consists of 40 singles and 20 albums. 10 Most Requested Oldies is dropped.
07/17/71	Playlists become slightly smaller. Inside, singles are now billed as the 'WPGC All Hit Music Survey'. LPs list is changed from 'WPGC Hit Albums' to 'WPGC Top 20 Albums'.
04/01/72	The Good Guys publish the 'April Fools Forty' with made up songs and artists., including 'A Cowboy's Work Is Never Done' by 'Roger Staubach' and 'The Family of Man' by 'Barry, Herbie & Manfred'.
~10/14/72	'Good Guys All Hit Music' on the front cover is changed to 'All Hit Music'.
05/12/73	Music Troll mascot and new logo in red appears for the first time. Heavier cardstock is now used. Playlist shrinks from 40 to 35 singles.
05/11/74	Last WPGC playlist published by the (Washington) Evening Star as part of 'Area Disc Jockeys Pick Top Ten Records' in the Teen portion of the 'Weekender' section.
11/30/74	Harv Moore's final appearance on the music survey front cover.
02/08/75	The station positioner, 'All Hit Music' is replaced on the front and back cover with 'Music Radio' (later combined as one word).
02/15/75	The singles playlist further shrinks from 35 to 30 songs.
03/08/75	Inside, the 'WPGC Top 20 Albums' list is retitled, 'Washington's Favorite Albums' (though the list remains at 20 LPs).
03/15/75	Last music survey front cover appearance by Dave Kellogg.
03/29/75	Wolfman Jack first appears on the front cover. Inside, the singles list is now supplemented with 'Extras' in limited play, often consisting of album cuts yet to be released as singles.
05/03/75	First music survey front cover with 'Columbus in the Morning'. Inside, the listing of singles changes from the 'WPGC All Hit Music Survey' to simply, 'WPGC Music'.
05/10/75	Red ink disappears from the surveys in favor of less expensive black print only.
05/17/75	A rare music survey cover with no caption on the front. The picture is of newly promoted Program Director, Jim Collins.
05/31/75	Linda Kelly's final music survey front cover appearance.
06/21/75	Midday guy, Jim Elliott appears for the first time on the front cover.
06/28/75	First front cover appearance by new overnighter, Kevin James.
07/12/75	New late night guy, Keith MacDonald's first cover appearance.
07/19/75	Dan Steele's final music survey front cover appearance. Date on front cover appears in a smaller font size for one week only in a printer's error.
09/06/75	Songs #21 - #29 appear on the singles list without any chart numbers along with 3 'Extras', album cuts in limited rotation.
09/20/75	Sky King's first (and last) front cover appearance on the music survey. Artwork on back cover for Black Sabbath's, 'Sabotage' album missing.
10/25/75	Columbus appears for the last time on the front cover of the playlist.
11/08/75	The WPGC Music Troll mascot disappears. 'Musicradio' is now one word. The station's frequencies are no longer listed as '95.5 FM Stereo' and '1580 AM' but appear as '1580 AM' and 'Stereo 95' while the mention of '50,000 watts' for the FM and '10,000 watts' for the AM are dropped from the surveys altogether. Inside, the listing of albums is changed from 'Washington's Favorite Albums' to 'Washington's Hottest Albums' (though the number of LPs remains constant at 20) while the listing of singles is altered from 'WPGC Music' to the 'WPGC Music Radio (2 words) Survey'. Also new is the terminology of 'For The Metro Washington Area' to 'For Metro Washington'. Additionally, the drop shadow used beneath the W-P-G-C letters changes from grey to black.
11/15/75	A week later, 'Musicradio' appears as one word on the inside list of singles as it appears in all other instances of the word throughout.
12/27/75	Simon Trane's name appears on the front cover of the music survey for the first (& last time).
02/21/76	Overnighter, Kevin James appears on the cover for the last time.
05/22/76	Tim Kelly appears on the front cover for the first time.
07/24/76	Inside, the listing of albums reverts to 'Washington's Favorite Albums' from 'Washington's Hottest Albums' (though the number of LPs listed is still 20) while the listing of singles remains as the 'WPGC Musicradio Survey'.
04/23/77	Jim Elliott is the last DJ to appear on front cover before Strike.
07/02/77	Brandt Miller is the first DJ to appear on front cover since Strike.
07/09/77	First playlist front cover appearance by Dave Foxx.
07/30/77	'Uncle Richard' promotion inspired by 'Star Wars' R2D2 on cover.
08/20/77	Days after his death, Elvis Presley appears on the front cover.
~04/28/79	'Musicradio' disappears from front cover & inside (but remains in the 'Small Print Department' disclaimer). Cover photo is now surrounded by stars. 'Stereo 95' & 'AM 1580' appear on the inside as the listing of singles is also changed from the 'WPGC Musicradio Survey' to the 'WPGC Hit Survey'.
06/09/79	An image artist (Barbra Streisand) appears on the front cover for the first time instead of a DJ photo or station contest.
~09/29/79	'Extras', often consisting of album cuts not yet released as singles are renamed as 'Hitbounds'.
01/05/80	'Musicradio' returns for one week in the battle with Q107 over use of the term.
~09/20/80	New smaller WPGC Music Survey Weekly Playlist debuts. Logo now has an oval around it with 'FM 95' and 'AM 1580' added. The lists are now printed on a white background with a monochrome color that changes each week instead of black print on background paper of various colors and usually features an image artist, WPGC Air Personality or Contest on the front cover. Inside, the list of singles shrinks again from 30 to 25 songs as the 'More Music' battle with Q107 heats up while the 'WPGC Hit Survey' is now called, 'Washington's Favorite Singles'. The station positioner, 'Musicradio', in use on the air from 1972-79 and on the WPGC Music Survey Weekly Playlist from 1975-79 remains in the 'Small Print Department' disclaimer despite the legal battle with Q107 over its use.
10/18/80	The WPGC Music Survey Weekly Playlists are printed on heavier weight, textured paper for the first time. Inside, 'Hitbounds', often consisting of albums cuts not yet released as singles, revert to the previously used, 'Extras' nomenclature.
11/29/80	Inside, 'Extras', revert again to the previously used, 'Hitbounds'.
~12/27/80	New logo resembling balloons debuts on the WPGC Top 100 of 1980. The end of an era is realized as this is the final WPGC Music Survey Weekly playlist, issued since October 5th, 1958.

 

 

WPGC Music Survey Playlist Anomalies

05/21/71	Typo - Friday, 05/21/71 date used instead of Saturday, 05/22/71.
11/27/71	Typo - Sunday, 11/28/71 date used instead of Saturday, 11/27/71.
03/25/72	Typo - Sunday, 03/26/72 date used instead of Saturday, 03/25/72.
10/19/74	Typo - Friday, 10/18/74 date used instead of Saturday, 10/19/74.
10/26/74	Typo - Friday, 10/25/74 date used instead of Saturday, 10/26/74.
08/17/75	Typo - Sunday, 08/17/75 date used instead of Saturday, 08/16/75.
10/18/75	Typo - 11/18/75 date used instead of the actual date of 10/18/75.
11/23/75	Typo - Sunday, 11/23/75 date used instead of Saturday, 11/22/75.
11/30/75	Typo - Sunday, 11/30/75 date used instead of Saturday, 11/29/75.
08/07/77	Typo - Sunday, 08/07/77 date used instead of Saturday, 08/06/77.
11/29/80	Typo - 11/29/81 date used instead of the actual date of 11/29/80.

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