Ron’s Hot 100 library

crapfromthepast wrote: I respectfully disagree; I believe that there's value in having one mix, out of five or ten different mixes, that's labeled "hit". If I'm going to play the song now, 20+ years after it was popular, I'm going to reach for the version that was the "hit". And if I don't know offhand which was the most popular at the time (and that's true for just about everything after 1995 or so in these folders), I'm going to reach for what was sent to radio at the time.

The labeling of a version as a "hit" is subjective in 1999 and subsequent years to your interpretation. It is a lot easier in 1986, 1976, 1966 and 1956 I give you that.

There are almost always 2 versions which got extensive airplay at times even in 1995. Missing by ETBG is a perfect example. I heard the slow version off the LP and the Todd Terry Mix Edit. They are both the "hit" version but the one that garnered airplay and almost dethroned Mariah and Boyz II Men was the Todd Terry Remix Edit, not the slow version.

I'm trying to say that while your opinion is nice to have and might be rational, labeling something a "hit version" compounds a greater problem when other versions also got airplay. If I applied your logic then Old Town Road without Billie Ray Cyrus would be the hit version because it was put out to radio. It went to #1 for one week and was serviced to radio. Then the remix came and was on top of Billboard another 18 weeks. Ron, both are the "hit version" but the Billie Ray Cyrus is the one that was way more popular on the radio.

It also discounts that radio was sent the remix radio edits which got played often from 1999 on. We agree to disagree.

Leaving the "hit version" out of the tags is a better option is all I am saying and one you should consider at least for 1999.

Much of this depends on where you were living. A large city like NYC with a big dance/club scene would likely go with a dance
mix vs smaller cities where a more pop mix would go over better.

I was music director for a CHR in 1999, and I couldn't tell you what versions of what songs we played almost 25 years later.
Sometimes we'd alternate or daypart different versions too.

I remember listening to "The Howard Stern Show" at the time
"It's Not Right" was a hit and he sent an intern out to buy
the cd because he liked the track. When he played it on the
show he was all "What the hell is this?!" because he was
used to hearing the Thunderpuss edit on the radio. Cue the
mini tirade about record company ridiculousness...

Edited by Kiefer2

I added a link for 1967 (only positions 1-100) and updated a link for 1968 (only positions 1-96) in the original post.

Enjoy!

I added a link for 1966 (only positions 1-130).

Enjoy!