American Top 40 clone: America's Greatest Hits

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Tdarcos
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American Top 40 clone: America's Greatest Hits

Post by Tdarcos »

America's Greatest Hits is a relatively new weekly radio program. The local station (WIAD 94.7, "The Drive" ) carries it starting around 5am or so on Saturdays - it was 6am and the show was already on so I figure it started at 5. In format and delivery it makes me think it's a clone of American Top 40 ("AT40"). I figure it's relatively new because, despite being nationally syndicated (see below) it doesn"t (yet) have a Wikipedia page the way AT40 does.

The announcer, Scott Shannon, reminds me of Kasey Kasem, his patter is similar and the format is practically a clone, with the lookback to old hits, like when he reviewed the top 5 songs from 28 years ago, 1991. But I suppose any multi-hour "hits of the week" show is probably going to sound the same as any other.

The show admits it is nationally syndicated because Scott does the same line to tout stations carrying it: "America's Greatest Hits is heard across the USA on great radio stations like..." followed by a quick promo for three of the stations carrying the program. (The italicized part are the exact same words Kasem used for his intro to station promos for AT40. I haven't listened to AT40 in years, I don't know who carries it or much about it, other than Ryan Seacrest took over after Kasem became too dead to show up anymore.)

While listening I realized it is all flashbacks, they don't play any recent music, it appears to only cover songs of the 1980s which ties in to the usual content on The Drive, as they generally only carry songs of the '70s, '80s and '90s.

While I was writing this, I will be damned if Scott doesn't do a shout out to Kasey Kasem, saying that if it wasn't for him and the work he did this show would not exist. So maybe the reason it sounds so much alike is not accidental. Maybe the same company also makes AT40.

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Number 3 for this week, 28 years ago: Right Here, Right Now by Jesus Jones; Number 2: Rush, Rush by Paula Abdul; № 1: Unbelievable by EMF
Alan Francis wrote a book containing everything men understand about women. It consisted of 100 blank pages.

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Tdarcos
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Re: American Top 40 clone: America's Top Hits

Post by Tdarcos »

Uh, since it is America's Top Hits was covering 1991, I'd say it doesn't just cover the 1980s. They also did a lookback to Stevie Wonder"s Sir Duke, his 1976 tribute to Duke Ellington on Wonder's album Songs in the Key of Life. He also played the 1989 single Heart of the Matter from the Album End of the Innocence, because Don Henley's birthday is this week.
Alan Francis wrote a book containing everything men understand about women. It consisted of 100 blank pages.

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Tdarcos
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Re: American Top 40 clone: America's Greatest Hits

Post by Tdarcos »

And now, 30 minutes of commercial free music, right here on Soft-98, serving the Oran, Sinas and Lauryl areas. This selection is sponsored by Dale’s Bar & Grill, at 15933 Telegraph Road in Oran, with the coldest beer and the best burgers in town, and by Dale’s Bail Bonds, conveniently located right across the street from the County Jail at 16005 Telegraph Road. If you need bail, just call Dale.
Alan Francis wrote a book containing everything men understand about women. It consisted of 100 blank pages.

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AArdvark
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Re: American Top 40 clone: America's Greatest Hits

Post by AArdvark »

They used to lampoon Scott Shannon mercilessly on the Don and Mike show. More than that I cannot comment

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