Radio Charts Poll Results
Many Southern Gospel fans believe that radio was much better in the “Good old Days.” So, about two weeks ago, I started a survey comparing the top 40 songs for August 1983 and for August 2003, respectively 25 and 5 years ago.
Are the songs from 1983 as recognizable, or even more recognizable, than the songs from 2003?
Well, 241 people have helped us try to work toward an answer. Let’s go straight to the data:
August 1983 Singing News Chart
241 Responses
|
|
Know |
Have |
Love |
Response |
||||
|
#1 Two Winning Hands (Hinsons) |
95 |
39.4% |
66 |
27.4% |
73 |
30.3% |
129 |
53.5% |
|
#2 It’s Out Of This World (Payne Family) |
90 |
37.3% |
29 |
12.0% |
27 |
11.2% |
107 |
44.4% |
|
#3 In My Robe of White (Gold City) |
155 |
64.3% |
128 |
53.1% |
130 |
53.9% |
225 |
93.4% |
|
#4 Step Into the Water (Cathedrals) |
162 |
67.2% |
152 |
63.1% |
144 |
59.8% |
236 |
97.9% |
|
#5 I Know My God Can Do It (Heaven Bound) |
109 |
45.2% |
61 |
25.3% |
51 |
21.2% |
144 |
59.8% |
|
#6 The Cloud He’s Coming Back On (Goodmans) |
119 |
49.4% |
55 |
22.8% |
60 |
24.9% |
150 |
62.2% |
|
#7 You Can Walk On the Water (Cathedrals) |
127 |
52.7% |
112 |
46.5% |
102 |
42.3% |
181 |
75.1% |
|
#8 They’re Holding Up the Ladder (Inspirations) |
121 |
50.2% |
34 |
14.1% |
38 |
15.8% |
146 |
60.6% |
|
#9 Look For Me (Happy Goodmans) |
164 |
68.0% |
85 |
35.3% |
108 |
44.8% |
209 |
86.7% |
|
#10 The Broken Rose (Squire Parsons) |
77 |
32.0% |
28 |
11.6% |
26 |
10.8% |
96 |
39.8% |
|
#11 I’ll Meet You on the Other Side (Jerry Goff) |
69 |
28.6% |
13 |
5.4% |
16 |
6.6% |
84 |
34.9% |
|
#12 Jesus is Your Ticket to Heaven (Rex Nelon) |
112 |
46.5% |
63 |
26.1% |
42 |
17.4% |
137 |
56.8% |
|
#13 Whiter than Snow (Singing Americans) |
99 |
41.1% |
52 |
21.6% |
42 |
17.4% |
128 |
53.1% |
|
#14 We’ve Got the Power (LaVerne Tripp) |
80 |
33.2% |
12 |
5.0% |
14 |
5.8% |
90 |
37.3% |
|
#15 I’ll Be Home Before Dark (Inspirations) |
62 |
25.7% |
14 |
5.8% |
10 |
4.1% |
72 |
29.9% |
|
#16 Wedding Day (Rex Nelon Singers) |
74 |
30.7% |
27 |
11.2% |
29 |
12.0% |
93 |
38.6% |
|
#17 Dig A Well (Dixie Echoes) |
38 |
15.8% |
9 |
3.7% |
11 |
4.6% |
48 |
19.9% |
|
#18 He’s On the Throne (Speer Family) |
53 |
22.0% |
25 |
10.4% |
16 |
6.6% |
70 |
29.0% |
|
#19 I’m Not Perfect, Just Forgiven (Hemphills) |
115 |
47.7% |
62 |
25.7% |
37 |
15.4% |
144 |
59.8% |
|
#20 Look For Me (Singing Echoes) |
92 |
38.2% |
13 |
5.4% |
17 |
7.1% |
102 |
42.3% |
|
#21 Ain’t God Good (Gold City) |
114 |
47.3% |
82 |
34.0% |
62 |
25.7% |
161 |
66.8% |
|
#22 Hallelujah He’s Coming Again (Speer Family) |
62 |
25.7% |
20 |
8.3% |
16 |
6.6% |
78 |
32.4% |
|
#23 Because He Loved Me (Primitive Quartet) |
59 |
24.5% |
16 |
6.6% |
29 |
12.0% |
73 |
30.3% |
|
#24 Antioch Church Choir (Dixie Melody Boys) |
154 |
63.9% |
80 |
33.2% |
55 |
22.8% |
189 |
78.4% |
|
#25 The Message of His Coming (Happy Goodmans) |
38 |
15.8% |
22 |
9.1% |
20 |
8.3% |
54 |
22.4% |
|
#26 In My Robe of White (Spencer Family) |
115 |
47.7% |
24 |
10.0% |
21 |
8.7% |
130 |
53.9% |
|
#27 Come to the Wedding (Hoppers) |
45 |
18.7% |
15 |
6.2% |
10 |
4.1% |
55 |
22.8% |
|
#28 In a Different Light (Candy Hemphill) |
38 |
15.8% |
7 |
2.9% |
8 |
3.3% |
44 |
18.3% |
|
#29 I’ve Never Been This Homesick (Jimmy Swaggart) |
161 |
66.8% |
37 |
15.4% |
34 |
14.1% |
185 |
76.8% |
|
#30 Mail Order From Heaven (Singing Cookes) |
34 |
14.1% |
5 |
2.1% |
4 |
1.7% |
38 |
15.8% |
|
#31 I’ve Got the Will (Wendy Bagwell) |
43 |
17.8% |
13 |
5.4% |
12 |
5.0% |
51 |
21.2% |
|
#32 Passin’ the Faith Along (New Gaither Vocal Band) |
136 |
56.4% |
102 |
42.3% |
73 |
30.3% |
178 |
73.9% |
|
#33 Enter In (Singing Echoes) |
27 |
11.2% |
8 |
3.3% |
3 |
1.2% |
32 |
13.3% |
|
#34 Burning the Midnight Oil (McKameys) |
40 |
16.6% |
10 |
4.1% |
8 |
3.3% |
51 |
21.2% |
|
#35 Movin’ On Up (Lesters) |
38 |
15.8% |
12 |
5.0% |
7 |
2.9% |
46 |
19.1% |
|
#36 I’m Going There (Kingsmen) |
73 |
30.3% |
35 |
14.5% |
25 |
10.4% |
95 |
39.4% |
|
#37 Then Came the Morning (Cathedrals) |
158 |
65.6% |
118 |
49.0% |
129 |
53.5% |
212 |
88.0% |
|
#38 Your Ride is on the Way (Kingsmen) |
49 |
20.3% |
40 |
16.6% |
18 |
7.5% |
71 |
29.5% |
|
#39 Headed Home (Clifton Tomes) |
21 |
8.7% |
1 |
0.4% |
2 |
0.8% |
22 |
9.1% |
|
#40 Somebody Prayed for Me (The Goodmans) |
93 |
38.6% |
42 |
17.4% |
43 |
17.8% |
119 |
49.4% |
|
36.42% |
17.94% |
16.31% |
46.42% |
|||||
August 2003 Singing News Chart
234 Responses
|
Know |
Have |
Love |
Response |
|||||
|
#1 I |
89 |
36.9% |
56 |
23.2% |
38 |
15.8% |
107 |
45.7% |
|
#2 When |
86 |
35.7% |
26 |
10.8% |
22 |
9.1% |
100 |
42.7% |
|
#3 I |
104 |
43.2% |
88 |
36.5% |
64 |
26.6% |
137 |
58.5% |
|
#4 I |
125 |
51.9% |
98 |
40.7% |
83 |
34.4% |
171 |
73.1% |
|
#5 The |
112 |
46.5% |
72 |
29.9% |
48 |
19.9% |
142 |
60.7% |
|
#6 I |
116 |
48.1% |
70 |
29.0% |
64 |
26.6% |
149 |
63.7% |
|
#7 I |
69 |
28.6% |
26 |
10.8% |
29 |
12.0% |
84 |
35.9% |
|
#8 The |
115 |
47.7% |
70 |
29.0% |
38 |
15.8% |
141 |
60.3% |
|
#9 God |
130 |
53.9% |
96 |
39.8% |
107 |
44.4% |
170 |
72.6% |
|
#10 Put |
70 |
29.0% |
22 |
9.1% |
14 |
5.8% |
78 |
33.3% |
|
#11 It’s |
95 |
39.4% |
28 |
11.6% |
22 |
9.1% |
105 |
44.9% |
|
#12 |
37 |
15.4% |
13 |
5.4% |
9 |
3.7% |
43 |
18.4% |
|
#13 |
131 |
54.4% |
98 |
40.7% |
52 |
21.6% |
165 |
70.5% |
|
#14 In |
72 |
29.9% |
28 |
11.6% |
32 |
13.3% |
86 |
36.8% |
|
#15 What |
84 |
34.9% |
39 |
16.2% |
38 |
15.8% |
101 |
43.2% |
|
#16 From |
60 |
24.9% |
15 |
6.2% |
14 |
5.8% |
70 |
29.9% |
|
#17 It |
82 |
34.0% |
46 |
19.1% |
45 |
18.7% |
101 |
43.2% |
|
#18 |
97 |
40.2% |
29 |
12.0% |
14 |
5.8% |
106 |
45.3% |
|
#19 She |
44 |
18.3% |
17 |
7.1% |
12 |
5.0% |
51 |
21.8% |
|
#20 |
133 |
55.2% |
63 |
26.1% |
68 |
28.2% |
156 |
66.7% |
|
#21 |
19 |
7.9% |
3 |
1.2% |
0 |
0.0% |
20 |
8.5% |
|
#22 |
62 |
25.7% |
36 |
14.9% |
18 |
7.5% |
78 |
33.3% |
|
#23 I |
37 |
15.4% |
10 |
4.1% |
3 |
1.2% |
43 |
18.4% |
|
#24 |
75 |
31.1% |
35 |
14.5% |
33 |
13.7% |
89 |
38.0% |
|
#25 New |
82 |
34.0% |
33 |
13.7% |
21 |
8.7% |
97 |
41.5% |
|
#26 |
37 |
15.4% |
12 |
5.0% |
9 |
3.7% |
41 |
17.5% |
|
#27 The |
85 |
35.3% |
63 |
26.1% |
54 |
22.4% |
111 |
47.4% |
|
#28 |
60 |
24.9% |
30 |
12.4% |
23 |
9.5% |
76 |
32.5% |
|
#29 Only |
68 |
28.2% |
23 |
9.5% |
20 |
8.3% |
79 |
33.8% |
|
#30 |
78 |
32.4% |
28 |
11.6% |
25 |
10.4% |
90 |
38.5% |
|
#31 Just |
81 |
33.6% |
49 |
20.3% |
30 |
12.4% |
98 |
41.9% |
|
#32 He |
134 |
55.6% |
99 |
41.1% |
90 |
37.3% |
171 |
73.1% |
|
#33 |
46 |
19.1% |
28 |
11.6% |
12 |
5.0% |
57 |
24.4% |
|
#34 A |
75 |
31.1% |
21 |
8.7% |
23 |
9.5% |
88 |
37.6% |
|
#35 |
79 |
32.8% |
17 |
7.1% |
12 |
5.0% |
89 |
38.0% |
|
#36 |
62 |
25.7% |
18 |
7.5% |
10 |
4.1% |
70 |
29.9% |
|
#37 Come |
78 |
32.4% |
22 |
9.1% |
15 |
6.2% |
86 |
36.8% |
|
#38 We |
25 |
10.4% |
6 |
2.5% |
3 |
1.2% |
28 |
12.0% |
|
#39 Only |
35 |
14.5% |
13 |
5.4% |
6 |
2.5% |
41 |
17.5% |
|
#40 I’ll |
41 |
17.0% |
17 |
7.1% |
20 |
8.3% |
54 |
23.1% |
|
32.26% |
16.21% |
12.86% |
40.27% |
|||||
Analysis
Interestingly, and perhaps surprisingly, the 1983 chart comes out ahead.
- On average, 36% know a given 1983 hit, compared to 32% for 2003 (4.16% difference).
- On average, 18% have a given 1983 hit, compared to 16% for 2003 (1.73% difference).
- On average, 16% love a given 1983 hit, compared to 13% for 2003 (3.45% difference).
- On average, 46% responded to one of the three questions, compared to 40% for 2003 (6.15% difference).
- On the 1983 chart, 17 songs got over 50% response to at least one of the three questions. On the 2003 chart, 9 songs registered that level of response.
Keep in mind that this is despite 1983 coming in at a disadvantage, since many of the readers (something I should have tracked) were not listening to Southern Gospel radio 25 years ago (and a few of us, myself included, weren’t even alive then!)
So are the songs written and released today generally weaker than the songs 25 years ago?
Not necessarily. Most or all of the nine songs from the 2003 chart that registered over 50% will probably be well recognized twenty years down the line. I think that “God Handled it All,” “He is to Me,” and “Mighty Deep Well” are on the same level as “The Cloud He’s Coming Back On,” “Ain’t God Good,” and “I’m Not Perfect (Just Forgiven).”
A large part of the difference—and the reason we remember the songs from yesteryear so well—is that songs are cycled off the top of the chart much more quickly today than 25 years ago. If a song like “God Handled it All” hits #1, it is unlikely to spend more than a month (maximum two) before quickly falling off the charts. Few songs spend more than three months in today’s top 10, while it wasn’t uncommon for songs to spend 9 months or a year in the top 10 25 years ago.
Does today’s system mean that more groups get a chance to be in the top 40, top 20, and top 10? Yes.
Is that a good thing? Perhaps.
But cycling the megahits out of the top 10 as quickly as we do these days plays a large role in why, five years later, we can’t remember as many songs as we can from 25 years ago.
Is this the only factor? Possibly not. Quite possibly, there are fewer songs of mega-hit quality being written and recorded. And there could be other factors.
But here, at least, is some statistical data. Make of it what you will.
Comment by abk (October 25, 2008, 12:13 pm)
There’s only really a handful of songs from 2003 that I even remember, and most of those aren’t even sung by the groups that made them famous anymore. MABYE “God Handled It All” and MAYBE “Mighty Deep Well” will endure, along with one or two of the Crabb Family songs, since they were so hugely popular, but I have my doubts with most of them unfortunately.
1983 turned out more memorable songs than I had figured.
Comment by Stewart Pait (October 26, 2008, 8:35 am)
If a song makes a strong impression on our mind and spirit, then even if it drops off the chart in a month because of another great hit We keep both of them in our mind and spirit. We own and play both, not just for a month.
I think your poll proves without a doubt 1983 wins hands down.
Comment by Daniel J. Mount (October 26, 2008, 8:38 am)
Yes, 1983 does come in ahead. Fortunately, there were also songs in 2003 that changed hearts, too—at least it wasn’t something like 36% to 3%.
Pingback by SN Radio Chart Poll Results « Burke’s Brainwork (October 27, 2008, 12:56 pm)
[...] I mentioned earlier Daniel Mount’s Singing News chart poll. Well, he has posted the results, with a slightly surprising revelation that the songs from 1983 seem to still be more recognizable [...]
Comment by Grigs (October 28, 2008, 12:10 am)
I did something a little different. I pitted the #1 songs from each year against each other and went on down the line…#2 from ‘83 vs. #2 from ‘03, etc.
The final totals:
1983=17
2003=10
Liked the songs from each year equally=13
There were four cases where the ‘03 song won by default since I wasn’t familiar with the ‘83 song. There was one ‘83 song that won by default because I wasn’t familiar with the ‘03 song.
There was one tie where I wasn’t familiar with either song.
There was one tie where I wasn’t familiar with the ‘83 song, but disliked the ‘03 song to the point where I figured the song I hadn’t heard had to be at least equal to it!