When did Billboard publish its first chart?
The first chart published by Billboard appeared in July 1913 under the title Last Week's Ten Best Sellers Among The Popular Songs. This list tracked sheet music sales rather than recorded sound.
Questions about Billboard charts
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What date did Billboard create the Hot 100 chart?
Billboard created the Hot 100 chart beginning with the issue dated the 4th of August 1958 following the discontinuation of several predecessor lists. Ricky Nelson held the number one position when the chart launched with his song Poor Little Fool.
How has Billboard methodology changed since 1991?
Manual reporting filled out by radio stations and stores provided Billboard's early data until November 1991 when SoundScan tracking officially implemented automated systems. All current Billboard charts now utilize this digital monitoring infrastructure for accuracy.
Which genre was the first to adopt SoundScan technology?
Country music became the first genre to adopt SoundScan technology during 1990 followed by the Hot 100 and R&B charts in 1991. Prior to that implementation many radio stations removed songs from manual reports once record labels stopped promoting specific singles causing those tracks to fall quickly after peaking.
When did Billboard shift its weekly cycle to Friday-to-Thursday?
On the 25th of June 2015, Billboard shifted its weekly cycle from Monday-to-Sunday to Friday-to-Thursday aligning global release dates set by IFPI. This change ensured consistency with international market standards.