Short answers, pulled from the story.
Joel Carver Whitburn was an American author and music historian born on the 29th of November 1939 in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. He founded Record Research, Inc. in 1970 and published more than 200 reference books based on data from Billboard's music and video charts, becoming the leading authority on chart history.
Top Pop Singles is a comprehensive reference covering the history of Billboard's popular singles charts, with a primary focus on the Hot 100. The most recent edition, Top Pop Singles 1955-2018, was released in June 2019.
Joel Whitburn founded Record Research, Inc. in 1970 in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. The company secured a licensing arrangement with Billboard and went on to publish more than 200 books on chart history.
By 2013, Joel Whitburn's record collection was estimated to contain more than 200,000 singles. Stored in underground vaults, the collection included a copy of nearly every 78-rpm record, 45-rpm single, LP, and compact disc to reach the Billboard charts.
Joel Whitburn died on the 14th of June 2022 at his home in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, at the age of 82. His wife, Frances, died five months later.
Joel Whitburn's research extends from 1890 to the present and covers many genres. Each entry records a recording's peak position, date charted, weeks charted, label information, and artist trivia.