In the radio industry, a song`s popularity is measured by the demand for the song based on the volume of requests from listeners and sales. The Top 40 is a well known method of measuring the popularity of music tracks over a specified time period, which can be anywhere from a week to a year. Top 40 play back became a dominant radio format during the 1960`s and persisted until the 1980`s. You can always find your favorite Top 40 music on internet radio.

You may be wondering how Top 40 works. What is the process and how does a song make it to the Top 40? We will attempt to explain it to you. Every week, the one hundred most listened to songs are placed into a chart by an organisation called Billboard. The Billboard chart is based on a national sample of top radio airplay and music sales. The Top 40 songs are then extracted from Billboard`s Hot 100 chart.

The amount of airplay, or times a song is played is first and foremost in Top 40 determination. Broadcast Data Systems (BDS), run by Neilsen, keeps track of the airplay. BDS makes use of digital pattern recognition technology to determine the airplay time of each song on music channels and radio stations throughout North America. This process of music recognition operated continually and collects data on more the one hundred millions songs each year, then the data is used by Billboard to determine the weekly Top 40.

The second method used in Top 40 determination is the number of sales that are reported from music stores for particular albums. To keep track of sales, Billboard utilizes Sound Scan, a system developed by Neilsen that is used to track music sales in North America. When we purchase an album, sales data from the barcode is passed to Sound Scan and the stored data is compiled and published weekly.

The methodology of Billboard in weighting the compiled data has changed over time. In the past, they were using 90% airplay and 10% sales to determine the top songs. Today, the weight has changed to eighty percent air play and twenty percent sales, due to changes in the way the public listens to and purchases music. You can search for the Top 40 via online radio.

Most recording artists` goal is to sell albums, and for albums to sell, their songs must be popular on the radio. If a song can make it to the Top 40, a huge increase in sales generally follows. Top 40 has been a measuring stick for album sales and the trend will likely continue.

If an artist does not make the Top 40 it does not necessarily make for a lack of success. Not every artist requires huge sales to enjoy some degree of success. Some are happy making a living and enjoying the artistic aspect of their craft.

The Top 40 is an useful tool to determine which artists popularity are on the rise and which are stagnating.