Today marks the 55th anniversary of a landmark moment in radio history: the debut of Casey Kasem’s American Top 40 on July 4, 1970. The iconic countdown show, which first aired on seven radio stations, including Los Angeles’ KDEO (now KECR) in nearby El Cajon, revolutionized music broadcasting and became a cultural touchstone for millions. To celebrate this milestone, iHeartRadio has launched a special Classic American Top 40 channel on its app, streaming Casey Kasem’s original shows from the 1970s and 1980s nonstop, allowing fans to relive the magic of his warm voice and legendary storytelling.
On that historic Independence Day in 1970, Casey Kasem introduced American Top 40 with the promise to count down “the best-selling and most-played songs from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from Canada to Mexico.” The first episode, based on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the week ending July 11, 1970, featured Three Dog Night’s “Mama Told Me (Not to Come)” at No. 1. Kasem’s unique blend of music, trivia, and heartfelt segments like Long Distance Dedications quickly captured listeners’ hearts. His “teaser/bio” format, inspired by a discarded music magazine he found in a studio trash bin, brought songs to life with stories about artists and their hits, making the show a weekly ritual for music fans.
Created by Kasem, Don Bustany, Tom Rounds, and Ron Jacobs, American Top 40 grew from its modest debut to a global phenomenon, airing on over 500 stations by the early 1980s, including the Armed Forces Radio Network. Initially using Billboard’s Hot 100 as its source, the show later adopted airplay-based charts from Radio & Records and Mediabase. Kasem hosted from 1970 to 1988, with Shadoe Stevens taking over until 1995. Kasem returned in 1998, hosting until 2003, when Ryan Seacrest assumed the role, continuing to this day with formats for Contemporary Hit Radio and Hot Adult Contemporary stations.
The show’s appeal lay not just in its music but in Kasem’s humanity. His warm delivery and knack for storytelling, especially during Long Distance Dedications, connected listeners worldwide. Despite challenges, like rock stations dropping the show in the 1970s due to the rise of disco, American Top 40 remained a staple, adapting to changing musical tastes.
Today, iHeartRadio’s Classic American Top 40 channel offers a nostalgic journey, playing full-length episodes from 1970 to 1988 without commercials. Available on the iHeartRadio app, it’s a fitting tribute to Kasem, a National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame inductee who passed away in 2014. As fans tune in, they celebrate 55 years of a show that remains the gold standard for music countdowns, keeping Casey Kasem’s legacy alive.
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