Toppermost Of The Poppermost

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Society & Culture Arts History Performing Arts Music

What's Toppermost Of The Poppermost about?

Ed, Kit and Martin go chronologically through the singles releases of The Beatles, discussing what inspired the band in the charts, and any links there were with other artists. 

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Toppermost Of The Poppermost episodes:

06.23.2024
June 1964 (side C)
Our first months of four sides. The first week of June 1964 on the Billboard Charts. Irma Thomas (The Soul Queen of New Orleans!), The Girl from Ipanema, the Impressions, Sam Cooke and Johnny Rivers (who might have sold more...
06.17.2024
June 1964 (side B)
Francoise Hardy, Peter and Gordon, Little Richard, The Swinging Blue Jeans, The Pretty Things and more versions of "Hello, Dolly!" than you might expect as we continue our four-sided odyssey for June. #MadeonZencastr
06.13.2024
June 1964 (side A)
June 1964. The Beatles are off to the Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand. when Ringo collapses. What happens next? Jim Berkenstadt joins your toppermost crew to discuss Jimmie Nicol, The Bossa Nova and a little bit of ska. In addition...
06.01.2024
May 1964 (side C)
More from Cashbox, and more than four by the Beatles! BB King, Lesley Gore, The Temptations, Terry Stafford, Steve Lawrence and the next smash from the Beach Boys. #madeonZencastr
05.28.2024
May 1964 (side B)
Cashbox Month! The Beatles still dominate, although they will soon move back to "just" being the hottest band in the States. Other acts include Brenda Holloway, Skeeter Davis, Tracey Day (why would anyone change their name from Nora Ferrari?), B.B....
05.19.2024
May 1964 (side A)
Around the Beatles aired in the UK sixty years ago, so we look at "the other acts" on that show. (See "When They Was Fab" 2024.17, April 28 for Kit and I talking about the Beatles side of things). Additionally,...
05.04.2024
April 1964 (side C)
The Billboard charts for the final two weeks of April 1964. Rampant Beatlemania (not starring Terri Hemmert), and a couple of tunes that must be heard to be believed! #MadeonZencastr
04.27.2024
April 1964 (side B)
The Billboard Charts for the first two weeks of April, 1964. The Beatles rule the roost, but Motown continues churning out commercial and critical darlings (My Guy), and Burt Bacharach gives Dionne Warwick a song which will become one of...
04.22.2024
April 1964 (side A)
The Beatles have conquered the Billboard charts, so we examine some of the news stories from the month. Additionally, the British charts for April 1964. Eden Kane, Shirley Bassey, the Four Pennies, the Undertakers, the Merseybeats and a horn player...
04.10.2024
March 1964 (side C)
More from March of 1964. Even more Beatles on the charts, but figures including Lenny Welch, The Shirelles, Tony Bennett, Bobby Goldsboro and others you may or may not remember continue to make appearances. #madeonZencastr
04.01.2024
March 1964 (side B)
Beatlemania, Beatlemania, Beatlemania!!! (and it hasn't even reached it's Zenith). Lots and lots of Beatles, but also Jan and Dean (and Mel Blanc) The Four Preps, Dale and Grace, Nino and April and more! #madeonZencastr
03.30.2024
March 1964 (side A)
The British charts for March of 1964. Can't Buy Me Love arrives, while Lennon/McCartney also continue the string with Peter & Gordon and World Without Love. We also consider the state of "other music" on the British charts. #madeonzencastr
03.12.2024
February 1964 (side C)
The Beatles continue rampaging the charts, but the Americans also stake some ground. Two sides from Elvis in the charts (one good, one very bad), The Shoop Shoop Song, a bad Merseybeat knockoff and a Beatles novelty record (about the...
03.01.2024
February 1964 (side B)
The first two weeks of Billboard, 1964. Dawn, Fun Fun Fun and more of the Beatles than you can shake a forest at! #MadeonZencastr
02.29.2024
February 1964 (side A)
Cilla, Beatles, Stones and a feature on the Ed Sullivan Show. Side A - the British charts and more!
02.04.2024
January 1964 (side B)
We roll into the American charts for January 1964. Marsha Albert, Carroll James, and millions of East Coasters help "I Want To Hold Your Hand" to the Top of the Cashbox charts. Meanwhile, Capitol cannot keep up with demand as...
01.20.2024
January 1964 (side A)
I Want to Hold Your Hand firmly takes control of the American charts, while British bands continue their dominance on the British charts. To use the lingo of music writers of the time. "While the Beatles crawl to the top...
01.14.2024
December 1963 (side B)
1963 draws to a close, and Capitol records decides to celebrate by finallly releasing a little record from across the pond - Frank Ifield covering Bing Crosby! All this and more, including some thoughts on that other record which would...
12.31.2023
December 1963 (side A)
"I Want to Hold Your Hand" enters the British charts, "She Loves You" hums along, as does the NEMS crew. Piers Hemmingsen guests as we spend some time considering the rise of the "British Invasion" in Canada.
12.16.2023
November 1963 (side B)
The American charts for November of 1963. Doldrums in the charts that were not improved by the Kennedy assassination at the end of the month. A lot of filler, with a select few gems. Steven Allen, Ray Charles (not that...
11.30.2023
November 1963 (side A)
The charts roll on. She Loves You finds it's way back to the top of the charts and we discuss Beatles covers from the first year in honor of the Stones "I Wanna Be Your Man" #MadeonZencastr
11.26.2023
October 1963 (side C - one sided Bonus EP)
We close out October 1963 with two more weeks that have nothing to do with Eeephing or Ardells. Somehow we manage a Happy Days reference, and a story about George Greif. #MadeonZencastr,.
11.11.2023
October 1963 (side B)
It doesn't matter what we call it, you are going to remember this show for one of two things - eefin' (no, it's not dirty), the Ardells and their successor "The American Beetles". Dress up as 30-year old high schoolers,...
11.05.2023
October 1963 (side A)
The George Martin train rolls on. Cilla Black, Shirley Bassey and the latest smash hit from Gerry and the Pacemakers. All this and more on Toppermost of the Poppermost, covering the British charts for the month of October 1963. #MadeonZencastr...
10.20.2023
September 1963 (side B)
The American charts continue their roll - some blues, some soul but precious little rock. Duane Eddy joins in the surfing craze, Nino and April inspire the name of a future hard roc perennial, while Ray Charles proves that it...
09.30.2023
September 1963 (side A)
":From Me to You" slides down the British charts, but the Beatles have an ace up their sleeve - something new and fresh! She Loves It, and She Loves You. We track the new single, see what else the Brits...
09.10.2023
Bonus Episode! Live-ish from the Chicago 2023 Fest for Beatles Fans
Live (on Tape and edited) from the SEATAC room in Chicago, Illinois - it's "Toppermost of the Poppermost" with Ed Chen and Kit O'Toole. Marv was present in spirit. So may I introduce to you, the act you've known for...
09.03.2023
August 1963 (side B)
Brian Wilson and his love of close harmony (see Freshman, Four) appear, leaders of the surf trend. Your boyfriend's back, your baby's gone surfin' and neither has grown the Beatle haircut that will become so visibile in less than half...
08.24.2023
August 1963 (side A)
The summer of 1963 rolls on, and the Beatles introduce an unsuspecting audience to their next single "She Loves You". Meanwhile, the charts roll on, and the acts who will be known as the "British Invasion" a year later are...
08.19.2023
July 1963 (side B)
July of 1963 in the United States. Still no sign of the British invasion, but an interesting selection of songs ranging from terrible to all-time classics. Danke Schoen, Trini Lopez, Joey Dee and a Surfin Hootenanny!
08.05.2023
July 1963 (side A)
Mortal Enemies? Mozart and Salieri? Mick and Keith, John Paul and George. A new band is on the charts with a song they are not big fans of, signed to a contract because George Harrison was kind enough to offer...
07.15.2023
June 1963 (side B)
The Billboard charts for June 1963. VeeJay is pushing "From Me To You" in the papers, and Del Shannon brings his cover into the world. All this and more.
06.17.2023
June 1963 (side A)
June of 1963. The crossroads of past, present and future. Paul McCartney turned 21, John Lennon appeared on "Juke Box Jury", and The Beatles compete with Gerry and the Pacemakers for the top of the British charts.
05.31.2023
May 1963 (side B)
The American charts for May 1963 show almost no sign of the forthcoming British invasion. Despite that, new acts are popping, while stalwarts like Dion and Tony Bennett (not to mention Rick Nelson) continue their run.
05.27.2023
May 1963 (side A)
The Beatles continue their reign atop the British charts, while other NEMS and George Martin acts look to challenge. This month: Billy J Kramer with two Lennon-McCartney songs starts his rise.
04.29.2023
April 1963
April 1963! The Beatles unveil Please Please Me, the George Martin empire starts to take hold, and the old ways start to crumble. Will Gerry and the Pacemakers overtake the Beatles? Will any of these guys ever make it in...
04.01.2023
March 1963 (side B) - The American charts
As promised, the B-side of our look at March 1963. Kit, Ed and Martin dive into the American Charts. Rick Nelson, Henry Mancini, Motown and more.
03.25.2023
March 1963 (side A)
The reigning pop stars of the first half of 1963? The Beatmakers! Please Please me was mostly, but not unanimously number one in the UK, but such a question does not exist for "How Do You Do It". George Martin...
02.22.2023
February 1963
As Please Please Me zooms up the British charts, we look at the other contenders for "the next big thing." Blue Grass? Bossa Nova? Tune in and figure it out!
01.23.2023
January 1963
A New Year. The Beatles start traveling the country with headliners such as Helen Shapiro, Chris Montez an Tommy Roe. The "Please Please Me" single is released and starts its rise while Ross MacManus lead the Joe Loss Orchestra.
01.08.2023
December 1962
December 1962. Love Me Do continues its run through the British charts as Motown, the Beach Boys and others prepare for the new phenomenom with their own volleys.
12.20.2022
November 1962
Love Me Do continues its climb up the charts in the UK, and the Beach Boys peek in on the US charts.
12.04.2022
October 1962
It all starts here. Love Me Do Enters the Charts, October 1962.
11.27.2022
0. Welcome to Toppermost of the Poppermost!
This is the trailer "episode 0" of "Toppermost of the Poppermost", hosted by Ed Chen, Kit O'Toole and Martin Quibell. Ever wondered what was on the charts at the same time as the Beatles. This show will explore the friends,...

What's Toppermost Of The Poppermost about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Toppermost Of The Poppermost episodes:

June 1964 (side C)

June 1964 (side B)

June 1964 (side A)

May 1964 (side C)

May 1964 (side B)

May 1964 (side A)

April 1964 (side C)

April 1964 (side B)

April 1964 (side A)

March 1964 (side C)

March 1964 (side B)

March 1964 (side A)

February 1964 (side C)

February 1964 (side B)

February 1964 (side A)

January 1964 (side B)

January 1964 (side A)

December 1963 (side B)

December 1963 (side A)

November 1963 (side B)

November 1963 (side A)

October 1963 (side C - one sided Bonus EP)

October 1963 (side B)

October 1963 (side A)

September 1963 (side B)

September 1963 (side A)

Bonus Episode! Live-ish from the Chicago 2023 Fest for Beatles Fans

August 1963 (side B)

August 1963 (side A)

July 1963 (side B)

July 1963 (side A)

June 1963 (side B)

June 1963 (side A)

May 1963 (side B)

May 1963 (side A)

April 1963

March 1963 (side B) - The American charts

March 1963 (side A)

February 1963

January 1963

December 1962

November 1962

October 1962

0. Welcome to Toppermost of the Poppermost!

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