The 20th of February 1973
Official U.K. Albums Chart results from Sunday the 18th to Saturday the 24th of February 1973
Cut-off for sales figures was up to the end of Saturday the 17th of February
Results counted from Sunday the 18th,
announced on Tuesday the 20th,
and broadcast on B.B.C. Radio 1 on Sunday the 25th of February 1973.
Various Artists
20 All Time Greats Of The 50’s
At No.30, on the “The Top 50 U.K. Albums Chart” on my 1st Birthday, is “20 All Time Greats Of The 50’s”.
As we crack the Top 30 in this U.K. Album Chart,..
..we get to the first consumer targeted info-mercial led product, which, of course, came from K-Tel.
Founded back in the early 1960’s in Canada by a man called Philip Kives who, unsurprisingly, was a door to door salesman, selling cooking utensils and gadgets.
He released the company’s first compilation album in the U.S. in the mid-1960’s and sold every copy.
After a couple of other compilations sold so well (over 1.5 million), the decision was made to expand the venture into the U.K. where, up to this point, only had an equivalent ‘Various Artist’ album series from record labels such as Motown.
To most, these albums were a great way, to:
a: Get all your favourite music in one place, and
b: discover something new in the same type of style.
Sound familiar?
Well, Forbes, back in 2013, wrote a piece on the company entitled “K-Tel Records: The Spotify of the ‘70’s”
I think everyone knew of K-Tel Records while I was growing up.
My sisters definitely had some of their records or tapes. I myself ended up getting the Chart-Hits albums in the early ’80’s.
This particular album from the early ’70’s was in one of my Auntie’s collection.
I remember looking at it thinking the people on the cover looked so old. Strange to think they were probably younger than I am now.
So, the day’s of the compilation marketing machine were fully underway,..
…and looking at the behaviour in the chart, you can see why, one day, it’s days maybe numbered.
This knocked-down-price album first entered the chart back on the 1st of October in 1972, and went straight in at No.1.
It wouldn’t budge from that position for another 7 weeks, eventually relenting with a month to go before Christmas, and even then it only dropped down to as far as No.5 before pulling itself back up to the top for another 3 weeks beginning the 17th of December and dropping back after the 6th of January.
My guess is that this album was on quite a load of record players for some Christmas and New Year parties up and down the country.
It would drop down, and eventually drop out, of the chart after the 10th of Feb, but be back for this week at this position before it falls away again, and back out, after the 3rd of March 1973.
The albums final week would be at No.40 from the 11th of March until it would wave goodbye to the 50’s after the 17th of that month.
I’ve created my own separate playlists for both Sides 1 and 2 of this album with (I hope) the correct versions and the original track sequencing order for the U.K. release.
Side 1
Side 2
Many thanks go to the following YouTube Channels for providing the chance to hear this music once again.
Please show your appreciation by visiting their channel:
The Top 50 U.K. Singles Chart Playlist for the week of my 1st Birthday:
The Top 50 U.K. Singles Chart Playlist for the day I was born:
Grab Your Binoculars, Come Follow Me
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Why am I…?
How do I…?
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