Thursday, January 18, 2024

January 18th, 1964

60 YEARS AGO TODAY:

1/18/64 - The Beatles make their first appearance on US Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles Chart with "I Want to Hold Your Hand," which premiers at #45 on the chart dated "For The Week Ending  January 18th, 1964."

Cash Box Magazine puts it at #43, up from #80 the week before (the earliest this record appeared on a national chart), while Music Vendor (the precursor to Record World) pegged it at #34.  Our Super Chart, based on an average of all three publications, pronounced it the #38 record of the week.  (You can see that chart in this past Saturday, January 13th’s post.)

In a week, it will go to #1 in all three trades ... and it will remain at #1 for the next nine weeks in Music Vendor, eight weeks in Cash Box and seven weeks in Billboard, only to eventually be replaced by their own "She Loves You" in all three publications.


 

Also on 1/18, plans to build The World Trade Center in New York City are announced