As adjuncts to our highly popular “America’s Greatest Hits” series of collections for each calendar year in the 50s and early ‘60s, we have already produced collections based on landmark moments in the Billboard charts – “The First Top 100 Nov. 1955” (ACQCD7062), “The First Hot 100 Aug. 1958” (ACQCD7083), “The First Hot 100 of the '60s” (ACQCD7097), “The 'Heartbreak Hotel' Top 100” (ACQCD7122)and “The Day The Music Died - Feb 3rd 1959 Hot 100” (ACQCD7134), “The 'Telstar' Hot 100 December 22nd 1962” (ACQCD7144), “The Twist” Hot 100 Jan. 25th 1962”  and “The 1000th Billboard Chart 7th September 1959”(ACQCD7164), each comprising records from the Top 100 or Hot 100 for the date in question.

This collection celebrates another notable event in the US music scene in August1957, when the TV pop show “American Bandstand” was broadcast for the first time. Presented by Dick Clark, it became a hugely popular and influential weekly event for the nation’s teenagers, with the hot new singers and groups lip-syncing to their latest releases and chart entries with an audience of youngsters dancing in the studio.

This 99-track collection comprises just about all the records which featured in the Billboard Hot 100 on the day the show was first broadcast, August 7th 1957,  (apart from one title which is unavailable for copyright reasons). It provides a fascinating and evocative snapshot of the music scene at what was a dynamic and exciting time as rock ‘n’ roll and new teen stars continued to change the pop landscape.

As always with these chart collections, it includes a number of unfamiliar names and recordings towards the bottom of the chart, of which even seasoned pop enthusiasts may not be too aware, and which will be welcome additions to their collections.

It contains a 12,000+ word booklet featuring background notes on every record as well as full discographical and chart information.

TRACKS