Writing about radio and music, from then and now. For the free, weekly Ross On Radio newsletter, sign-up here. tinyurl.com/mhcnx4uhttps://bsky.app/profile/rossonradio.comhttps://bsky.app/profile/rossonradio.com/post/3mkv5ry6sqc2cErrol Brown's character did seem to rebound from the tragedy of "Emma" very quickly. Many years later, a new podcast reopens the question of "was she really *that* depressed over the lack of acting jobs?" #AT40 [contains quote post or other embedded content]02 May 2026 17:22 +0000at://did:plc:cismf2he3nzcajzqdwrfej2c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkv5ry6sqc2chttps://bsky.app/profile/rossonradio.com/post/3mksjckrtus2lThese songs are distant echoes now but they were all part of the hit music excitement in spring '83. "Family Man" had already been a hit in Canada for Mike ("Tubular Bells") Oldfield, who was on a second UK/Europe hit streak with his sister as vocalist. #AT40 [contains quote post or other embedded content]01 May 2026 16:10 +0000at://did:plc:cismf2he3nzcajzqdwrfej2c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mksjckrtus2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/rossonradio.com/post/3mkjhatvbus2uLots of new music from across the hit music spectrum this week on my new music playlist, Big Hits Energy, for #AT40 friends staying current, and others. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0Hg1TtXOIiyGuONc6rFKQ0?si=f8a27c541c024ee328 Apr 2026 01:39 +0000at://did:plc:cismf2he3nzcajzqdwrfej2c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkjhatvbus2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/rossonradio.com/post/3mkjeyd233s2mThis is a UK site that posts songs on their anniversary and people effectively vote on them through likes on the OP. Want to make sure that my #AT40 friends see this one. [contains quote post or other embedded content]28 Apr 2026 00:59 +0000at://did:plc:cismf2he3nzcajzqdwrfej2c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkjeyd233s2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/rossonradio.com/post/3mk2h4gnfo22lMy favorite Dave Mason song--the just-missed #AT40 follow-up to "We Just Disagree." He played it when I saw him live about a decade ago. #RIP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ1xvSclyEw22 Apr 2026 02:27 +0000at://did:plc:cismf2he3nzcajzqdwrfej2c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mk2h4gnfo22lhttps://bsky.app/profile/rossonradio.com/post/3mjxwzlnvmk2lYou know it's a different time when the Mobil stations are advertising a choice of free dessert toppings with every fill-up. #AT40 [contains quote post or other embedded content]21 Apr 2026 02:33 +0000at://did:plc:cismf2he3nzcajzqdwrfej2c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjxwzlnvmk2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/rossonradio.com/post/3mjxwdj25h22lSome audio that #AT40 friends might enjoy. Top 40 KEWI Topeka from November '71, going well beyond the "dirty 30." https://archive.org/details/kewi-topeka-5-3-66-peter-drummond-hays/KEWI+Topeka+KS+Carl+Jay+Bob+Finot+11-4-71.mp321 Apr 2026 02:21 +0000at://did:plc:cismf2he3nzcajzqdwrfej2c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjxwdj25h22lhttps://bsky.app/profile/rossonradio.com/post/3mjrygmscgk23If it hadn't been for the Ike & Tina Turner version of "Proud Mary," this is the (also great) R&B hit that every music supervisor would be reaching for today. #AT40 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSIGwhFoZvE18 Apr 2026 17:43 +0000at://did:plc:cismf2he3nzcajzqdwrfej2c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjrygmscgk23https://bsky.app/profile/rossonradio.com/post/3mjrxkpnbns23"No Love At All" had already been a Country hit for Lynn Anderson a year earlier, and, hard to believe but her version cooks. #AT40 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3BZKSEoZ8A18 Apr 2026 17:27 +0000at://did:plc:cismf2he3nzcajzqdwrfej2c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjrxkpnbns23https://bsky.app/profile/rossonradio.com/post/3mjrx6jlpis2m"What Is Life" is one of those great moments where a substantial lyric is part of a great sounding "radio record." #AT40 [contains quote post or other embedded content]18 Apr 2026 17:20 +0000at://did:plc:cismf2he3nzcajzqdwrfej2c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjrx6jlpis2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/rossonradio.com/post/3mjrwvflb222w"Love's Lines, Angles, and Rhymes" is rare example of a song I don't remember as a current being as high as No. 19 on #AT40.18 Apr 2026 17:15 +0000at://did:plc:cismf2he3nzcajzqdwrfej2c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjrwvflb222whttps://bsky.app/profile/rossonradio.com/post/3mjrwds32rc2w"We Can Work It Out" used to be my favorite Beatles song and no remake could live up to it. Now, my allegiance has switched sides (literally) to "Day Tripper" and the Stevie Wonder version sounds great on #AT40.18 Apr 2026 17:05 +0000at://did:plc:cismf2he3nzcajzqdwrfej2c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjrwds32rc2whttps://bsky.app/profile/rossonradio.com/post/3mjl527pris2l"Don't Speak" to "Just Dance" #MomentsOfMusicSchedulingGrace16 Apr 2026 00:17 +0000at://did:plc:cismf2he3nzcajzqdwrfej2c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjl527pris2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/rossonradio.com/post/3miknkc26fs25"Solitary Man" was left over from Neil Diamond's Bang Records day. It was even more out-of-time when it became a hit than "Suspicions." #AT4003 Apr 2026 02:14 +0000at://did:plc:cismf2he3nzcajzqdwrfej2c/app.bsky.feed.post/3miknkc26fs25https://bsky.app/profile/rossonradio.com/post/3miknezz22c25It says a lot for "Suspicion" that it stood up two years later, when it finally came out, during the British Invasion. I heard this plenty as a teenager, a decade later, because of my Oldies radio phase. Didn't like it then. Respect it now. #AT4003 Apr 2026 02:11 +0000at://did:plc:cismf2he3nzcajzqdwrfej2c/app.bsky.feed.post/3miknezz22c25https://bsky.app/profile/rossonradio.com/post/3miklz7ga2c2k"Everybody's Got the Right to Love" is an all-time favorite. I play it far more often than 1-2x a year on #AT40. From 1970-72, the Supremes were a better singles act than Diana Ross, although I love both. The most amazing part, though? It was penned by the guy who wrote "Once You Understand!"03 Apr 2026 01:47 +0000at://did:plc:cismf2he3nzcajzqdwrfej2c/app.bsky.feed.post/3miklz7ga2c2khttps://bsky.app/profile/rossonradio.com/post/3mi52zeqe6k2aI'm guessing that the #AT40 gang has a lot of '70s songs that somehow became a favorite with kids or grandkids without their prompting. One of mine is "Rocky Mountain High," which my daughter used to play repeatedly as a teenager.28 Mar 2026 16:38 +0000at://did:plc:cismf2he3nzcajzqdwrfej2c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mi52zeqe6k2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/rossonradio.com/post/3mi4ztdlmsk2h"Hello Hooray" is the only Alice Cooper song that counts as Canadian content, and as such one that outlasted some of the bigger hits on Canadian radio. #AT4028 Mar 2026 16:17 +0000at://did:plc:cismf2he3nzcajzqdwrfej2c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mi4ztdlmsk2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/rossonradio.com/post/3mi4zjdjhrs2aI didn't know Diana Ross had charted a song from "Lady Sings the Blues" until I studied the charts many years later. Did anybody hear "Good Morning Heartache" on the radio when it was "new"? #AT4028 Mar 2026 16:11 +0000at://did:plc:cismf2he3nzcajzqdwrfej2c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mi4zjdjhrs2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/rossonradio.com/post/3mhp4sok5pk2eThis week on my Top 40 playlist Big Hits Energy... new Wu-Tang (sort of). #AT40 https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0Hg1TtXOIiyGuONc6rFKQ0?si=894fe1d9b47d471e23 Mar 2026 03:33 +0000at://did:plc:cismf2he3nzcajzqdwrfej2c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhp4sok5pk2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/rossonradio.com/post/3mhlfrspgtk22Eddie Kendricks has a great catalog of R&B hits beyond "Keep On Truckin'" and "Boogie Down." Glad we get to hear "Happy" and "He's a Friend" on #AT4021 Mar 2026 16:02 +0000at://did:plc:cismf2he3nzcajzqdwrfej2c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhlfrspgtk22https://bsky.app/profile/rossonradio.com/post/3mhhhewvs3s2iI misheard the chorus of "Superstar" as "you said you'd be coming back/this way you can save me." Sorta works? #AT4020 Mar 2026 02:20 +0000at://did:plc:cismf2he3nzcajzqdwrfej2c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhhhewvs3s2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/rossonradio.com/post/3mhhgzrgmf22iIn the 45-years that I've loved "Do You Know What I Mean," I think tonight's #AT40 factoid about his personal zoo is the first thing I've ever known about Lee Michaels besides his chart history.20 Mar 2026 02:14 +0000at://did:plc:cismf2he3nzcajzqdwrfej2c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhhgzrgmf22ihttps://bsky.app/profile/rossonradio.com/post/3mhgciqlo3k2x“Did anyone have on their bingo card that we would have artist separation challenges with artists named Jelly Roll and Shaboozey?” KYGO Denver program director Brian Michel at #CRS202619 Mar 2026 15:20 +0000at://did:plc:cismf2he3nzcajzqdwrfej2c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhgciqlo3k2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/rossonradio.com/post/3mh7yet6xcc2kQueen, "Somebody to Love" to Triumph, "Somebody's Out There." A segue likely to happen only in Canada. #MomentsOfMusicSchedulingGrace17 Mar 2026 03:03 +0000at://did:plc:cismf2he3nzcajzqdwrfej2c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mh7yet6xcc2khttps://bsky.app/profile/rossonradio.com/post/3mh5l4fc6rs2bI've always liked Kacey Musgraves, but I don't think she's ever been on my #BigHitsEnergy top 40 playlist before. More surprises for #AT40 friends and others trying to keep current on recent music. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0Hg1TtXOIiyGuONc6rFKQ0?si=e0bc8508f3ff420b16 Mar 2026 04:01 +0000at://did:plc:cismf2he3nzcajzqdwrfej2c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mh5l4fc6rs2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/rossonradio.com/post/3mgvvzbxb3c2tAdvance testing of songs never turned out to be *that* predictive. But now, if "Times Of Your Life" was written now, the label brass would tell Paul Anka to keep teasing it on TikTok. Then there'd be a challenge involving Instamatics. #AT4013 Mar 2026 02:54 +0000at://did:plc:cismf2he3nzcajzqdwrfej2c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgvvzbxb3c2thttps://bsky.app/profile/rossonradio.com/post/3mgvuohejlk2gI continue to believe that in the second verse, we find out that Paul Simon is singing to his old girlfriend, who is telling him to just stop brooding and leave already. #AT4013 Mar 2026 02:30 +0000at://did:plc:cismf2he3nzcajzqdwrfej2c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgvuohejlk2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/rossonradio.com/post/3mgvsnoxpvc2t"Baby Face" sounds like the original should have been from 1928, not 1948. (Must have been intended as a the Bruno Mars-type throwback of its era.) #AT4013 Mar 2026 01:54 +0000at://did:plc:cismf2he3nzcajzqdwrfej2c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgvsnoxpvc2thttps://bsky.app/profile/rossonradio.com/post/3mgpnjmxs2c27"Have You Ever Seen The Rain" into "The Tide Is High." Because sometimes radio station music scheduling software gives me #MomentsOfMusicSchedulingGrace10 Mar 2026 15:07 +0000at://did:plc:cismf2he3nzcajzqdwrfej2c/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgpnjmxs2c27