The first Eurochart began as the "Europarade", which was started in early 1976 by TROS Radio in the Netherlands. The chart consisted of only six countries (the UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain). The compilers collected the top 15 records from each country and then awarded corresponding points, depending which positions between 1 and 15 each record stood at. Italy and Denmark were added in 1979 and during 1980, Austria and Switzerland were included. Ireland was added as the 11th country in October 1983.
In March 1984, Music & Media in Amsterdam started their own Eurochart, "The Eurochart Hot 100", which they published as a Euro Tip sheet for the first two years. This chart was accumulated by taking the chart positions in each country combined with the national sales percentage of records in that particular country. In 1986-87, the official Eurochart also became a music TV show on Music Box with Dutch presenter. Erik de Zwart.
The Eurochart quickly gained momentum, as it started to include more countries and Music & Media became a Billboard publication in January 1986. From 1982 to 1986 the "Europarade", as published in Music Week and the Dutch magazine Hitkrant, was used.
Since November 1986, the Music & Media's Eurochart Top 100 was used as source, as Billboard started publishing European Hot 100 Singles chart until today.
Over the years I have acquired the 70's singles charts for Denmark, Germany, Italy, Norway, Switzerland, France, Austria, Belgium, Sweden, The Netherlands & The UK.
It is my intention to compile the "missing" Eurochart from 1970 to 1976
Fabulous! I'm glad to get all those reports in the 70´s from the real Europarade. Keep in touch.
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