David James McAleer (born 4 February 1945) is the main contributor forThe Virgin Book of British Hit Singles,The Virgin Book of British Hit Albums and theVirgin Book of Top 40 Charts, and was the sole music consultant forGuinness World Records between 1998 and 2011. McAleer is currently[when?] the OCC ("Oldies Chart Consultant") to theOfficial Charts Company. He was the Chief Consultant/Contributor for theGuinness Book of British Hit Singles & Albums (now discontinued) for nine years, and has written or co-written over forty published music books.
He was one of the UK's first club DJs in 1963, before spending 25 years in the record business. McAleer worked in A&R for labels includingRCA Records,Pye Records,DJM Records,Stax Records,Chess Records, Disco Demand, Sugarhill, Calibre, Champagne, Hi, Solar,CTI Records, TMT andBuddah Records, and was managing director ofBarry White's label,20th Century Records. During this period he was responsible for many chart entries (includingFootsee), and helped introduce disco,Northern soul, rap and hip hop in the UK.
McAleer was the UK record executive behind the first rap hit, "Rapper's Delight" by theSugarhill Gang.[1] He managed theRAH Band[2] and gave the first production jobs to noted DJsPaul Oakenfold andIan Levine. In 1976, McAleer was the organiser of the first UK music industry pop quiz.
He has also co-written books includingThe NME Rock ’n’ Roll Years,The Guinness Who Who of 50s/60s/70s and Soul Music,The NME Who’s Who of Rock,Guinness Rockopedia,The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music,The Virgin Ultimate Rock Encyclopedia,This Day in Rock,The Virgin Who Who of 50s/60s/70s and Soul Music.
In addition he has compiled/sequenced/written sleeve notes for over 1500 albums for companies such as Universal, EMI, Sony/BMG and Time Life.
