Joel Whitburn | |
|---|---|
| Born | Joel Carver Whitburn (1939-11-29)November 29, 1939 Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Died | June 14, 2022(2022-06-14) (aged 82) |
| Occupations |
|
| Known for | Researchingrecord chart history |
| Spouse | Frances Mudgett |
| Children | 1 |
Joel Carver Whitburn (November 29, 1939 – June 14, 2022) was an American author andmusic historian, responsible for setting up the Record Research, Inc. series of books onrecord chart placings.
Joel Carver Whitburn was born inWauwatosa,Wisconsin, on November 29, 1939.[1][2] He started collecting records in his teens, first subscribed toBillboard in 1953, and when theHot 100 was introduced in 1958 started recording the chart placings of records on index cards. After graduating fromMenomonee Falls High School in 1957,[3] he attendedElmhurst College and theUniversity of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, but did not receive a degree from either institution.[1]
Whitburn worked on record distribution forRCA in the mid 1960s, using his chart statistics to inform radio stations, before founding his own company,Record Research, Inc., inMenomonee Falls, Wisconsin, in 1970. He put together a team of researchers to examine in detail all ofBillboard's music and video charts, and set up a licensing arrangement withBillboard.[4][5][6]
Since then, Record Research has published reference books based on data from the variouspopular music charts and to date has published over 200 books, 50 of which are in the Record Research catalog. His research extends from 1890 to the present and covers many genres. Featuring each recording's peak position, date charted, weeks charted, label and information, and trivia on recordings and artists, Whitburn's books are used extensively by the entertainment industry (especially radioDJs) and music fans worldwide.[7]
His flagship publication wasTop Pop Singles,[8] which covers the history ofBillboard's popular singles charts, primarily theBillboard Hot 100. The most recent edition,Top Pop Singles 1955–2018, was released in June 2019.[9] Whitburn was also the author of the seriesTop 40 Hits, published by Billboard Books.[10] The ninth edition, covering the years 1955 to 2009, was published in 2012.[11]
Whitburn was an avid collector ofphonograph records, with extensive collections in his underground vaults. His collection included a copy of nearly every78-rpm record,45-rpm single,LP, and compact disc to reach theBillboard charts. In 2013, his collection was estimated to contain over 200,000 singles.[4]
Whitburn was married to Frances (née Mudgett), and they had a daughter.[1] He died at his home in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, at the age of 82 on June 14, 2022. His wife, Frances, died five months later.[4][12][13]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Academics | |
| Artists | |
| People | |
| Other | |
