Chart Music: the Top Of The Pops Podcast

The podcast that takes one random episode of Top Of The Pops - the greatest TV Pop show ever - and breaks it down to its very last compound. Created by Sarah Bee, Neil Kulkarni, Taylor Parkes, Simon Price and David Stubbs (who all wrote for Melody Maker) and hosted by Al Needham (who didn't), it's an unflinching gaze into the open wound of pop culture and a celebration of Thursday evenings past.

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Chart Music #75: August 15th 1974 – Could YOU Be Donny’s Bride?
Dec 14, 2024 – 6:21:20
Chart Music #75 (Pt 4): 15.8.74 – Could YOU Be Donny’s Bride?
Dec 13, 2024 – 1:31:43
Chart Music #75 (Pt 3): 15.8.74 – Could YOU Be Donny’s Bride?
Dec 12, 2024 – 1:46:00
Chart Music #75 (Pt 2): 15.8.74 – Could YOU Be Donny’s Bride?
Dec 11, 2024 – 1:39:47
Chart Music #75 (Pt 1): 15.8.74 – Could YOU Be Donny’s Bride?
Dec 10, 2024 – 1:31:42
Bonus: Chart Music Live 2022
Aug 18, 2024 – 1:37:03
Chart Music #74 - Neil
Jun 20, 2024 – 4:35:32
Chart Music #73: March 4th 1993 – Frank Bald
Jan 7, 2024 – 6:53:24
Chart Music #73 (Pt 4): 4.3.93 – Frank Bald
Jan 6, 2024 – 1:58:30
Chart Music #73 (Pt 3): 4.3.93 – Frank Bald
Jan 5, 2024 – 1:32:56
Chart Music #73 (Pt 2): 4.3.93 – Frank Bald
Jan 4, 2024 – 1:45:18
Chart Music #73 (Pt 1): 4.3.93 – Frank Bald
Jan 3, 2024 – 1:47:38
Chart Music #72: October 3rd 1985 – Rod Vicious
Aug 25, 2023 – 6:41:12
#72 (Pt 4): 3.10.85 – Rod Vicious
Aug 24, 2023 – 1:26:26
#72 (Pt 3): 3.10.85 – Rod Vicious
Aug 23, 2023 – 1:43:38
#72 (Pt 2): 3.10.85 – Rod Vicious
Aug 22, 2023 – 1:28:49
#72 (Pt 1): 3.10.85 – Rod Vicious
Aug 21, 2023 – 2:12:34
#71: March 19th 1981 – Shaky Of The Dorm
Jun 25, 2023 – 7:16:56
#71 (Pt 4): 19.3.81 – Shaky Of The Dorm
Jun 24, 2023 – 1:46:17
#71 (Pt 3): 19.3.81 – Shaky Of The Dorm
Jun 23, 2023 – 2:09:14
#71 (Pt 2): 19.3.81 – Shaky Of The Dorm
Jun 22, 2023 – 1:38:17
#71 (Pt 1): 19.3.81 – Shaky Of The Dorm
Jun 21, 2023 – 1:50:18
#70: April 17th 1986 – The Rishi Sunak Of Top Of The Pops
Apr 18, 2023 – 6:08:07
#70 (Pt 4): 17.4.86 – The Rishi Sunak Of TOTP
Apr 17, 2023 – 1:39:51
#70 (Pt 3): 17.4.86 – The Rishi Sunak Of TOTP
Apr 16, 2023 – 1:30:27
#70 (Pt 2): 17.4.86 – The Rishi Sunak Of TOTP
Apr 15, 2023 – 1:12:35
#70 (Pt 1): 17.4.86 – The Rishi Sunak Of TOTP
Apr 14, 2023 – 1:25:38
#69: December 27th 1974 – The Ramadan #1 Of 1974
Jan 28, 2023 – 6:03:06
#69 (Pt 4): 27.12.74 – The Ramadan #1 of 1974
Jan 27, 2023 – 1:37:44
#69 (Pt 3): 27.12.74 – The Ramadan #1 of 1974
Jan 26, 2023 – 1:38:10
#69 (Pt 2): 27.12.74 – The Ramadan #1 of 1974
Jan 25, 2023 – 1:34:29
#69 (Pt 1): 27.12.74 – The Ramadan #1 of 1974
Jan 24, 2023 – 1:20:09
#68: May 1st 1980 – The Ken Of The Eighventies
Dec 11, 2022 – 6:43:13
#68 (Pt 4): 1.5.80 – The Ken Of The Eighventies
Dec 10, 2022 – 1:38:00
#68 (Pt 3): 1.5.80 – The Ken Of The Eighventies
Dec 9, 2022 – 1:55:38
#68 (Pt 2): 1.5.80 – The Ken Of The Eighventies
Dec 8, 2022 – 1:35:02
#68 (Pt 1): 1.5.80 – The Ken Of The Eighventies
Dec 7, 2022 – 1:44:21
May 17th 1977 - The Nationwide Jubilee Song Contest
Sep 9, 2022 – 1:34:04
#67: June 9th 1977 – God Save Chart Music
Aug 26, 2022 – 6:41:23
#67 (Pt 4): 9.6.77 – God Save Chart Music
Aug 25, 2022 – 1:36:13
#67 (Pt 3): 9.6.77 – God Save Chart Music
Aug 24, 2022 – 1:46:54
#67 (Pt 2): 9.6.77 – God Save Chart Music
Aug 23, 2022 – 1:29:27
#67 (Pt 1): 9.6.77 – God Save Chart Music
Aug 22, 2022 – 1:56:52
#66: March 15th 1990 – De La Stoke
Jun 24, 2022 – 6:01:54
#66 (Pt 4): 15.3.90 – De La Stoke
Jun 23, 2022 – 1:23:03
#66 (Pt 3): 15.3.90 – De La Stoke
Jun 22, 2022 – 1:22:56
#66 (Pt 2): 15.3.90 – De La Stoke
Jun 21, 2022 – 1:32:08
#66 (Pt 1): 15.3.90 – De La Stoke
Jun 20, 2022 – 1:50:23
#65: July 8th 1982 – Dancey Reagan
Apr 21, 2022 – 5:57:30
#65 (Pt 4): 8.7.82 – Dancey Reagan
Apr 20, 2022 – 1:41:34

Recent Reviews

Ryan&Luz

Spot On

I’m listening to the gents destroy Garbage, stapling how much I feel a part of their love/hate mentality. Passionate to praise passion, and passionate to denounce the stupid and over celebrated by the masses. They already know all this. The irony of reviewing reviewers, but I truly love you guys. From Florida, Ryan
popcrazed

Absolutely fantastic

Very evocative tales of a bygone age
KenAidien

Deconstructing a British Institution.

For anyone born in the U.K. during the 1960/70s this podcast is a dream come true. Each show focuses on one episode of BBC’s weekly music tv show and lays it bare. It’s a warts an’ all look what was going on both in the world of pop music and the world in general. For nostalgia freaks and those with a passing interest in the music business - past and present - it’s a must. The host, Al Needham, and former Melody Maker journalists, David Stubbs, Taylor Parkes, Sarah Bee, Simon Price and Neil Kulkarni come together and tell it like it is. With a lot of swearing. Fantastic. Give it a listen, you will learn something!
Flags & Balloons

My favourite podcast

Brilliant podcast series hosted by the exuberant Al Needham. Smart, witty pop writers (Simon Price, Taylor Parkes, Neil Kulkarni and more) talk sense and nonsense about the sublime, the dross and the hilarious from vintage Top Of The Pops episodes. Full of funny stories, pop facts you didn’t know and reminders of your youth, Chart Music is always a joy - well worth taking the time to dive into.
Bong14

Essential.

An absolute must listen for the generally pop obsessed and in particular anyone who grew up in the UK in the seventies and eighties. A regular dissection of a random Top of the Pops episode in more detail than strictly necessary yet still far less than you'd want. Profane, hilarious and most of all genuinely informed. I rarely come away from one of these without having to go and track down an artist or a single I'd missed the first time around.
jareddriskill

Yes, I’m a pop crazed youngster

This show takes an episode and they review the hell out of it. I’ve discovered some retro uk only chart acts through this show.