RPM (ISSN 0315-5994 and later ISSN 0033-7064) was a Canadian music-industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.
RPM stood for "Records, Promotion, Music". The magazine's title varied over the years, including RPM Weekly and RPM Magazine.
Contents
Background
In 1964, Harriett Wasser came on board as the magazine's New York correspondent. She was no stranger to the music industry and had been associated with many prominent figures in the industry, including Bobby Darin and Bob Crewe. The address at the time for correspondence was Harriet Wasser, 161 West 54th Street, Suite 1202, New York, N.Y. 10019. An example of her work can be seen on page 5 of the 9 October 1964 edition of R. P. M., in DATELINE NEW YORK by Harriet Wasser.
Discontinuation
In the fall of 2000, faced with changing advertising policies that made continuing virtually impossible, the decision was made to cease publication for RPM.
Canadian music charts
RPM maintained several format charts, including Top Singles (all genres), Adult Contemporary, Dance, Urban, Rock/Alternative, and Country Tracks (or Top Country Tracks) for country music. On 21 March 1966, RPM expanded its Top Singles chart from 40 positions to 100. On 6 December 1980, the main chart became a top-50 chart and remained this way until 4 August 1984, whereupon it reverted to a top-100 singles chart.
For the first several weeks of its existence, the magazine did not compile a national chart, but simply printed the current airplay lists of several major-market top-40 stations. A national chart was introduced in 22 June 1964 issue, and the first national number-one single was "Chapel of Love" by the Dixie Cups. Prior to the introduction of RPM's national chart, the CHUM Chart issued by Toronto radio station CHUM was considered the de facto national chart. The final number-one single in the magazine's chart was "Music" by Madonna.
RPM's Top Singles chart was initially based on airplay and record company reports. Beginning in June 1964, the chart began factoring in record store sales reports. In September 1988, RPM began basing their Top Singles chart solely on airplay.
The RPM Awards
The modern Juno Awards had their origins in an annual survey conducted by RPM since its founding year. Readers of the magazine were invited to mail in survey ballots to indicate their choices under various categories of people or companies.
The RPM Awards poll was transformed into a formal awards ceremony, the Gold Leaf Awards, in 1970. These became the Juno Awards in following years.
1964 RPM Awards
The RPM Awards for 1964 were announced in the 28 December 1964 issue:
Top male vocalist: Terry Black
Top female singer: Shirley Matthews
Most promising male vocalist: Jack London
Most promising female vocalist: Linda Layne
Top vocal instrumental group: The Esquires
Top female vocal group: The Girlfriends
Top instrumental group: Wes Dakus & The Rebels
Top folk group: The Courriers
Top country male singer: Gary Buck
Top country female singer: Pat Hervey
Industry man of the year: Johnny Murphy of Cashbox Canada
Top record company: Capitol Records of Canada
Top Canadian Content record company: Capitol Records of Canada
Top national record promoter: Paul White, Capitol Records of Canada
Top regional record promoter: Ed Lawson, Quality Records
Top album of the year (GMP): That Girl by Phyllis Marshall
A column on page 6 of that issue noted that the actual vote winner for Top Canadian Content record company was disqualified due to a conflict of interest involving an employee of that company who was also working for RPM. Therefore, runner-up Capitol Records was declared the category's winner.
1965 RPM Awards
The Annual RPM Awards for 1965 were announced in the 17 January 1966 issue, with more country music categories than the previous year:
Top male vocalist: Bobby Curtola
Top female singer: Catherine McKinnon
Most promising male vocalist: Barry Allen
Most promising female vocalist: Debbie Lori Kaye
Top vocal/instrumental group: The Guess Who
Top female vocal group: Girlfriends
Top instrumental group: Wes Dakus and the Rebels
Top folk group: Malka and Joso
Top folk singer: Gordon Lightfoot
Best produced single: "My Girl Sloopy", Little Caesar and the Consuls
Best produced album: Voice of an Angel by Catherine McKinnon
Top country male singer: Gary Buck
Top country female singer: Dianne Leigh
Most promising country male singer: Angus Walker
Most promising country female singer: Sharon Strong
Top country instrumental vocal group: Rhythm Pals
Top country instrumentalist: Roy Penney
1966 RPM Awards
The winners were:
Top male vocalist: Barry Allen
Top female singer: Catherine McKinnon
Most promising male vocalist: Jimmy Dybold
Most promising female vocalist: Lynda Lane
Top vocal/instrumental group: Staccatos
Top female vocal group: Allan Sisters
Top folk group: 3's a Crowd
Top folk singer: Gordon Lightfoot
Best produced single: "Let's Run Away", Staccatos
Top country male singer: Gary Buck
Top country female singer: Dianne Leigh
Most promising country male singer: Johnny Burke
Most promising country female singer: Debbie Lori Kaye
Top country instrumental vocal group: Mercey Brothers
Top country instrumentalist: Roy Penney
Top country radio personality: Ted Daigle
Top country radio station: CFGM
Top record company: Capitol Records of Canada
Top Canadian Content record company: Red Leaf Records