American Top 40 🇺🇸

American Top 40 (AT40) premiered on July 4, 1970, created by Casey Kasem, Don Bustany, Tom Rounds, and Ron Jacobs, stands as a syndicated radio countdown show, not a radio station, presenting the 40 most popular songs in the United States each week. Premiere Networks, a subsidiary of iHeartMedia, currently produces and licenses the show to radio stations. The show has seen several hosts, beginning with Casey Kasem (1970-1988, 1998-2004), followed by Shadoe Stevens (1988-1995), and Ryan Seacrest (2004-Present). AT40 went off the air in 1995 and was revived in 1998. Casey Kasem, the original host, became iconic with his warm voice and 'Long Distance Dedications.' Shadoe Stevens brought a comedic style, while Ryan Seacrest introduced a contemporary, fast-paced approach. Initially, AT40's chart was based on radio airplay and record sales, evolving to incorporate digital sales and streaming data. AT40 utilizes the Billboard Hot 100 chart, combining sales, streaming, and radio airplay data to rank the most popular songs.