Exactly 39 years to the day after the first American Top 40 went to air on just seven stations across the USA its first and most enduring presenter Casey Kasem has retired, aged 77.
In its heyday, AT40 was heard on over 2000 stations worldwide including about 70 in Australia. It was introduced to the nation by Art Thurston, a Pan Am airline steward who would bring the program in to the country in his personal luggage each week.
By the early 1980’s Thurston had contracted cancer and sold the local distribution rights to the program to the 2WS owned Seven Hills Productions which later became Radiowise.
At that time, the Australian Dollar was worth up to $US1.30 which meant that many stations in regional markets could pay a paltry $A38 a week for a program that was airfreighted all the way from America on four vinyl discs.
In 1983 the Treasurer Paul Keating floated the Australian Dollar which saw values plummet and then fluctuate with the market as it does today. That meant that many regional stations would have to pay $60 (about $200 today) or more to retain the rights to broadcast the program. Naturally, radio being radio, many dropped the show rather than pay the increase.
Nonetheless, AT40 with Casey Kasem at the helm remained a Sunday afternoon staple on metro and more affluent provincial markets regardless of cost.
Such was Casey’s unique vocal style that when stations researched their talent they often found that the audience was more familiar with Kasem than with the station’s own breakfast presenter.
By 1988, AT40 was losing ground around the world and pay negotiations between Casey and the syndicator ABC Watermark broke down. On August 3 of that year he left the show to new host Shadoe Stevens.
Casey went to Westwood One who put out a competing program called Casey’s Countdown. By 1996 the Shadoe Stevens show had been terminated and in 1998 Casey acquired the rights to the AT40 brand and cranked up the old warhorse once more with another syndicator.
Finally in 2004, Casey handed over the reins to present host Ryan Seacrest who took the show to new heights in terms of format and online interactivity. The show’s stature was also boosted by Seacrest’s celebrity through American Idol.
Sadly though, if you go to the American Top 40 website, there is no mention of the founding presenter. It seems all trace of Casey Kasem has been expunged.