David Kent (historian)
Encyclopedia
David Kent is an Australian music historian
and pop-culture writer, he produced the Kent Music Report
from May 1974 to 1996, it was known as the Australian Music Report from 1987. The music reports were a weekly listing of the National Top 100 chart positions of singles and albums. Kent's music reports were used by Australian Recording Industry Association
(ARIA) as its 'official' ARIA Charts
from mid-1983 until July 1988 when ARIA developed an in-house chart.
Kent continued to publish his Australian Music Report on a weekly basis until 1996. In 1993, Kent collated his charts into a book, Australian Chart Book, 1970–1992. He followed with Australian Chart Book (1940–1969) in 2005, Australian Chart Book (1993–2005) in 2006, and The Australian top 20 book (1940–2006) in 2007.
" by Bill Haley
in 1955. At the time, Australia had no nationwide chart system for singles or albums, and Kent kept his own tally of the positions provided by Sydney radio stations. In 1958, radio station 2UE provided the first give-away charts in record stores, with the first national charts compiled for Go-Set
by rock journalist, Ed Nimmervoll
appearing in October 1966. Kent worked for record companies, EMI
and Polygram
, and avidly collected record charts as a hobby. For 18 months, Kent researched Australian music charts and developed a ranking system based on radio station charts from around the country, from May 1974 he assembled the Kent Music Report
. Kent's purposes were to provide the Australian music industry with information on singles and albums, and to chronicle the history of music tastes. The Kent Music Report was sold commercially from July 1974 and became the sole nationwide chart after Go-Set folded in August.
Kent expanded his business and incorporated physical sales to supplement information from radio stations from 1976. By 1977, major record companies used his chart information in their advertising. Kent's staff sent surveys to retail stores, collated sales figures together with radio charts by states and then used his ranking system to assemble the national Kent Music Report. By 1982, retail sales by survey was the main source of Kent's reports.
The Australian Recording Industry Association
(ARIA) was established by the six major record companies operating in Australia, EMI
, Festival Records
, CBS (now known as Sony Music), RCA (now known as BMG
), WEA (now known as Warner Music) and Polygram
(now known as Universal). ARIA licensed the Kent Music Report from mid-1983 to publish the ARIA Charts
under their banner until the week ending 26 June 1988. ARIA had established its own research and chart publishing group and now competed with the Kent Music Report.
At the beginning of 1987, Kent Music Report was renamed as the Australian Music Report, it was used by major record companies in preference to ARIA's own charts. Kent continued production of his music reports until 1996 and sold off his interests in the Australian Music Report which continued to the end of 1998 when changes in technology, such as barcoding, enabled point-of-sale information to be sent directly to ARIA. This meant that he could no longer compile reliable sales information.
In 1993, Kent used his resources to research charting history back to 1970, he added information from the weekly Kent Music Report and the Australian Music Report to publish them in book form as Australian Chart Book, 1970–1992. He later followed with Australian Chart Book (1940–1969) in 2005, Australian Chart Book (1993–2005) in 2006, The Australian top 20 book (1940–2006) in 2007, and Australian Chart Chronicles (1940–2009).
Music history
Music history, sometimes called historical musicology, is the highly diverse subfield of the broader discipline of musicology that studies the composition, performance, reception, and criticism of music over time...
and pop-culture writer, he produced the Kent Music Report
Kent Music Report
The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998...
from May 1974 to 1996, it was known as the Australian Music Report from 1987. The music reports were a weekly listing of the National Top 100 chart positions of singles and albums. Kent's music reports were used by Australian Recording Industry Association
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
(ARIA) as its 'official' ARIA Charts
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
from mid-1983 until July 1988 when ARIA developed an in-house chart.
Kent continued to publish his Australian Music Report on a weekly basis until 1996. In 1993, Kent collated his charts into a book, Australian Chart Book, 1970–1992. He followed with Australian Chart Book (1940–1969) in 2005, Australian Chart Book (1993–2005) in 2006, and The Australian top 20 book (1940–2006) in 2007.
Biography
David Kent was born in Australia and he listened to local radio broadcasts of top hits such as "Rock Around the ClockRock Around the Clock
"Rock Around the Clock" is a 12-bar-blues-based song written by Max C. Freedman and James E. Myers in 1952. The best-known and most successful rendition was recorded by Bill Haley and His Comets in 1954...
" by Bill Haley
Bill Haley
Bill Haley was one of the first American rock and roll musicians. He is credited by many with first popularizing this form of music in the early 1950s with his group Bill Haley & His Comets and their hit song "Rock Around the Clock".-Early life and career:...
in 1955. At the time, Australia had no nationwide chart system for singles or albums, and Kent kept his own tally of the positions provided by Sydney radio stations. In 1958, radio station 2UE provided the first give-away charts in record stores, with the first national charts compiled for Go-Set
Go-Set
Go-Set was the first Australian pop music newspaper, published weekly from 2 February 1966 to 24 August 1974, and was founded in Melbourne by Phillip Frazer, Peter Raphael and Tony Schauble...
by rock journalist, Ed Nimmervoll
Ed Nimmervoll
Edward Francis "Ed" Nimmervoll is an Australian rock music journalist, author and historian. He worked on rock magazines Go-Set and Juke both as a journalist and as an editor...
appearing in October 1966. Kent worked for record companies, EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
and Polygram
PolyGram
PolyGram was the name of the major label recording company started by Philips from as a holding company for its music interests in 1945. In 1999 it was sold to Seagram and merged into Universal Music Group.-Hollandsche Decca Distributie , 1929-1950:...
, and avidly collected record charts as a hobby. For 18 months, Kent researched Australian music charts and developed a ranking system based on radio station charts from around the country, from May 1974 he assembled the Kent Music Report
Kent Music Report
The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998...
. Kent's purposes were to provide the Australian music industry with information on singles and albums, and to chronicle the history of music tastes. The Kent Music Report was sold commercially from July 1974 and became the sole nationwide chart after Go-Set folded in August.
Kent expanded his business and incorporated physical sales to supplement information from radio stations from 1976. By 1977, major record companies used his chart information in their advertising. Kent's staff sent surveys to retail stores, collated sales figures together with radio charts by states and then used his ranking system to assemble the national Kent Music Report. By 1982, retail sales by survey was the main source of Kent's reports.
The Australian Recording Industry Association
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
(ARIA) was established by the six major record companies operating in Australia, EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
, Festival Records
Festival Records (Australia)
Festival Records was an Australian music recording and publishing company which was founded in Sydney in 1952 and operated until 2005....
, CBS (now known as Sony Music), RCA (now known as BMG
BMG
Bertelsmann Music Group, , was a division of Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Japan's Sony Corporation of America on October 1, 2008. It was established in 1987 to combine the music label activities of Bertelsmann...
), WEA (now known as Warner Music) and Polygram
PolyGram
PolyGram was the name of the major label recording company started by Philips from as a holding company for its music interests in 1945. In 1999 it was sold to Seagram and merged into Universal Music Group.-Hollandsche Decca Distributie , 1929-1950:...
(now known as Universal). ARIA licensed the Kent Music Report from mid-1983 to publish the ARIA Charts
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
under their banner until the week ending 26 June 1988. ARIA had established its own research and chart publishing group and now competed with the Kent Music Report.
At the beginning of 1987, Kent Music Report was renamed as the Australian Music Report, it was used by major record companies in preference to ARIA's own charts. Kent continued production of his music reports until 1996 and sold off his interests in the Australian Music Report which continued to the end of 1998 when changes in technology, such as barcoding, enabled point-of-sale information to be sent directly to ARIA. This meant that he could no longer compile reliable sales information.
In 1993, Kent used his resources to research charting history back to 1970, he added information from the weekly Kent Music Report and the Australian Music Report to publish them in book form as Australian Chart Book, 1970–1992. He later followed with Australian Chart Book (1940–1969) in 2005, Australian Chart Book (1993–2005) in 2006, The Australian top 20 book (1940–2006) in 2007, and Australian Chart Chronicles (1940–2009).