More Than Just Numbers.

Just about a year ago, I started working on the idea of bringing a countdown to CGCM Rock Radio.  Somehow or another, I discovered that I still had access to the radio charts website that I had used when I worked in commercial radio.  I had the means to do this and this was something new to CGCM that, if done right, could really work.  Making sure My plan was solid, the idea was pitched to the powers that be, Rich and Wally.  I had no idea how they would react to this, a countdown is pretty commercial and CGCM is far from this, but somehow I got their blessing to do this.

One of the coolest facts about this countdown, is the fact that aside from the initial edition, we don't rely on any commercial charts to generate our monthly Top 20, YOU are the chart.  By casting your vote or writing in songs on our Facebook poll, you generate the numbers, making this, as far as I can tell, the ONLY countdown in existence generated this way.

The other reason this is so cool, is, it shows us what bands you are listening to right now, and what songs you love.  Case in point, when Lux Aeterna by Metallica was released, it started as a write in vote that became the number one song on the next edition.  Mammoth WVH, almost same scenario, a write in, that made it's debut at number 20, but one month later, dethroned Metallica to take over the top spot.  

You did this.

Now, one of the most fun experiences has been watching a song, that has been on the countdown longer than most, ping-pong up and down the chart.  Motorhead's Bullet In Your Brain was released in November of last year.  It has spent six months on our chart, which is TOTALLY cool.  In that time, it has been our number one song before slowly falling all the way down to near the bottom last month and I figured that this was going to be the last time we heard Lemmy on the Top 20 for a while, if not forever.

Then you voted.

Motorhead lives to see another month, and they're up near the top, and I don't hear anyone complaining.  

But this is a countdown, and that means new music and new bands, and you continuously prove how plugged into the new music scene you really are.  The massive amount of write in votes has grown every month since we began publishing the poll.  Which by the way, I need to give Trevor McDougall some props here, not only does he get 100% of the credit for the idea of having a poll, but the man also designed our kick ass imagery.  Nicely played, Sir.

So, when it is all said and done, the CGCM Rock Radio Top 20 Countdown is 100% you.  Let's keep it going and growing, I think we're on to something here.