RPM (magazine)
Encyclopedia
RPM 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 was reported to have variations in its title over the years such as RPM Weekly and RPM Magazine. RPM maintained several format charts including Top Singles (all genres), Adult Contemporary, Rock/Alternative
and Country Tracks (aka Top Country Tracks) for country music.
s 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 Award
s in following years.
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.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis
Walt Grealis
Walter Grealis, OC was a Canadian publisher and music industry leader. With partner Stan Klees, he co-founded Canada's national music honours, the Juno Awards...
in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees
Stan Klees
Stan Klees was a Canadian music industry businessman. He created the music recording companies Tamarac and Red Leaf Records in the 1960s....
. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.
RPM stood for "Records, Promotion, Music". The magazine was reported to have variations in its title over the years such as RPM Weekly and RPM Magazine. RPM maintained several format charts including Top Singles (all genres), Adult Contemporary, Rock/Alternative
Canadian rock/alternative chart
The Canadian rock/alternative chart was first published on June 11, 1995 by RPM magazine under the name Alternative 30. The song which held the number-one spot on this first chart was "More Human than Human" by White Zombie...
and Country Tracks (aka Top Country Tracks) for country music.
The RPM Awards
The modern Juno AwardJuno Award
The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
s 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 Award
Juno Award
The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
s in following years.
1964 RPM Awards
The RPM Awards for 1964 were announced in the 28 December 1964 issue:- Top male vocalist: Terry BlackTerry BlackTerry Black was a Canadian pop singer and teen idol, born in Vancouver, British Columbia.-Career:Black's debut U.S. single, "Unless You Care", was released in 1964, when Black was 15. The song was written and produced by P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri and featured backing from Glen Campbell and Leon...
- Top female singer: Shirley MatthewsShirley MatthewsShirley Matthews was a Canadian pop singer born in Harrow, Ontario.Matthews sang in a church choir and at high school dances prior to embarking on a career in music. She worked in a Bell Telephone office while singing nights at the Club Bluenote in Toronto. Her debut single, "Big Town Boy", was a...
- Most promising male vocalist: Jack London
- Most promising female vocalist: Linda Layne
- Top vocal instrumental group: The EsquiresThe Esquires (Canadian band)The Esquires were a Canadian band, based in Ottawa, active from 1962 to 1967. The band is notable as the recipient of the first Juno Award in Canada, as well as being one of Canada's earlier pop music recording acts. The first Canadian music video ever made is said to be that of an Esquires song...
- Top female vocal group: Girlfriends
- Top instrumental group: Wes DakusWes DakusWes Dakus was the band leader of "Wes Dakus & The Rebels", Canada's most influential and popular instrumental group of the 1960s....
- 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 RecordsQuality RecordsQuality Records is a Canadian entertainment company which released music albums in Canada on behalf of American record labels, and also released recordings by Canadian artists...
- 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 CurtolaBobby CurtolaRobert Allen "Bobby" Curtola, CM is an early Canadian rock and roll singer and teen idol.-History:Curtola had several songs on the Canadian music charts beginning with "Hand In Hand With You"...
- Top female singer: Catherine McKinnonCatherine McKinnon (actress)Catherine McKinnon is a Canadian actress and folk/pop singer.McKinnon began as a child performer, making her first radio appearance at age eight and her television debut at age 12. She subsequently studied music at Mount St...
- Most promising male vocalist: Barry AllenBarry Allen (musician)Barry Allen is an award-winning Canadian rock musician and record producer/engineer. His career in music began as a guitarist and backup singer for Wes Dakus. In the early 1960s, he was discovered by producer Norman Petty, who arranged for Allen to record solo albums...
- Most promising female vocalist: Debbie Lori Kaye
- Top vocal/instrumental group: The Guess WhoThe Guess WhoThe Guess Who are a Canadian rock band from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Initially gaining recognition in Canada, they also found international success from the late 1960s through the mid-1970s with numerous hit singles, including "American Woman", "These Eyes" and "Share the Land"...
- Top female vocal group: Girlfriends
- Top instrumental group: Wes DakusWes DakusWes Dakus was the band leader of "Wes Dakus & The Rebels", Canada's most influential and popular instrumental group of the 1960s....
- Top folk group: Malka and Joso
- Top folk singer: Gordon LightfootGordon LightfootGordon Meredith Lightfoot, Jr. is a Canadian singer-songwriter who achieved international success in folk, folk-rock, and country music, and has been credited for helping define the folk-pop sound of the 1960s and 1970s...
- Best produced single: "My Girl Sloopy", Little Caesar and the ConsulsLittle Caesar and the ConsulsLittle Caesar and the Consuls were a Canadian rock music group, originally active from 1957 to 1971. Originally known as The Consuls, the band added Little Caesar to their name after a number of fans commented that lead singer Bruce Morshead resembled Edward G...
- Best produced album: Voice of an Angel by Catherine McKinnon
- Top country male singer: Gary Buck
- Top country female singer: Dianne LeighDianne LeighDianne Leigh is a Canadian country music performer. She was the first recipient of the Gold Leaf Award in 1970....
- Most promising country male singer: Angus Walker
- Most promising country female singer: Sharon Strong
- Top country instrumental vocal group: Rhythm PalsRhythm PalsRhythm Pals is a Canadian music television series which aired on CBC Television in 1956.-Premise:This Vancouver-produced series featured country music group The Rhythm Pals who would later be known for their frequent appearances on The Tommy Hunter Show.-Scheduling:This series occupied a 20-minute...
- Top country instrumentalist: Roy Penney
- Top country radio personality: Al Fisher, CFGMCFMJ (AM)CFMJ is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 640 kHz on the AM dial. It is officially licensed to Richmond Hill, Ontario, but the studio is in the newly-constructed Corus Quay building, located at 125 Queens Quay East in Toronto...
Toronto - Top Canadian disc jockey: Chuck Benson, CKYL Peace RiverPeace River, AlbertaPeace River is a town in northwestern Alberta, Canada, situated along the banks of the Peace River, at its confluence with the Smoky River, the Heart River and Pat's Creek. It is located northwest of Edmonton, and northeast of Grande Prairie, along Highway 2. The Peace River townsite is nearly ...
- 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: Charlie Camilleri, Quality RecordsQuality RecordsQuality Records is a Canadian entertainment company which released music albums in Canada on behalf of American record labels, and also released recordings by Canadian artists...