Before we kick off the countdown, I should acknowledge the source of chart information featured in the posts that follow.

All statistics quoted in the Radio Ga Ga Australian Top 30 Countdown come from the very excellent book – The Book: Top 40 Research (7th Edition) by Stephen Scanes and Jim Barnes. The book provides comprehensive information about every song to have made the Australian national charts since 1956. The book is currently out of print however edition 8 is due for release during the first quarter of 2011.

Note that the chart information relates to national chart performance. Some songs, particualrly from the 1960′s and early 1970′s were released at different times in different states of Australia and so its national performance may not reflect how well the song charted in an individual state at a particular point in time.

The book is available online from www.top40book.com.au. Expressions of interest and pre-orders are currently being taken via email from the web site.

Have you ever tried to limit your favourite songs down to a maximum of thirty? Even by limiting the criteria to Australian songs, it is a really, really difficult thing to do. You find yourself falling between choosing the ones you really like and the ones that really should be included because of how successful the song became. That said, I’ve tried hard to make them my favourites – if you want a list of “best ever”, go and search the Internet where you’ll find plenty of lists!

My friend and Australian music expert and author, Stephen Scanes (www.top40book.com.au – the book I used for chart statistics) tried to limit his favourites to a top 5 for each decade and found that his lists changed daily. Making it a top 30 only makes it marginally easier … so please understand that that the thirty I’ve chosen may well have changed by the time you read this!

To help me a little, I’ve allowed myself the indulgence of identifying the ten songs that came closest to being included but ended up missing the cut – they are listed in alphabetical order to avoid any implied ranking between 31 to 40.

It’s A Long Way To The Top – AC/DC
Entered Charts:  8 January 1976
Entry Point:  38
Weeks In:  11
Highest Ranking:  17

Let Go – Brian Cadd
Entered Charts:  3 October 1974
Entry Point:  35
Weeks In: 16
Highest Ranking: 12

The Loved One – The Loved Ones
Entered Charts:  5 October 1966
Entry Point:  38
Weeks In:  18
Highest Ranking:  2

One Summer – Daryl Braithwaite
Entered Charts:  8 March 1989
Entry Point:  34
Weeks In:  14
Highest Ranking:  6

Out of Mind, Out of Sight – The Models
Entered Charts:  12 July 1985
Entry Point:  17
Weeks In:  17
Highest Ranking:  1

Reckless – Australian Crawl
Entered Charts:  6 October 1983
Entry Point:  11
Weeks In:  20
Highest Ranking:  1

She’s So Fine – The Easybeats
Entered Charts:  9 June 1965
Entry Point:  39
Weeks In:  18
Highest Ranking:  1

Throw Your Arms Around Me – Hunters & Collectors
Entered Charts:  4 June 1986 / 21 January 1991
Entry Point:  38 /32
Weeks In:  4 / 4
Highest Ranking:  32 / 32

To Her Door – Paul Kelly
Entered Charts:  28 October 1987
Entry Point:  35
Weeks In:  16
Highest Ranking:  11

Wings Of An Eagle – Russell Morris
Entered Charts:  16 November 1972
Entry Point:  34
Weeks In:  16
Highest Ranking: 4

There you are … look out for the top 30, starting on 1 January!

Welcome to the Radio Ga Ga Australian Top 30 countdown.

I know it has been done before but that’s the good thing about having your own radio program and blog – you can do your own! Please understand that the criteria are pretty simple:

• must have been recorded by an Australian artist / band
• must have charted in the Australian Top 40

Also please understand that this is simply my opinion – I’d be glad to hear yours by commenting on the Radio Ga Ga Facebook page

Each day through January 2011, I will Twitter the next song in the countdown, starting with number 30 and winding up with number 1 in late January. I’ll update the list in this blog every now and again.

To receive a daily update, register for Twitter and follow me – @neilbutler3wbc – it’s as simple as that.

Hope you enjoy the countdown!