May 1, 1935: the popular music program Your Hit Parade was aired for the first time on this day. Your Hit Parade was sponsored by American Tobacco's Lucky Strike cigarettes. Many listeners know the show under the incorrect title "The Hit Parade." The program's title was officially changed to "Your Hit Parade" on November 9, 1935. The program played the most popular and best-selling songs of the week every Saturday. The method of rate calculation remained a secret until now. Although there were some rumors about the method, the program was still able to attain a high reputation among its listeners.
Today in Old Radio History...