From Jonie Y – Mr. Pop – Do you know how much music – the maximum music that could be played from a 45rpm record? A 33rpm record?
Mr. Pop History – For each side – 8 minutes was the max for 45rpm singles. A 33 long-play record – 22 minutes. Remember – that’s each side.
From Laura I – Hello Mr. Pop Culture. Reality show producer Mark Burnett pitched NBC a reality series – right after “Survivor” – and it never aired. What was it?
Mr. Pop History – This goes to show you – even hot producers can get shows axed – out of the box. NBC ordered “Destination Mir” from his production company. A little far-fetched – it was to follow a dozen American civilians undergoing Russian cosmonaut training. The winner would be sent into space with the Russian Mir space station.
From Sherian V – Didn’t Keith Urban have a band – before he made it big?
Mr. Pop History – Yes, during the mid-1990′s, “The Ranch” had some mid-chart action. His 1999 self-titled album (see picture) was really the U.S. beginning for Keith Urban.
From Evelyn A – Mr. Pop – The decade of the 2000′s spawned an interesting trend – grooming sisters of stars such as Lindsay Lohan to become pop icons themselves. Is their any list of those who made it and those who did not?
Mr. Pop History – Of course – right here. We all know about Jamie Lynn Spears, Ashlee Simpson and Haylie Duff. But what about Emily Osment Ali Lohan, Hania Barton and Solange Knowles?
From Deborah R – More technology. Can you tell me when the first online music store opened? Thank you.
Mr. Pop History – It was back in December 2001 when Listen.com launched Rhapsody. iTunes launched in April of 2003.
From Carl W – Can you tell me when the audio mp3 format cam to computers?
Mr. Pop History – The mp3 format is one of the most enduring in PC history. As strong as ever, we first saw mp3 signs of life back in 1997, when Nullsoft released Winamp – the first popular mp3 player for Windows PC’s.
From Denice M – Dear Mr. Pop History/Mr. Pop Culture – Can you tell me when the music pirate website – Napster first came to be? When did that version shut down? Thank you for a tremendous website. I just ordered a Mr. Pop T-shirt.
Mr. Pop History – Thanks Denice. Napster, which introduced peer-to-peer file sharing – debuted in May of 1999. The file sharing was really all about sharing music. In December of 1999, The Recording Industry Assn. of American sued the site for copyright infringement. That version of Napster shut down in July 2001. It was quite a time in pop history.
From Kris J – What’s the largest Christian-based movie of all time? Any others??
Mr. Pop History – “The Passion of the Christ” did about $400 million in business. That was back in 2004. Others – “The Chronicles of Narnia” from 2005; “Jonah: A Veggie Tales Movie” from 2002 and “The Omega Code” from 1999. 
One more you ask? How about “End of the Spear” from the year 2006! Hope that helps.
From Troy C: The first FM rock station – was it New York or San Francisco?
Mr. Pop History – It was New York. On July 30, 1966, WOR-FM at 98.7 debuted. The FCC decreed that by January 1, 1967, FM stations in major markets must have separate programming; that is, those co-owned with AM stations. Before this, most FM stations were similcasting, to a large extent, their AM stations; AM was where the audience was. The FCC thought this was a waist of spectrum.
WOR-FM got a jump-start and decided rock would be their direction. There was one problem. AFTRA prevented the hired DJ’s from working at WOR-FM until a scale for FM DJ’s could be worked out! So for a few months, what a listener heard was incredible. No DJ’s. Just music, jingles and commercials (as few as there were). Then on October 8, 1966 – The WOR–FM DJ lineup debuted and it changed radio forever.
WOR-FM was very different. First – it was FM, which had a total different feel then AM. The music sounded clearer and some of the rock music on WOR-FM was actually in stereo. The music didn’t seem as loud or “pumped.” The DJ’s were low-keyed, unlike New York competitors WMCA and WABC. The presentation was loose. The DJ’s didn’t have to talk-up a vocal, or begin talking just after a song ended. Also, it was strange hearing a jingle singing “98.7.” Radio listeners were always use to AM dial positions like “57,” “77,” “93,” “98,” “1510′ etc.
WOR-FM took a progressive approach to top-40. Several of its DJ’s: Murray the K and Scott Muni, worked at major New York AM top-40 stations and hearing their new low-key presentations on WOR-FM was different. WOR-FM soon caught-on with the college crowd. If you were cool, you listened to 98.7. It wasn’t long until WOR-FM began showing in the ratings regularly – another FM
first.
Soon, stations in Boston and San Franciso debuted with a WOR-FM-type format. By 1968, FM rock stations were everywhere. Some played top-40, but others like KMPX in San Francisco played rock album cuts.
Ask Mr. Pop History – From David M. Mr. Pop – where do you see radio and television, as we know them now – in say 10 years?
Mr. Pop – I see the most popular radio and television programs going to the app mode. Just click an app and you’ll get your favorite program. The challenge tomorrow will be to get the message out. It’s easier with fewer outlets – such as what we have now. The Internet has no limits – so – it’s going to be a challenge to launch new programs – and, to get the word out.
I see AM radio going away. Each year, it’s becoming more insignificant. In 10 years – It’ll be a complete has-been.
TV stations – they’ll still be here, but I believe they’ll be secondary to what’s on the Net. New shows will be distributed the same way – and advertising sold through current station relationships and networks – just that delivery/distribution will be on the Net. 
Mr. Pop Culture Report
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