Has Cliff Richard really had more than twice as many Top 20 British singles as the Beatles? How many chart-topping U.S. LPs did Elvis accumulate? What’s the name of the Drifters’ biggest hit?

Until recently, the only practical way to answer such questions were to plow through back copies of trade magazines or to buy an expensive privately published series of books from a company called Record Research. Now, thanks to Stephen Nugent and Charlie Gillett’s Rock Almanac: Top Twenty American and British Singles and Albums of the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s, there’s an easier way. The volume alphabetically lists all artists who had Top 20 singles or LPs in America or Britain between 1955 and 1973. For each hit, the editors report the record label, date of chart entry, highest position reached, number of weeks on the chart, and other data. Special logs rank artists by number of hits, list No. 1 singles and LPs, and provide info on soundtrack, original cast, and various artists albums. In addition, the book includes essays on reggae, American and British radio, and other subjects, plus lists of “essential’ singles and LPs.

That the volume ends with 1973 is regrettable, but perhaps the editors will see fit to publish a sequel. Meanwhile, this book deserves a look.

*****

The history, economics, structure, and functions of the record business garner discussion in part one of Rock ‘n’ Roll Is Here to Pay: The History and Politics of the Music Industry, by Steve Chapple and Reebee Garofalo. In part two of this revealing and provocative albeit flawed volume, the authors examine the industry’s power centers, as well as its relationships with blacks and women. Though Elvis’s death and other recent events draw mentions, some portions of the book inexplicably prove to be out of date. In addition, you’ll find some mistakes. Still, this work deserves attention. It is thoughtful and comprehensive, and its authors take a more critical approach than have the writers of many competing volumes.

*****

Get On Down: A Decade of Rock and Roll Posters, which Mick Farren edited, is well printed on oversized, heavy-stock paper and offers a sometimes dazzling, full-color survey of the visual art that rock and roll has spawned. As the volume reminds us, the need to publicize a rock show in the late 1960s often inspired stunningly beautiful posters and, though today’s concert announcements commonly contain only printed information about dates, ticket outlets, and the like, increasingly sophisticated album cover art has fostered a new generation of eye-catching posters. The book at hand, which winningly documents both eras, cannot be easily described in words. Suffice it to say that you might be tempted to decorate a wall with some of its pages.

*****

Robert S. Spitz’s The Making of Superstars: Artists and Executives of the Rock Music World focuses on what goes on behind the scenes in the rock biz. You’ll learn a thing or two from author Spitz’s artist-and-executive interviews—particularly if you have’t read any of the several competing volumes that cover similar territory more cogently and completely. In any case, you might be annoyed at the frequency of back-patting that goes on here. Spitz lauds each of his subjects with equal abandon, then sits back while they spend much of their interview throwing thanks and compliments to assorted associates. Subjects include singers Neil Sedaka and Peter Frampton, critic Jon Landau, producer Arif Mardin, and prompter Ron Delsner.

Briefly Noted

Phonographics: Contemporary Album Cover Art & Design, by Brad Benedict and Linda Barton. Album cover art, reproduced in full color, is the subject here. Also included are some intended LP jackets which were never previously published. A good, sometimes excellent volume that’s ideal for gift giving.

The Outlaws: Revolution in Country Music, by Michael Bane. Michael Bane surveys the changing country music scene, profiling singers who broke the “rules” of Nashville, thereby enlarging its audience to include fans of rock and other genres. Subjects include Waylon Jennings, Tompall Glaser, and Willie Nelson.

Bob Dylan: A Listing, by Keith Wilson. Wilson’s discography lists Dylan’s albums, singles, LPs, bootlegs, and recorded guest appearances. Also featured are a filmography, a bibliography, and information on taped performances. I noted some errors and quite a few omissions and found the organization to be less than ideal. Still, this is a valuable reference that should help point you to much material you wouldn’t otherwise encounter.

Rolling Thunder Logbook, by Sam Shepard. Playwright Sm Shepard, who went along on Bob Dylan’s 1975 tour, offers his impressions in this illustrated book. The focus is on backstage, hotel-room, and tour-bus antics. Fun, but not very illuminating for readers who want to know more about Dylan or his music.

Country: The Biggest Music in America, by Nick Tosches. Critic Nick Tosches eyes the country genre in this impressively researched volume. Consistently illuminating and valuable, the book is also frequently abstruse and labored. Not recommended for neophytes, who should start with a more straightforward, less idiosyncratic history, but a must for longtime country music aficionados.