How many singles were released each week in the 1960s?

Answer 1

That is actually an impossible question to answer. For one thing, you are asking about 10 years worth of singles, at a time when the single was the dominant form of music and top-40 radio ruled. Further complicating the answer is that there were many record labels back then, most of which are now long-defunct. Often, a song would first be released on a small local label and then get picked up and re-released by a bigger label. A good example is the 1963 hit "Louie Louie" by the Kingsmen, which was first released on the local Jerden label and was then picked up for distribution by Wand Records.

Anecdotally, I was a music director at my college station in 1968-1969. Record promoters from all the labels (including RCA Victor, Columbia, Mercury, Capitol, Decca, London, Laurie, Motown, Warner Brothers, Atlantic, Stax/Volt, ABC/Dunhill, etc etc) would come by at least once a week with new releases. There might be as many as 15-20 new records, or as few as 3-5. The amount of new releases really varied, sometimes influenced by whether a name artist had a new record out, sometimes influenced by the holiday season (many new Christmas songs came out in November/December). And I am just telling you about the major label releases-- there were also independent and small local releases as well. Some of these were only known in one small city, while others managed to get some regional appeal. It was a booming time for the record business and there were many stations (both at the college level, and on commercial radio) where airplay was possible.