7 Non-Musicians Who Changed Pop Music Forever

7. Casey Kasem

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5tHS4YW4JE Before we begin, let me just say that I'm sorry that Kasem's face doesn't appear in the video, but I just loved this one; it captures the feel of the era it comes from (coming complete with commercials and show bumpers) and shows what made Kasem a great DJ. I don't know about you, but hearing Casey Kasem's voice makes me feel good. He gives me a you're-welcome-here feeling that makes me want to listen to him as he makes his way through the Billboard Top 40 list on the radio program he co-created: American Top 40. Kasem knew that music lovers didn't have to listen to his program; since the platters he was spinning were topping the Billboard charts, they were in constant rotation on pop stations all over the world. With this in mind, Kasem made sure that American Top 40 offered listeners more than just a run-through of 40 songs. Among his most famous features were the "Long-Distance Dedication," during which, Kasem would read a dedication letter which touched him. He would go on to play the dedication, regardless of whether the song appeared on the chart or not. Kasem and American Top 40 also featured "Oldies," during which Kasem would spin a chart-topper from the 1950s or '60s. Kasem's most famous DJ-ing technique, however, would be when he would tease a story before a commercial break. After the break, Kasem would tell a fascinating story about a musician, being careful not to mention any names. The listeners would hang on his every word, trying to guess who Kasem was talking about and trying to ascertain which song would be played next. Finally, when we listeners couldn't take it anymore, Kasem would reveal the musician's name and the song coming up next. Personally, I love these stories; I always learn something from them. Kasem hosted American Top 40 from 1971 to 1988, and, after a hiatus, returned from 1998 to 2003. Kasem was the one who made American Top 40 the radio juggernaut it was (and still is); his intriguing stories and friendly jockeying style charmed listeners and kept them tuning in every weekend. As a result, it was with Kasem's assistance that most Americans heard Billboard's Top 40. The Top 40 is still around, but Ryan Seacrest, the current host, is no Casey Kasem.