WDVE's Memorial Day 500 has a new No. 1
“Stairway to Heaven” descended to No. 2 in a major upset during the weekend’s WDVE Memorial Day 500 music countdown.
The Led Zeppelin tune, No. 1 in the 2020 countdown, was knocked off by AC/DC’s “Back in Black.”
In 2020, the Australian band’s song was No. 10. Overall in the most recent countdown, the group had two songs in the Top 10. The other was “You Shook Me All Night Long,” which finished in sixth place. AC/DC had 12 total in the countdown.
Led Zeppelin led all acts with 21 tracks in the 2021 observance.
View the entire list here.
Disc jockey Chad Tyson was on air for the final hours of the marathon. He announced the top song on Monday evening on the radio at 102.5-FM and via Twitter.
The number 1 song on the 2021 edition of the #DVEmemorialday500 is....@acdc Back in Black! Thank yinz for listening and tweeting along with us @DVERADIO this weekend! ? pic.twitter.com/DSULEevACa
— Chad Tyson (@chadtyson) June 1, 2021
The station refers to this music marathon as “The Memorial Day 500.” Full of classic rock tunes, the tradition is beloved by fans throughout Western Pennsylvania. It’s known in Pittsburgh as the unofficial start of summer, alongside the Memorial Day holiday weekend itself.
All of @wdve listeners right now, regardless of who is #1 with the #DVEMemorialDay500 pic.twitter.com/npv8K4a5f8
— PGH Joey (@thejoeywarren) June 1, 2021
John Moschitta, program director for iHeartMedia, which owns the station, told the Tribune-Review that people love lists which often spark debates — in person and via social media — as to the placement of songs. He said it is a great tradition.
Starting a year-long campaign to get Bob Seger's "Katmandu" — specifically, the live version — to the very top of next year's #DVEMemorialDay500. Who's with me, @DVERADIO? @DVEMichele, back me up on this!
— Sean Collier (@seancollierpgh) June 1, 2021
Another way ovverplayed song - sweet home Alabama #DVEMemorialDay500
— J?ey Bag ?f D?nuts ? (@joeybagovdonuts) June 1, 2021
“I follow social media and was blown away by the people listening, not only in Pittsburgh but all over the country,” he said. “People have an affinity for this town. And that is cool.
“We had people talking about sitting on their porch tuning in. People love to follow it and love to debate it and are glad DVE brought it back.”
I think we all know what SHOULDA BEEN #1 will be for the #DVEMemorialDay500 pic.twitter.com/qEsKZb0fhI
— Grizzly Adams (@rspence346) June 1, 2021
“The Memorial Day 500” airwaves opened at 1 p.m. Friday and ran most of the weekend (without overnight coverage).
“Back in Black” could be considered an upset similar to 2019, when Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick In the Wall” finished as the top song.
Shocked by this! I don’t hate it, but what a shakeup to the top 10 this year! #DVEMemorialDay500 https://t.co/FNuv0VSckZ
— Travis? (@pghTRAV) June 1, 2021
Listeners offered suggestions via the station’s website. There was no actual voting of songs. Most of the staff had input in the list by researching the song’s popularity and how much previous on-air play it has received.
Moschitta said they try to involve as many people at the station in the countdown. Moschitta said he found himself hearing a song and wondering where it was in the countdown last year, if it was there at all.
“Based on what I heard and saw this is a pretty good program,” he said. “I see it coming back for years to come.”
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region's diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of "A Daughter's Promise." She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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