1. Early life

2. Career

3. Bibliography

4. References

Kent continued to publish his Australian Music Report on a weekly basis until 1996.^[1] In 1993, Kent collated his charts into a book, Australian Chart Book, 1970–1992.^[4] He followed with Australian Chart Book (1940–1969) in 2005,^[5] Australian Chart Book (1993–2005) in 2006,^[6] and The Australian top 20 book (1940–2006) in 2007.^[7]

Early life

David Kent was born in Sydney, Australia. He listened to local radio broadcasts of top hits such as "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley in 1955.^[8][9]

Career

When Kent was a youth, Australia had no nationwide chart system for singles or albums,^[8] and Kent kept his own tally of the positions provided by Sydney radio stations.^[9] In 1958, radio station 2UE provided the first give-away charts in record stores,^[8] with the first national chart, compiled for Go-Set by rock journalist Ed Nimmervoll, appearing in October 1966.^[8][10] Kent worked for record companies, EMI and Polygram, and avidly collected record charts as a hobby.^[9] For 18 months, Kent researched Australian music charts and developed a ranking system based on radio station charts from around the country, and from May 1974 he compiled the Kent Music Report.^[8][11] Kent's aims were to provide the Australian music industry with information on singles and albums, and to chronicle the history of music tastes.^[8][11] The Kent Music Report was sold commercially after July 1974, and became the sole nationwide chart following the demise of 'Go-Set in August.^[10]

Kent expanded his business and, from 1976, incorporated actual sales figures to supplement information from radio stations.^[11] By 1977, major record companies used his chart information in their advertising.^[11] Kent's staff sent surveys to retail stores, collated sales figures together with radio charts by states and then used his ranking system to assemble the national Kent Music Report. By 1982, retail sales by survey was the main source of Kent's reports.^[11]

The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) was established by the six major record companies operating in Australia: EMI, Festival Records, CBS (now known as Sony Music), RCA (now known as BMG), WEA (now known as Warner Music) and Polygram (now known as Universal).^[8][12] ARIA licensed the Kent Music Report from mid-1983 to publish the ARIA Charts under its banner until the week ending 26 June 1988.^[8][12] ARIA had established its own research and chart publishing group and now competed with the Kent Music Report.^[8][12]

At the beginning of 1987, the Kent Music Report was renamed the Australian Music Report. It was used by major record companies in preference to ARIA's own charts.^[8][12] Kent continued production of his music reports until 1996, but sold off his interest in the Australian Music Report, which continued to the end of 1998, after which changes in technology, such as barcoding, enabled point-of-sale information to be sent directly to ARIA.^[8][13] This meant that Kent could no longer compile reliable sales information.^[8][13]

In 1993, Kent used his resources to compile charts dating back to 1970. He added information from the weekly Kent Music Report and the Australian Music Report to publish the charts in book form as Australian Chart Book, 1970–1992.^[4] He followed that with Australian Chart Book (1940–1969) in 2005,^[5] Australian Chart Book (1993–2005) in 2006,^[6] The Australian top 20 book (1940–2006) in 2007,^[7] and Australian Chart Chronicles (1940–2009).^[14]

Bibliography

• {{cite journal|title=Kent music report 1974–1987|last=Kent|first=David|publisher=David Kent, 1987|journal=Australian Music Report|issue=1–675|date=29 June 1987|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|issn=0156-2223}}
• {{cite book|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|last=Kent|first=David|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6}}
• {{cite journal|title=Australian music report : Kent music report 1987–1999| last= Kent| first= David| publisher= Australian Music Report, 1987–1999|journal=Australian Music Report|issue=675–1270|date=4 January 1999|location=Pymble, N.S.W.|issn=0156-2223}}
• {{cite book|title=Australian Chart Book (1940–1969)|last=Kent|first=David|publisher=Australian Chart Book, 2005| location= Turramurra, N.S.W.|year=2005|isbn=0-646-44439-5}}
• {{cite book|title=Australian Chart Book (1993–2005)|last=Kent|first=David|publisher=Australian Chart Book, 2006| location= Turramurra, N.S.W.|year=2006|isbn=0-646-45889-2}}
• {{cite book|title=The Australian top 20 book (1940–2006)|last=Kent|first=David|publisher=Australian Chart Book, 2007| location= Turramurra, N.S.W.|year=2007|isbn=978-0-646-47665-0}}
• {{cite book| title=Australian Chart Chronicles (1940–2008)|last=Kent|first=David|publisher=Australian Chart Book, 2009| location= Turramurra, N.S.W.|year=2009|isbn= 978-0-646-51203-7}}
• {{cite book|title=Australian Chart Book (1993–2009)|editor-last=Kent|editor-first=David|publisher= | location= |year= 2010|isbn=978-0-646-52995-0}}^[15]

References

• Arran Quay, Dublin
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• Arran Township, Ontario
• Arran (Transcaucasia)
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• Arran Whitebeam
• Arra, Pakistan
• Arrapi
• Arrappahoe County, Jefferson Territory
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• Arrap’i
• Arraq
• Ar-Raqiq
• Ar raqqah
• Ar-Raqqah Province
• Arras 1917
• Arras 1918
• Arras, Albania
• Arrasando con Fuego
• Arras College
• Arras Counter Attack
• Arras (disambiguation)