The Billboard Report

The Billboard Report, released on the London Wavelength label under catalog number 2-16-81 3-1-81, is a US promotional radio show LP from early 1981. The double-date catalog number reflects the two broadcast windows: originally aired February 23 through March 1, 1981, and again March 2 through March 8, 1981. This is a distributor-pressed, broadcaster-targeted pressing intended strictly for radio station use, not commercial retail sale, making surviving copies genuinely scarce in any condition.

The label itself is a distinctive yellow with a bulldog wearing headphones, the London Wavelength house logo that serious radio promo collectors recognize immediately. That bulldog graphic is a reliable identifier when trying to authenticate this pressing against later or bootleg dupes. The physical presentation is utilitarian by design; these were working radio tools, not display pieces. The sleeve, if any accompanied a given copy, would have been a plain generic or station-use jacket rather than anything purpose-printed for The Billboard Report specifically. The vinyl itself reflects the standard quality London Wavelength applied to its syndicated programming pressings of the period: functional rather than audiophile, adequate for broadcast purposes but not comparable to commercial retail pressings of the same era. The label typography is straightforward, listing the catalog number prominently so program directors could file and retrieve the record by air date. Both sides carry interview and music segments, separated on the Discogs track listing by chewing gum advertisements, which is a telling detail about how tightly integrated the commercial blocks were in the original broadcast format. The whole artifact has the feel of a working document rather than a collectible, which is precisely what makes surviving copies interesting to Doors-related completionists today.

The Doors connection here is Robby Krieger, who appears on Side Two with an interview and music segment. By early 1981, Krieger was active outside the Doors context, and collectors following his solo trajectory alongside releases like Robbie Krieger & Friends will find this appearance a useful chronological data point. The interview content itself is the primary draw; the music segments woven around it are drawn from existing releases rather than exclusive recordings, consistent with how London Wavelength structured its programming. What you are buying when you acquire this record is the interview audio in its original broadcast form, pressed to vinyl.

The broader lineup across both sides is genuinely varied: Joe Strummer of The Clash, Elvis Costello, Kevin Cronin of REO Speedwagon, Manfred Mann, Dan McCafferty of Nazareth, and Jerry Mercer of April Wine, with host Jeff Karlisi handling introductions and his own segment. The host intro opens Side One, establishing the show format before moving into the artist segments. That mix of post-punk, new wave, classic rock, and arena rock artists reflects the eclectic commercial radio landscape of early 1981 accurately.

On Discogs, this pressing shows only 2 collectors reporting ownership and 5 listing it as wanted, which is a credible reflection of genuine scarcity rather than collector indifference. Radio promo LPs of this type were pressed in limited numbers, distributed only to subscribing stations, and frequently discarded once the broadcast window closed. Surviving copies tend to surface through estate sales, station liquidations, or collections assembled by radio industry insiders. For Doors-related completionists also tracking releases like Three Hours For Magic: The Jim Morrison Special, another radio-formatted program LP, The Billboard Report fits naturally into the same acquisition category. The Krieger segment is the specific reason it belongs in a Doors collection, but the full program is a legitimate time capsule of early 1981 rock radio in the US.

This is a niche but genuinely scarce radio promo LP, pressed in limited quantity for broadcast use and not intended for public sale. The Robby Krieger interview segment is the primary hook for Doors collectors, and given the low Discogs ownership count, copies rarely surface. If you are building a comprehensive collection of Doors-adjacent interview content and radio programming, alongside items like Robbie Krieger Versions, this is worth acquiring when it appears. Condition will vary significantly given the working-copy nature of these pressings, so inspect carefully before committing.