Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 - Spinoff

Spinoff

In 1985, Dees would create and host a syndicated weekday music program for United Stations, American Music Magazine -- the daily, hour-long program would be similar to his countdown show, except that it played the "most requested songs", as phoned in by listeners to an 800 number hotline. The songs were not typically played in countdown fashion, but the most requested was always played at the end of the show. As with most syndicated radio programs, the shows were distributed to radio stations in collector-type boxes—which has been most helpful in keeping the shows in good condition for collectors—by United Stations Programming Network on 5 LPs, one for each day of the week. Each week's box of LPs typically contained two promo spots: one for weekdays and one for the weekends.

The show was produced in a "faux-live" style. Dees would encourage callers to "call in" to the show, and often pre-recorded calls and caller montages would air as though listeners were actually calling in at the time of broadcast, even though these shows were recorded and distributed to stations at least a week ahead of the air date.

Often these shows would feature celebrity guests (either call-in or in-studio) who were promoting events, movies, TV shows or albums un-related to the show. Guests included people like Patrick Swayze, Milli Vanilli, Jon Provost of Lassie, Cher's mother, etc.

At the end of 1988, Dees would leave the program, to be replaced by Bruce Vidal, who regularly subbed for Dees on his countdown show. It is unknown when "American Music Magazine" left the air, though at least one show from June 5, 1989 has surfaced in online show trading.