The Euro Hit 40 is based on the charts of 18 European countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom.
To make an appearance on the chart, a recording has to have simultaneous chart success in at least two of these countries. The number of countries and the position of a track in the charts of those countries determine the position in the Euro Hit 40. However, the number of countries weighs more than the chart positions.
History
The Euro Hit 40 was born on Dutch domestic public radio back in the mid 1970s, so the chart is now over 30 years old. Radio Netherlands Worldwide has been co-producer of the show for a number of years now, with the monthly programme being produced at Ad Roland Media in Hilversum in English, Indonesian, Portuguese and Spanish versions.
The hour-long English programme - also available in two parts and distributed free of charge by Radio Netherlands Worldwide to radio stations large and small across the globe - presents a selection of tracks (new entries, climbers, etc.) from the chart, which is made up of the biggest cross-border musical hits as recorded in the national hitlists of 18 countries across the continent of Europe. Your host is pictured on the right.
Eurobusters
Each show also features two predictions for potential chart success, which are known as Eurobusters one and two.
As we're based in the Netherlands, you can always expect one of the Eurobusters to be a Dutch production, though that doesn't necessarily mean the perfomer(s) will also be Dutch. If you're keen to hear even more Dutch music, then also check our Curious Orange programme, which deals with all things Dutch, including music.
The second of our Eurobusters is a production from another European country.
Contact us:
If you want to write in by snail mail, here's our address (and we may even send you a T-shirt if you write in and say something nice!):
Tim at Euro Hit 40
Radio Netherlands Worldwide
P.O. Box 222
1200 JG HILVERSUM
The Netherlands
or you can email us at eurohit40@rnw.nl to enter our competition or to sign up for our monthly e-mail service.
If you want to receive our monthly emails, just write "sign me up" in the subject line. You will be sent an email asking you to confirm your subscription.
Elephants in Amsterdam - photo for RNW by TPF
