RPM was a Canadian music magazine that produced the country's most widely cited national record charts for much of the latter 20th century. Launched in February 1964 by publisher Walt Grealis with support from music executive Stan Klees, RPM (an initialism for "Records, Promotion, Music") reported weekly rankings of singles and albums and provided news, features and industry information aimed at professionals and music fans.

History and development

Conceived during a period of rapid growth in Canadian popular music, RPM began as a compact trade paper and expanded to a weekly format often styled as RPM Weekly. Its founders were active in the Canadian recording community and later played roles in initiatives to promote domestic artists. Over the decades RPM adapted its pages to include commentary, artist profiles and listings of airplay and retail trends while maintaining a primary focus on chart compilation.

Charts and content

RPM published numerous national charts that reflected radio airplay and retail performance across Canada. Regular lists included the Top Singles and Top Albums charts and, at various times, genre or format charts such as country, adult contemporary and dance. These charts served as the de facto record of Canadian popularity before the widespread adoption of electronic sales tracking and multinational chart services.

  • Top Singles — weekly national ranking of popular songs
  • Top Albums — weekly national ranking of albums
  • Format and genre charts — country, adult contemporary, dance and others

In addition to charts, RPM carried industry news, release schedules and editorial columns directed at radio programmers, record labels and musicians. Its reporting helped inform programming and promotional decisions within Canada's music business.

Legacy and significance

RPM ceased publication in November 2000. Changing media economics, consolidation in the record industry, and the arrival of new measurement systems contributed to its closure. For decades, however, RPM was a central reference for the Canadian music industry: its charts are used by historians, journalists and collectors studying trends in Canadian popular music. Digitized runs and archival copies of the magazine are preserved in national collections and other repositories; an online index and scanned issues can be consulted via resources such as the RPM archive.

Though no longer published, RPM's influence remains visible in chart histories, award histories and in the early institutional efforts to promote Canadian artists. Its record of weekly national rankings provides a continuous snapshot of the country’s musical tastes across more than three decades.