"The American Top 40 has been successful for 40 years because it is the soundtrack to life. The music that's current and popular, it sparks emotion and memories and, frankly, the race and the drama of that 40-to-1 is always fun and you root for your favourites and you want your favourite song to be the one that's on top and that other people are rooting for as well."
What impact has AT40 had on music and pop culture?
"American Top 40 has had a huge impact on pop culture. It is a part of pop culture. This is a show that was created by two legends in the business. An artist releases a record and an artist wants that record played on the radio, and an artist wants that record to be on the chart and wants it to be a number one song. It's a victory for an artist to make it to the top of the American Top 40. There's nothing like being number one. It's the best. To be number one is what you want when you're an artist."
What does hosting AT40 mean to you?
"For me to host the American Top 40 every weekend is really special. Professionally it's fantastic because it's the biggest countdown in the world. Personally it means a lot to me because it's the one show that I listened to when I was a kid. It's the show I would flip on every weekend with my little Walkman and mow with my lawnmower. I would go up and down the front yard of my house and even some neighbours' homes while I'd listen to the American Top 40; that was my first job. And I'd listen to Casey count them down and he did such an amazing job, painting pictures — you'd see these artists in your mind and get to know them through his delivery and his stories. And so it was an honour to first meet him and when he said you know what, I'm going to bless the baton in your hand and pass this on, it was very surreal for me. I think it's very special and there's a lot of pride in doing this show for me."
What is your favourite AT40 memory?
"My favourite AT40 memory was when they said, "you got the gig!" When they said, you have the job, you're going to be counting backwards from 40-to-1 and strangely, it sounds pretty easy to go, okay so 40, 39 and then go backwards … I was nervous. You're stepping into the shoes of Casey Kasem and I, frankly , wanted to deliver for the audience but I wanted him to be happy with it. I remember talking to him a few times after I'd started the show and he said "good job," and that meant a lot to me."
What was it like the very first time hosting AT40?
"I was not that good the first day I hosted American Top 40. I just remember thinking about what I'd listened to when Casey did it and wondering how I should do it. Should we evolve it? Should I do the same thing? I'm not doing the long distance request and dedication, are people going to miss that. I felt the pressure of trying to pull it off. But I think the nerves are a good thing; it makes you try to perform the best you can. Eventually I settled in and got comfortable and now I look forward to counting them down every weekend."
Which artist has been on top the most?
"Hosting American Top 40 allows you to talk to these artists often and you realise that you end up talking to the Black Eyed Peas quite a bit. You get to talk to legendary artists like Madonna when she hits the top. And it doesn't matter how long anybody has been doing this, they still are stoked to get the phone call that they've got the biggest song in the country and they've beaten everybody else. These artists are competitive. It's a sport."
Describe your relationship with AT40 listeners
"I think my relationship with the American Top 40 listeners is one of a listener. I'm a fan of this music. I love listening to pop music and I love being a part of just that world of being a fan. So when I'm hosting the show, I'm as exited as anybody is listening to the show and I love it. I was a listener. I was the guy that listened to this thing and now somehow I'm doing it. So I'm them. I really am."
