On August 17, 1961, Israeli state radio Kol Israel broadcast the very first edition of what would become one of the most beloved institutions in Israeli popular culture — the המצעד הלועזי (Ha-Mitzad Ha-Leuzi), the official Israeli foreign-language music chart.
For 36 uninterrupted years, every week without exception, Israeli listeners tuned in to Reshet Gimel to find out where their favourite international songs had charted. The broadcast became a national ritual — a weekly appointment that shaped how Israel consumed and celebrated global pop music.
The Beginning: August 1961
Israel in 1961 was a young, rapidly evolving country still forming its cultural identity. International pop music was reaching Israeli ears through radio, and the appetite for a structured chart — mirroring what the UK and US had built — was clear. Kol Israel's popular music station Reshet Gimel (רשת ג׳) responded with the מצעד הפזמונים הלועזי.
The first chart covered the most-played international songs on Israeli radio. Elvis Presley and American rock 'n' roll dominated these early years, but British acts — led by Cliff Richard and, from 1963, The Beatles — quickly became fixtures. The format was simple but compelling: a countdown of the week's biggest foreign-language hits, presented live on air.
How the Chart Worked
Songs were ranked based on airplay on Reshet Gimel and listener response. The chart typically covered 20–40 positions, though the exact format evolved across the decades. Each week's edition was a live broadcast event, with the top positions revealed in countdown style.
For the purposes of the IsraeliCharts archive, each chart position earns cumulative points: #1 earns 40 points, #2 earns 39, down to #40 earning 1 point per week. This scoring allows direct comparison of any song's overall chart impact — a song at #5 for 20 weeks scores higher than one that peaked at #1 for a single week.
The Four Eras
| Era | Years | Entries | Sound | Dominant Artists |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The First Era | 1961–1969 | 589 | Rock, Beat, Pop | Elvis, Beatles, Cliff Richard |
| The Golden 70s | 1970–1979 | 2,291 | Disco, Soft Rock, Pop | ABBA, Bee Gees, Elton John |
| The Peak Decade | 1980–1989 | 2,943 | Synth-pop, New Wave | Madonna, Michael Jackson, Duran Duran |
| The Final Era | 1990–1997 | 2,673 | Pop, R&B, Eurodance | Madonna, Ace of Base, Mariah Carey |
The Legendary Presenters
The chart's hosts became household names in Israel. Ofer Nachshon (עופר נחשון) was one of the show's most iconic voices, presenting the chart across multiple eras. Benny Dudkevich (בני דודקביץ) and Raz Nitzan (רז ניצן) each hosted across different periods, their names synonymous with Sunday evenings and the weekly chart reveal.
For a generation of Israelis, the voice of the chart presenter announcing the #1 song is an indelible memory — as much a part of the cultural fabric as the music itself.
Records and Milestones
- Most #1 hits: Elvis Presley and The Beatles — 14 each
- Most chart entries: Madonna — 46 entries
- Most weeks at #1: "Stayin' Alive" (Bee Gees) and "Let It Be" (Beatles) — 11 weeks each
- Highest cumulative score: "Come Undone" by Duran Duran — 928 points
- Most charted decade: The 1980s — 2,943 chart entries
The Final Broadcast: September 23, 1997
On September 23, 1997, the Israeli official music chart aired its 1,982nd and final edition. After 36 years, Reshet Gimel ended the format as Israeli radio transformed. The digital age, changing listener habits, and the rise of television music shows had gradually shifted the landscape.
The archive preserved on IsraeliCharts.com captures every chart from the first broadcast to the last — a complete, searchable record of 36 years of Israeli pop history.