The article accompanying the list did mention that the people who compiled the survey results were "hoping to remind" the old timers to go out and get copies of the "old classics" and maybe to "introduce some younger people" to these "great old movies." I understand that they sent survey subjects a list of about 400 songs to pick from.

Quite possibly the 400 songs were picked based on having the old films ready for redistribution(?).

A faint "eau de commerce" does seem to attach.

The question that was asked, if the article was accurate (how could we doubt, it was an AP article?), was something like "which songs do you recognize," rather than "which do you like." Without seeing the survey input form though, it's impossible to say what's the result and what's the "spin."

The show was something of a nostalgia trip - for a while I thought I'd just accidentally left "Lawrence Welk" on.

John