I bought several of the "Your Hit Parade" CDs for my dad, who liked to listen to the songs on them in the 40s and 50s on the radio.  I don't know much of the music of the period, but they seem a good representation of the hit songs of each year.  I remember hearing a number of the songs as old favorites when I was growing up in the 60s.  I ended up buying one CD for myself.