Agreed. I think of how many songs that made the top 40 back then that I never heard and never get airplay today (unless it's the VJ 40). Or maybe heard once.
Then I think of songs I heard all the time and still hear that never made hit the top 40 like "I Want Candy", "What I Like About You", "Turn It On Again", "You Better Run", "Run Like Hell", "I Got You" (Split Enz), "Here Comes My Girl", "Tempted", "Tom Sawyer", "My Kinda Lover", "Shakin'" (Eddie Money), "Words" (Missing Persons), "No One Like You", "I Know What Boys Like" .....
Hell, we've got a rock station here in NH that plays "No One Like You" in heavy rotation - like a pop station does with a new Ed Sheeran song.