[All #1's Special Originally aired on Boxing Day. Enjoy!]

My friends, what CBCRadio3 started more than four decades ago as a "make work project" for then Governor General Georges Vanier's nephew and his pals has since blossomed into the worldwide chart of record for Canadian independent music.

Sadly, all records prior to 2006 were lost in The Great Archives Fire of 2005. It was that tragic incident that led to The R3-30 archives no longer being stored in the trunk of the producer's car. They are now in a more secure, undisclosed location, known only to Pedro Mendes and myself. It is our dream that they one day be housed in the CBC Museum.

It is this time of year when I am at my most sentimental. So, I bike over to The R3-30 Archives and spend some time thinking about the last three years, when it's been my privilege to host the show. In hindsight, it's been a heck of a few years! Today, let's look back at some of the artists and the songs that have sat high atop the legendary R3-30*.

*post-fire

posted by Craig Norris on Jan 03, 2010