Hit Parade | Music History and Music ...
What makes a song a smash? Talent? Luck? Timing? All that—and more. Chris Molanphy, pop-chart analyst and author of Slate’s “Why Is This Song No. 1?” series, tells tales from a half-century of chart history. Through storytelling, trivia and song snippets, Chris dissects how that song you love—or hate—dominated the airwaves, made its way to the top of the charts and shaped your memories forever.
101
Still Billy Joel to Me Edition
Billy Joel’s first Top 40 hit, way back in 1974, was “Piano Man,” and the nickname stuck. But for a guy who became famous sitting behind 88 keys, few of his biggest hits are really piano songs. In fact, on all three of his No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, keyboards are not the primary instrument.
7 min
102
The Bridge: Hits Don’t Lie
Chris Molanphy talks to guest Eduardo Cepeda about Latin music’s journey to the center of American pop.
27 min
103
La Vida Loca Edición
93 min
104
The Bridge: Wesley on Whitney
Chris Molanphy talks to guest Wesley Morris about Whitney Houston’s vocal genius and crossover means.
27 min
105
I'm Your Whitney Tonight Edition
86 min
106
The Bridge: Living in an Amish Paradise
27 min
107
The White and Nerdy Edition
Novelty songs were a tough way to make a music career. Until one self-proclaimed Weird guy turned parodies into pop classics.
84 min
108
The Bridge: Legacy of the Elusive Chanteuse
30 min
109
Make My Wish Come True Edition
70 min
110
The Bridge: Queens Bey, Rih and Robyn Reign Dif...
Chris Molanphy and Bridge producer Asha Saluja discuss who won the 2010s in music.
26 min
111
Rolling in God’s Royal Uptown Road Edition.
94 min
112
The Bridge: Genre v. Generation, ’80s to ’10s
Chris Molanphy and Ned Raggett discuss the ’80s wave of British alt-rock.
25 min
113
Lost and Lonely Edition
83 min
114
The Bridge: Rain Sounds and Moody Goths
Chris Molanphy and Aisha Harris talk about the song template Janet Jackson’s producers spun into five hits.
24 min
115
State of the World Edition
70 min
116
The Bridge: Ladies of the Canyon and the Rhythm...
23 min
117
We Are Stardust, We Are Gold-Certified
Sure, Woodstock was a legendary festival—but it also turned several performers into chart-topping stars.
73 min
118
The Bridge: Nostalgic for Number Ones
24 min
119
Without The Beatles
This month, Hit Parade explores the legacy of songs by The Beatles topping the charts...without The Beatles. This is the story of how a discarded Beatles song, a superstar vanity cover, and a bizarre disco medley managed to top the charts with Beatles songwriting credits, but without the fab four.
67 min
120
The Bridge: Farewell, Lilith Fan
25 min
121
The Lullaby of Broadway Edition
76 min
122
The Bridge: The "Give My Regards" Edition
23 min
123
The Invisible Miracle Sledgehammer Edition
81 min
124
The Bridge: Monster Drums Edition
23 min
125
The Posthumous Hits Edition, Live from Seattle
Dearly beloved, we gather on the charts to get through this thing called life…and death. Live from MoPOP in Seattle, Hit Parade tells the stories of some of the biggest chart-toppers from beyond the grave.
87 min