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.


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Music History
Music Commentary
51
Shake It Like a Polaroid Picture Edition Part 2
32 min
52
Shake It Like a Polaroid Picture Edition Part 1
48 min
53
Lenny on Mars Edition Part 2
44 min
54
Lenny on Mars Edition Part 1
59 min
55
Yes We Can Can Edition Part 2
37 min
56
Yes We Can Can Edition Part 1
47 min
57
Champagne Supernova Edition Part 2
54 min
58
Champagne Supernova Edition Part 1
64 min
59
The British Are Charting Edition Part 2
50 min
60
The British Are Charting Edition Part 1
65 min
61
Raise Your Glass Edition Part 2
34 min
62
Raise Your Glass Edition Part 1
48 min
63
A Little Love and Some Tenderness Edition Part 2
44 min
64
A Little Love and Some Tenderness Edition Part 1
53 min
65
Thinking About Tomorrow Edition Part 2
39 min
66
Thinking About Tomorrow Edition Part 1
44 min
67
Hits of the Year Edition Part 2
92 min
68
Decoder Ring: The New Age Hit Machine
25 min
69
Hits of the Year Edition Part 1
45 min
70
Angry Young Men Edition Part 2
52 min
71
Angry Young Men Edition Part 1
65 min
72
Give Up the Funk Edition Part 2
48 min
73
Give Up the Funk Edition Part 1
48 min
74
At Last, My Legacy Has Come Along Edition Part 2
59 min
75
At Last, My Legacy Has Come Along Edition Part 1
What is a “legacy hit”? A chart flop back in the day that’s now a classic—from “Tiny Dancer” to “What I Like About You”
55 min