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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76
Give Up the Funk Edition Part 1
48 min
77
At Last, My Legacy Has Come Along Edition Part 2
59 min
78
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
79
Still Billy Joel to Me Part 2
42 min
80
Still Billy Joel to Me Part 1
56 min
81
Point of No Return Part 2
45 min
82
Point of No Return Part 1
58 min
83
A Deal with the TV God Part 2
37 min
84
A Deal with the TV God Part 1
50 min
85
Flip It and Reverse It Part 2
How Pharrell, Timbaland and Missy, three nerds from Virginia, added quirk to pop and gave us all a dope beat to step to.
63 min
86
Flip It and Reverse It Part 1
How Pharrell, Timbaland and Missy, three nerds from Virginia, added quirk to pop and gave us all a dope beat to step to.
66 min
87
Decoder Ring: "We Got Ourselves a Convoy"
How a fake country star gave voice to frustrated truckers across America.
30 min
88
I Got Five on It Part 2
Hit Parade celebrates its fifth anniversary with a Top 20 countdown of your favorite episodes.
53 min
89
I Got Five on It Part 1
Hit Parade celebrates its fifth anniversary with a Top 20 countdown of your favorite episodes.
49 min
90
Killing Me Softly Part 2
How four R&B queens—Dionne, Patti, Roberta and Chaka—evolved into chart-toppers through the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s.
58 min
91
Killing Me Softly Part 1
How four R&B queens—Dionne, Patti, Roberta and Chaka—evolved into chart-toppers through the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s.
74 min
92
We Invented the Remix Part 2
In part 2 we continue to story of the remix.
60 min
93
We Invented the Remix Part 1
Today on Hit Parade, we trace the multifarious history of the remix.
64 min
94
Rock ’n Soul, Part 2
The second part of our deep dive on how Hall and Oates took a decade to find their sound, created their own ’80s genre and made their dreams come true.
56 min
95
Rock ’n Soul, Part 1
Hall and Oates took a decade to find their sound, created their own ’80s genre and made their dreams come true.
56 min
96
One Year: Hey Macarena!
A musical phenomenon that wormed its way into our brains, and maybe never left.
58 min
97
Chestnut Roasters, Part 2
The second part of our festive retrospective on the artists whose holiday hits outperform the rest of their catalog combined.
45 min
98
Chestnut Roasters, Part 1
A festive retrospective on the artists whose holiday hits outperform the rest of their catalog combined.
61 min
99
Be the One to Walk in the Sun, Part 2
73 min
100
Be the One to Walk in the Sun, Part 1
64 min