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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101
I Write Sins, Not Tragedies, Part 1
The pop-punk and emo boom of the ’90s and ’00s shows how punk keeps selling out and buying in.
42 min
102
Spirit of ’71, Part 2
The hits of 1971 in a very special episode of Hit Parade, continued.
60 min
103
Spirit of ’71, Part 1
Did music 50 years ago really “change everything”? How a new generation of singer-songwriters rebooted the charts.
67 min
104
What a Fool Believes, Part 2
Chris Molanphy's deep dive on Yacht Rock, continued.
41 min
105
What a Fool Believes, Part 1
This is the story of Yacht Rock.
55 min
106
Tramps Like Us, Part 2
Chris Molanphy's deep dive on The Boss, continued.
68 min
107
Tramps Like Us, Part 1
Bruce Springsteen went from “new Dylan” to pop pinup when he learned to keep the catchy songs for himself.
70 min
108
Say My Name, Say My Name, Part 2
Chris Molanphy's deep dive on when rappers started singing, continued.
66 min
109
Say My Name, Say My Name, Part 1
Rappers are singing and singers are rapping. When did these styles merge?
49 min
110
Blame It on the Feign, Part 2
Chris Molanphy's analysis of the surprising impact of controversial act Milli Vanilli, continued.
44 min
111
Blame It on the Feign, Part 1
Deceitful as they were, Milli Vanill’s blend of rap and dance-pop topped the charts and made a lasting impression.
54 min
112
Taylor’s Version of Country, Part 2
Chris Molanphy's analysis of Taylor Swift's masterful country-to-pop crossover, continued.
49 min
113
Taylor’s Version of Country, Part 1
At the turn of the ’10s, Taylor Swift pulled off a masterful country-to-pop crossover, ruling two genres at once.
50 min
114
Don’t Know Much About History, Part 2
Another installment of Hit Parade on Sam Cooke's influences and legacy.
49 min
115
Don’t Know Much About History, Part 1
Sam Cooke was a hit-maker, soul pioneer, label boss … and a social activist, well before that One Night in Miami.
47 min
116
The AC/DC Rule, Part 2
From AC/DC to Lady Gaga, follow-up albums often do better on the charts than more-loved classics.
73 min
117
The AC/DC Rule, Part 1
From AC/DC to Lady Gaga, follow-up albums often do better on the charts than more-loved classics.
42 min
118
These Are the Good Times, Part 2
How the sleek disco group Chic spawned hip-hop and new wave and shaped acts from Diana Ross to Duran Duran.
78 min
119
These Are the Good Times, Part 1
How the sleek disco group Chic spawned hip-hop and new wave and shaped acts from Diana Ross to Duran Duran.
52 min
120
Smells Like Christmas Spirit, Part 2
In Part 2 of this episode of Hit Parade, we continue the story of how Nirvana’s Nevermind ousted Michael Jackson’s Dangerous from the top of the Billboard album chart,
46 min
121
Smells Like Christmas Spirit, Part 1
This month, Chris Molanphy examines the chart dynamics that not only ushered in the grunge era but also invented a new music sales strategy, the post-Christmas album
29 min
122
Friends in Low Places, Part 2
Brooks took on chart competitors from Guns n’ Roses to Madonna to Mariah Carey and bested them all … until he tried taking on the Beatles.
38 min
123
Friends in Low Places, Part 1
Today your Hit Parade marches to the week ending October 27th, 1990, when “Friends in Low Places” by Garth Brooks was in its fourth week at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles and Tracks
76 min
124
Turn Around, Bright Eyes, Part 2
Chris Molanphy continues the story of how Steinman moved on from Meatloaf to emerge as a hitmaker for other artists like Bonnie Tyler with "Total Eclipse of the Heart" and Celine Dion with “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now”.
52 min
125
Turn Around, Bright Eyes, Part 1
Forever’s gonna start tonight.
49 min