Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia

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  • 4.8 (2K)
  • MUSIC HISTORY
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY
Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia
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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. Want more Hit Parade? Join Slate Plus to unlock monthly early-access episodes, bonus episodes of "The Bridge," and ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe directly from the Hit Parade show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/hitparadeplus to get access wherever you listen.

  1. 2 DAYS AGO • SLATE PLUS ONLY

    The Bridge: They Must Be Our Lucky Stars

    In this Slate Plus exclusive, Hit Parade host Chris Molanphy welcomes DJ Louie XIV, host of the Pop Pantheon podcast, for a deep dive into imperial phases and the elite status that accompanies such success. Louie breaks down the multi-tier system he uses to rank pop stars from Mariah Carey to Beyoncé. (Only one of whom had a major Imperial phase!) And Chris and Louie also explore Madonna’s imperial reign in the ’80s as well as her equally regal post-peak evolution. Also: Chris tests a Slate Plus listener’s music knowledge, gives him a chance to turn the tables with a question of his own—and previews the next episode of Hit Parade. Slate Plus members can sign up for a chance to be our trivia contestant on a future episode here.

    39 min

  2. 3 DAYS AGO

    Material Girl in an Imperial World Edition Part 2

    In the late 1980s, the English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys dominated the U.K. pop charts and staged an invasion of the American charts. Years later, founding member Neil Tennant dubbed this streak of creative and commercial supremacy the group’s “imperial phase”—a term that eventually caught on among music critics and pop fans. So, what does it take for an artist to achieve imperial dominance? Why might Fleetwood Mac in the 1970s or The Weeknd in the 2010s qualify, while Cher or Lizzo don’t quite fit the bill? Are there rules for imperial phases? Hit Parade’s Chris Molanphy says yes—he’s got chart rules for determining when an artist is at peak imperiality. And he says Madonna’s late ’80s streak of hits might be the ultimate imperial phase. Join Chris as he dissects the most regal artists across the decades, defining what makes them imperial—and he walks hit by hit through Madonna’s biggest phase, which may remain unmatched. Podcast production by Kevin Bendis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    47 min

  3. FEB 14

    Material Girl in an Imperial World Edition Part 1

    In the late 1980s, the English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys dominated the U.K. pop charts and staged an invasion of the American charts. Years later, founding member Neil Tennant dubbed this streak of creative and commercial supremacy the group’s “imperial phase”—a term that eventually caught on among music critics and pop fans. So, what does it take for an artist to achieve imperial dominance? Why might Fleetwood Mac in the 1970s or The Weeknd in the 2010s qualify, while Cher or Lizzo don’t quite fit the bill? Are there rules for imperial phases? Hit Parade’s Chris Molanphy says yes—he’s got chart rules for determining when an artist is at peak imperiality. And he says Madonna’s late ’80s streak of hits might be the ultimate imperial phase. Join Chris as he dissects the most regal artists across the decades, defining what makes them imperial—and he walks hit by hit through Madonna’s biggest phase, which may remain unmatched. Podcast production by Kevin Bendis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 7m

  4. FEB 1 • SLATE PLUS ONLY

    The Bridge: Dylan Was Always Electric

    In this mini-episode of Hit Parade, host Chris Molanphy welcomes musician, writer, and historian Elijah Wald, author of the book Dylan Goes Electric: Newport, Seeger, Dylan and the Night that Split the Sixties—the basis for the Oscar-nominated Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown. Wald says that while the movie, by necessity, elides and invents numerous Bob Dylan scenarios, it manages to capture both the ’60s folk scene and how the shapeshifting Dylan benefited from and stood apart from it. Also: Chris tests a Slate Plus listener’s music knowledge, gives him a chance to turn the tables with a question of his own—and previews the next episode of Hit Parade. Slate Plus members can sign up for a chance to be our trivia contestant on a future episode here. Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

    41 min

  5. JAN 31

    The Freewheelin’ Edition Part 2

    At the movies, A Complete Unknown depicts Bob Dylan as a 1960s “it” boy—played by a 2020s “it” boy, Timothée Chalamet. But the film ends in 1965. What happened in the six decades after that? Dylan not only kept recording. He actually started topping the charts—in the 1970s, the era of Led Zeppelin, not Pete Seeger. And several of his chart-topping albums came decades later, in the 21st century. Bob’s voice got rougher, but loyal audiences kept buying his music. Several of these platinum Dylan LPs are among the most acclaimed in rock history—from Blood on the Tracks to Time Out of Mind. And Dylan stayed an object of fascination through all his changes—as a road warrior, a born-again Christian, a Traveling Wilbury, a JFK conspiracy theorist. Join Chris Molanphy as he walks through Bob Dylan’s career decade by decade, from his ’60s folkie years to his 21st-century revival. With the biopic reviving interest in rock’s poet laureate, there’s never been a better time to get tangled up in Bob. Podcast production by Kevin Bendis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 3m

  6. JAN 18

    The Freewheelin’ Edition Part 1

    At the movies, A Complete Unknown depicts Bob Dylan as a 1960s “it” boy—played by a 2020s “it” boy, Timothée Chalamet. But the film ends in 1965. What happened in the six decades after that? Dylan not only kept recording. He actually started topping the charts—in the 1970s, the era of Led Zeppelin, not Pete Seeger. And several of his chart-topping albums came decades later, in the 21st century. Bob’s voice got rougher, but loyal audiences kept buying his music. Several of these platinum Dylan LPs are among the most acclaimed in rock history—from Blood on the Tracks to Time Out of Mind. And Dylan stayed an object of fascination through all his changes—as a road warrior, a born-again Christian, a Traveling Wilbury, a JFK conspiracy theorist. Join Chris Molanphy as he walks through Bob Dylan’s career decade by decade, from his ’60s folkie years to his 21st-century revival. With the biopic reviving interest in rock’s poet laureate, there’s never been a better time to get tangled up in Bob. Podcast production by Kevin Bendis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 5m

  7. JAN 3

    Introducing Broken Record: "Norah Jones Begins Again"

    To kick off the New Year, we're sharing a podcast that we think Hit Parade listeners are going to love: Broken Record. Check out this episode with singer/songwriter Norah Jones, co-hosted by Blue Note Records President Don Was. Norah has been with Blue Note Records since releasing her juggernaut 2002 debut album, Come Away With Me. In this conversation, Norah details her musical upbringing and what it was like striking it big with her debut album. She also performs for us, and talks about the musical freedom she's found as part of the Blue Note family. Blue Note is one of the first and longest standing institutions of jazz music. Since its formation in 1939 the label has put out albums by Robert Glasper, Lee Morgan, John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, Gergory Porter, Bobby McFerrin, and many more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 23m

  8. 12/28/2024 · BONUS • SLATE PLUS ONLY

    The Bridge: Slate Music Club 2024 Part 2

    The Slate Music Club is back, in a special edition of Hit Parade – “The Bridge”! Our year-end panel of critics—NPR Music’s Ann Powers, Hearing Things’ Julianne Escobedo Shepherd, Slate’s own Carl Wilson and Hit Parade host Chris Molanphy—discuss their favorite albums and singles and the trends that shaped the year in pop, rap, country, Latin and global music. Among the questions the roundtable tackles: Have we reached peak Taylor Swift? Did the Kendrick Lamar–v.-Drake beef overshadow hip-hop’s next generation? How much further will country cross over to pop audiences—and how does Latin music fit in? How did music from diverse artists stand in for protest music in 2024? And what will become of music criticism itself? Note: Slate Plus members can hear this special episode in full. Ad-supported listeners will hear the first half. Want to hear the whole discussion? Sign up for Slate Plus! Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

    23 min
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About

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. Want more Hit Parade? Join Slate Plus to unlock monthly early-access episodes, bonus episodes of "The Bridge," and ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe directly from the Hit Parade show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/hitparadeplus to get access wherever you listen.

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