The average Hot 100 number one hit had 21 seconds of introductory material in the 1980s. From the 2010s, introductory length has shrunk to just 12 seconds. Rihanna and Drake's first words come in at just 10 seconds.
The country’s war-torn north-west has been getting far less aid than it needs in the earthquakes’ aftermath. We investigate the dilemma of lifting long-running international sanctions. Housing prices are slipping across the rich world, but South Korea’s unusual property market makes that slide far more perilous. And what three decades’-worth of data reveal about crafting a pop hit.
For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer