Into It: A Vulture Podcast with Sam Sanders
How to Game the Billboard Hot 100
Sep 19, 2023
This podcast explores the accuracy of the Billboard Hot 100 chart and how it measures popular music. It discusses the manipulation of rankings through streaming apps, fandoms, and political activism. The tactics of remixing songs and boosting chart rankings are also explored. The podcast reflects on controversial practices like boosting sales and announces the TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart.
40:07
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Quick takeaways
- The Billboard Hot 100 rankings may not accurately reflect true popularity due to the influence of political activism and manipulation tactics employed by artists and labels.
- The Hot 100 is no longer the sole barometer of music popularity, as alternative indicators like streaming and radio play charts offer different perspectives on listeners' preferences.
Deep dives
The Billboard Hot 100: How It Measures What It Measures
The Billboard Hot 100 is a chart that tracks the most popular songs in the country based on a combination of purchases, streaming, radio play, and social platforms like YouTube. However, recent events have raised questions about its accuracy and relevance. For example, a rap song hit number one on the Hot 100 after a year-long absence, while politically charged country songs have also risen up the charts due to conservative activism. With these inconsistencies, the Hot 100's ability to measure true popularity is being called into question.
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