Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia
Slate PodcastsWhat 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. Ge... more
| Publishes | Twice monthly | Episodes | 211 | Founded | 8 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | Music CommentaryMusic HistoryMusic | |||
Listen to this Podcast
Latest Episodes
In the rarefied world of smash pop singles, there are No. 1s—and there are No. 1 debuts. Entering Billboard’s Hot 100 at the top is one of the hardest tricks in music. In fact, it wasn’t possible in the U.S. until 1995. That’s when the record labels ... more
Sped-up voices. Wacky instruments. Songs about cavemen, bathtubs, bikinis, and mothers-in-law. From the dawn of rock ‘n’ roll through the 1970s—the age of streaking, CB radios, disco and King Tut—novelty songs could be chart-topping hits. But by the ... more
Sped-up voices. Wacky instruments. Songs about cavemen, bathtubs, bikinis, and mothers-in-law. From the dawn of rock ‘n’ roll through the 1970s—the age of streaking, CB radios, disco and King Tut—novelty songs could be chart-topping hits. But by the ... more
When Kendrick Lamar took the Super Bowl halftime stage in 2025 and had the stadium chanting along to “Not Like Us,” it was clear: Diss tracks had gone stratospheric.
The Kendrick vs. Drake beef echoes legendary rap rivalries like Biggie vs. Tupac an... more
Key Facts
Similar Podcasts
People also subscribe to these shows.
Recent Guests
Host
Reviews
- Great show!
Love the show and I don’t mind waiting until the end of the month to hear the full episode since I listen to them on longer car trips and those are not every week.
That being said, why is part 2 of “ I’d Like to Teach the World to Buy” still subscription only? It says in part one that it will be available at the end of the month (of December).
Apple Podcasts5l8udden
Canada2 months ago - Great Show!
Love it!!!
I think it’s only missing a bit more country other than just two episodes.
Apple Podcasts5Big Fat Fluff
United States2 months ago - Great podcast!
Excellent!!
Very smart and extremely entertaining.
Every episode is interesting.
Love to listen to the backstory of the artists, the songs and the music industry.
Really like that covers a wide range of music genres.
Apple Podcasts5OliverwarriorUnited States3 months ago - Really loving this show!
I’m trying to make playlists from all the songs you feature in some of your episodes.
Apple Podcasts5🪄🌟❤️🔥United States4 months ago - Blows me away!
The Hit Parade podcast frequently blows me away, and I passionately hate most podcasts. It begins with Chris Molanphy’s deep research and exquisite writing. His obvious love of pop music and genuine respect for a range of artists and genres comes through—qualified by his dislike of Bon Jovi. Please note that I’m using the term “pop” music in the practical British sense—not the usually condescending American usage. The quality scripts are reinforced by excellent narration, an outstanding choice ... more
Apple Podcasts5EJ MavenUnited States5 months ago
Listeners Say
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
Chart Rankings
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Apple Podcasts | #9 | United States/Music/Music History |
Apple Podcasts | #61 | United States/Music |
Apple Podcasts | #8 | Canada/Music/Music History |
Apple Podcasts | #30 |  United Kingdom/Music/Music History |
Apple Podcasts | #62 | Canada/Music |
Apple Podcasts | #231 | United Kingdom/Music |
Talking Points
Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
Audience Metrics
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
| Listeners per Episode | |
|---|---|
| Gender Skew | |
| Location | |
| Interests | |
| Professions | |
| Age Range | |
| Household Income | |
| Social Media Reach |
Frequently Asked Questions About Hit Parade
What is Hit Parade about and what kind of topics does it cover?
This podcast offers a rich journey through the history of popular music, focusing on the factors that contribute to a song's success. Each episode provides an insightful analysis of various music genres, artists, and cultural phenomena within the music industry. With a mix of storytelling, trivia, and music clips, the content is designed to engage both casual listeners and dedicated music enthusiasts. Notably, the host's deep research and narrative style likely make complex topics accessible, creating an enjoyable experience for listeners looking to expand their music knowledge while reminiscing about iconic tracks and their backgrounds.
Where can I find podcast stats for Hit Parade?
Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Hit Parade. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Hit Parade and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.
How many listeners does Hit Parade get?
Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Hit Parade, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.
What are the audience demographics for Hit Parade?
Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Hit Parade, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.
How many subscribers and views does Hit Parade have?
To see how many followers or subscribers Hit Parade has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.
Which podcasts are similar to Hit Parade?
These podcasts share a similar audience with Hit Parade:
1. Switched on Pop
2. Decoder Ring
3. One Song
4. Rolling Stone Music Now
5. Culture Gabfest
How many episodes of Hit Parade are there?
Hit Parade launched 8 years ago and published 211 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
How do I contact Hit Parade?
Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.
Where can I see ratings and reviews for Hit Parade?
Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Hit Parade from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.
View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.
How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Hit Parade?
Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Hit Parade. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.
What guests have appeared on Hit Parade?
Recent guests on Hit Parade include:
1. Norah Jones
2. Dan Charnas
To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.