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Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia

Slate Podcasts
Old Town Road
Lil Nas X
Barbra Streisand
Grammy Awards
Taylor Swift
Billboard Hot 100
Pop Music
Disco
Bee Gees
Guilty
The Beatles
Eric Clapton
SZA
The Way We Were
Respect
Blondie
Talking Heads
The Ramones
Punk Rock
1980s 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. Ge... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes239Founded8 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Music

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Artwork for Hit Parade

Latest Episodes

These days, country and pop acts regularly invade each other’s territory. But in Nashville during the 1970s, “crossover” was a dirty word. Then came two rising stars who offered up a new hybrid of Americana-style pop.

John Denver infused his folk ba... more

These days, country and pop acts regularly invade each other’s territory. But in Nashville during the 1970s, “crossover” was a dirty word. Then came two rising stars who offered up a new hybrid of Americana-style pop.

John Denver infused his folk ba... more

Chameleon: That’s long been the word used to describe David Bowie, pop music’s shapeshifting extraterrestrial. He shifted personas, genres, and looks, emerging from swinging London with psychedelic folk before steamrolling through glam rock, disco, f... more

Chameleon: That’s long been the word used to describe David Bowie, pop music’s shapeshifting extraterrestrial. He shifted personas, genres, and looks, emerging from swinging London with psychedelic folk before steamrolling through glam rock, disco, f... more

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Recent Guests

Julianne Escobedo Shepherd
Writer, editor, and co-founder of Hearing Things
Hearing Things
Episode: The Bridge: Slate’s Music Club 2025
Lindsay Zoladz
Pop music critic at the New York Times
New York Times
Episode: The Bridge: Slate’s Music Club 2025
Norah Jones
Singer-songwriter, renowned for her debut album Come Away With Me.
Blue Note Records
Episode: Introducing Broken Record: "Norah Jones Begins Again"
Dan Charnas
Author of the New York Times bestseller 'Dilla Time, The Life and Afterlife of J. Dilla' and 'The Big Payback, The History of the Business of Hip-Hop'
Episode: The Bridge: Can’t Tell Me Nothin’

Host

Chris Molanphy
Chart analyst, pop critic, and writer of Slate's Why Is This Song No. 1? series. Known for his deep research and engaging storytelling, he brings insights into the history of pop music and its charts.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 3.3k ratings
  • Nikki 44

    Amazing pod, thank you so much for this engaging, fun, informative way for my to while away the hours.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Love lover4
    Australia13 days ago
  • Amazing Janet Jackson episode!

    It was so comprehensive and in depth at the same time. Even as a fan, little was left out and much was learned. An impressive feat

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    fheitzer
    United Statesa month ago
  • LOVE

    Chris Molanphy may just be my most beloved music nerd. He is soooo knowledgeable! It’s almost as if he carries on some of Casey Kasem’s light. If you’re a fellow music nerd, I recommend this podcast. Highly.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    octoberbabies
    United Statesa month ago
  • I Love Top40 Trivia

    I once had Top 40 trivia on my answering machine! This is so enjoyable. Thank you Chris for bringing these nuggets to my life. You are a warm understanding host.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Qtlaw24
    United Statesa month ago
  • Fan!

    I enjoy this podcast so much and Chris is a music nerd in the best possible way!

    I’ve learned interesting things about artists and producers and the impact different songs have had on any number of things through time.

    I especially love hearing clips of songs mentioned. I have purchased a number of songs I’d forgotten about or heard for the first time on this podcast.

    I have even listened to episodes about artists I don’t like because it is presented in an interesting way.

    Listen to the v... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    SETowl
    United States2 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Overall, the storytelling quality and song snippets are frequently highlighted as key features that enhance the experience.
Listeners appreciate the depth and thoroughness of Chris Molanphy's research on music history.
Some listeners express a wish for less political commentary, preferring a focus purely on music.
The show balances entertainment with informative content, often filled with nostalgia and fun trivia.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#66
United States/Music
Apple Podcasts
#34
Canada/Music
Apple Podcasts
#57
Australia/Music
Apple Podcasts
#35
United Arab Emirates/Music
Apple Podcasts
#85
Norway/Music
Apple Podcasts
#93
Ukraine/Music

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Introducing Broken Record: "Norah Jones Begins Again"
Q: How did your upbringing influence your career?
Norah shares anecdotes from her childhood, including her musical influences and experiences that shaped her artistic journey.
Introducing Broken Record: "Norah Jones Begins Again"
Q: What was it like striking big on your very first album?
Norah discussed the sudden fame after the success of her debut album, expressing both excitement and the challenges that came with it.
The Bridge: Can’t Tell Me Nothin’
Q: What do you feel are the takeaways for us as an industry from Old Town Road?
Trust the audience and follow where they go. The music business is unpredictable, and you must rely on artists and audience feedback to identify hits.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Hit Parade

What is Hit Parade about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The content centers on the historical and analytical journey through popular music and its chart performance over the decades. Noteworthy topics include in-depth explorations of influential artists like David Bowie, John Denver, and Remastering familiar hits, along with themes of music production, soundtrack history, and the evolution of genres, like the crossover of pop and country. The podcast often blends storytelling with trivia, offering unique insights into how music has shaped societal moments and collective memories. A distinctive element is the use of music snippets that enhance the narrative, making it an engaging and educational experience for music enthusiasts.

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. 60 Songs That Explain the '90s
2. Switched on Pop
3. Decoder Ring
4. One Song
5. Rolling Stone All Access

How many episodes of Hit Parade are there?

Hit Parade launched 8 years ago and published 239 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.

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How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Hit Parade?

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What guests have appeared on Hit Parade?

Recent guests on Hit Parade include:

1. Julianne Escobedo Shepherd
2. Lindsay Zoladz
3. Norah Jones
4. 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.

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