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.
| Title | Date published | ||
| Chestnut Roasters, Part 2 | 2021-12-31 | ||
| Chestnut Roasters, Part 1 | 2021-12-18 | ||
| Be the One to Walk in the Sun, Part 2 | 2021-12-03 | ||
| Be the One to Walk in the Sun, Part 1 | 2021-11-20 | ||
| I Write Sins, Not Tragedies, Part 2 | 2021-10-29 | ||
| I Write Sins, Not Tragedies, Part 1 | 2021-10-16 | ||
| Spirit of ’71, Part 2 | 2021-09-24 | ||
| Spirit of ’71, Part 1 | 2021-09-10 | ||
| What a Fool Believes, Part 2 | 2021-08-27 | ||
| What a Fool Believes, Part 1 | 2021-08-13 | ||
| Tramps Like Us, Part 2 | 2021-07-30 | ||
| Tramps Like Us, Part 1 | 2021-07-17 | ||
| Say My Name, Say My Name, Part 2 | 2021-07-02 | ||
| Say My Name, Say My Name, Part 1 | 2021-06-18 | ||
| Blame It on the Feign, Part 2 | 2021-05-28 | ||
| Blame It on the Feign, Part 1 | 2021-05-20 | ||
| Taylor’s Version of Country, Part 2 | 2021-04-30 | ||
| Taylor’s Version of Country, Part 1 | 2021-04-17 | ||
| Don’t Know Much About History, Part 2 | 2021-04-02 | ||
| Don’t Know Much About History, Part 1 | 2021-03-23 |