As a professional music researcher, it’s long been my dream to take the songs that stir your soul and turn them into PowerPoints.
That’s exactly what I do at Graphs About Songs. It’s a gathering place for music professionals and chart geeks who enjoy finding the patterns behind the songs we love
Below are selected articles that are relevant to you if you program a contemporary radio station and want to better understand streaming data.
Yes, Radio Still Makes Hits. Yes, in 2025. Here’s the Spotify Data to Prove it.
Big hits aren’t always big debuts. Sometimes a song takes time for fans to find it. Even in 2025, they’re finding those hits on the radio. (Read more…)
Why Swift’s Showgirl Isn’t Guaranteed to be a Smash
The songs that are big debuts on streaming aren’t always the songs that become big hits, even if you’re Taylor Swift.. (Read more…)
Contrary to Popular Belief, Contemporary Music Still Rules
Fundamental changes in how we measure music consumption make older music suddenly look more popular. Why pundits are being irresponsible with their statistics. (Read more…)
Do You Have to Let it linger?
Just five songs dominated the Top 10 for over half the year in 2024. Why are hits staying around forever these days?? (Read more…)
Is Research Ruining Radio?
For decades, radio has used a marketing research tool to pick which hits to play. Lately, that research keeps the same few songs atop the charts for months. Is this tool killing radio? (Read more…)
Five Ways Streaming Has Structurally Changed Pop Music
From beginning to end, the very elements that have defined Pop songs for decades are changing. Why? To maximize the royalty payments you generate. (Read more…)
Once Upon a Time when Radio Played New Music
The “new” songs you’re likely to hear on the radio today are well known, widely loved, and proven hits in research. And it’s accelerating radio’s audience erosion. (Read more…)
Does The #1 Song Even Matter Anymore?
Streaming has fundamentally changed how we measure music consumption. Has it also ruined the cultural relevance of having a “hit”?. (Read more…)
Why it’s so Hard to Know What’s Really a Hit Today
How has time and technology changed the Billboard Hot 100 from 1958 to 2023 and along with it our understanding of hit music.. (Read more…)
