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Hit Parade | Music History and Music TriviaHow That Song Became #1 Author: Slate Podcasts
What makes a song a smash? Talent? Luck? Timing? All thatand more. Chris Molanphy, pop-chart analyst and author of Slates 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 loveor hatedominated the airwaves, made its way to the top of the charts and shaped your memories forever. Get more Hit Parade with Slate Plus! Join for monthly early-access episodes, bonus episodes of "The Bridge," and ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe directly from the Hit Parade show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/hitparadeplus to get access wherever you listen. Language: en Genres: Music, Music Commentary, Music History Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Introducing History Daily: "The Launch of MTV"
Friday, 24 April, 2026
Hit Parade is on a brief break, but if you need a daily dose of fascinating stories, check out History Daily. Host Lindsay Graham (the history guy! not the senator!) explores what happened "on this day in history," with a broad mix of politics, sports, technology, medicine, and much more. Chris recommends this episode about the genesis of MTV—including the forgotten role played by a former member of the Monkees. Find History Daily's huge archive of quick-hit history at: https://www.historydaily.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.













