Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia · Slate Podcasts

Toppermost of the Poppermost Edition Part 2

·52 min·4 clips

Drake's 2023 hit gets just one radio spin, but Miley Cyrus' anthem still plays over 4,200 times a week.

This episode continues host Chris Molanphy's analysis of songs that debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, evaluating which have endured. Molanphy, a Slate chart analyst, uses radio airplay data from consultant Sean Ross and Spotify streaming figures to categorize these instant hits. Sean Ross's 2025 data shows Drake and SZA's 2023 song "Slime You Out" received just one radio spin weekly, while Miley Cyrus's "Flowers" from the same year still gets over 4,200. Molanphy identifies "Superstar Momentum" debuts, like Mariah Carey's 1997 single "Honey," which now gets about 40 weekly spins. Katy Perry's sole number-one debut was 2012's "Part of Me," not her more famous hits, and it now receives only 23 weekly spins. Britney Spears's "Hold It Against Me" (2011) is played just eight times weekly, far less than its follow-up "Till the World Ends." Taylor Swift's momentum-driven "Willow" (2020) now gets more airplay than her earlier "Cardigan." "History-making" debuts include Elton John's 1997 "Candle in the Wind," which is played about four times weekly, and BTS's mostly-Korean "Life Goes On" (2020), which gets zero radio spins. Taylor Swift's "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)" set a record as the longest number-one song. Megan Thee Stallion's 2024 diss track "Hiss" opened the door for Kendrick Lamar and Drake's chart-topping beef records. "Spinoff" debuts feature artists like Zayn, whose "Pillowtalk" (2016) outperformed One Direction's chart peaks, and BTS members Jimin and Jungkook, with Jungkook's "Seven" proving more enduring. "Weird" debuts include Baauer's "Harlem Shake" (2013), fueled by YouTube memes and now with zero spins, and Childish Gambino's "This Is America" (2018), now with 11 weekly spins. "The Scotts," a 2020 Travis Scott and Kid Cudi track born from Fortnite, gets ten weekly spins. Oliver Anthony's political folk song "Rich Men North of Richmond" (2023) received just one spin in 2025. Molanphy critiques "lame" debuts like Drake's "Toosie Slide" (2020) and 6ix9ine and Nicki Minaj's "Trollz" (2020), which gets three weekly spins. Enduring "earworm" debuts include Justin Timberlake's "Can't Stop the Feeling!" (2016) and Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You" (2017), which gets nearly 1,500 weekly spins. Drake's "God's Plan" (2018) and "Nice for What" are also highlighted, with the latter receiving nearly 300 weekly spins. Molanphy's personal favorites include Ariana Grande's "Thank U, Next," Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion's "WAP," and Olivia Rodrigo's "drivers license," "good 4 u," and "vampire," the last still getting nearly 1,000 weekly spins. The tone is analytical and educational, blending chart data with pop criticism in a conversational style. Music trivia enthusiasts and chart history buffs will love this detailed, data-driven exploration of hit songs' longevity. Listeners seeking narrative storytelling or artist interviews might find it less engaging.

As heard by us

Number-one debuts are measured by radio, streaming, and staying power.

Hit Parade spends this hour on Hot 100 number-one debuts, using radio spins and online streams to test which first-week bursts still matter. It gives the discussion shape through Zayn Malik's Pillow Talk, Harry Styles' later solo number one debut, and the BTS solo releases,…

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If you like chart trivia with receipts, this one audits the winners.

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