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Podcast: Slate History
Episode: Hit Parade | Toppermost of the Poppermost Edition Part 1
Description: In the rarefied world of smash pop singles, there are No. 1sâand there are No. 1 debuts. Entering Billboardâs Hot 100 at the top is one of the hardest tricks in music. In fact, it wasnât possible in the U.S. until 1995. Thatâs when the record labels hacked the Hot 100 and figured out how to send new singles straight into the chart penthouse.Â
But scoring a No. 1 in Week One doesnât mean itâs built to last. For every enduring hit like âFantasy,â âShake It Offâ or âHello,â there are plenty of one-off oddities, coronation pabulum from A...