A chart-data scholar says No. 1 debuts need an extramusical X-factor. In this Slate Plus exclusive, host Chris Molanphy welcomes fellow chart scholar Chris Dalla Riva, author of the forthcoming Uncharted Territory: What Numbers Tell Us About the Biggest Hit Songs and Ourselves, for a deep dive into his analytical approach to tracking No. 1 [...] Read more

The odd alchemy that sends a brand-new song to the top of the charts.     In the rarefied world of smash pop singles, there are No. 1s—and there are No. 1 debuts. Entering Billboard’s Hot 100 at the top is one of the hardest tricks in music. In fact, it wasn’t possible in the [...] Read more