How Jim Steinman brought pomp, thunder and a whole lot of Meat Loaf to the top of the charts. <iframe title="Turn Around, Bright Eyes Edition" src="https://playlist.megaphone.fm/?e=SLT9157495792&amp;light=true" frameborder="no" height="200" scrolling="no" width="100%"></iframe> Producers and songwriters have a major impact on how a finished pop song sounds, and feels. But it’s possible no hitmaking mastermind—not even Phil Spector—has [...] Read more

Chris Molanphy talks to Billboard’s Jason Lipshutz about one-hit wonders from the last century through the TikTok era. Get More Hit Parade Slate Plus members get extended, ad-free versions of our podcasts—and much more. • Exclusive episodes of Slow Burn, Hang Up and Listen, and Trumpcast. • Members-only series like Dana Stevens’ Flashback and Chris [...] Read more

Why A-ha and Dexys Midnight Runners are one-hit wonders—but Vanilla Ice and Men Without Hats aren’t. <iframe title="One and Done Edition" src="https://playlist.megaphone.fm/?e=SLT6539042044&amp;light=true" frameborder="no" height="200" scrolling="no" width="100%"></iframe> “Spirit in the Sky.” “Tainted Love.” “Come On Eileen.” “Bust a Move.” “Ice Ice Baby.” “Macarena.” The artist behind one of these chart smashes is not a one-hit wonder. [...] Read more

Chris Molanphy talks to the coiners of Yacht Rock about how they define the genre they invented. <iframe title="The Bridge: Yacht Or Nyacht?" src="https://playlist.megaphone.fm/?e=SLT6663014493&amp;light=true" frameborder="no" height="200" scrolling="no" width="100%"></iframe> First, we have a few announcements about the future of Hit Parade—and it’s good news for both Slate Plus members and non-Plus listeners. While the economic challenges [...] Read more

Slate staffers go head-to-head with Hit Parade host Chris Molanphy for the ultimate chart-trivia roundup. <audio title="Wednesday Night Live: Music Trivia" src="https://traffic.megaphone.fm/SLT7510393630.mp3" class="slate-megaphone__audio-player" tabindex="0" preload="metadata" controls></audio> <iframe title="Wednesday Night Live: Music Trivia" src="https://playlist.megaphone.fm/?e=SLT7510393630&amp;light=true" frameborder="no" height="200" scrolling="no" width="100%"></iframe> Get More Hit Parade Slate Plus members get extended, ad-free versions of our podcasts—and much more. • Exclusive [...] Read more