The Bridge: You Like My Hit? Gee, Thanks—Just Bought It

[This edition of my Hit Parade—“The Bridge” bonus series is available to Slate Plus subscribers only. A link to the episode show page is below. To sign up for Plus—and tell Slate that Hit Parade sent you!—visit slate.com/hitparadeplus.]

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 hits. Dalla Riva talks about his ongoing project to rank every Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper. And, he breaks down some of the quirks and commonalities shared by songs that debut at No. 1.

Also: Chris tests a Slate Plus listener’s music knowledge, gives him a chance to turn the tables with a question of his own, and offers a sneak peek at the next episode of Hit Parade. Slate Plus members can sign up for a chance to be our trivia contestant on a future episode here.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

This episode is for Slate Plus members only. Join for monthly early-access episodes, bonus episodes of “The Bridge,” and ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Visit slate.com/hitparadeplus to get access wherever you listen.