America is already moving on from The Life of a Showgirl—with one major exception. A couple of months ago, when we first heard about The Life of a Showgirl, Taylor Swift’s heavily hyped 12th album of new material, on an episode of her fiancé Travis Kelce’s podcast, we were told it contained all “bangers.” This [...] Read more

“Golden,” the breakout hit from Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters, is both a throwback and a sign of the changes in how hits are made. In the late summer of 1969, a song debuted on Billboard’s Hot 100 that would emerge as the year’s biggest hit. The final year of the ’60s had already produced some [...] Read more

Skip to the content Slate Shop Games Newsletters Sign In Account Account Sign out   News & Politics Culture Technology Business Life Advice Podcasts Menu Menu News & Politics Culture Technology Business Life Advice Podcasts Search   Light Dark Auto Subscribe Slate Shop Games Newsletters Sign in Account Sign out Account A Delectable Blend of [...] Read more

The rapper has supplanted his rival atop the charts, and now he’s crooning just like him on his biggest smash yet. We know how pop-star feuds catch fire—a nasty breakup, an onstage embarrassment, some sibling rivalry, or … um, that thing where someone steals your backup dancers. But how does a beef end? As a [...] Read more

Two of the 2010s’ biggest stars are back atop the charts. One of them needed it more. By Chris Molanphy Johnny and June. Marvin and Tammi. James and Carly. Barbra and Neil. Lionel and Diana. Paul and Stevie. Kenny and Dolly. Aretha and George. Method and Mary. Brandy and Monica. Usher and Alicia. Ed and [...] Read more

“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” ties the record set by “Old Town Road,” but some of its feats are even more impressive. The week ending July 13, 2024, was a long time ago. How long? Get this: Kamala Harris still wasn’t running for president. How’d that turn out? Um … pour yourself a double shot of [...] Read more

A Black former rapper is atop the country charts—and for once, even country listeners are embracing him. n popular music, the hype machine works in delightfully mysterious ways. You never know who will benefit from our fickle hit parade. A vice president turned presidential candidate gets a meme boost from a British pop star named [...] Read more

To understand how the “Espresso” singer got so big, you have to understand her history—and her controversies. In the summer of 1982, a rocker from Indiana was finally breaking on the charts after years of trying anything for a hit. Born John Mellencamp, he marketed himself, reluctantly, under his manager’s preferred sobriquet, John Cougar. After [...] Read more

The past two months have seen Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, and Morgan Wallen all duet with the same face-tattooed star. There’s a moment in an article I wrote for this No. 1 hits series a little over a year ago that today seems unwittingly funny. Explaining the appeal, or at least the wild popularity, of Morgan Wallen’s [...] Read more

With TheTortured Poets Department, she breaks even more sales records. But is a song like “Fortnight” a lasting smash? Quick pop quiz: Prior to this week, what was Taylor Swift’s last new No. 1 hit on Billboard’s Hot 100? I know, I know … it’s a little hard to keep up with her relentless output. [...] Read more