I was chatting with a mate about this the other day – back in the 90s and 00s, everyone knew the number one. Now? I couldn't tell you what it is half the time. Has streaming killed the cultural moment of the "biggest song"? Or am I just getting old?

I actually wrote a piece digging into this if anyone's interested:
https://www.electricsoulshow.com/news-articles/182-whatever-happened-to-the-number-one-do-you-know-this-weeks-biggest-song

yes, the "official" No.1 has had essentially no meaning since 2017 once it stopped being the biggest song by sales and sale-equivalent streams.

4 minutes ago, braindeadpj said:

yes, the "official" No.1 has had essentially no meaning since 2017 once it stopped being the biggest song by sales and sale-equivalent streams.

I mean, it still is this song 95% of the time

You're absolutely right – 2017 was the real turning point, wasn't it?

Once streaming took over the chart formula, it stopped being about the "biggest hit" and became about the "most playlisted" track.

I remember when the chart was a genuine national conversation – now it feels like it's just background noise for the streaming algorithms.

I actually dug into this in my article – it's interesting how the Number One has lost that cultural weight.

What do you think would bring it back? Or is it gone for good?

I think people not knowing the number one today would've happened regardless of whether streaming was included in the charts or not - we are in a world where we have so much at our disposal compared to the past thanks to the internet, meaning we are not all forced into consuming the same media that is pushed by traditional formats like TV/radio. That means the public are not exposed to the charts and the biggest songs on as big of a scale as they were 30 years ago, when everyone was watching the same TV shows and listening to the same songs getting airplay, and of course the chart was getting major coverage from the limited media outlets available at the time.

Tldr death of the monoculture

That's a really interesting take – and I think you're absolutely right.

The "death of the monoculture" is such a huge factor. 30 years ago, we were all watching the same Top of the Pops, reading the same NME or Smash Hits, and listening to the same Radio 1 playlist.

There was no algorithm creating a personalised bubble for each of us.

I suppose the real question is – was that a good thing or a bad thing?

On one hand, we had shared cultural moments.

On the other, we now have access to so much more music than we ever could have dreamed of back then.

My article touches on this a bit – it's fascinating how the chart went from being a "national event" to just another streaming stat.

I'm genuinely curious – do you think we'll ever get that shared cultural moment back?

Or is the internet age just too fragmented for that now?

I have always preferred the idea that the chart on the radio continued to be based on sales because that still has fluid change and features new music without needing to come up with all the complex rules they have instituted to try and artificially create a 90s- style chart featuring new entries but also including streaming etc.

Just now, J00prstar said:

I have always preferred the idea that the chart on the radio continued to be based on sales because that still has fluid change and features new music without needing to come up with all the complex rules they have instituted to try and artificially create a 90s- style chart featuring new entries but also including streaming etc.

That is Capital Big Top 40 you are kind of referring to lol - it is more based on itunes sales and less streaming.

Edited 9 hours ago9 hr by TheSnake

I think the public caring about the #1 extends as far as the headlines and not even regarding the official charts. If they hear a song is #1 on iTunes or the Big Top 40 or even on Spotify, they take it as official.

4 minutes ago, TheSnake said:

That is Capital Big Top 40 you are kind of referring to lol - it is more based on itunes sales and less streaming.

Ah yes, that’s why the unexpected songs always chart