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 Friday at 21:512 days 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

16 hours ago, 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's a really interesting point – I think you're right that the old sales-based chart had a natural charm to it.

New entries felt organic because people were actually going out and buying the record.

The streaming era has introduced so many complex rules (the ACR rules, the cap on streams per user, the slowing down of new entries) that it does feel like they're trying to artificially recreate a chart that just doesn't exist anymore.

I suppose the question is – are these rules actually achieving what they set out to do?

Or are they just making the chart more confusing for the average listener?

 

16 hours 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.

Ha! You're right – I didn't even think of the Big Top 40 connection but that's spot on.

That was always the more "pop" alternative to the official chart, wasn't it? It's funny how the official chart has almost become the "serious" one, while the Big Top 40 was always the more accessible, radio-friendly version.

Do you think the official chart could learn anything from that approach?

Or should it stick to being the more "authoritative" version?

 

16 hours ago, Sami Hook Jama said:

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

You've hit the nail on the head here.

The average listener doesn't care about the technicalities of the official chart – if they see a song is #1 on Spotify or trending on TikTok, that's the "real" number one to them.

The official chart has become almost irrelevant to the casual music fan.

It makes you wonder – in 10 years' time, will the official chart even exist in its current form? Or will it just be a footnote in music history?

I think that TOTP and all the other chart shows going was a big part in the lack of public consciousness and care for the #1 single. I also think less people listen to the radio now streaming is so big (I could be completely wrong on that aspect) as people choose playlists over radio play.

Either way, I follow the chart out of habit now but I really have little to no interest in it now. I find the albums chart a tiny bit more interesting thanks to older acts playing the formats game and achieving success.

I listened to the chart yesterday and it was pretty dull as a listening experience not least by ignoring short run album tracks or oldies in favour of long running current songs. Sales charts in the olden days were fast moving and exciting. By and large people who loved a record bought it and then it went away pretty quickly. The ones that hung around tended to be middle of the road pop hits that appealed to older folk that didn't follow the charts but bought a record once in a while. Now everybody streams except me the charts show how so many people play the same stuff over and over and don't search out new music like its a chore. Ive also noticed people seem to make their mind up in 10 or 20 seconds whether they want to hear any more and if it doesnt conform to a pre existing bias towards what they consider good music they dont even give it a chance. I'm unusual in wanting to search out new music but most folk are more passive about that and seem to have a higher tolerance to hearing songs more often than i do. So i dont see things changing sadly unless we get an exciting tv music show in prime time to push new music.

17 hours ago, Liam.k. said:

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.

They did about Victoria Beckham as official, didn't they?

People blamed downloads for killing the charts too, but they actually made them more realistic. With some record gripping the nation and the record in the chart within hours of it happening. But streaming doesn't do that. Take a TV advertisement featuring a song. Download buyers pick up on it, streaming ignores it.

If you compare the UK and USA Spotify charts you see the real source of streaming effect. The fiddling to rig the playlists on streaming sites. It is just the latest way to hype records.

Because the iTunes chart is updated hourly it's faster than other chart and therefore any event will be picked up quick and soon becomes the number one record, reported by the media too.

This new number one breaking records and most people have never heard it! What a shame :(

5 hours ago, Spiceboy said:

I think that TOTP and all the other chart shows going was a big part in the lack of public consciousness and care for the #1 single. I also think less people listen to the radio now streaming is so big (I could be completely wrong on that aspect) as people choose playlists over radio play.

Either way, I follow the chart out of habit now but I really have little to no interest in it now. I find the albums chart a tiny bit more interesting thanks to older acts playing the formats game and achieving success.

Hello Spiceboy - Thanks for this – you've raised some really interesting points here.

I think you're absolutely right about TOTP and the chart shows being a huge factor.

There was something about that Thursday night ritual that made the chart feel important. It wasn't just a list of numbers – it was an event. You'd watch it with your family, argue about who deserved the top spot, and then talk about it at school or work the next day.

That shared experience is gone now, and I don't think we've really found a replacement for it.

Your point about radio is interesting too – I'm not sure if you're wrong or right on that one! I think streaming has definitely changed how we listen, but radio still has that "shared" quality that streaming playlists just don't have.

When a song gets played on Radio 1 or Capital, it still feels like a moment. But you're right – more and more people are choosing their own playlists over someone else's curation.

I completely get what you mean about following the chart out of habit though.

I think a lot of us do that – it's almost like a comfort thing, isn't it? A link to a simpler time when music felt more... communal.

And the albums chart – that's a really good point. It feels like the albums chart has become more interesting precisely because it's not as dominated by streaming. Older acts playing the formats game and seeing their albums climb again is genuinely fascinating to watch. It's like the charts have become a kind of nostalgia engine in their own right.

Out of interest – what's the last album that surprised you by climbing the chart?

I'm always intrigued by those unexpected resurgences.

My article touches on some of this stuff – the loss of that shared moment, the nostalgia factor – but you've added a few angles I hadn't fully considered.

I really appreciate your reply on this.

 

5 hours ago, Popchartfreak said:

I listened to the chart yesterday and it was pretty dull as a listening experience not least by ignoring short run album tracks or oldies in favour of long running current songs. Sales charts in the olden days were fast moving and exciting. By and large people who loved a record bought it and then it went away pretty quickly. The ones that hung around tended to be middle of the road pop hits that appealed to older folk that didn't follow the charts but bought a record once in a while. Now everybody streams except me the charts show how so many people play the same stuff over and over and don't search out new music like its a chore. Ive also noticed people seem to make their mind up in 10 or 20 seconds whether they want to hear any more and if it doesnt conform to a pre existing bias towards what they consider good music they dont even give it a chance. I'm unusual in wanting to search out new music but most folk are more passive about that and seem to have a higher tolerance to hearing songs more often than i do. So i dont see things changing sadly unless we get an exciting tv music show in prime time to push new music.

Hello Popchartfreak - Thanks for this – you've made some really thoughtful points here, and honestly, I agree with a lot of what you're saying.

You're absolutely right about the pace of the charts being different now.

In the "olden days" (as you put it!), a record would come in, have its moment, and then disappear – and that made it exciting.

You'd hear a song, rush out to buy it, and then it was gone from the charts within a few weeks, making room for the next big thing. Now, songs just... hang around. For months. Years, even. It's great for the artists, but it does make the charts feel a bit stagnant as a listening experience.

I think your point about people being passive listeners is spot on too.

Streaming has made music incredibly accessible, but it's also made it easier to just stick with what you know.

The algorithm feeds you more of the same, and you don't have to make an effort to find new music – it just sort of... arrives. And if it doesn't grab you in the first 10 seconds, you skip it. There's no patience anymore. No sitting with a record and letting it grow on you.

I love that you're still actively searching out new music though – that's becoming rarer and rarer. I'm the same. There's something special about discovering a track that no one else is talking about yet. It feels like finding treasure.

And your point about a prime-time TV show – I think you're absolutely right.

That was the magic of TOTP, wasn't it? It pushed new music into people's homes whether they were looking for it or not. Y

ou'd be watching something else, and suddenly a band you'd never heard of would be on, and you'd think, "Actually, that's really good."

That element of surprise is largely gone now.

I wonder if there's any appetite for something like that again? Or if we've just moved too far into our own personalised bubbles for a shared TV moment to work anymore.

My article touches on some of this – the loss of that shared experience – but you've articulated it so much better than I did.

Appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts. Thanks Popchartfreak

4 hours ago, Graham A said:

People blamed downloads for killing the charts too, but they actually made them more realistic. With some record gripping the nation and the record in the chart within hours of it happening. But streaming doesn't do that. Take a TV advertisement featuring a song. Download buyers pick up on it, streaming ignores it.

If you compare the UK and USA Spotify charts you see the real source of streaming effect. The fiddling to rig the playlists on streaming sites. It is just the latest way to hype records.

Because the iTunes chart is updated hourly it's faster than other chart and therefore any event will be picked up quick and soon becomes the number one record, reported by the media too.

Hello Graham A - That's a really fascinating point – and honestly, I hadn't thought about it quite that way before.

You're absolutely right about downloads being more responsive to cultural moments.

The classic example is when a song is used in a TV advert or a major news event happens – download buyers would react immediately, and you'd see that reflected in the charts within hours.

Streaming just doesn't work that way.

It's slower, more passive, and less reactive to those sudden spikes in public interest.

I remember when that John Lewis Christmas advert would drop every year, and suddenly the song would be everywhere – climbing the charts within days.

Streaming has kind of killed that immediacy, hasn't it?

The song is still there, but the chart doesn't reflect the cultural moment in the same way.

And your point about the iTunes chart being updated hourly – that's such a good shout.

It was always the "fastest" chart, wasn't it? The media could report on a new number one almost instantly because they knew the iTunes chart would show it. There was a genuine excitement to that. You could literally watch a song climb in real-time.

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

On one hand, it made the charts feel alive and reactive. On the other, it meant songs could rocket to number one based on a fleeting moment rather than genuine longevity.

But then again, isn't that what pop music is all about? Capturing a moment?

I also hadn't really considered the playlist manipulation angle as deeply as you've articulated it.

You're right – streaming playlists are the modern equivalent of radio plugging, but with even more control over what people hear.

It's a different kind of hype machine, but it's still hype.

My article touches on some of this – the shift from the "event" of a number one to the "background noise" of streaming – but you've added a few technical angles

I hadn't fully explored. Really appreciate the thoughtful reply – this has genuinely given me some new perspectives to think about.

Thanks Graham A

11 minutes ago, Dj Mistri said:

Hello Spiceboy - Thanks for this – you've raised some really interesting points here.

I think you're absolutely right about TOTP and the chart shows being a huge factor.

There was something about that Thursday night ritual that made the chart feel important. It wasn't just a list of numbers – it was an event. You'd watch it with your family, argue about who deserved the top spot, and then talk about it at school or work the next day.

That shared experience is gone now, and I don't think we've really found a replacement for it.

Your point about radio is interesting too – I'm not sure if you're wrong or right on that one! I think streaming has definitely changed how we listen, but radio still has that "shared" quality that streaming playlists just don't have.

When a song gets played on Radio 1 or Capital, it still feels like a moment. But you're right – more and more people are choosing their own playlists over someone else's curation.

I completely get what you mean about following the chart out of habit though.

I think a lot of us do that – it's almost like a comfort thing, isn't it? A link to a simpler time when music felt more... communal.

And the albums chart – that's a really good point. It feels like the albums chart has become more interesting precisely because it's not as dominated by streaming. Older acts playing the formats game and seeing their albums climb again is genuinely fascinating to watch. It's like the charts have become a kind of nostalgia engine in their own right.

Out of interest – what's the last album that surprised you by climbing the chart?

I'm always intrigued by those unexpected resurgences.

My article touches on some of this stuff – the loss of that shared moment, the nostalgia factor – but you've added a few angles I hadn't fully considered.

I really appreciate your reply on this.

OK, this is one of the most lovely replies I've had one here! 🥰

I think it is that "shared" quality you described with radio and TV charts that we have lost, which means the general public is less interested as a whole.

I also think streaming has diluted the value of big hits, the million sellers especially. A million selling single used to be a real achievement, and it took 60 years, all the way from the 50's to 2010 to get 100 million selling singles (Rihanna & Eminem Love the way you lie became the 100th million selling single). However by 2017 thanks to streaming the amount had tripled and there were 311, Goodness knows how many there are now. Then you have Harry Styles #26 tracks which are on "1.2 million sales" while something like Tragedy by Steps which was a #1 also on the same sales of 1.2 million., there are some album tracks never released as singles that are "platinum sellers" because of streaming... it just makes a mockery of it all.

Recently I have been the most surprised by Madonna's album performance, I was very much expecting something along the lines of 1-37-OUT but so far it has achieved 1-9-14, which is amazing!!

Hello SPICEBOY - Ah, thank you – that's genuinely lovely to hear! 🥰

I've really enjoyed this conversation, and honestly, it's been fascinating to hear everyone's perspectives.

You've absolutely hit the nail on the head with the "shared quality" point.

That's exactly what I was trying to get at in my article – the idea that the chart used to be something we all experienced together, and now it's just... background noise.

We've lost that collective moment, and I don't think we've really found a replacement for it.

And your point about the dilution of "million sellers" – wow. That really puts things into perspective, doesn't it?

It took 60 years to get to 100 million-selling singles, and then just 7 years to triple that number.

That's absolutely staggering. You're right – it does make a mockery of it all.

A million sales used to mean something.

It meant a record had genuinely connected with the public on a massive scale. Now it's just... a streaming stat.

The Harry Styles vs. Steps comparison is such a brilliant example.

You've got two songs with the same sales figure – 1.2 million – but they feel worlds apart. Steps' "Tragedy" was a genuine cultural moment.

Everyone knew it. Everyone sang along to it. It was everywhere.

Harry Styles' album track might have the same "sales" figure, but does it have the same cultural weight? I'm not sure it does.

And you're absolutely right about album tracks becoming "platinum sellers" without ever being released as singles.

It just feels so... hollow.

There's no story behind it.

No memory of rushing out to buy it.

No shared experience. It's just numbers on a screen.

I remember when a million-selling single felt like a big deal.

You'd hear about it on the news. It would be celebrated.

Now it happens so often that it barely registers.

And that Madonna stat – 1-9-14 – that's genuinely impressive!

I have to admit, I wasn't expecting that either. It's nice to see an older act still connecting with audiences like that.

There's something heartwarming about it, isn't there?

Maybe there's still some life in the old format game yet!