Introduction
Created in 1936, The Billboard Charts were a simple way to take in account the popular music of the current time and record it in a competition style market. Originally starting with only one chart in the summer of 1940, that ranked the top 50 most popular songs based on how many "spins" it recieved over the radio market and the number of singles sold in record stores. Much has changed since then. Over 150 charts now exists, along with the original, and several more ways are calculated in to tabulating who is on top and who is not.
Songs are ranked on basis things such as:
Digital sales and downloads
Streaming
Radio Plays
Physical Sales
These things go into each song and album to calculate where it stands next to all the other music on the market. Songs and albms are ranked based on results of those things and placed into their genre chart and an overall chart. The artist celebrates successful songs that can clibm all the way to the top and others learn a lesson from the ones that may not break the bottom. Songs and albums can remain in their earned position until sales or popularity falter. Billboard Charts are strictly crafted after the music tastes of listeners around the world.
The charts are monitored daily but only updated officailly weekly. Meaning the song or album may not receive instant fame, it takes time for a song or album to make its mark on Billboard.
Several artists have done the impossible with Billboard, and held more than one top spot consecutively or held more than one at the same time. It is all popularity based.
Task
The Task
Students will visit Billboard.com and take a look arond at all the carts that are availbable and charted weekly. Take note of how many charts exist now and how diverse the charts are.
Student will visit the Billboard Hot 100 chart on the main home page.
Once there, student will take the day of their birthday. EX.) My birthday is 7/25/1994. SO my number is 25. Taking note of the song that is ranked 25th and recording what it is.
For the next 5 week, a typcial run time for chart movement, monitor what the song does on the charts. Does it move up? Slowly? Large Leaps? Does is drop? Drasitically? Large Drops? Ect. Take note of what they song does from week to week. Recording simply how it charts. Billbaord also attaches notes to each song based on that weeks chart performance, take note of these as well.
Before doing this students need to take a second to predict what they think will happen with the song that they are monitoring. Will it go up or down? How popular is it? Can they influence the chart performance?
Process
Process
1. Pick the song that corresponds with the day you were born.
2. Make a prediction that relfects what you think will happen to the song during these five weeks.
3. List the highest position the song has held. (Found by clicking on the song).
4. List how many weeks it has been on the chart. ( " ).
5. List the starting chart number of the song, which should be your birthday. And list any special comments Billboard may have attatched to the song.
6. Track the song for 5 weeks, checking it daily to make sure you don't miss the update. Make note of its progress. Make note of any comments Billboard may attach to the song.
7. When they 5 weeks are up, look at prediction that was made and compare with what actually happened.
Evaluation
Let's Look Back
When they 5 weeks are up, look at prediction that you made and compare with what actually happened.
Write a reflection based on your findings. Was the song popular? Why or why not? What are some factors that may have played into its chart performance? Do you agree with the chart performacne of the song you have been monitoring? Why or why not?
Conclusion
Review and Conclusion
After watching a song on Billboard Chart Hot 100 for 5 weeks, does this give you a better look into the life of a song? Does it help you understand how maybe perhaps the music you listen to becomes poplar? Or how it is rated? Music is a big compeition based market, everyone is trying to stay on the top or getting there for just a little while.
Imagine you were CEO of Billobard. Would you change any of the tabulation processes? Would you create anything different dealing with the Charts that have successfully tabulated poplular music since summer of 1940.
For further exploration, visit any of the other 150 charts that Billboard offers, maybe you can find your favorite music and become aware of what is going on in the realm of popularity.
Credits
Thanks to Billboard.com!
Teacher Page
Here is the link to the Billboard Website:
Here is the link to the Billboard Hot 100: