Think getting a hit song is hard?
Then try getting another hit song. According to some exhaustive research just concluded by University of Colorado Denver assistant professor Storm Gloor, nearly one-half of all charting artists never appear again ― ever. And this isn’t a recent phenomenon – it’s a fairly consistent metric dating back to the mid-1950s.
Gloor combed through Billboard charts dating back to 1955, and moved through 2005 for the analysis. He reached out to a number of chart statisticians, including Billboard’s Geoff Mayfield and Joel Whitburn, to compile this table of fleeting chart insanity. And he found a scarily-consistent level of failure over the 50-year span.
That is, out of 5,745 artists charting for the first time, 2,732 never reappeared. That’s a 47.5 percent disappearance rate. “It is interesting to note that the percentage of artists falling into this category is fairly consistent over the fifty-year time period analyzed,” Gloor shared.
Actually, that’s just one aspect of a broader chart analysis enabled by a research grant from the Music Entertainment Industry Educators Association (MEIEA). The complete report is here.
is LMFAO considered a one-hit wonder, or is it one and one-half hits?
This happens because most people don’t know what they’re doing in the first place. How about over 80% of all hits are accidental?
This happens because most people don’t know what they’re doing in the first place. How about over 80% of all hits are accidental?
Interesting, depressing, and a testament to the finicky nature of music fans
Better than no-hit wonders.
Strive for longetivity.
We are some fickle fans!
A person who has a hit with one band; then quits and has a hit with another band; then forms another band and has a hit — is this person with multiple hits a one hit wonder or, are perhaps the three bands each considered one hit wonders?
I have the utmost respect for anybody who can manage even ONE SINGLE chart hit! This study just reinforces why.