Subtopic: Chart Hits
– A hit single is determined by reaching the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 or the top 75 of the UK Singles Chart.
– The Official Charts Company increased the chart size in 2007, affecting what constitutes a hit single.
– The number of weeks spent on a music chart can impact a song’s status as a hit.
– A hit single can be categorized as a number one hit, top 5 hit, top 10 hit, top 20 hit, or top 40 hit.
– Sales figures do not always align with chart positions due to various factors like genre popularity and sales volume.
Subtopic: Sales Figures
– The UK saw a decline in sales required for a hit single until the early 2000s, followed by a recovery in digital downloads.
– In 2011, UK singles sales reached a record high.
– Sales numbers for hit singles vary, with a number one single selling around 100,000 copies weekly in 2010.
– Around 30,000 copies were often enough to reach the top ten on the charts.
– Even singles selling over 6,000 copies could make it into the top forty.
Subtopic: Albums of Hit Singles
– Record companies release compilation albums featuring hit singles by various artists.
– Popular bands and artists often release “Greatest Hits” albums containing their most successful singles.
– The “Now That’s What I Call Music!” series is an example of compilation albums featuring hit singles.
– Hit singles collections are a common way for record companies to capitalize on popular songs.
– Greatest hits albums are a way for artists to showcase their most successful singles in one place.
Subtopic: List of Record Charts
– Record charts provide a platform to track the popularity and success of songs and albums.
– Sleeper hits are songs that gradually become popular over time.
– Different record charts have varying criteria for ranking songs and albums.
– Charts play a significant role in determining the success and reach of a song.
– The music industry heavily relies on record charts to gauge the popularity of music.
Subtopic: References
– Caraman Fotea’s work provides insights into the music industry.
– BPI 2011 statistics show a decline in album sales but a significant rise in digital sales.
– BuzzJack Entertainment forums focus on chart music and entertainment discussions.
– References are crucial for verifying information in the music industry.
– Reliable sources help establish credibility and accuracy in music-related content.
This article needs additional citations for verification. (June 2015) |
A hit song, also known as a hit record, hit single or simply hit, is a recorded song or instrumental that becomes broadly popular or well-known. Although hit song means any widely played or big-selling song, the specific term hit record usually refers to a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio airplay audience impressions, or significant streaming data and commercial sales.
Prior to the dominance of recorded music, commercial sheet music sales of individual songs were similarly promoted and tracked as singles and albums are now. For example, in 1894, Edward B. Marks and Joe Stern released The Little Lost Child, which sold more than a million copies nationwide, based mainly on its success as an illustrated song, analogous to today's music videos.