Billboard Hot 100

This project is an assignment in the Reporting with Data class at the University of Texas at Austin.

It is a study of Billboard Hot 100 chart data as collected and updated by Christian McDonald in a Github repo. While the archive was compiled through a number of methods, the original source is Billboard Magazine, owned by the Penske Media Corporation. The data dates back to the Hot 100’s beginning in August 1958 and is updated weekly, but the end date here will depend on when the user runs the code.

Summary

Taylor Swift has had more solo appearances on the Billboard Hot 100 chart than any other artist, according to an analysis of chart data from Billboard Magazine.

The chart has been published weekly since August 1958, and this analysis includes data through February 2024. The chart data was pulled from an archive managed by Christian McDonald, which is updated each week.

Other findings from the data analysis include:

• Data Takeaway: The song “Heat Wave” by Glass Animals has appeared 91 times on the Hot 100, more than any other song through 2023. The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” has the next most appearances with 90.
• The song “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X Featuring Billy Ray Cyrus has spent more time at the top of the Hot 100 than any other song in history at 19 weeks.
• The Beatles have the most No. 1 hits with 19, but they also have a 20th top song – “Get Back” – that is a collaboration with Billy Preston. Most other artists with double-digit top hits aren’t making new music, with the exception of Taylor Swift, who has 10.
• Taylor Swift not only has the most appearances of all time in the Hot 100, she also has the most No. 1 hits in the past five years with six.
• Taylor Swift has had the most top hits in Billboard’s top 10 with 44 hits.
• “Groove” Holmes and others have the least amount of Billboard hits with only one time on the chart.