Podcast Summary: Hit Parade | Hits of the Year Edition Part 2

Host: Chris Molanphy
Release Date: December 30, 2022

Overview

In this episode, chart analyst and pop critic Chris Molanphy takes on the ambitious challenge of ranking 65 years of Billboard’s Hot 100 year-end number-one songs. Through pop history, insightful commentary, and classic snippets, Molanphy explores what makes a song not just a hit—but the hit of its year. Expect a blend of data-driven insight, fond and not-so-fond memories, strong opinions, and a stroll through musical evolution from the late 1950s to 2022.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Method Behind the Ranking

• Subjectivity & Criteria (00:45):
  Chris clarifies his approach is "totally biased," balancing cultural impact, chart performance, surprise factor, zeitgeist reflection, and his personal opinions.

  "This will be a largely subjective ranking... but at the end of the day, I'm ranking these songs based mostly on how I feel about them." — Chris Molanphy (00:55)

2. Songs That Didn't Age Well or Felt Undeserving

• Chicago – "Look Away", 1989 (01:27):
  Chris dubs this the lowest rung, criticizing its generic sound and how it beat more era-defining hits like “Like a Prayer.”

  “I will never forget...feeling gobsmacked and utterly deflated when Chicago's forgettable torch song won the year. What a letdown.” — C.M. (03:23)

• Ballad of the Green Berets, 1966 (04:38):
  Called “the worst number one” by Tom Bryan; Molanphy notes its out-of-step presence in a transformative pop year.

  “This clenched jaw march...feels, well, counter countercultural.” — C.M. (05:16)

• Tony Orlando & Dawn – “Tie a Yellow Ribbon", 1973 (05:30):
  Culturally meaningful but musically lacking compared to classics like "Let’s Get It On."

3. Surprising Chart Wins & Chart Trivia

• Wilson Phillips – "Hold On", 1990 (06:50):
  Not the longest-lasting #1, but still took the year title over “Nothing Compares 2 U.”

• Lifehouse – "Hanging by a Moment", 2001 (25:10):
  "The ultimate example of what Billboard critics would later call Minivan Rock," it never hit #1 in any single week, but stayed on air long enough to finish #1 for the year.

• Next – "Too Close", 1998 (60:32):
  A song with a subtle subject matter outlasting smash duets to rule the year.

• Faith Hill – "Breathe", 2000 (33:14):
  A #2-peaking song in weekly charts but #1 for the whole year—a stealth blockbuster.

4. Songs That Captured and Changed Their Era

• Drake – "God's Plan", 2018 (19:30):
  Molanphy admits he didn’t “get” it at the time, but credits its influence on subsequent years.

  "...I called it, quote, droning and broody, and I confessed that I didn't get its appeal at the time. Clearly the public liked it better than I did..." — C.M. (20:59)

• The Weeknd – "Blinding Lights", 2020 (61:25):
  Holds chart longevity records; a throwback sound that matched pandemic-era vibes.

• Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars – "Uptown Funk", 2015 (37:41):
  Mars's chameleonic style makes this both era-specific and timeless.

• Dua Lipa – "Levitating", 2021 (67:00):
  A "bop" that powered through the streaming era with persistent radio play.

5. Iconic World-Changers and Artistic Peaks (Top 10 Section)

Molanfy’s favorite year-end number ones, listed as the most deserving of their crowns.

• Whitney Houston – "I Will Always Love You", 1993 (75:53):
  “A master class” in vocal performance and enduring popularity.

• Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – "Old Town Road", 2019 (76:52):
  “Summarizes the musical past while pointing the way toward our cultural future.”

  "19 weeks at number one...the longest run on top in Hot 100 history. There was no suspense that Old Town Road would take the title for 2019." — C.M. (77:00)

• The Police – "Every Breath You Take", 1983 (83:06):
  "Omnipresent, irresistible, unavoidable... the archetype of a year end top hit."

• The Beatles – "I Want To Hold Your Hand" (1964) & "Hey Jude" (1968) (84:39, 85:12):
  Acknowledged for changing (and dominating) American pop forever.

• Adele – "Rolling in the Deep", 2011 (86:59):
  "The year’s biggest song was also its best song."

• Prince – "When Doves Cry", 1984 (89:56):
  Molanphy’s all-time winner for year-end #1s, hailed as both mass-appeal and cutting-edge art.

  "[Prince's] When Doves Cry is that rarest of rare things, a mass appeal pop song that's also bleeding edge art... Musically, it broke all the rules." — C.M. (90:23)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On "Look Away" winning 1989:
  “Even she [Diane Warren] has done better than this, and it could have been sung by anybody. It doesn't even feature Chicago's famed brass section.” (02:37)

• On cultural fit:
  “In the mid 70s, the schlocky often triumphed over much better material.” — on “Tie a Yellow Ribbon” (06:00)

• On "How You Remind Me":
  “It's too easy to hate Nickelback…and that How You Remind Me actually rocks. I half agree…” (19:08)

• On the Beatles:
  “The Beatles are one of only two officially named artists to score the Hot 100 year end number one twice...” (85:37)

• On "When Doves Cry":
  “A song along with everything except a bass line. Prince removed it and realized it sounded better that way.” (89:56)

• On year-end #1s:
  “Sometimes the song Billboard ranks tops for the year earns its crown.” (91:40)

Selected Timestamps for Key Songs and Moments

| Timestamp | Song/Topic | Notable Points | |-----------|---------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:27 | Chicago - "Look Away" | Lowest-ranked; inauthentic win | | 04:38 | Ballad of the Green Berets | Countercultural oddity | | 18:44 | Nickelback - “How You Remind Me” | Disputed critical reputation | | 20:52 | Drake – "God's Plan" | Early adopter of moody trap sound | | 31:37 | Justin Bieber – "Love Yourself" | Adult crossover, Ed Sheeran connection | | 33:14 | Faith Hill – "Breathe" | #2 weekly hit, but year-end champ | | 46:06 | Glass Animals – "Heat Waves" | Climate, vibe of 2022 captured | | 52:29 | Mariah Carey – "We Belong Together" | Comeback hit, female pop dominance | | 54:31 | Paul McCartney & Wings – "Silly Love Songs" | Meta-pop, disco flavor | | 61:25 | The Weeknd – "Blinding Lights" | Chart-record longevity | | 75:53 | Whitney Houston – “I Will Always Love You” | Iconic vocal performance, all-time top 10 | | 76:52 | Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – “Old Town Road” | Longest #1 run | | 83:06 | The Police – "Every Breath You Take" | "Nasty" love song, pop archetype | | 84:39 | Beatles – "I Want to Hold Your Hand" | Beatlemania, American breakthrough | | 86:59 | Adele – "Rolling in the Deep" | Best song of 2011 | | 89:56 | Prince – "When Doves Cry" | "Exceptional" in exceptional year, top pick |

Podcast Tone

Chris Molanphy’s style is witty, nerdy, and passionate—mixing hard chart data with subjective musical enthusiasm. He’s unafraid to be sharply critical ("schlocky often triumphed"), sentimental, or to root certain opinions in pure personal memory. The episode is both a celebration and a critique of pop’s biggest hits, loaded with both trivia and pop culture context.

Conclusion

Chris Molanphy’s ranking of year-end Billboard #1s is as much a meditation on musical legacy and pop culture as it is a rundown of chart history. From guilty pleasures to timeless classics, he provides historical context, personal reflection, and connects the dots between songs, trends, and eras—reminding us not just of what was most popular, but why, and how those choices still reverberate in today's music.