The power of ABBA is undeniable. The group's music is back on the top of Billboard's albums chart, thanks to the hit movie "Mamma Mia." Today on Soundcheck, we debut a new series on the battle for the top spots on the Billboard charts. Plus, Billboard's Hot 100 chart turns 50 this year. We look at its enduring influence in the age of MySpace and downloads. Later: A new 51-song live album documents the stage presence of the New York-based group The Fiery Furnaces. They join us for a live performance in our studio.
Guests:
The Fiery FurnacesOn and Off the Charts
In the first of a new series, Soundcheck looks at the artists who are reigning atop the Billboard albums chart -- and what their rankings tell us about the state of pop music. Joining us is Lizzy Goodman of Blender magazine.
Our blog: Do the Billboard charts matter ...
Our blog: Do the Billboard charts matter ...
The Dow Jones of Pop
The Billboard Hot 100 chart turns 50 years old this year. Chris Molanphy of the music blog Idolator joins us for a look at the Hot 100’s enduring power inside the music world.
The Fiery Furnaces
The brother-and-sister duo behind the Fiery Furnaces are known for rearranging and reinventing their catalog at live shows. Matthew and Eleanor Friedberger join us to talk about their 51-song -– yes, 51-song -– live album, "Remember." And, they perform live in our studio.
Do the Billboard charts matter to you?
I’ve followed the Billboard charts since I was in school, back in the late 70s (and that, kids, is what they mean by “old school”). But it wasn’t the Hot 100 that I was interested in; that was just pop pablum, nothing interesting there. I read the Top 200, the ...