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Country surges, Pop goes FM and it’s a mishmash on the charts as Americans strap on their Walkmans, hit the gym and get Physical the year before MTV hits big. Learn more on Chartcrush 1981!

Pop’s ADHD year as hits churn faster than ever, John Lennon’s Jesus comment sparks a Beatles backlash, Folk-Rock rules, Garage Bands stomp and Motown surges. Learn more on Chartcrush 1966!

It’s Bing Crosby’s best year ever and Louis Jordan is the jukebox king as Decca and Capitol settle with the musicians union and get a clear shot at the charts. Learn more on Chartcrush 1944!

Somber hymns rule in a turbulent year, the last Beatles hits chart, The Jackson 5, Partridge Family and Carpenters debut and Kent State fuels big protest hits. Learn more on Chartcrush 1970!

Napster finishes off the Pop single for good, but Post-Grunge hits make Alt the new Mainstream in Rock, and newly single R&B Divas hit the club and get crunk! Learn more on Chartcrush 2001!

Hip-Hop affirms its dominance as Billboard retools the Hot100 for the streaming era and Trump-era narratives reverberate beyond politics to reshape pop culture. Learn more on Chartcrush 2018!

Racial integration is a Cold War imperative so Teens oblige by launching Black R&B records onto the Pop charts, amplified by the brand new Top40 radio format. Learn more on Chartcrush 1954!

MTV breaks its Rock format to air Michael Jackson vids under threat by CBS and accusations of racism, and becomes Pop’s new gravitational center post-AM Top40. Learn more on Chartcrush 1983!

It’s Twistmania as the Silent Generation peaks culturally, Girl Groups surge, Ray Charles goes Country and The 4 Seasons make Doo Wop a commercial juggernaut. Learn more on Chartcrush 1962!

Politics lurches right, Madonna reins it in and Mariah goes Hip-Hop as Billboard names a Gangsta Rap song #1 on the year, but where is the Theme from Friends? Learn more on Chartcrush 1995!