<![CDATA[Graphs about Songs: The Hit Momentum Newsletter]]>https://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/s/the-hit-momentum-reporthttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xIlQ!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F28b3651b-8c0c-4445-908b-4a528b5e2655_708x708.pngGraphs about Songs: The Hit Momentum Newsletterhttps://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/s/the-hit-momentum-reportSubstackWed, 08 Apr 2026 11:58:49 GMT<![CDATA[The Hit Momentum Newsletter: April 6, 2026]]>https://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-newsletter-aprilhttps://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-newsletter-aprilMon, 06 Apr 2026 15:03:11 GMTIs Dominic Fike’s “Babydoll” a 2018 throwback or a 2016 current? Should you play “Midnight Sun”? Plus, the proven hit you should add today in place of the Justin Bieber song no one likes.

Here are resources to get you ready to use The Hit Momentum Newsletter:

  • Quick Use Guide: You just want to know how to read and implement the report ASAP

  • Complete Guide: Here, you’ll learn in detail what the report shows you and why behind our recommendations on how to use it.

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]]><![CDATA[The Hit Momentum Newsletter: March 30, 2026]]>https://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-newsletter-march-018https://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-newsletter-march-018Mon, 30 Mar 2026 15:04:05 GMTWhy is Matt not showing you the #1 song this week? Which songs are CHR stations playing that nobody plays for themselves? Plus, the Nigerian singer with a #1 across Europe lands in the U.S. Spotify 200.

Here are resources to get you ready to use The Hit Momentum Newsletter:

  • Quick Use Guide: You just want to know how to read and implement the report ASAP

  • Complete Guide: Here, you’ll learn in detail what the report shows you and why behind our recommendations on how to use it.

Read more

]]><![CDATA[The Hit Momentum Newsletter: March 23, 2026]]>https://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-newsletter-march-75fhttps://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-newsletter-march-75fMon, 23 Mar 2026 15:03:11 GMTAre your Zara Larsson tracks in the right categories? Which Bruno Mars song should you power? And did I really say “Lil Uzi Vert” and “Adult Contemporary” in the same sentence?

Here are resources to get you ready to use The Hit Momentum Newsletter:

  • Quick Use Guide: You just want to know how to read and implement the report ASAP

  • Complete Guide: Here, you’ll learn in detail what the report shows you and why behind our recommendations on how to use it.

Read more

]]><![CDATA[The Hit Momentum Newsletter: March 16, 2026]]>https://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-newsletter-march-d4bhttps://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-newsletter-march-d4bMon, 16 Mar 2026 15:03:06 GMTHarry Styles’ and Bruno Mars’ huge album debuts prove they’re superstars. But what do fans think of their latest songs?

Here are resources to get you ready to use The Hit Momentum Newsletter:

  • Quick Use Guide: You just want to know how to read and implement the report ASAP

  • Complete Guide: Here, you’ll learn in detail what the report shows you and why behind our recommendations on how to use it.

Read more

]]><![CDATA[The Hit Momentum Newsletter: March 9, 2026]]>https://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-newsletter-march-715https://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-newsletter-march-715Wed, 11 Mar 2026 13:31:30 GMTBruno Mars’ latest debut shows just how big a pop star he is. Plus, why Ella Langley is the new Shania Twain.

Here are resources to get you ready to use The Hit Momentum Newsletter:

  • Quick Use Guide: You just want to know how to read and implement the report ASAP

  • Complete Guide: Here, you’ll learn in detail what the report shows you and why behind our recommendations on how to use it.

Read more

]]><![CDATA[The Hit Momentum Newsletter: March 2, 2026]]>https://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-newsletter-marchhttps://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-newsletter-marchMon, 02 Mar 2026 16:04:10 GMTThere’s an even better Zara Larson song. “I Just Might” is turning out just meh. Plus, an observation about the songs listeners get sick of hearing slowly.

Here are resources to get you ready to use The Hit Momentum Newsletter:

  • Quick Use Guide: You just want to know how to read and implement the report ASAP

  • Complete Guide: Here, you’ll learn in detail what the report shows you and why behind our recommendations on how to use it.

The 2016 Thing continues…

Before exploring the Current, new songs and Recurrents this week, note that Dominic Fike - Babydoll (5.9 million plays) and Fetty Wap - Trap Queen (3.0 million plays) remain on the Spotify 200 this week, reflecting younger listeners’ newfound nostalhia for the year the Cubs won the World Series.

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]]><![CDATA[The Hit Momentum Newsletter: February 23, 2026]]>https://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-newsletter-february-b7ehttps://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-newsletter-february-b7eMon, 23 Feb 2026 16:03:19 GMTWhy is “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!” not testing in callout? False hope for “YUKON” and “I Just Might.” Plus, the first real Gen Z artist may have just hit the charts.

Here are resources to get you ready to use The Hit Momentum Newsletter:

  • Quick Use Guide: You just want to know how to read and implement the report ASAP

  • Complete Guide: Here, you’ll learn in detail what the report shows you and why behind our recommendations on how to use it.

A note about lingering Bad Bunny titles

You won’t see five of the top 10 songs on Spotify this week in any of the charts below since they’re generally not relevant to CHR and Hot AC radio. That’s because there are still 14 Bad Bunny songs on the Spotify 200 this week, reflecting lingering interest after his halftime show. Five of those 14 songs are still in the Top 10, namely:

  • DtMF

  • Tití Me Preguntó

  • BAILE INoLVIDABLE

  • NUEVAYoL

  • EoO

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]]><![CDATA[The Hit Momentum Newsletter: February 16, 2026]]>https://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-newsletter-february-9f3https://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-newsletter-february-9f3Mon, 16 Feb 2026 16:04:16 GMTAre radio listeners finally making Justin Bieber’s “YUKON” a hit? Negative reactions to Noah Kahan and Harry Styles. Plus, more evidence younger listeners are nostalgic for the late 2010s.

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]]><![CDATA[The Hit Momentum Newsletter: February 9, 2026]]>https://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-newsletter-february-552https://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-newsletter-february-552Mon, 09 Feb 2026 16:04:09 GMTBruno Mars Just Might have a hit, Harry Styles doesn’t, and Noah Kahan debuts bigger than both of them.

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]]><![CDATA[The Hit Momentum Newsletter: February 2, 2026]]>https://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-newsletter-februaryhttps://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-newsletter-februaryMon, 02 Feb 2026 16:03:14 GMTHarry Styles still has a huge fanbase—but does he have a hit? Why should ignore my data on Bruno Mars this week. Plus, five unorthodox songs that stream like real hits.

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]]><![CDATA[The Hit Momentum Newsletter: January 26, 2026]]>https://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-newsletter-january-b78https://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-newsletter-january-b78Mon, 26 Jan 2026 16:03:20 GMTBruno Mars already has a proven hit, 2016 trend brings decade-old songs back to the Spotify 200, plus a whole lot of recurrents that fans still play like currents,

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]]><![CDATA[The Hit Momentum Newsletter: January 19, 2026]]>https://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-newsletter-january-afehttps://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-newsletter-january-afeMon, 19 Jan 2026 16:02:55 GMTBruno Mars has a big debut, the Stranger Things Effect continues, plus some unproven artists with proven hits.

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]]><![CDATA[The Hit Momentum Newsletter: January 12, 2026]]>https://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-newsletter-january-481https://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-newsletter-january-481Mon, 12 Jan 2026 16:03:15 GMTStranger Things dethrones Taylor Swift and Olvia Dean from the Spotify 200 summit. Two unearthed songs are becoming 2026 hits. Plus, why “The Fate of Ophelia” now looks better than it did a few weeks ago.

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]]><![CDATA[The Hit Momentum Newsletter: January 5, 2026]]>https://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-newsletter-januaryhttps://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-newsletter-januaryMon, 05 Jan 2026 16:03:37 GMTNew year, (slightly) new name. Has radio made fans of “Golden” beyond the Demon Hunters’ universe? Plus, three old songs from three different decades that TikTok has resurrected from obscurity.

Here are resources to get you ready to use The Hit Momentum Newsletter:

  • Quick Use Guide: You just want to know how to read and implement the report ASAP

  • Complete Guide: Here, you’ll learn in detail what the report shows you and why behind our recommendations on how to use it.

First, the new year brings a slightly new name—The Hit Momentum Newsletter. Two reasons for this admittedly pedantic change:

First, it emphasizes my goal of providing you commentary and context about the songs with the greatest streaming Momentum, so you can stay on top of new music trends and make educated decisions about which songs would delight your audience. A good newsletter brings you up to speed quickly.

Second, I’d like to avoid confusion with Your Hit Momentum Report, my customized service for radio stations that works like callout, but which analyzes actual listening from every major streaming platform instead of polling paid research panelists.

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]]><![CDATA[The Hit Momentum Report: December 29, 2025]]>https://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-report-december-93bhttps://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-report-december-93bMon, 29 Dec 2025 16:03:36 GMTWhy it’s time to swap “undressed” for “12 to 12.” Why Hip Hop dominates the few new releases during the holidays. Plus, all those songs we played this Christmas week.

Here are resources to get you ready to use The Hit Momentum Report:

  • Quick Use Guide: You just want to know how to read and implement the report ASAP

  • Complete Guide: Here, you’ll learn in detail what the report shows you and why behind our recommendations on how to use it.

Christmas music sets a 2025 record (with some help from the calendar)

Here’s your last weekly wrap-up for 2025 of the Christmas songs Americans played most on Spotify for the week including (and ending on) Christmas day. With Christmas falling on Thursday—the same day streaming charts end for the week—2025 marks a rare year when this week entirely falls within the holiday season, while next week will fall entirely after the season.

With this help from the calendar, Christmas week recorded a record 121 holiday songs on the Spotify 200, totaling a record 821 million plays. Seventy-Eight percent (78%) of all streams on the Spotify 200 this past week were Christmas songs.

Among the 121 songs, 10 are from Bing Crosby, 6 are Frank Sinatra, another 6 are Michael Bublé, Nat King Cole tenders 5 of them, while Andy Williams, Darlene Love, Dean Martin, Ella Fitzgerald, Perry Como, and the Vince Guaraldi Trio all contribute 3 songs.

Finally, I feel obliged to note that while we start the season with Mariah Carey - All I Want for Christmas Is You, we again this year end it with Brenda Lee - Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree.

The data doesn’t lie: Little Miss Dynamite is the real queen of Christmas.

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]]><![CDATA[The Hit Momentum Report: December 22, 2025]]>https://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-report-december-565https://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-report-december-565Mon, 22 Dec 2025 16:02:54 GMTThere are plenty of strongly-performing Pop hits to play, even in December. The holiday season Hip Hop releases have begun. Plus, can someone please show me the data behind “DAISIES?”

Here are resources to get you ready to use The Hit Momentum Report:

  • Quick Use Guide: You just want to know how to read and implement the report ASAP

  • Complete Guide: Here, you’ll learn in detail what the report shows you and why behind our recommendations on how to use it.

Christmas music remains at record levels, but doesn’t sustain November’s surge.

Despite the unprecedentedly early start date that we started playing Christmas music this year, we’re now playing Christmas music about as frequently as we have since 2023. That’s still record-level Christmas music listening—but it highlights that the big story this year is how much Christmas music we started playing in November.

For the week ending last Thursday—exactly one week before Christmas—73 of the 200 most-played songs on Spotify in the U.S. are Christmas songs. (There’s one brand new Christmas song way at the bottom of this list—by an artist you won’t find on a Christmas CD at Kohls.)

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]]><![CDATA[The Hit Momentum Report: December 15, 2025]]>https://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-report-december-e96https://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-report-december-e96Mon, 15 Dec 2025 16:06:25 GMTIt’s Olivia Dean’s world this week and we’re just living in it.

Here are resources to get you ready to use The Hit Momentum Report:

  • Quick Use Guide: You just want to know how to read and implement the report ASAP

  • Complete Guide: Here, you’ll learn in detail what the report shows you and why behind our recommendations on how to use it.

Christmas music

Seven additional Christmas songs join the Spotify 200 this week, making 67 of the 200 most-played songs merry and bright. Streams for Christmas songs are up 19% from last week. It’s also 6% more plays for Christmas songs over the same week last December. Both Brenda Lee and Bobby Helms have overtaken Mariah Carey.

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]]><![CDATA[The Hit Momentum Report: December 8, 2025]]>https://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-report-december-196https://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-report-december-196Mon, 08 Dec 2025 16:03:25 GMTWhy Kehlani’s “Folded” deserves a second look, what songs do fans get burned out on faster than others? Plus, a new record for Christmas music.

Here are resources to get you ready to use The Hit Momentum Report:

  • Quick Use Guide: You just want to know how to read and implement the report ASAP

  • Complete Guide: Here, you’ll learn in detail what the report shows you and why behind our recommendations on how to use it.

Christmas music

Buckle your sleigh’s seat belt as you check out the Christmas songs streaming alongside today’s biggest hits this week. It’s long:

In total,60 of the top 200 songs on Spotify from Black Friday through last Thursday (12/4) are Christmas titles. That’s more than any other first week in December.

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]]><![CDATA[The Hit Momentum Report: December 1, 2025]]>https://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-report-december-391https://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-report-december-391Mon, 01 Dec 2025 16:03:24 GMTChristmas continues setting records, Tame Impala shows Alternative still can cross over, and what do Olivia Dean and sombr have in common?

Here are resources to get you ready to use The Hit Momentum Report:

  • Quick Use Guide: You just want to know how to read and implement the report ASAP

  • Complete Guide: Here, you’ll learn in detail what the report shows you and why behind our recommendations on how to use it.

Christmas music

29 different Christmas tracks made the Spotify 200 for the week ending with Thanksgiving. The top three titles are already among the top 10 most-streamed songs on Spotify. (Stay tuned this Thursday 12/4 for Graphs About Songs’ examination of Christmas music streaming so far this year.)

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]]><![CDATA[The Hit Momentum Report: November 24, 2025]]>https://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-report-november-8bfhttps://www.graphsaboutsongs.com/p/the-hit-momentum-report-november-8bfMon, 24 Nov 2025 16:02:54 GMTOlivia Dan and Sombr have songs that are on fire now. Kehlani shows how slow but steady radio airplay stems slow but steady streaming growth. Plus, is K-Pop Demon Hunters’ reign finally ending?

Here are resources to get you ready to use The Hit Momentum Report:

  • Quick Use Guide: You just want to know how to read and implement the report ASAP

  • Complete Guide: Here, you’ll learn in detail what the report shows you and why behind our recommendations on how to use it.

Christmas music

We’re up to 15 Christmas titles for the third week in November, far ahead of previous years. Brenda Lee’s “Rockin Around The Christmas Tree” has already overtaken Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” in weekly Spotify streams in the U.S.

In years past, Mariah kicks off the Christmas cannon immediately after Halloween and remains the most-played Christmas song until some point in December, at which point Brenda rocks into first place. In 2025, Lee has taken the lead before Thanksgiving. More evidence that Little Miss Dynamite is the Real Queen of Christmas

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