The U.S. #1 Hits Report - October 2013

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Blurred Lines 3 month reign as the #1 hit of the U.S. came to an end during the month of October thanks to Lorde and her anti- gaudy lifestyle hit, Royals. Not only did the song dominate key U.S. charts and hold off contenders including Wrecking Ball, The Monster & Demons, but it performed exceptionally well abroad as we saw in this month’s #1 Hits of the World report.

The U.S. #1 Hits Report provides you with a monthly snapshot of the #1 songs dominating key U.S. charts including the Hot 100, Radio, Digital, YouTube, On Demand, Rock, Pop, Country and R&B/Hip Hop songs charts. It includes a detailed look at compositional characteristics and emerging trends across categories including lyrical themes, sub-genre influences, primary instrumentation, vocal gender and more.

Chart Dominators

These songs were top performers on key U.S. charts during the month of October:

Hold On, We’re Going Home (R&B): Spent 3 out of 4 weeks at #1 on the R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart. Roar (Pop):Spent the entire month at #1 on the Radio & Pop Songs chart.

Royals (Pop): Spent the entire month at #1 on the Digital, Hot 100 and Rock Songs charts.

That’s My Kind Of Night (Country): Spent the entire month at #1 on the Country Songs chart.

Wrecking Ball (Pop): Spent 3 out of 4 weeks at #1 on the YouTube chart.

Cross-Charting Hits

These songs hit #1 on multiple charts during the month of October:

Hold On, We’re Going Home: Hit #1 on the On Demand & R&B/Hip Hop Songs charts.

Roar: Hit #1 on the Radio & Pop Songs charts.

Royals: Hit #1 on the Digital, Hot 100, Rock & On Demand Songs charts.

Wrecking Ball: Hit #1 on the YouTube and On Demand Songs charts.

#1 Hits Of The U.S.

Note: The number inside the parenthesis indicates the total number of weeks that the song spent at #1 during the month

Click the song to listen & watch the video

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Digital Songs Country Songs

Royals (4) That's My Kind of Night (4) Hot 100 Pop Songs

Royals (4) Roar (4)

Radio Songs R&B/Hip-Hop Songs

Roar (4) Blurred Lines (1) Hold On, We're Going Home (3)

YouTube Rock Songs

Wrecking Ball (3) Royals (4) Pour It Up (1)

Compositional Characteristics

Key: B O P S AG EG ST Bass Other Piano Synth Acoustic Guitar Electric Guitar Strings

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Chart Characteristics

Note: The number inside the parenthesis indicates the total number of weeks that the song spent at #1 during the month

Key: B O P S AG EG ST Bass Other Piano Synth Acoustic Guitar Electric Guitar Strings

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Trend Breakdown

This section focuses exclusively on key non-genre specific charts (Hot 100, Digital, On Demand, Radio & YouTube) to provide you with an overall snapshot of the attributes and trends dominating the top spots in the U.S. mainstream music scene.

Genres

For a fourth month in a row all of the songs that topped the “non-genre specific” charts were primarily Pop in nature. The one exception once again was R&B thanks to Drake’s Hold On, We’re Going Home.

Sub-Genres

As you can see, each of the 5 songs possess a different sub-genre or mix of sub-genres that shape their sound.

Roar possesses a fusion of Power Pop and Pop/Rock with the power really coming to the forefront within the choruses, Wrecking Ball was once again the sole Power Ballad, Pour It Up has a Dark Club vibe fused with Hip Hop/Rap elements, Hold On, We’re Going Home possesses a mellow, retro 80?s Soul/Pop vibe that permeates the entire song, and Royals is primarily Minimalist Alt/Pop.

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Lead Vocal Gender

For a third month in a row, songs featuring a female lead vocal dominated, accounting for 80% of all songs. The only song to feature a male lead vocal was Hold On, We’re Going Home.

Lyrical Themes

Songs featuring a love/relationship lyrical theme accounted for the majority of songs during October. It was featured as a standalone theme within Wrecking Ball, utilized in conjunction with empowerment within Roar, and fused with hooking up in Hold On, We’re Going Home.

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Royals and Pour It Up on the other hand both feature themes that have to do with lifestyle. Royals is anti-gaudy/extravagance, while Pour It Up is about money, money, money.

Primary Instrumentation

As was the case during August and September, all of the songs that topped the charts in October featured a synth to some degree within the mix.

It was featured as the primary instrument within Hold On, Pour It Up and Wrecking Ball, paired up with electric guitar in Roar, and utilized in conjunction with a prominent kick and snaps in Royals.

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