Survival of the Hippest: Life at the Top of the Hot 100

David Giles

No 507, Econometrics Working Papers from Department of Economics, University of Victoria

Abstract: We analyze the survival characteristics of recordings that reached the number one spot on the U.S. popular music charts over the period 1955 to 2003. Our results show that there has been a statistically significant change in the time spent at number one since “album cuts” were included in the compilation of Billboard’s Hot 100. Survival time is significantly improved if the recording is by a female solo artist, or if it is an instrumental tune. We also find a significant “Elvis effect”.

Keywords: Popular music; hit tunes; survival function; hazard function; duration model (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C16 C49 Z11 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 21 pages
Date: 2005-06-17
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cul and nep-his
Note: ISSN 1485-6441
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Related works:
Journal Article: Survival of the hippest: life at the top of the hot 100 (2007)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:vic:vicewp:0507

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