“Harlem Shake” by Baauer (f/ Chris Dalla Riva)
One Hit Thunder18 Sep 2025

“Harlem Shake” by Baauer (f/ Chris Dalla Riva)

In early 2013, the Billboard Charts underwent a major change by incorporating YouTube streams into their formula. Almost immediately, the internet responded with chaos. The bizarre, bass-heavy electronica track “Harlem Shake” by producer Baauer skyrocketed to #1, fueled by a wave of absurd, meme-fueled dance videos that dominated social media. It became the first instrumental track to top the Hot 100 in over two decades, but just as quickly as it rose, it vanished, taking Baauer's mainstream presence with it. This week, we're joined by musician and data analyst Chris Dalla Riva, author of the upcoming book Uncharted Territory: What Numbers Tell Us About the Biggest Hit Songs and Ourselves, to explore how a joke, an algorithm, and a relatively unknown producer collided to create one of the strangest chart-toppers of all time. One Hit Thunder is brought to you by DistroKid, the ultimate partner for taking your music to the next level. Our listeners get 30% off your first YEAR with DistroKid by signing up at http://distrokid.com/vip/onehitthunder Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episoder(385)

"Black Velvet" by Alannah Myles

"Black Velvet" by Alannah Myles

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"Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand" by Primitive Radio Gods

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"I'll Be There For You" by The Rembrandts (f/Brian Rodrigeuz)

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"Whoomp! There It Is" by Tag Team

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"Home" by Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros (f/Tessa Markle)

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In 2010, a song by a ten-piece hippie folk pop group unexpectedly started appearing in seemingly endless amounts of movies, TV shows, and commercials. This sincere and lively tune caught the ear and h...

19 Okt 202242min

"California" by Phantom Planet (f/Matt "Team Goldie" DiStefano)

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Phantom Planet had a modest radio hit with their single “California” in 2002. When a little TV show called The O.C. debuted and used the song as its theme song, however, it skyrocketed the band to sta...

12 Okt 202258min

"We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" by Jermaine Stewart

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"Blue Monday" by Ørgy (f/Kyle Kutcha)

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This week, we’re joined by Horror Movie Night co-host Kyle Kuchta to discuss Orgy, an industrial nu metal band that rose to fame thanks to a questionable cover of New Order’s 1983 classic “Blue Monday...

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