Comments on: Ruth Vs. Maris, meet “Twist” Vs. “Smooth”: All-Time Hot 100 Pits Old Against New

By: Poubelle

Poubelle — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 06:36:57 +0000

Wait, does Katy Perry have a charting follow-up single? Nooooo!

But on a more positive note, I really did enjoy your commentary on the All-Time Hot 100.

(Also, Hootie's track seems to be getting higher. If he does manage a #1 on the country chart, how many other black artists will he share that accomplishment with? Any?)

By: Chris Molanphy

Chris Molanphy — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 03:12:35 +0000

@Poubelle: Thanks for the kind words. And yes, watch out: Perry hit #2 incoming.

(Also, Hootie's track seems to be getting higher. If he does manage a #1 on the country chart, how many other black artists will he share that accomplishment with? Any?)

Charley Pride and Ray Charles. And that's about it.

By: Chris Molanphy

Chris Molanphy — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 08:50:57 +0000

@Lou Banjawi: Maybe I should've used a Maris vs. Maguire analogy. Agreed about the steroids comparison.

By: Lou Banjawi

Lou Banjawi — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 08:49:22 +0000

If we can give both Babe Ruth and Roger Maris credit for home runs hit in seasons of different lengths, surely we can place Checker and Darin alongside Santana and Thomas.

That analogy doesn't really fly. Maris played in a longer season, hence the "asterisk" brouhaha. If MLB had taken the Billboard approach, they would've credited Ruth with *more* home runs, the ones he might have hit had his season been longer.

I'd like to think that "Smooth," "Macarena," et al. represent the steroid era of the Hot 100.