JOURNAL ARTICLE

Sweet little lies: Deceptive statistics in the album charts.

  • Published In: Significance, 2023, v. 20, n. 4. P. 18 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Riva, Chris Dalla 3 of 3

Abstract

This article examines how music streaming services, specifically Spotify, rank albums and highlights the limitations of using total streams to measure an album's popularity. It demonstrates that total stream counts can be misleading because a few hit singles often dominate an album's streams, obscuring the performance of other tracks and the album's integrity as a whole. Alternative metrics such as median and minimum streams per track offer different perspectives, with minimum streams better reflecting how often an album is listened to in its entirety. The article also discusses historical challenges in album charting and the potential for manipulation, concluding that no single methodology is perfect but emphasizing the importance of understanding these biases when interpreting streaming charts.

Additional Information

  • Source:Significance. 2023/08, Vol. 20, Issue 4, p18
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Business and Management
  • Publication Date:2023
  • ISSN:1740-9705
  • DOI:10.1093/jrssig/qmad061
  • Accession Number:171313287
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