Countdown Culture

David Crider is Associate Professor of Communication Studies at the State University of New York at Oswego. He has published articles in such noteworthy journals as Popular Music and Society, Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, and Journal of Radio & Audio Media. His first book, Performing Personality: On-Air Identities in a Changing Media Landscape was published by Lexington Books in 2016. As Kurt Cobain would say, "Most people don't own it." A veteran of nearly a decade in radio as a producer, on-air personality, and program/music director, he is currently the faculty advisor for Oswego's student-run radio station, WNYO-FM. He lives in central New York with his wife Jenna and their three cats: Sonic, Salem, and Freddie.

1.Introduction.-2.Why Do We Care Who Is at Number One?.-3.The Legacy of American Top 40.-4.Billboard Explains It All: How the Charts Tell the History of Popular Music.-5.What Turns a Hit Song into a Classic?.-6.Pop Stars Need Not Apply.-7.The Role of Radio Programmers and DJs.-8.Critics’ Choice: The Rise of the “Authoritative” All-Time List.-9.The Audience Strikes Back.-10.The Modern Countdown as Social-Media Event.-11.Building the Millennial Music Canon.-12.The Age of Streaming: Listeners Personalize the Countdown.- 13 Do We Still Care What Is Number One?