THE BIGGEST TRACKS IN HIP HOP FROM 1995
Billboard and Polygraph link up to deliver an interesting tool for re-discovering the classics
What a time the 90’s were. Hip Hop was in the golden era, the internet started to flourish and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Now, I know when albums like Illmatic and Ready to Die came out I was only 2 years old but I still identify myself as a 90’s kid. Hip Hop got me through high school and it was because of groups like A Tribe Called Quest and Wu Tang Clan being my soundtrack.
Recently, Polygraph teamed up with Billboard to create a graph that shows what hip hop songs were popular from 1989 till 2015 (Check it out here). The website reads: “This uses Billboard’s Hot Rap Songs Chart. Billboard began publishing this list as a weekly sales-based chart, then known as Hot Rap Singles, in 1989. In 2002, the chart was replaced with a list titled Hot Rap Tracks, based on radio audience impressions monitored by Nielsen Music. The chart added digital downloads and streaming data into its formula in 2012 and was renamed Hot Rap Songs, as it is known today.”
In order to keep it simple, the chart only displays songs that peaked in the top 5. This is definitely a great tool for the younger generations to take a listen at what was happening in the ’90s. Also, being a reminder for you old people on the internet how great the ’90s were. I know Vince Staples may disagree, he’s right, there was no Kanye or 50, but there was Tribe, Wu, 2Pac, Biggie, Nas, Snoop, Pun, L and the list goes on.