• I used the xml and RCurl packages to scrape song and artist names from each Wikipedia entry.
• Variance in word counts has also increased, perhaps due to greater genre diversity in the chart rankings over time.
• 1958-1991: ranking determined by ratio of singles sales and airplay 1991: Billboard begins collecting sales data digitally (using SoundScan) for quicker and more accurate charts 1998: Billboard drops requirement that song must be released as a single to appear on the chart 2005: Digital downloads (iTunes) included 2012: On-demand streaming services (Spotify, Rhapsody) included 2013: Video views (YouTube) included
• Now, consumers can view the video, stream the song, download the single or purchase a physical copy to have a say in what’s popular.