182: This Data Analyst Has Analyzed 1M+ Songs (here’s everything he knows)

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Data meets music 🎶 — Avery sits down with Chris Reba, a data analyst who’s studied over 1 million songs, to reveal what the numbers say about how hits are made. From uncovering Billboard chart fraud to exploring how TikTok reshaped music, this episode breaks down the art and science behind every beat.

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⌚ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Intro: How Chris analyzed 1M+ songs using data

01:10 - What data reveals about hit songs and music trends

03:30 - Combining qualitative and quantitative analysis

07:00 - The 1970s Billboard chart fraud explained

10:45 - Why key changes disappeared from modern pop

13:30 - How hip-hop changed song structure and sound

14:10 - TikTok’s influence on the music industry

16:10 - Inside Chris’s open-source music dataset

22:10 - Best tools for music data analysis (SQL, Python, Datawrapper)

27:45 - Advice for aspiring music data analysts

🔗 CONNECT WITH CHRIS

📕 Order Chris's Book: https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/uncharted-territory-9798765149911

📊 Check out Chris's Music Dataset: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1j1AUgtMnjpFTz54UdXgCKZ1i4bNxFjf01ImJ-BqBEt0/edit?gid=1974823090#gid=1974823090

💌 Subscribe to Chris's' Newsletter: https://www.cantgetmuchhigher.com

📲 Follow Chris on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cdallarivamusic

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Mentioned in this episode:

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