“‘You’ve Got a Hit’: How a James Taylor Album Finally Reached Number 1” by DAVID A. GRAHAM

“The collapse of the music industry has enabled first-time No. 1 records by a slew of unlikely artists—from Tom Petty to Weird Al to Tony Bennett.”

Read full article at The Atlantic

“… people who buy CDs and full-albums tend to be older, whiter, and more male than the general music-buying population. So when Tom Petty or, say, Bob Dylan (who’s had several No. 1 records in the last decade) or Bruce Springsteen (likewise) releases a new record, a small army of aging Boomers (and maybe their nostalgic children) emerges from its pop-culture cocoon and buys the new record in a shiny, shrink-wrapped jewel case.”…

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