Modern Rock Tracks

The Modern Rock Tracks chart is a music chart that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on alternative rock radio, most of which are modern rock songs.

Related Topics:
Billboard magazine - September 10 - 1988 - Alternative rock - Modern rock

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In many ways, the Modern Rock Tracks chart is a better indicator of a rock song's overall popularity than the more often cited and better established Billboard Hot 100. This is because a song's place on the Hot 100 is based almost exclusively on airplay, but most radio stations in the US play pop music or hip hop. Comparable charts to the Hot 100 in other countries are based on sales, leading to a wide variety of genres being represented. For example, a song receiving airplay only on alternative rock stations might chart well on the UK Singles Chart due to fans purchasing the single. However, the same song would likely not enter the Hot 100 due to a lack of airplay, though it would probabaly fare well on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. This problem has been corrected somewhat by the incorporation of digital downloads into the calculation of the Hot 100.

Related Topics:
Billboard Hot 100 - Pop music - Hip hop - UK Singles Chart - Digital downloads

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In addition, songs which were not released as commercial singles did not qualify for the Hot 100 before December 1998. Most rock artists don't release commerical singles in the US. Therefore, the popularity of songs from that era can only be acertained by looking at the Modern Rock Tracks chart.

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