When Rihanna launches a new album, it’s fairly easy to guess that it’s going to appear on the top music charts. But what about those hits which seem just happen to go viral overnight, like Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” hitting the charts 37 years after its release thanks to Stranger Things?
Well, there’s a new way to track those. On Wednesday, Apple launched Shazam Viral Charts, using its music discovery platform to offer an overview of what’s going viral right now.
According to Apple, the charts do more than tracking social hits. “They capture the full spectrum of how songs are catapulted into the spotlight, including cultural moments from traditional media, on-demand streaming, and tentpole events,” the company wrote in a press release.
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Another example of how this happens is Billy Preston’s “Nothing From Nothing” reaching No. 4. on the U.S. chart after being featured on The White Lotus Season 3 finale.
Apple didn’t share much about the algorithms that populate these charts, beyond saying that the aim is to capture the fastest-moving songs right now.
It’s not just one chart, either: A global chart tracks the top 50 viral hits globally, and the 42 national charts rank 25 top songs.
The charts, which are updated daily, are available on Apple Music and Shazam.
