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What was the world listening to? Music charts, 20 countries (1940–2025)

What was the world listening to? Music charts, 20 countries (1940–2025)

by matteocantiello·Mar 10, 2026·114 points·51 comments

AI Analysis

●●●BangerRabbit HoleEye CandyZero to One

Explore 230 global music charts from 1940–2025 with a Back to the Future UI.

Strengths
  • Aggregates 230 historical charts across 20 countries into one playable interface
  • Time Circuit UI creates a distinct nostalgic vibe unlike standard dashboards
  • Open source contribution model allows community to expand country coverage
Weaknesses
  • Limited to 20 countries currently, leaving large gaps in global music history
  • Relies on external YouTube and Spotify links that may break over time
Category
Target Audience

Music historians, data visualization fans, curious listeners

Similar To

Every Noise at Once · Chartmetric · Spotify

Post Description

I built this because I wanted to know what people in Japan were listening to the year I was born. That question spiraled: how does a hit in Rome compare to what was charting in Lagos the same year? How did sonic flavors propagate as streaming made musical influence travel faster than ever? 88mph is a playable map of music history: 230 charts across 20 countries, spanning 8 decades (1940–2025). Every song is playable via YouTube or Spotify. It's open source and I'd love help expanding it — there's a link to contribute charts for new countries and years. The goal is to crowdsource a complete sonic atlas of the world.

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