Streaming playlists revolutionize music discovery for the first time since Top 40 radio, and labels and platforms pounce to regain control of Pop from unpredictable fans and their chaotic clicks and taps. Meanwhile, breakthroughs by Trap Hip-Hop and The Weeknd steer things toward darker, more ominous waters and Taylor Swift leaves Nashville, goes full Pop, conquers the charts and powers two of the year’s biggest Male Singer-Songwriters.

#1 Song of the Year   The top song according to our Chartcrush ranking of all Hot100 songs that earned the majority of their chart ranking points in the year

Artists of the Year   The top three artists based on all charted songs during the calendar year

1. Taylor Swift
2. The Weeknd
3. Fetty Wap

Artist with Most Charting Songs   Artist(s) with the most Hot100 charting songs during the year (song count in parentheses)

• Drake (23)

Average #1 Artist Age   The average of how old artists who scored #1 Hot100 hits during the year were when their songs first reached #1

• 27.7 years

#1 Songs   List of Hot100 #1 songs that earned the majority of their chart ranking points in the year, and (in parentheses), the month the song first hit #1 and the total number of weeks it was #1

1. Taylor Swift – Shake It Off (September ’14, 4 wks)
2. Taylor Swift – Blank Space (November ’14, 7 wks)
3. Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars – Uptown Funk! (January, 14 wks)
4. Wiz Khalifa feat. Charlie Puth – See You Again (April, 12 wks)
5. Taylor Swift – Bad Blood (June, 1 wk)
6. OMI – Cheerleader (July, 6 wks)
7. The Weeknd – Can’t Feel My Face (August, 3 wks)
8. Justin Bieber – What Do You Mean? (September, 1 wk)
9. The Weeknd – The Hills (October, 6 wks)