A lot can happen in the course of a year, especially when it comes to hit songwriting.  Some of the most notable shifts compared to this week last year include the shift in primary genre from Pop to R&B/Soul, the change in primary instrumentation from prominent Bass to Synth and the increase in song length.  However, you’d be surprised by how many characteristics actually remained the same!

What follows is a comparison of the top performing categories within the HSD Music Charts during the same week in 2014 and 2015.

[Header 1 header=”Songs In The Hot 100 Top 10″]

[Header 2 header=”Then (Week of 5/17/14)”]

#1 All Of Me:  John Legend
#2 Happy:  Pharrell Williams
#3 Problem:  Ariana Grande f. Iggy Azalea
#4 Fancy:  Iggy Azalea f. Charlie XCX
#5 Dark Horse:  Katy Perry featuring Juicy J
#6 Talk Dirty:  Jason Derulo featuring 2 Chainz
#7 Turn Down For What:  DJ Snake & Lil Jon
#8 Not A Bad Thing:  Justin Timberlake
#9 Let It Go:  Idina Menzel
#10 Pompeii:  Bastille

[Header 2 header=”Now (Week of 5/16/15)”]

#1 See You Again:  Wiz Khalifa f. Charlie Puth
#2 Trap Queen:  Fetty Wap
#3 Uptown Funk:  Mark Ronson
#4 Earned It:  The Weeknd
#5 Shut Up And Dance:  Walk On The Moon
#6 Sugar:  Maroon 5
#7 Love Me Like You Do:  Ellie Goulding
#8 Want To Want Me:  Jason Derulo
#9 Nasty Freestyle:  T-Wayne
#10 Thinking Out Loud:  Ed Sheeran

[Header 1 header=”Remained The Same From 2014 to 2015″]

[Header 2 header=”Top Lead Vocal Category”]

Then:  Solo Male
Now:  Solo Male

[Header 2 header=”Top Lyrical Theme Category”]

Then:  Love/Relationships
Now:  Love/Relationships

[Header 2 header=”Top First Chorus Occurrence Category”]

Then:  Moderately Late (0:40 – 0:59)
Now:  Moderately Late (0:40 – 0:59)

[Header 2 header=”Top Intro Length Category”]

Then:  Moderately Short (0:10 – 0:19)
Now:  Moderately Short (0:10 – 0:19)

[Header 2 header=”Top Electric Vs. Acoustic Instrumentation Category”]

Then:  Primarily Electric
Now:  Primarily Electric

[Header 2 header=”Top Song Title Appearance Category”]

Then:  11 – 15 Times
Now:  11 – 15 Times

[Header 1 header=”Changed From 2014 to 2015″]

[Header 2 header=”Top Primary Genre Category”]

Then:  Pop
Now:  R&B/Soul

[Header 2 header=”Top Song Length Category”]

Then:  3:30 – 3:59
Now:  4:00+

[Header 2 header=”Top Song Title Word Count Category”]

Then:  One-Word
Now:  Two-Words

[Header 2 header=”Top Primary Instrumentation Category”]

Then:  Prominent Bass
Now:  Synth

[Header 2 header=”Top Record Label”]

Then:  Columbia
Now:  Atlantic, Interscope and RCA (three-way tie)

[Header 2 header=”Top Songwriter Count Category”]

Then:  One, Two and Five Writer Songs (three-way tie)
Now:  Five+ Writer Songs