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Number One Hits
Number One Hits

Learn about adverbs

Date: Mar 14 2011

Themes: Music

Grammar: Adverbs

Intro

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2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

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“Gold Digger” by Kanye West. “California Gurls” by Katy Perry. And who could forget “Hot in Herre” by Nelly.

What do all these songs have in common? They have all been number one on the pop charts.

But it isn’t exactly clear what makes a song number one, or what it takes to make a number one hit. Hear more from Mason and Amy.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Mason

Mason

Amy

Amy

Mason:  So, I heard something today that was amazing on a couple different levels.

Amy:  What’s that?

Mason:  So, Cake, the band…

Amy:  Oh yeah, Cake! Love them.

Mason:  Has a new album out that is like really good, it like hit number one on the charts. That’s amazing thing number one, that Cake is still making albums that hit number one.

Amy:  I know.

Mason:  And that’s no…I mean, I love Cake, don’t get me wrong.

Amy:  But you still hear the songs from, like, way back, like a decade ago or something.

Mason:  Right. But so, the crazy thing is, so it hit number one on Billboard, but it has incredibly low sales.

Amy:  Weird. Yeah, I mean, I guess I always thought that “number one” was connected to sales, you know, but I guess maybe…is it radio requests or something, or radio plays? How do they determine that a song is number one?

Mason:  I don’t know actually.

Amy:  What qualities do you think lead a song to become number one? I mean, outside of how much it sells, like what do you think makes a hit?

Mason:  Don’t they have that down to a DNA science at this point?

Amy:  I think so.

Mason:  Like, between 120 and 180 beats per minute, with thumping bass…

Amy:  Mindless lyrics that everyone can relate to.

Mason:  If anything, I’m thrilled that Cake still made it to number one.

 

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

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Mason is surprised that Cake has a number one album out. The band has been around for a long time, and he’s impressed that they’re still making hits.

He’s also surprised that even though the album is number one, it hasn’t sold many copies. He and Amy wonder what it really means when an album goes “number one” on the charts.

Amy also wonders what it takes to make a hit song. Mason thinks record companies know exactly what it takes, from how many beats per minute to what kind of lyrics the song should have.

What do you think it takes to make a hit song? What’s your number one song right now?

 

Comments

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Blue Cloud

Viet Nam

My number one song is “your’re my every thing”. I knew this song when I was a student, and now, when hearing it, I always have the same emotion.

08:18 AM Sep 19 2011 |

Blue Cloud

Viet Nam

Number one hit is a song that can touch people’s heart forever and it’s popular on TV, FM radio, internet, ect.

08:12 AM Sep 19 2011 |

RottenG

RottenG

Turkey

a hit song should make many people to feel the same with lyrics and music..


my number one song’s Anathema – Lost Control.. lyrics suits me really well..

02:35 PM Aug 12 2011 |

Romio79

Romio79

Russian Federation

I've heard Cake's last album. Some songs are really good. Long Time, Got To Move are my number one songs right nowSmile

06:50 PM Mar 17 2011 |

trailo_hathanh

Viet Nam

I have no ideal. But I like a song with mind lyric and way back, classical, like "I have dream" of ABBA.

 It is good.

03:00 AM Mar 15 2011 |

snigdhabala

India

I think,every beat of song touches the people’s heart with their emotion and feelings

11:44 PM Mar 14 2011 |

bilgins

bilgins

Turkey

I think ,they have used some mathematical formules to create a song and these songs could become more popular than the others.Money mouth

06:42 PM Mar 14 2011 |

Zambuka

Zambuka

United States

I have music down to science :) listening to it everyday, every hour, and regardless to its popularity :-p

10:42 AM Mar 14 2011 |

Veta_JD

Veta_JD

Russian Federation

Song will be number one hit for me if I want to hear it so ofter as it is possible and every time will feel new nuance into it and assosiate this song with my life and mood, but usually song became hit when many people order this thing to play on radiostation and download it and set on their phone

09:28 AM Mar 14 2011 |

sofree

sofree

China

Oh, I also thought that “number one” was connected to sales, so now obviously it's not. Maybe they have some "experts" to make the list?

Recently I'm really into Matchbox 20, the "bent".

06:37 AM Mar 14 2011 |

abu3bdu

abu3bdu

Syrian Arab Republic

so so brilliant
don’t get me wrong…
i mean the lesson!!!!haha

04:12 AM Mar 14 2011 |

dearpesar

dearpesar

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

music must be new, innovative and raised from the spirit. that will be hit song i thinkCool

some old iranian music are still my number oneSmile

02:52 AM Mar 14 2011 |

Roamingcloud

Taiwan

A number one song is a song that can touch my heart immediately when I hear it. You feel like that it tells the story of itself.

01:45 AM Mar 14 2011 |

devilrock

devilrock

Morocco

for me a number one song is a song with meaningfull and clever lyrics and the music must go with it so it makes  a gd flow together

actually my favorite song is ''belief – continuum – john mayer'' 

01:09 AM Mar 14 2011 |

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