storytelling with data podcast storytelling with data podcast: #94 the uncharted territory of data and music with Chris Dalla Riva
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Dec 4, 2025 Chris Dalla Riva, a musician and data analyst, delves into the fascinating world where music meets analytics. He shares his ambitious project of listening to every Billboard No. 1 hit, revealing insights about song structure influenced by technology. Discussing misconceptions about streaming payouts and song authenticity, he highlights the impact of genre labels shaped by industry biases. Chris also addresses the ethical implications of AI in music, sparking a thought-provoking conversation on creativity and representation in the digital age.
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Build And Clean Your Own Data
- Build your own dataset when existing data doesn't answer your question to gain deeper understanding.
- Expect tedious cleaning but gain confidence and better analysis results.
Genre Labels Carry Social Meaning
- Genre labels often encode race, gender, and geography beyond sound alone.
- Categorization decisions carry biases and affect how music is presented and consumed.
Make Data Writing Approachable
- Put technical details in footnotes and write as if speaking to make analysis accessible.
- Use familiar cultural examples to ground technical points for general readers.
