Ranking the Music People Love to Hear


by Brian Foden

Do you want to know what's hot? Check Billboard magazine.

  For people involved in the music industry, Billboard is a must-read magazine. This _(1)_ trade publication is highly valued by DJs, musicians, songwriters, and record label executives who need to know the latest music trends. The magazine is filled with informative articles and charts of many different _(2)_ such as pop, R&B, rap, rock, and country, among several others. One of Billboard's most well-known listings is the Hot 100, which _(3)_ the popularity of singles, ranking them from number one to 100. In order to _(4)_ the Hot 100, Billboard monitors the airplay of songs from roughly 1,000 radio stations across America as well as the sales of singles from digital downloads and record stores. More recently, activity from music streaming services has been taken _(5)_ account in the Hot 100, including music played on YouTube. Another famous chart is the Billboard 200, a ranking of the most popular album sales in the United States.


  Those who associate Billboard with the latest in musical _(6)_ may be surprised to learn of its history. The reason for the publication's name is better understood when one knows that it got its start in 1894 as a trade paper for the bill posting industry, which involved putting up notices, posters, and advertisements. Over time, as the entertainment industry changed and technology evolved, Billboard began covering movies, radio, and jukebox music. In the early 1960s, the magazine began devoting itself entirely to the music industry. In many ways, the development of Billboard reflects the _(7)_ changes that have occurred in the American entertainment industry over the past century.


1. (A) agricultural (B) compassionate (C) dreadful (D) prestigious

2. (A) convicts (B) heirs (C) genres (D) reigns

3. (A) tortures (B) supervises (C) tracks (D) advocates

4. (A) accelerate (B) enlighten (C) compile (D) humiliate

5. (A) into (B) over (C) with (D) about

6. (A) frauds (B) tastes (C) mottos (D) hurdles

7. (A) harmonious (B) ingenious (C) preventive (D) dramatic

 

只想听音乐

你想知道什么最火红吗?瞧瞧《告示牌》杂志吧。

  对于身处音乐圈的人来说,《告示牌》是一本必读的杂志。这本颇具声望的商业出版刊物广受电台 DJ、音桨乐人、歌曲作者以及必须了解最新音乐潮流的唱片公司主管的高度重视。该杂志中充满了知识性的文章,以及许多不同类型音乐的排行榜,象是流行乐、节奏蓝调、饶舌乐、摇滚乐和乡村音乐等等。《告示牌》杂志中其中一项最为人熟知的排行榜就是百大热门单曲排行榜,该排行榜会追踪单曲的受欢迎程度,并将其从第一名排至第一百名。为了汇整百大热门单曲的名单,《告示牌》杂志会关注全美各地大约一千家广播电台所播放的歌曲,以及来自数位下载和唱片行的单曲销量。近期,来自在线收听音乐服务的举动已列入百大热门单曲排行榜的考虑范围当中,其中包括在 YouTube 上所播放的音乐。另一项著名的排行榜则是《告示牌》两百强专辑排行榜,这是一项在美国销量最受欢迎的专辑排行榜。


  对于那些把《告示牌》杂志和最新颖的音乐喜好信息联想在一起的人而言,他们在得知其历史后可能会感到很惊讶。如果你知道该杂志在 1894 年草创时是一家广告张贴业的商业性报纸,其中包含张贴公告、海报和广告,那么该杂志的名称由来就更容易理解了。随着时间发展,如同娱乐界的改变以及技术的演进,《告示牌》杂志开始涵盖了电影、广播和点唱机的音乐。1960 年代初期,该杂志开始全心投入音乐产业。在许多方面,《告示牌》杂志的发展反映出过去一世纪以来发生在美国娱乐界中的巨大改变。

答案: 1. D 2. C 3. C 4. C 5. A

6. B 7. D

 

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Ranking the Music People Love to Hear

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