What's going on with Interpolation?
Testing the claims of a Billboard journalist
The Claim
In 2022 there was a wave of songs on the Hot 100 charts that were interpolating, sampling or otherwise copying other hit songs from previous eras. An example would be Doja Cat’s “Kiss Me More” interpolating “Physical” by Oivia Newton-John. However, the trend has lessened in the years since. (paraphrased from source)
This comes from a TikTok video by Billboard journalist Kristin Robinson, published in early June of 2025. It’s an interesting piece with some keen insights and well worth watching. But it’s this foundational claim which I am in a unique position to test, since the particular musical property she references is one I have tracked in my analysis of every song that appears in the Billboard Hot 100 for over half a decade. If you’re new, you can find details about me and this data project here.
The Nerdy Bit
As I’ve discussed in a previous article about Tate McRae, the categorization of this particular musical property can be tricky; there is some subjectivity involved in sorting through the blurred lines and flashing lights.1 Within my particular analytical framework I include songs in this category whose usage of interpolation or sampling is prominent or pervasive enough to reasonably argue that the appeal of the older song or recording is being used as an essential quality of appeal in the new song.
I aim to exclude songs that have only veiled musical references, especially if the suspected original is unlikely to be familiar to the general audience. I also exclude songs that are more fittingly categorized as a conventional “Cover” or “Remix”. After this filtration, we are left with a spectrum of songs that share what I label in my database the “Historic Copy” quality.
For example, there is the use of Daft Punk’s distinctive “One More Time” sample as the foundational track element in “Circo Loco” by Drake and 21 Savage. They also occasionally interpolate the melody and lyric.
Another example is “Lucky” by Halsey, which doesn’t use an actual sample, but is very obviously an interpolation of “Lucky” by Britney Spears. And only slightly less obviously, the track is an interpolation of “Angel of Mine” by Monica.
The Test
So… is the claim accurate? Did these kinds of songs spike in 2022 and then recede?
As always, this testing of claims is done in good nature and without any intent to throw shade! However in this case there is little shade to be thrown anyway. As seen below in terms of absolute count, there is indeed a clear surge in 2022 which then drops off in the years after.
If there is anything Kristin misses in her assessment it’s that the post-2022 decline seems like a mere pullback in what looks like a longer term up-trend in these “Historic Copy” songs appearing on the Hot 100 charts.
Presented below as a percentage of all songs in the Hot 100, the increase is clear and I wouldn’t be surprise to see it continue.
The Musician’s Perspective
Frankly, I’ve seen the bar moving for a while. I’m sure many of us have. The attitude in writing sessions over the years has grown increasingly open to borrowing from the great songs of the past. And within the musician’s mindset, I see two primary reasons for this shift.
The first is a decrease in the creative taboo. For a long time there was an assumed inferiority to writing songs using obvious interpolation. But there is simply less social/artistic deterrent as we’ve seen more and more of our peers and idols alike do it without penalty or shame. It’s now just another tool in the music makers’ tool belt.
The second reason is a symptom of music becoming just another subset of the attention economy. In the gladiatorial contest to cut through the noise, we’re incentivized towards anything that might give us a slight edge. It’s not surprising then that we may be drawn to utilizing the power of the familiar every once in awhile.
I’ll soon be updating my custom ChatGPT with the first six months of analysis data from 2025 and will try to post an update on this trend!