Greatest hits are exhausting
If all you consume is the most-read list, if all you listen to are the hits, if all you eat is the most popular item on the menu—you're missing out.
The web has pushed us to read what everyone else is reading, the hit of the day. But popular isn't the same as important. Popular isn't the same as profound. Popular isn't even the same as useful.
To make something popular, the creator leaves out the hard parts and amps up the crowd-pleasing riffs. To make something popular, the creator knows that she's dumbing things down in exchange for attention.
The songs you love the most, the soundtrack of your life--almost none of them were #1 on the Billboard charts. And the same goes for the books that changed the way you see the world or the lessons that have transformed your life.
Popularity doesn't mean 'best'. It merely means popular.
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Seth Godin's Blog
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Sadly I think you are wrong about people's favorite were not number one.
We see more people ONLY listening to top chart music, and not let themselves be exposed to music that is accepted and appreciated by smaller audiences.
Why else do you have bad music with litterally billions of hits, and unknown (but better) music struggling to get to 10.000?
But I do agree with you. Being a DJ or band to a wedding has never been easier. You have to play or learn how to play less than 100 songs, and then everyone is happy if you play them. Because they know them.
If you haven't read it, I highly recommend reading "The Power of Habit", which explains how people choose music.
It is scary.
Thank for all your writing.