Figure 5

The POP Score gains its power over a track's first plays

Average displayed POP Score at each of a track's first 20 qualifying plays, on the 0–100 scale, with tracks grouped by the band they eventually settle into. The bands start bunched and fan apart: the meter learns to separate tracks it will rank differently.

Ends high (final >75)   Ends typical (30–75)   Ends low (<30). The grouping uses each track's eventual band, so this shows how early the meter anticipates a track's standing, not that any single track's value is fixed by play 12. Source: measured POP Score per play, heavily-played tracks (≥20 qualifying plays), Dance UK and Box UK.