"And I need you like a heart needs a beat
But it's nothing new - yeah
I loved you with the fire red-
It's too late to apologize, it's too late
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late whoaa ohhh . . . "

- from the song “Apologize” by Timbaland

How many times can you listen to the same song over and over again?

A commercial radio station in Philadelphia had faith that its listeners wanted to hear Timbaland’s song “Apologize” 123 times. In one week.

That’s a record, according to Jeff Leeds’ recent article in the New York Times. “Apologize,” by the modern rock band OneRepublic and producer Timbaland also broke the national record for the most plays of a song on Top 40 stations in a week. It played more than 10,000 times.

10,240 times, to be exact.

Oh, yeah! These are the statistics that make public radio folk feel smug and virtuous! Our listeners are smart! Our listeners want variety! Our listeners have taste!

Then again, I have songs I’ve listened to thousands of times. I imagine that you do, too.

(http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/01/arts/music/01one.html?_r=1...)