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The State of the Pop Union
Episode 245
From time to time, it is our constitutional duty to provide an update to the people on the current state of pop. What are the sounds? Who’s making th…
4 years, 4 months ago
Why ABBA songs just hit different
Episode 244
Swedish supergroup ABBA is releasing their first album in forty years, making this the perfect time for Nate and Charlie to investigate what makes th…
4 years, 5 months ago
The Healing Power of Pop with Esperanza Spalding
It’s. been. a year. We’ve felt it, you’ve felt it. Sometimes it’s comforting to consider how universally-shared that overwhelming sense of blah is. O…
4 years, 5 months ago
Janet Jackson's Legacy After 'Control' from It's Been A Minute with Sam Sanders
Sam Sanders is one of our favorite friends of the podcast. His NPR show, It's Been A Minute, has released an outstanding three part series exploring …
4 years, 5 months ago
James Bond and the Sound of Spycraft
Episode 242
The latest installment of the James Bond franchise, No Time To Die, closes the book on the Daniel Craig era of the international superspy. The film’s…
4 years, 5 months ago
James Blake & The Return of Harmony
Episode 241
For a decade James Blake has crafted an idiosyncratic sound. His early work as a minimalist electronic producer fused lush R&B chords with lyrical co…
4 years, 5 months ago
Sparkle spoke out against R Kelly. It cost her her career.
Episode 240
On this week’s episode we're sharing a story fromThe Cut where senior writer Angelina Chapin and co-host Jazmín Aguilera talk about and talk with Spa…
4 years, 6 months ago
The Mystery of Montero AKA Lil Nas X (feat. Take A Daytrip)
Episode 216
Lil Nas X has a talent for creating productive controversy. First with “Old Town Road,” he challenged expectations about blackness in country music. …
4 years, 6 months ago
Deja Vu: Why Olivia Rodrigo keeps giving up songwriting credits
Episode 239
In the last few years music copyright claims have skyrocketed. More and more artists are giving songwriting credits away. Frequently, credits are giv…
4 years, 6 months ago
CHVRCHES and the sound of 80s horror
Episode 238
CHVRCHES is well-known for their comprehensive use of synthesizers and their updated take on “synthpop”, a subgenre of pop we most closely associated…
4 years, 6 months ago