Podcast Episodes
Back to SearchDolly Parton's America (with Jad Abumrad)
Episode 146
There are icons, and then there’s Dolly Parton. The country singer-turned-actress-turned-cultural phenomenon has produced a nearly unparalleled body …
6 years, 3 months ago
Who's Afraid of the Sound of TikTok? (w Cat Zhang)
Episode 145
Bass distorted to the edge of audibility; voices croaking out dark and violent lyrics; a hacked-together DIY aesthetic. This isn't a fringe musical m…
6 years, 3 months ago
Paper Planes, Chandelier & What the #@%! is Timbre? (with Constance Grady)
Episode 144
We hand over the hosting duties to Constance Grady, book reviewer for Vox.com, to discuss our new book/baby - Switched on Pop: How Popular Music Work…
6 years, 3 months ago
Prelude & Feud on a 'G' Thang: Biggie vs Tupac
Episode 143
The East Coast / West Coast hip hop feud between Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls is full of tragedy and conspiracy, but what did it really sound like?…
6 years, 4 months ago
Pop is the Sound We Need Right Now (with Electric Guest)
Episode 142
Electric Guest (Asa Taccone and Matthew Compton) take a left turn towards pop on “Dollar" — a song about making more out of less, something too many …
6 years, 4 months ago
The Past, Present, and Future of EMO (with Allegra Frank)
Episode 141
Nate doesn’t know much about the musical style known as emo. Sadly, he was too busy nerding out on jazz during his youthful years to catch the moment…
6 years, 4 months ago
When Pop and Classical Collide (with James Bennett II)
Episode 140
Once upon a time, classical music was pop, so today it's worth stepping back and asking: where does one genre stop and the other begin? Can classical…
6 years, 4 months ago
Unlocking the Rhythms of Rosalía
Episode 139
Back in the fall of 2017, our producer Megan Lubin went for a stroll near her house, popped in earbuds, and heard a song that’s stuck with her ever s…
6 years, 5 months ago
Rihanna Party! (with Gina Delvac)
Episode 138
Last year, NPR Music ran an audacious headline: "Rihanna Is The 21st Century's Most Influential Musician." Millions and millions of fans the world ov…
6 years, 5 months ago
Why U Love 2 Listen 2 Prince (with Anil Dash)
Episode 137
*The first thing you need to know about this episode is that Anil Dash is obsessed with Prince. Since he’s the host of the tech podcast Function, he …
6 years, 5 months ago