Switched on Pop

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MUSIC COMMENTARY
UPDATED WEEKLY

A podcast all about the making and meaning of popular music. Musicologist Nate Sloan & songwriter Charlie Harding pull back the curtain on how pop hits work magic on our ears & our culture. From Vulture and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

7 HR AGO

Listening 2 Madonna: Who's That Girl?

Madonna is the world's biggest female pop star. She's influenced everyone from Beyoncé to Britney Spears; is the most successful solo artist in Hot 100 chart history; and is the best-selling female recording artist of all time. Her career – which has spanned over forty years – has seen her continually reinventing herself and her sound over fourteen studio albums, from her early years in the New York City underground dance scene, to collaborating with artists like Maluma, Sam Smith, and the Weeknd. Throughout all this, though, she has also managed to remain an enigma. Much has been said about Madonna, but through her work, a holy trinity of themes has emerged. And through these themes – gender exploration, multiculturalism, and spirituality – we can unpack one of the most iconic catalogs in pop music. This week on Switched On Pop, we're Listening 2 Madonna, and releasing three special episodes focused on the Material Girl, going Deeper and Deeper to understand the Queen of Pop. On this episode, we take a look at how Madonna conveys gender in her work, from "Like A Virgin" to "What It Feels Like For A Girl." Songs discussed: Madonna – "Vogue" Madonna – "Borderline" Madonna – "Like A Virgin" Madonna – "Material Girl" Deniece Williams – "Let's Hear It For The Boy" Madonna – "True Blue" Madonna – "Live to Tell" Madonna – "Papa Don't Preach" Madonna – "Express Yourself" Madonna – "Justify My Love" Madonna – "Deeper and Deeper" Madonna – "Waiting" Madonna – "Bad Girl" Madonna – "What It Feels Like For A Girl" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

49 min
6 DAYS AGO

Fleetwood Mac perfected turning drama into hits

In 1973, before their ascent to rock superstardom with Fleetwood Mac, Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks were just two young lovers making music in Los Angeles. Their debut album, Buckingham Nicks, though commercially unsuccessful at the time, would prove to be the catalyst that changed their lives. When Mick Fleetwood happened to walk into Sound City Studios and overheard Buckingham's masterful guitar work, he knew he'd found what his band desperately needed given the departure of their guitarist Peter Green. Fleetwood invited Buckingham to join the group, and Buckingham agreed on one condition: his musical and romantic partner, Stevie Nicks, would come too. This fateful meeting would birth the legendary lineup that created Fleetwood Mac and Rumours, albums that would define a generation. Yet all this time, the band's origin story, captured in Buckingham Nicks, has remained locked away in aging vinyl archives – until now. Grammy-winning guitarist Madison Cunningham and virtuoso multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird have breathed new life into this historic recording with their interpretation, Cunningham Bird. Cunningham, celebrated for her sophisticated fingerpicking and intricate compositions, joins forces with Bird, whose distinctive violin work and plaintive vocals have earned him critical acclaim. Their reimagining of this pivotal album offers fresh insight into both Fleetwood Mac's enduring influence and the rocky romance that sparked their success. I sat down with the duo to discuss their approach to this legendary material and what drew them to resurrect these long-lost songs. Switched On Pop spoke with Madison Cunningham and Andrew Bird about how they adapted Buckingham Nicks into Cunningham Bird Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

53 min
12 NOV

Still Freaky After All These Years: Gaga, Tyler, The Cure

A musical "freak," to us here at Switched On Pop, is an artist who is unique, non-conforming, and always manages to surprise. We're living in some freaky times right now, so there's no better way to honor that than to listen to pop's freakiest artists. The past few weeks have seen new releases from Lady Gaga, Tyler, the Creator, and The Cure – the latter releasing their first new album in sixteen years. This episode of Switched On Pop, we unpack these songs and get to the bottom of their freakiness. Songs discussed: Lady Gaga – Disease Tyler, The Creator – Noid The Cure – Alone More Subscribe to Jesse Cannon Music Marketing Trends newsletter Follow Jesse Cannon Musformation YouTube channel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

34 min
5 NOV

Did Kendrick Lamar kill hip-hop?

Over the summer, the culture was shaken by the biggest rap beef this decade, between Drake and Kendrick Lamar. From “First Person Shooter” to “Not Like Us,” hip-hop listeners hung on each rapper’s every word and rebuttal, and for the first time in years, the genre felt exciting. Months after the beef had “ended,” Lamar released a track on Instagram dubbed “Watch the Party Die,” in which he lamented that hip-hop, in its current state, has lost its way and – as the title suggests – needs to die. It’s interesting, coming from Lamar, the supposed winner of the beef, and begs the question: is hip-hop dead? On this episode of Switched On Pop, engineer Brandon McFarland takes us on a journey over the course of history, to answer the question: can hip-hop ever truly die? And if this form of it is not sustainable, what’s next? Tracklist: Drake - First Person Shooter ft. J. Cole Future, Metro Boomin, Kendrick Lamar - Like That Drake - Push Ups Kendrick Lamar - Euphoria Drake - Family Matters Kendrick Lamar - meet the grahams Kendrick Lamar - Not Like Us Kendrick Lamar - Watch The Party Die Glass Animals - Heat Waves Desiigner - Panda Migos - Versace Public Enemy - Bring The Noise THE CARTERS - APESHIT Ariana Grande - 34+35 Kendrick Lamar - Alright Jay-Z - D.O.A. Cher - Believe T-Pain - I'm Sprung Lil Wayne - Lollipop ft. Static Kanye West - Heartless Drake - Over Travis Scott - Mamacita ft. Rich Homie Quan, Young Thug Lil Yachty - Poland DRAM feat. Lil Yachty - Broccoli Charlie XCX - 360 Too $hort - Oakland California Geto Boys - Damn It Feels Good to Be a Gangsta Geto Boys - Mind Playing Tricks On Me Blondie - Rapture Playboi Carti - Magnolia Playboi Carti - Rockstar Made Lil Uzi Vert - New Patek Lil Uzi Vert - Suicide Doors Lil Uzi Vert - XO Tour Llif3 Juice WRLD - Lucid Dreams (Forget Me) Future - Fuck Up Some Commas Tyler, The Creator – Sticky tisakorean - LET ME HEAR YOU SCREAM Travis Porter ft. Tyga - Ayy Ladies AgusFortnite2008, Stiffy & DJ Smokey – COF COF Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

58 min
29 OCT

Where are all the scary songs?

It’s the spookiest time of the year; Halloween is right around the corner. But unlike the winter holidays like Christmas and Hanukkah, Halloween seems to lack a defining canon of scary music. There’s, of course, “Monster Mash,” and “Ghostbusters,” but those songs aren’t actually bone-chilling. Is there a way to make music scary? In a live show from The Dalton School in New York City, Nate and Charlie try to unpack that very question, dissecting some of the scariest songs of all time to create their own spine-tingling, hair-raising Halloween anthem. Songs discussed: Bobby “Boris” Pickett – Monster Mash Michael Jackson – Thriller Ray Parker Jr. – Ghostbusters Bernard Hermann – The Murder (From Psycho) John Williams – Main Title (Theme From Jaws) John Carpenter – Halloween, Main Title Cannibal Corpse – Scourge of Iron Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

32 min
22 OCT

The virtuosity of Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder may be our modern day Mozart. A child prodigy, he joined Motown as a preadolescent where he was marketed as “Little” Stevie Wonder. He wowed audiences with his virtuosic command of the piano, harmonica, drums and of course, vocals. At just 13, he had his first number one hit “Fingertips Part II.” It was an unusual chart topper, featuring a live recording of mostly improvised music with Wonder switching between instruments as the audience cheered him on. But Wonder’s musical potential was far more than a gimmick. In the 1970s, Wonder broke free from the confines of his initial recording contract, securing his artistic and financial freedom. Between 1971 and 1976, during what is now known as his "classic period," he released five of the most iconic albums in popular music, beginning with Music of My Mind and culminating in Songs in the Key of Life. These albums showcased his musical genius and included timeless songs that have become part of the modern pop canon, touching on themes of love, heartbreak, justice, and spirituality. Few child prodigies fulfill their potential as profoundly as Stevie Wonder. With the help of Wesley Morris, NYT critic and host of the spectacular audio series The Wonder of Stevie, Switched on Pop looks back on some of Stevie Wonder’s strongest compositions, exploring what makes him our contemporary musical maestro. Songs Discussed: Stevie Wonder - "Girl Blue" Stevie Wonder - "Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You)" Stevie Wonder - "Superstition" Stevie Wonder - "Golden Lady" Stevie Wonder - "Isn't She Lovely" Stevie Wonder - "I Wish" Stevie Wonder - "Sir Duke" Stevie Wonder - "As" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

1h 7m
15 OCT

The last decade of pop explained

We celebrate Switched On Pop's 10th anniversary by taking a deep dive into the last decade of pop music. From bubblegum pop to EDM, trap, and K-pop, we explore how the sound of pop has continually evolved—even when it feels like it’s all the same. Plus, we pull back the curtain on the show with a special interview: Sean Rameswaram, host of Vox's Today Explained, puts Nate and Charlie in the hot seat to reveal their best—and most cringe-worthy—moments from the past decade. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

54 min
8 OCT

Learning to love: Coldplay

Coldplay is one of the biggest musical acts in the world, ranking #6 on Spotify and boasting one of the highest-grossing tours of all time. Yet, despite their global success, they've often been a critical punching bag. The New York Times once branded them “the most insufferable band of the decade.” The Independent described them as “pompous, mawkish, and unbearably smug.” But Coldplay has never claimed to be the hardest rock band—they’ve instead built a legacy on their softer sound and uplifting message. With the release of their 10th studio album, Moon Music, we dive deep into their catalog and ask the question: can we learn to love Coldplay? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

50 min

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A podcast all about the making and meaning of popular music. Musicologist Nate Sloan & songwriter Charlie Harding pull back the curtain on how pop hits work magic on our ears & our culture. From Vulture and the Vox Media Podcast Network.