414: Popcast (Deluxe): Britney Spears’s Wembanyama Run-In and Taylor Swift’s ‘Revenge’
Plus: Lil Uzi Vert’s new No. 1 “Pink Tape,” and Wes Anderson’s “Asteroid City.”
1hr 2m Jul 12, 2023
1hr 2m
413: The Many Lives of Lil Durk
How the Chicago rap veteran reinvented himself, and became a star largely in the shadows. Guest: Fake Shore Drive's Andrew Barber.
53m Jul 11, 2023
53m
412: Popcast (Deluxe): Olivia Rodrigo Returns, Fall Out Boy Denies History
Plus: “Barbie” memes and the Grimace Shake attacks.
54m Jul 05, 2023
54m
411: Popcast (Deluxe): Kim Petras’s New LP and Jennifer Lawrence’s Return
Up for discussion this week: “The Idol” approaches its finale, the conclusion of Kesha and Dr. Luke’s legal battle and more.
1hr 9m Jun 29, 2023
1hr 9m
410: Kylie Minogue’s ‘Padam Padam’ and the Queer Club-Pop Canon
The global star’s single has become the soundtrack of Pride this year, opening fresh conversations about pop divas and their gay fans. Guest: Vulture's Jason P. Frank
51m Jun 27, 2023
51m
409: Popcast (Deluxe): Pharrell Williams at Louis Vuitton and Gunna’s New LP
What’s the role of global celebrity in high fashion? Why hasn’t hip-hop penetrated the charts this year? And what’s the snack of the week?
1hr 17m Jun 21, 2023
1hr 17m
408: The Joni Mitchell Renaissance
A conversation about how the singer-songwriter was received during her career peak, and how she is remaking her own music in her later years. Guest: Lindsay Zoladz.
42m Jun 17, 2023
42m
407: Popcast (Deluxe): The Rise of the A.I. Pop Star, Luke Combs’s ‘Fast Car’
Dissecting the recent wave of songs ‘by’ Drake and others, plus your questions about band reunions, a rundown of new songs and more.
59m Jun 14, 2023
59m
406: Popcast Mailbag! Frank Ocean, Peso Pluma, A.I. Grimes and More
You asked, we answered your questions about the weight of following a smash single and the persistence of genre. Guests: Jon Pareles, Joe Coscarelli, Lindsay Zoladz and Caryn Ganz.
1hr 1m Jun 09, 2023
1hr 1m
405: Popcast (Deluxe): Taylor Swift and Matty Healy, Plus ‘The Idol’
Breaking down Ice Spice’s new feature on Swift’s “Karma” remix, the explosion in pop music documentaries and more.
1hr 2m Jun 07, 2023
1hr 2m
404: Popcast (Deluxe): Morgan Wallen, Indie Sleaze and ‘Survivor’
Introducing a new weekly video show from the Popcast team that breaks down the essential pop culture story lines of the moment.
1hr 2m May 31, 2023
1hr 2m
403: On TikTok, Pop Music Speeds Up
A 12-year-old Miguel song has re-entered the Billboard charts, demonstrating how the app reshapes listening habits. Guest: Billboard's Elias Leight.
37m May 24, 2023
37m
402: Jessie Ware Is Dancing Into Her Second Act
A conversation about the British musician’s journey to her lush neo-disco manifesto “That! Feels Good!” Guests: Caryn Ganz and Lindsay Zoladz.
45m May 17, 2023
45m
401: Ed Sheeran Is Vindicated, But Other Copyright Battles Rage On
Do current protections account for how music is actually made now? Guest: Ben Sisario.
47m May 10, 2023
47m
400: Jai Paul Emerges From the Shadows, Somewhat
The elusive vocalist and producer performed his first shows last month. Do they mark the end of an arc, or a new beginning? Guests: Lindsay Zoladz and The New Yorker's Jia Tolentino.
54m May 04, 2023
54m
399: How Fred again.. Jolted Dance Music
A conversation about the genre's new wave of big-tent ambition, and the whimsical British artist at the heart of it. Guest: Foster Kamer.
48m Apr 24, 2023
48m
398: A Spree of Country Music Divorce Albums
Kelsea Ballerini, Carly Pearce and Kacey Musgraves have reacted to breakups — and found freedom — in song. Guest: Marissa R. Moss.
48m Apr 17, 2023
48m
397: The Friendship Harmonies of boygenius
How Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus’s side project has become a major part of their music — and their lore. Guests: Jon Pareles and Pitchfork's Cat Zhang.
39m Apr 06, 2023
39m
396: How Taylor Swift Shapes the Story of Her Eras
The pop superstar is back on tour for the first time since 2018, performing grand stadium shows that spin a narrative from her 10-album catalog. Guest: Joe Coscarelli.
48m Mar 31, 2023
48m
395: The Inevitability of Ice Spice
A conversation about the ubiquitous Bronx rapper’s rise, and her boosts from the meme universe. Guest: Rolling Stone's Jeff Ihaza.
51m Mar 22, 2023
51m
394: The Return of Morgan Wallen (Who Never Went Away)
As the country star’s new album earns the biggest debut of the year, a conversation about the nature of his fame and the scope of his reprimand for using a racial slur. Guest: The New Yorker's Kelefa Sanneh.
55m Mar 16, 2023
55m
393: Celebrating De La Soul, With Questlove
A conversation about the group’s impact and legacy as its music finally arrives on streaming services, just weeks after the death of one of its rappers, Dave Jolicoeur. Guests: Questlove and Joseph Patel.
59m Mar 08, 2023
59m
392: Pharrell and Luxury Fashion’s Hip-Hop Obsession
The hitmaker has been named a creative director at Louis Vuitton, building another bridge between two worlds with decades of history. Guest: Complex's Aria Hughes.
43m Mar 01, 2023
43m
391: SZA’s Very Roundabout Path to Success
A conversation about the singer and songwriter’s chart-topping “SOS,” and the different approach to star-making that brought her there. Guest: Danyel Smith.
45m Feb 18, 2023
45m
390: Lil Yachty Breaks Boundaries and Takes on Rap Conservatism
A conversation about the hip-hop eccentric’s experiments, and the benefits (and perils) of collaborating outside an artist’s established genre. Guests: Jayson Buford and The Ringer's Justin Charity.
55m Feb 10, 2023
55m
389: Grammys 2023: Hip-Hop Wins, Beyoncé Wins (Sort of)
Does respect from music’s premier awards show still carry weight? Guests: Joe Coscarelli, Jon Pareles and Lindsay Zoladz.
56m Feb 07, 2023
56m
388: Blackpink, Aespa, NewJeans: The Evolution of K-Pop Girl Groups
Acts with growing profiles and unique personalities are taking increasingly different paths, as the genre’s globalization opens new doors. Guest: Tamar Herman.
46m Jan 26, 2023
46m
387: Ticketmaster Under the Magnifying Glass
The concert giant has long been the target of consumer complaints and artists’ ire. Recent incidents involving Taylor Swift and Bad Bunny have renewed focus on problems in the live marketplace. Guest: Ben Sisario.
1hr Jan 19, 2023
1hr
386: Jazz’s Year of Reckoning With Tradition
As the genre experiences a creative renaissance, has it become quietly radical to re-embrace the past? Guests: Harmony Holiday and Giovanni Russonello.
45m Jan 12, 2023
45m
385: The Year of Bad Bunny
With a blockbuster LP and a smash tour, the genre-melding superstar set a new bar for himself, and expanded the possibilities for Spanish-language pop worldwide. Guests: Billboard's Leila Cobo and The New York Times Magazine's Carina del Valle Schorske.
59m Jan 06, 2023
59m
384: Year-End Listener Mailbag: Your 2022 Questions, Part 2
Answering reader queries about the state of the music video, Morgan Wallen, SZA and Ethel Cain and more. Guests: Joe Coscarelli and Caryn Ganz.
1hr 5m Dec 31, 2022
1hr 5m
383: Year-End Listener Mailbag: Your 2022 Questions, Part 1
You asked, we answered your queries about Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, the state of indie rock and more. Guests: Joe Coscarelli and Caryn Ganz.
55m Dec 28, 2022
55m
382: 2022: The Songs of the Year
Let’s talk about tracks by Ice Spice, Cardi B, Ethel Cain and many more of the 70 picks on our critics’ lists. Guests: Jon Pareles and Lindsay Zoladz.
51m Dec 14, 2022
51m
381: The Best Albums of 2022? Let’s Discuss.
Our critics debate their year-end lists (and agree on Beyoncé and Rosalía!) in a wrap-up of the year in LPs. Guests: Jon Pareles and Lindsay Zoladz.
1hr Dec 07, 2022
1hr
380: 2022: The Year in Atlanta Rap
The country’s most influential hip-hop scene has weathered a period of extraordinary upheaval. A look back at happened, and what’s next. Guest: Joe Coscarelli.
1hr 6m Dec 01, 2022
1hr 6m
379: Separating Big Business and Bad Behavior in ‘Tár’
The film about a renowned and embattled conductor puts a fresh spin on conversations about art, power and misdeeds. Guests: Vulture's Alison Wilmore and Zachary Woolfe.
55m Nov 16, 2022
55m
378: 50 Years of Stevie Wonder’s ‘Talking Book’
A conversation about the singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist’s studio innovations, and melding of social consciousness and musical creativity. Guest: Jon Pareles.
39m Nov 09, 2022
39m
377: Taylor Swift’s ‘Midnights’: Listener Mailbag
The New York Times pop music team had its say; now a new panel answers questions about the blockbuster album. Guests: Madison Malone Kircher and Pitchfork's Quinn Moreland.
55m Nov 02, 2022
55m
376: Taylor Swift’s ‘Midnights’: Let’s Discuss
The blockbuster singer-songwriter’s 10th studio album finds her at a crossroads: Will she continue to reckon with her past, or forge another new path forward? Guests: Joe Coscarelli, Caryn Ganz, Jon Pareles and Lindsay Zoladz.
1hr 7m Oct 25, 2022
1hr 7m
375: Remembering Loretta Lynn
A conversation about the country music titan’s sly radicalism and the many readings and misreadings of her work. Guest: Jewly Hight.
47m Oct 20, 2022
47m
375: The Young Women Who Make TikTok Weep
Songwriters who have found success on the app via emotional catharsis have expanded its range, and piqued the music industry’s interest. Guest: Stereogum's Rachel Brodsky.
51m Oct 12, 2022
51m
374: The Sudden Rise of Zach Bryan
The breakout country-folk singer and songwriter has found an audience for his old-fashioned artistry largely on a newer platform: streaming. Guest: Grady Smith.
53m Oct 05, 2022
53m
372: Popcast Live! The New Faces of 2022
Blondshell, Central Cee, Ethel Cain and more: a conversation about what’s breaking through, plus questions from the audience at our first live taping. Guests: Joe Coscarelli and Caryn Ganz.
1hr 24m Sep 22, 2022
1hr 24m
371: The Perseverance of Megan Thee Stallion
The rapper’s rise has been accompanied by outside noise. How has she grown on record, and how have extra-musical narratives shaped her career? Guests: Rolling Stone's Mankaprr Conteh and Pitchfork's Heven Haile.
50m Sep 14, 2022
50m
370: What Is a ‘Fake’ Artist in 2022?
Firestorms over the “virtual rapper” FN Meka and faceless artists on Spotify have sparked conversations about alienation and creative agency. Guests: Joe Coscarelli; Garbage Day's Ryan Broderick; and Music Business Worldwide's Tim Ingham.
1hr Aug 31, 2022
1hr
369: Rage Against the Machine, Roaring On
A conversation about the band’s return, its evolving message and the nature of comeback tours. Guests: Rolling Stone's Andy Greene and the writer and "Summer of Soul" producer Joseph Patel.
47m Aug 24, 2022
47m
368: Beyoncé’s ‘Renaissance’: The Speed Round
The conversation continues about one of the year’s most ideologically provocative pop albums, its queer inspirations and its credits. Guests: Naima Cochrane, Vulture's Jason P. Frank, Resident Advisor's Kiana Mickles and Patrik Sandberg.
1hr 16m Aug 17, 2022
1hr 16m
367: A Renaissance in American Hardcore Music
A look at the recent burst of bands and how the scene operates as music, ethic and feeling. Guests: Stereogum's Tom Breihan and The Ringer's Chris Ryan.
55m Aug 11, 2022
55m
366: The Robust Return of Beyoncé
A deep dive on “Renaissance,” her relationship to queer music communities and her framing of authorship. Guests: Joe Coscarelli, Wesley Morris, Jon Pareles and Salamishah Tillet.
57m Aug 02, 2022
57m
365: Lizzo’s Complicated, Joyful Pop
The singer, rapper and songwriter’s peppy empowerment songs have made her an outlier in a field dominated by melancholic music. Guests: The Ringer's Justin Charity; Lindsay Zoladz; and William Robin.
52m Jul 27, 2022
52m