130: Songs of Summer Call-in Special
Every year, critics and media outlets the world over put out definitive song-of-summer guides based on... well, we’re not always entirely sure. Certainly popularity, as measured by streams and radio play; not to mention that bewildering feeling that creeps up some time mid-July, prompting whispered exclamations of: “man, this song is everywhere.” But the most ubiquitous track isn’t necessarily ...
54m Aug 20, 2019
54m
129: Chance The Rapper, Kehlani, & The Shifting Sound of R&B — with Oak Felder
The sound of R&B is difficult to pin down. Since the 1950s, the label has been used both as a genre and as a catch-all for the entirety of black popular music. Soul, funk, disco and even hip-hop have at times been covered by this R&B umbrella — Billboard has changed how it counts what genres over the years. On Chance The Rapper's new album, The Big Day, all of these influences come through. He'...
57m Aug 13, 2019
57m
128: Beyoncé's Gift To Africa (with Ivie Ani)
For the live action remake of the Lion King, Beyoncé, (who voices Nala in the film), recorded and curated a companion soundtrack called The Gift. She worked with leading Afropop stars to expose the music of the continent to a global audience. In her piece, “Diversity Is in the Details: What Beyoncé’s 'The Lion King: The Gift' Gets Right and Wrong (https://www.okayplayer.com/music/beyonce-the-li...
40m Aug 06, 2019
40m
127: LCD Soundsystem and the Unbearable Sameness of Restaurant Playlists
Why is it that every hip restaurant plays the same music? When Eater restaurant editor Hillary Dixler Canavan kept hearing similar songs while dining for work assignments, she compiled a playlist of what she heard. It included songs by LCD Soundsystem, M83, Grimes, Biggie, Beck and the like. Her subsequent article about this music, “This Is Every Generically Cool Restaurant’s Playlist (https://...
38m Jul 30, 2019
38m
126: The $50M Beat Marketplace That Broke the Billboard
Lil Nas X licensed the beat for “Old Town Road” from an e-commerce platform. He originally bought a non-exclusive copy of the backing track for just $29.99 from a 19 year old Dutch record producer called YoungKio. And he’s not the first hitmaker to do so. Desiigner, Bryson Tiller and Queen Naija have all made hit songs from internet beats. These beats are big business. The arguable market leade...
31m Jul 23, 2019
31m
Shawn Mendes and the Rhythm of Rhyme
Shawn Mendes’ hit song “If I Can’t Have You” is so ridiculously catchy that Charlie had it stuck in his head after the first chorus. How is that possible?! Declamation, or the way that text is set to music, is a big part of the song’s appeal—every word that Mendes sings is perfectly in rhythm. In this episode we use Mendes’ latest track to explore creative declamation throughout history. How do...
34m Jul 16, 2019
34m
124: Space, The Final Frontier: Madonna, Stephen Puth and Street Studios
Find out how music creates a feeling of space in this three part episode. First, we may not realize it when we listen to Madonna's new record, but the location of her music is essential. In exploring her catalogue we hear the sound of different eras by just the space evoked in a song. Second, the same is true for Stephen Puth who uses spacial effects for brilliant creative purposes on his song ...
59m Jul 09, 2019
59m
124: What BTS's "Boy With Love" ft. Halsey Can Teach Us About K-pop
How should we listen to K-pop? This music has become a global phenomenon, charting on the Billboard Hot 100, taking over social media feeds, and touring the world. In particular, the group BTS has captured the ears of millions, building an Army of fans along the way. As uninitiated listeners, the language and culture barrier left us uncertain about how to approach listening to, let alone breaki...
40m Jul 02, 2019
40m
"Prince Ali" and Why We're All Music Theorists
Fans are not happy with Will Smith's update of the classic Disney song "Prince Ali" in the live-action Aladdin. Their complaint? The new "Prince Ali" is slow, sluggish, and dull. Indeed, the Smith version is 8 BPM (beats per minute) slower than Robin Williams's 1992 original—a subtle musical detail. We dig into the properties of tempo and key to understand why people have such a visceral reacti...
30m Jun 25, 2019
30m
Jamestown and the Quest to Build a Utopia in America (with Avery Trufelman)
Nice Try! (https://pod.link/1462324602) is a new podcast from Curbed (http://curbed.com/) and the Vox Media Podcast Network (http://podcasts.voxmedia.com/) that explores stories of people who have tried to design a better world, and what happens when those designs don't go according to plan. Season one, Utopian, follows Avery Trufelman on her quest to understand the perpetual search for the per...
24m Jun 23, 2019
24m
121: Why Does Every Intro Sound Like It's Underwater? (Live)
Every notice that wobbly, drunken and underwater sound common in so many contemporary pop songs? In an era of pristine recording quality, music producers are referencing old and impure technologies to add character to their recordings. Digital cassette hiss, tape wobble, and vinyl crackle are intentionally added to productions as a facsimile of "authentic" recording technology. Why the sudden n...
26m Jun 18, 2019
26m
120: The Man Behind the Rocketman with Giles Martin
Rocketman is a spectacle the size of Elton John, four films in one. It contains a biopic, jukebox musical, addiction recovery story and a romance between friends. The soundtrack ties the story together by taking historical liberties to tell a fantastical story about one of the best living songwriters. Charlie is joined by Vox’s film critic, Alissa Wilkinson to breakdown the film and deconstruct...
53m Jun 11, 2019
53m
119: The Greatest Pop Stories Never Told (with Jessica Hopper)
On the KRCW series Lost Notes (https://www.kcrw.com/culture/shows/lost-notes) , Jessica Hopper plumbs pop music history for the most important stories never told. She brings us a bevy of lost gems, from Fanny, an all-female quartet of rockers that was one of David Bowie's favorite bands, to the Freeze a late-70s punk outfit now coming to terms with the offensive lyrics of their youth. Tune in t...
42m Jun 04, 2019
42m
118: Should You Care About Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber?
A pop star mashup is a foolproof way to grab the attention of two audiences at once. But do more collaborators actually make a better song? Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber put this question to the test in their new song "I Don't Care." The track takes us inside the head of an antisocial party hopper, who'd rather be back home with his lover. Nate and Charlie investigate how the songwriters works t...
54m May 28, 2019
54m
The Smooth Sound of Morning News
What do Bach and smooth jazz have in common? Both score the unmistakable theme song for NPR's flagship show Morning Edition, listened to by millions across the country every day since 1979. This is undeniably pop music, a daily soundtrack to the lives of many. So why does it sound the way it does? And why, after forty years, why does NPR want to change it? Featuring: BJ Leiderman - Morning Edit...
43m May 21, 2019
43m
Is There An Indie Rock Conspiracy? (Featuring Joywave)
Many people write us with musical maladies and conspiracies. A recent one caught our attention. Daniel Armbruster, lead vocalist of indie band Joywave, has been hearing the same melody on songs all across the Alt-rock charts. He believes that this hook could be the secret to securing a place on the Billboard. Nate and Charlie investigate this issue, traveling from the contemporary charts, all t...
32m May 15, 2019
32m
115: Lizzo And The End of Genre (with Sam Harris of X Ambassadors)
On her new album, Cuz I Love You, Lizzo shows off her genre bending musicality. We speak with X Ambassador's lead singer, Sam Harris, who helped co-write three songs on the album, including its eponymous track. We discuss how Lizzo's songs glide across sixties soul, seventies rock rock, eighties new wave, and nineties hip-hop. But we find that her music is much more than a history lesson in gen...
52m May 07, 2019
52m
The Sorcery of Swift and Panic
When a listener asked us about the "sorcery" behind Taylor Swift's new song "ME!" we knew we had to investigate. And because the track features Brendon Urie of Panic! At the Disco, we couldn't resist digging into their concurrent hit "High Hopes." Along the way we cover baby talk, dreamy augmented chords, drumlines, and songs with exclamation points in their titles — all to explain why you can'...
43m Apr 30, 2019
43m
Sounds like Teen Spirit (with Elle Fanning)
Pop is inseparable from reality TV singing competitions. From Eurovision to American Idol, scores of stars got their start in singing competitions. We’ve long overlooked this influence on pop, but were inspired to look into the phenomenon by the release of Teen Spirit, a pop-musical film about a fictional singing competition . What is the history of these shows? Who got their big break on one? ...
53m Apr 23, 2019
53m
Country at the Crossroads
Lil Nas X currently holds the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with his surprise hit “Old Town Road.” But though the song is dripping with country twang, you won’t find it anywhere on the country charts. That’s because Billboard removed it, on the grounds of not having enough “musical elements” of country—a move that in turn left many wondering if the vanishing had something to do with Li...
41m Apr 16, 2019
41m
Billie Eilish is a Different Kind of Pop Star
On a trajectory to be one of the biggest pop stars for this generation, seventeen year old Billie Eilish is not, however, your typical pop star. Her music speaks to the real anxieties of young people without any veneer. She sings from the perspective of monsters and villains. Her hushed voice, baggy style, and direct demeanor subvert the norms of the pop princess. And her music is dark, but sti...
45m Apr 09, 2019
45m
BONUS: Bhi Bhiman's 'Peace of Mind' Episode 1
Switched on Pop is pleased to present Episode 1 of Peace of Mind -- the new album (released as a podcast) by singer/songwriter Bhi Bhiman. In this episode Bhi digs into the fear and madness that characterizes so much of this crazy time in America. Guests include author Dave Eggers, Snap Judgement's Glynn Washington and renowned social psychologist, Lee Ross. The song for this episode is “Brothe...
29m Apr 08, 2019
29m
Bhi Bhiman Puts the Music Before the Message
Bhi Bhiman joins to explain the "nerd punk rock" behind releasing his new album Peace of Mind (https://www.bhiman.com/media) with an accompanying podcast (https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/range/peace-of-mind-with-bhi-bhiman) . Since Bhiman explores issues like deportation on the track "Beyond the Border," there's a lot to say about each song. Even though he tackles tough topics, Bhiman make sur...
45m Apr 02, 2019
45m
Comeback Kids: The Jonas Brothers are Back
After a six year hiatus, Nick, Joe, and Kevin Jonas are back with a new single and the stakes couldn't be higher. With each brother attaining a higher plane of celebrity during their time off, the three must achieve pop success or face public humiliation.  How do they do it? With three ingredients that ensure a hit song in 2019: 1) whistle while you work, 2) Homer the funky drummer, and 3) tune...
37m Mar 25, 2019
37m
108: Lost & Found: The Drama of Pop Form with Emily King
Live from SXSW: Grammy Award winning songwriter Emily King didn’t set out to write a perfect pop song with “Remind Me.” Instead, she bent the rules of song structure to fit her message: the magical feeling when you find something you’ve been long missing. Mirroring this theme, the chorus doesn’t come when you expect it. The climax arrives late, after an “aha” moment that fills in the forgotten ...
30m Mar 19, 2019
30m
107: How Streaming Changed the Sound of Pop
Streaming hasn't just changed the we listen to music, it's changed the way that pop music sounds. After years of losses due to the death of the CD and the rise of file sharing, the music industry has finally found a profitable business in streaming services. Streaming has overtaken all other music sales. Digital music platforms are the new Virgin megastore. But these services are more than just...
37m Mar 12, 2019
37m
106: Top 40 Activism with Justin Tranter
Can political protest exist within the confines of commercial popular music? Songwriter Justin Tranter is equal parts songwriter and activist. You've likely heard his contributions to songs by Britney Spears, Julia Michaels, Selena Gomez, Janelle Monae and Ariana Grande, but unless you were paying close attention, you may have missed the essential subtext in his work. As an LGBTQ activist and b...
48m Mar 05, 2019
48m
105: What Makes An Award Winning Song?
What if music awards were given out for only musical qualities? It may seem like celebrity and spectacle are more important than ever at the 61st Grammy Awards, but we believe many of this years winners earned their accolades with noteworthy music. Still, we thought the winners should be heralded by new, more musical categories. Find out how And The Awards Go To: Best Chord Progression: H.E.R. ...
32m Feb 20, 2019
32m
Valentines Day Special: What Makes a Song Sexy?
Author Courtney Smith joins to offer her expertise on an urgent topic in advance of Valentine's Day: Can we abstract the sexiest songs of all time into a universal list of arousing musical qualities? We try our best by examining five decades of pop sexiness, discovering lyrical lingerie, and consider the most (and least) seductive instruments. Featuring: Nina Simone - I Want Some Sugar in My Bo...
34m Feb 05, 2019
34m
Switched On Pop - Trailer
Welcome to Switched on Pop, a show about how popular music works and why it matters hosted by musicologist Nate Sloan and songwriter Charlie Harding. We break down the music in pop hits to help you find those "a-ha" moments. Whether you’re a pop fanatic or skeptic, teenager or octogenarian, non-musicians or professional composer, every music lover will discover something ear-opening in Switched...
2m Feb 05, 2019
2m
The Deep History of '7 Rings'
"7 Rings" is Ariana Grande's latest smash, a glittering banger that owes much to Rodgers and Hammerstein's 1959 classic "My Favorite Things." 60 years later, Grande updates the track for a modern audience, making her the latest artist to repurpose this anthem from the "Sound of Music." When it comes to Ari's flow, however, questions of appropriation arise. Author Lauren Michele Jackson joins to...
38m Jan 29, 2019
38m
102: Do You Believe in Life After Autotune?
Auto-Tune may be the most divisive effect in music. Artists have protested it publicly at the Grammys, and critics have derided the effects for its inauthentic reproduction of the voice. And yet, nearly a decade since Jay-Z prophesied the death of Auto-Tune, the sound is alive and thriving in contemporary pop and hip-hop. Journalist Simon Reynolds has written a definitive history of Auto-Tune f...
48m Jan 23, 2019
48m
Slay Bells, All Year Long
This winter season unwrap a deep dive through a pop subgenre of monumental importance: non-holiday songs that feature sleigh bells, from Bonnie Tyler to Nas, On Side B, we rebroadcast our episode on Mariah Carey's classic "All I Want for Christmas Is You"...and more sleigh bells.  Featuring: •The Beach Boys - God Only Knows •Gustav Mahler - 4th Symphony, I •Michael Jackson - Jam •Bonnie Tyler -...
39m Dec 26, 2018
39m
100: Look What You Made Us Do
Four years into Switched On Pop, Charlie and Nate finally reveal what was behind the entire series. We may have not been totally honest with you from the beginning. Back in 2014 we were more pop skeptics than fanatics. The genre was, to some degree, the sugar that made the musical analysis medicine go down. And then something happened. Just as people started to listen to the show, we too began ...
55m Dec 11, 2018
55m
Entering Beard Phase (with Mike Posner)
Mike Posner has written hits for himself like "I Took a Pill in Ibiza," and for stars from Justin Bieber ("Boyfriend") to Maroon 5 ("Sugar"), so he has insights for days on what makes a pop song work. We dig into Mike's excellent new track "Song About You," which leads to an exploration of songs that reuse the same melody for verse and chorus—from Prince to The Boss to Post Malone. Last, we con...
52m Nov 27, 2018
52m
99: How Dirty Projectors Make You Feel Energy (with David Longstreth)
Dirty Projectors are known for their kaleidoscopic soundscapes. They make strange bedfellows of  music techniques like 14th vocal harmonies and African guitar rhythms. But in the backdrop of their obscure orchestrations you will hear the indelible marks of pop music. Longstreth has recently collaborated on songs with Solange, Rihanna, Kanye and Paul McCartney. On his new track "I Feel Energy" w...
54m Nov 13, 2018
54m
Stairway To Hell: Greta Van Fleet’s Scorching Album Review That Went Viral
Classic rock climaxed a half century ago, yet it still survives in two places: FM radio & Greta Van Fleet. The later are an upstart of four boys from Michigan who have found stardom by dusting off the mantle of guitar driven rock. Their latest album, Anthem Of The Peaceful Army, bares an uncanny sonic resemblance to Led Zeppelin. Jeremy D. Larson, senior editor of Pitchfork, gave the album a 1....
59m Oct 30, 2018
59m
97: Charli XCX and Troye Sivan Love the 90s
Charli XCX and Troye Sivan conjure late 90s nostalgia in their latest banger. "1999" drips with lyrical nostalgia for the last decade of the millennium — but does the music follow suit? We think the pair are missing prime opportunities to bring back some neglected musical tricks from the early oeuvre of Britney Spears. The 90s bug goes beyond Charli and Troye. Anne-Marie and Lauren Alaina also ...
38m Oct 16, 2018
38m
Sicko Rap and Drunk Country
Four songs on the Hot 100 pop chart reveal the new directions in which music is headed. Travis Scott's "Sicko Mode" boasts an unprecedented formal structure that points to the future of hip hop. Meanwhile, in the world of country, Jason Aldean, Mitchell Tenpenny, and Dan + Shay are putting a modern spin on one of the style's oldest tropes: drinking bourbon. Together these tracks make up the van...
34m Oct 03, 2018
34m
94: The Side Effects of Pop Music with Emily Warren
Emily Warren is one of the great rising stars of contemporary songwriting. Her song "Side Effects" with The Chainsmokers is currently rising up the charts. You’ve also heard her writing on Dua Lipa’s "New Rules." She’s collaborated with many of the best performers in music earning her a Grammy and multi-platinum success with “Don’t Let Me Down.” She's also recently released her single "Paranoid...
46m Sep 18, 2018
46m
Drake vs Drake
Drake, per usual, has been inescapable this summer. "In My Feelings" and "Nice For What" top the charts, but there's depth to these bangers. We argue for hearing one as a meditation on fragile masculinity, the other as a paean to NOLA Bounce. Featuring:Drake - In My FeelingsDrake - Nice For WhatLauryn Hill - Ex FactorThe Showboys - Drag Rap (Triggaman)Cameron Paul - Brown BeatCheeky Black - Let...
47m Sep 06, 2018
47m
Summer Heat of the 2000s: Beyoncé and Black Eyed Peas (Pt. II)
The final episode of our Switched on Summer throwback series finds us deconstructing more early aughts bangers. Under consideration: two of the biggest hits since Y2K, Beyoncé's "Crazy in Love" and the Black Eyed Peas' "I Got a Feeling." Tune in to dig how these tracks keeps the temperature rising through harmonic suspension, and to ask if will.i.am cribbed "Chopsticks."Listen to the awesome en...
33m Aug 24, 2018
33m
Summer Heat of the 2000s: Nelly + Katy Perry (Pt. 1)
What made summer jams of the aughties like Nelly's "Hot in Herre" and Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl" so hot? The answer: big, sweaty, doses of harmonic tension. Specifically, each track relies on the Baroque technique of the ground bass. Wait, we mean: the Baroque technique of PEDAL POINT!  When the chords in these songs don't match up with their bass notes, the ratcheting tension adds heat—fue...
28m Aug 10, 2018
28m
90: Why is 90s Pop so Bizarre?
The Switched on Pop Summer Throwback Series continues! This time, with a deep dive into the musical detritus of the 1990s. In true 90s fashion, our episode is inspired by a pair of classic VH1 shows; "Behind the Music" and "Where Are They Now?"Our subjects are two songs representing the lunatic fringe of 90s culture, "Cotton Eyed Joe" and "How Bizarre." In the course of our musicological invest...
51m Jul 27, 2018
51m
89: Summer is for Dancing in the Streets
Our Switched on Summer Throwback Series continues with "Dancing in the Street," the 1964 Motown hit by Martha and the Vandellas that was co-written by none other than Marvin Gaye. Over 50 years and countless covers later, we explore how this song still manages to get people off their feet and onto the streets—not just to dance, but also to raise their voices in joy, catharsis, and protest. Also...
33m Jul 12, 2018
33m
88: Switched on Summer: Getting Around with the Beach Boys
Our Switched on Summer throwback mini-series begins in the heart of the 1960s, with the Beach Boys' perennial school's-out jam "I Get Around."We explore how every aspect of Brian Wilson's two-minute-long masterpiece is perfectly calculated to literally "get around"—harmonically, melodically, and lyrically—creating that unbeatable feeling of cruising all over town with the top down on a hot summ...
31m Jun 28, 2018
31m
Announcing Switched On Summer Throwback Series
This summer we’re going to be doing a Switched On Summer series, breaking down your favorite summer pop hits from the 60s to the present. We’re talking about Beach Boys to Beyonce. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
1m Jun 22, 2018
1m
The Pure Pop of Charlie Puth + Carly Rae (ft Hanif Abdurraqib)
Part I: The Doctors Are In! We diagnose a listener's musical malady, namely: "why does Charlie Puth's new jam 'BOY' make us feel so weird?!" Part II: Guest Hanif Adburraqib, author of They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us, helps break down Carly Rae Jepsen's epic "Cut to the Feeling" to understand why CRJ is a different kind of pop star.Featuring:•Charlie Puth - BOY•Ismael Miranda - Recordando•...
47m Jun 14, 2018
47m
86: Afrofuturism in Kali Uchis & Clipping (with Daveed Diggs, William Hutson and Jonathan Snipes)
Parliament Funkadelic has had waves of influence on popular music. Their Afrofuturist message and infectious grooves built the backbone of 70s funk, was revived in the 90s with Dr. Dre's G-Funk, and is once again in vogue with in the music of Kendrick Lamar, Childish Gambino and Kali Uchis. Bootsy Collins, bass player of Parliament Funkadelic, collaborated with Kali Uchis and Tyler the Creator ...
50m May 31, 2018
50m
85: Finding Equanimity In 'No Tears Left To Cry'
Ariana Grande has returned with a track that is jarring yet simultaneously catchy. She uses sophisticated musical techniques to tell a story of healing, resiliency, and hope after the attack at her concert in Manchester. Listeners will learn techniques like tempo rubato, modal interchange and amen breaks, which weave together this equanimous narrative.Songs featured:Ariana Grande - No Tears Lef...
38m May 17, 2018
38m