Hit Girls author Nora Princiotti returns to Pop Pantheon to discuss two infamous celebrities turned fleeting pop divas of the early 2000s, Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan. Nora and Louie discuss Lindsay’s Radio Disney hits, like “Ultimate You” and her TRL moment with “Rumors” and 2004’s pop rock Speak . Then, they work through Paris’ 2006 light reggae bop “Stars Are Blind” and her album from that same year, Paris . Finally, they unpack Lindsay’s commercial decline on her final album, 2005's A Lit...
Jul 10, 2025•2 hr 10 min
Kesha released her sixth studio album on Friday – notably, her first as an independent artist. Friend of the pod Brittany Spanos of Rolling Stone joins Russ to break down Period's highs and lows, what it means for Kesha to make unapologetic party music again and where she sits in the pop firmament as she heads out on a roaring summer tour with The Scissor Sisters. To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive weekly bonus episodes of Pop Pantheon, gain access to our Discord channel and so mu...
Jul 08, 2025•10 min
We put out another call for our audience's most unpopular pop opinions and boy did you deliver. Switched on Pop producer Reanna Cruz joins Russ to field unpopular pop opinions about Lady Gaga’s vocal abilities, Taylor Swift’s videography AND discography, Charli XCX’s refusal to let the brat moment die and, of course, Benson Boone. Plus Reanna and Russ reveal some of their OWN unpopular opinions in the process… BUY TICKETS TO MAIN POP GIRLS: POP GIRL SUMMER ON 7/25 AT THE MEADOWS! Join Pop Panthe...
Jul 03, 2025•1 hr 2 min
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Lorde's long-awaited fourth studio album, Virgin , dropped this past Friday and finds the New Zealand savant both looking backwards at past sounds and versions of herself while exploring new writing modalities. Louie and Russ dig into the new music, its candid, grimy explorations of gender, sexuality, the body, and being in your late 20s and how Lorde's new dedication to reveling in mess affects her status as a generational pop prophe...
Jun 30, 2025•11 min
Louie and Russ gather for an installment of "Step Up, Step Down," where they discuss recent career developments for Miley Cyrus, Drake, The Weeknd, Megan Thee Stallion, & Ed Sheeran and whether they are currently trending up or down in the Pop Pantheon. BUY TICKETS TO MAIN POP GIRLS: POP GIRL SUMMER ON 7/25 AT THE MEADOWS! Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's Store Follow Pop Pantheon on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV ...
Jun 26, 2025•39 min
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Sister auteurs Haim returned on Friday with their 4th studio album, I Quit . Writer and editor Alex Frank joins Louie to talk about the new record, how Haim fairs on their first songs without long-time collaborator Ariel Rechtshaid but— due to Danielle's and his' recent breakup— his specter hanging all over this music, the notion of "quitting," and how this album campaign is attempting, perhaps in vein, to launch Haim to a new echelon...
Jun 23, 2025•11 min
Rolling Stone ’s Rob Sheffield returns to Pop Pantheon for the second and final part in our Elton John series. Rob and Louie pick up on Elton’s career after his initial run of hits in the 1970s at the tail end of his imperial phase. They then discuss his prolific career from 1975’s autobiographical Captain Fantastic to his poorly received disco record in 79, Victim of Love , and his comeback via 1983's Too Low for Zero . Next, they tackle later era Elton, from his Disney hits to his work on Broa...
Jun 19, 2025•1 hr 57 min
Rolling Stone’s Rob Sheffield makes his Pop Pantheon debut for our special two-part Pride series on one of the most iconic queer figures in pop history, Elton John. Louie and Rob dig into Elton’s musical roots, his band Bluesology and his early work with lyricist and creative partner Bernie Taupin. From there, they discuss his 1970 breakthrough with “Your Song” and his seminal run of mid-1970s “classic period” albums and hits, including records like 1971’s Tumbleweed Connection , 1972’s Honky Ch...
Jun 12, 2025•1 hr 59 min
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Tik Tok Influencer turned gay pop fan cause célèbre Addison Rae dropped her debut album, Addison , last Friday following a series of surprisingly great singles. Does the record meet the hype? How does Addison translate in album form? And how unlikely is it for this former social media star to suddenly emerge as the vanguard pop diva du jour? Louie and Russ discuss it all. To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive weekly bonus ...
Jun 09, 2025•11 min
Rolling Stone staff writer Larisha Paul returns to Pop Pantheon to discuss the best pop songs you might have missed so far in 2025. Larisha and Russ talk about what it takes to break through in today's over-saturated pop market and what's happening on the outskirts of the mainstream pop world, then they each share some of their favorite bubbling under and over-looked songs from the first half of 2025. BUY TICKETS TO MAIN POP GIRLS: PRIDE ON JUNE 7 AT PARKSIDE LOUNGE! Listen to a playlist of Russ...
Jun 05, 2025•1 hr 17 min
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ get together to talk Louie's night at Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter show in New Jersey, Taylor Swift buying back her masters and how it impacts the legacy of the re-recording project, and Miley Cyrus' latest opus, Something Beautiful , which dropped on Friday. Plus, Louie tries Selena Gomez's Oreos live on air! To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive weekly bonus episodes of Pop Pantheon, gain access to our Discord ...
Jun 02, 2025•12 min
Host of the Legends Only podcast Bradley Stern returns to Pop Pantheon to discuss the best pop songs of 2025 so far. First, Louie and Bradley discuss the broader trends— or perhaps the broader lack of trends— happening in pop music so far this year, before each sharing their list of favorites from the first half of 2025. Listen to Louie and Bradley's Favorite Pop Songs of 2025 So Far BUY TICKETS TO MAIN POP GIRLS: PRIDE ON JUNE 7 AT PARKSIDE LOUNGE! Gorgeous Gorgeous LA Pride on June 20 at Los G...
May 29, 2025•1 hr 21 min
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ dive deep into the trenches of the Hot 100 to figure out what the hell is going on with mainstream pop music these days, parsing the songs of alleged popular artists such as "Alex Warren," "BigXThaPlug," "Myles Smith," "Benson Boone," and so many more. To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive weekly bonus episodes of Pop Pantheon, gain access to our Discord channel and so much more, subscribe to Pop Pantheon: A...
May 26, 2025•11 min
Louie and Russ answer listener questions about the current 2026 Grammy Album of the Year Frontrunners, why Chappell Roan's "The Giver" underperformed, Max Martin's trajectory as a collaborator, whether Gaga directly ripped Taylor off on "How Bad Do U Want Me," and more! BUY TICKETS TO MAIN POP GIRLS: PRIDE ON JUNE 7 AT PARKSIDE LOUNGE! Gorgeous Gorgeous LA Pride on June 20 at Los Globos Gorgeous Gorgeous NYC Pride on June 27 at Sultan Room Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for ...
May 22, 2025•50 min
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, on the cusp of Lorde's forthcoming fourth studio album Virgin , due next month, Louie and Russ revisit her last album, 2021's divisive paean to the natural world, Solar Power . Neither loved this record on impact but how has it aged? Does it land differently out of the context of its moment? And what do it's successes and failures portend for the next round of Lorde music? To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive weekly bonus...
May 19, 2025•12 min
Writer and editor Ilana Kaplan joins Pop Pantheon to discuss one of pop’s criminally under-appreciated secrets, Haim. Louie and Ilana unpack the sister trio’s origins in Southern California, including their family band Rockinhaim and Este and Danielle’s short-lived teen pop band The Valli Girls. From there, they dig into 2013’s Days are Gone , a record that paid virtuosic homage to pop radio of yore, Haim’s friendship with Taylor Swift and 2017’s Something to Tell You . Finally, they discuss Hai...
May 15, 2025•1 hr 31 min
After debating the current chart fortunes of everyone from Kendrick Lamar to Benson Boone, Chappell Roan, Lady Gaga and a bevy of current-charting Tik Tok stars they've never heard of, Louie and Russ throw down cash in a high stakes betting game in which they attempt to figure out what will be the official Song of Summer 2025! Come back this fall to find out who won. BUY TICKETS TO MAIN POP GIRLS: PRIDE ON JUNE 7 AT PARKSIDE LOUNGE! Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusi...
May 08, 2025•50 min
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Taylor Swift's eleventh studio album The Tortured Poets Department — a sprawling, 31 song, two disc, two+ hour melange of music from the superstar— arrived last April amidst peak Taylor cultural overload: her landmark Eras Tour had been globe-trotting for a year, she'd just recently dominated the Grammys winning her record-breaking fourth Album of the Year trophy for previous album Midnights , her non-stop fountain of re-releases of p...
May 05, 2025•12 min
In the wake of our epic Britney series, critic and writer of the Substack In the Zine Alim Kheraj joins Louie and Russ to answer all your burning follow up questions: What are our favorite Britney deep cuts? What do we make of the anti-Britneys like Avril? Who would we cast in a proper remake of the Britney, Beyoncé, and Pink Pepsi commercial? And so much more! BUY TICKETS TO MAIN POP GIRLS: PRIDE ON JUNE 7 AT PARKSIDE LOUNGE! Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Con...
May 01, 2025•51 min
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, late last week, Lorde ushered in her much-anticipated new era by dropping her latest single, "What Was That," amidst a surprise live pop-up show in New York City's Washington Square Park, before releasing the song's music video soon after. So how is it? And what does it tell us about the possibility of an impending Lorde-aissance? Louie and Russ discuss that, along with the recently announced Lena Dunham and Carly Rae Jepsen-helmed 10...
Apr 28, 2025•12 min
Reanna Cruz joins Pop Pantheon to break down the rise of Mr. Worldwide himself, Pitbull. Reanna and Louie explore Pitbull's genesis in the cultural hub of Miami and his breakthrough with 2004's dancehall-cum-reggaeton banger “Culo.” They then tackle his early work in both Spanish and English and his pivot towards big dance anthems and cross-cultural superstardom, resulting in albums like 2009’s Pitbull Starring in Rebelution and 2011’s Planet Pit, his massive run of hit guest verses and clever b...
Apr 24, 2025•2 hr 15 min
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, NPR's Isabella Gomez Sarmiento joins Russ to discuss the expansive world of latin pop, including Bad Bunny's latest album, Debí Tirar Más Fotos, plus new songs from Nathy Peluso, Bb trickz & more. To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive weekly bonus episodes of Pop Pantheon, gain access to our Discord channel and so much more, subscribe to Pop Pantheon: All Access at the Icon Tier. You can also subscribe for the audio on...
Apr 21, 2025•12 min
Queer men are the backbone of modern pop fandom. And yet so few, even in 2025, get to the top of the mainstream pop star heap. Why is that? And how have queer male artists existed in the pop music firmament over the last hundred years? Dean of USC's Thornton School of Music Jason King is here to help unpack all these questions and more. Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous LA on 4/18 Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's Store Follow...
Apr 17, 2025•56 min
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, The Ringer’s Nora Princiotti joins Russ to talk about Lady Gaga’s extraordinary Coachella performance. They also play a New Music Speed Round with new songs from Lana Del Rey, Miley Cyrus, Ed Sheeran & more. To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive weekly bonus episodes of Pop Pantheon, gain access to our Discord channel and so much more, subscribe to Pop Pantheon: All Access at the Icon Tier. You can also subscribe for t...
Apr 15, 2025•11 min
In a game of "Step Up, Step Down," Louie and Russ discuss recent career developments from Lady Gaga, Drake, Selena Gomez, Tate McRae, & Bruno Mars and whether they are currently trending up or down in the official Pop Pantheon. Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous NYC on 4/11 Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous LA on 4/18 Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's Store Follow DJ Louie XIV on Instagram Follow DJ Louie XIV on Twitter Join Pop Pa...
Apr 10, 2025•58 min
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ are answering your burning questions regarding Mayhem , the tour, and so much more on Lady Gaga. They're also talking about seeing Kylie Minogue's North American arena tour and Louie's recently announced book! To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive weekly bonus episodes of Pop Pantheon, gain access to our Discord channel and so much more, subscribe to Pop Pantheon: All Access at the Icon Tier. You can also su...
Apr 07, 2025•12 min
As a sequel to a recent episode recapping The Best Albums of the 2020s So Far , critic Shaad D'Souza, The Ringer 's Rob Harvilla, and writer and editor Puja Patel are here to count down each of our top five pop songs of the 2020s so far. Check out a playlist of our top pop songs of the 2020s so far on Spotify Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous NYC on 4/11 Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous LA on 4/18 Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's St...
Apr 03, 2025•1 hr 41 min
In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, this past Friday, just over a year after the release of her 7th studio album, Eternal Sunshine , Ariana Grande released a deluxe version, Brighter Days Ahead . Louie and Russ reflect on how their feelings about the original record have evolved since it first dropped and how the new songs— and the short film she put out alongside them— add to the Eternal Sunshine Universe and era. To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive weekl...
Mar 31, 2025•11 min
We've finally arrived! After four episodes and nearly ten hours of discussion and dissection, Pop Pantheon's Britney Spears Mega Series concludes with the big question: Is Britney Spears in Tier 1 of the Pantheon? To parse that out, Louie and Russ are joined by friend of the pod Molly Mary O'Brien to pull at this debate from every possible angle. Throughout the nearly two-hour (!!!) debate, they also hear from Dean of USC's Thornton School of Music's Jason King regarding his thoughts on Britney,...
Mar 27, 2025•2 hr
For the fourth episode in our five-part series on Britney Spears, Beyond The Blinds ’ Troy McEady returns to Pop Pantheon to discuss late period Britney, an unnerving decade+ period where Britney's pop stardom often felt forced upon her and yet produced some of her most beloved and successful music. Troy and Louie start with her EDM reimagining on 2011’s chart-topping Femme Fatale , her first and only album to produce three top ten singles. From there, they unpack Britney’s brief, odd The X Fact...
Mar 20, 2025•2 hr 28 min
