Popcast - podcast cover

Popcast

The New York Timeswww.nytimes.com
The Popcast is hosted by Jon Caramanica, a pop music critic for The New York Times. It covers the latest in popular music criticism, trends and news. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Listen to this podcast in New York Times Audio, our new iOS app for news subscribers. Download now at nytimes.com/audioapp

Episodes

Remembering Mac Miller, Low-Key Hip-Hop Bellwether

The 26-year-old rapper and producer stood at the crossroads of movements that have been shaping popular music over the past decade. Guests: ItsTheReal's Eric and Jeff Rosenthal; Pitchfork's Sheldon Pearce; and Eric Renner Brown. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Sep 15, 20181 hr 12 minEp. 195

Remembering The Village Voice, Music Criticism's Crucible: Part 2

Forty years of writers and editors share memories about helping invent a language to talk about music, and the artists they critiqued — some grateful, some not. Guests: Ann Powers, Evelyn McDonnell, Chuck Eddy, Rob Harvilla and Tom Breihan. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Sep 10, 20181 hr 5 minEp. 194

Remembering The Village Voice, Music Criticism's Crucible: Part 1

Forty years of writers and editors share memories about helping invent a language to talk about music, and the artists they critiqued — some grateful, some not. Guests: Robert Christgau, Jon Pareles, Nelson George, Kyle Gann and Joe Levy. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Sep 10, 20181 hr 14 minEp. 193

How We Arrived at Ariana Grande’s Big Moment

“Sweetener” has taken the singer to new heights at a moment of transition for the top ranks of female vocalists. Guests: The Ringer's Lindsay Zoladz; VF.com's Josh Duboff; and Billboard's Nolan Feeney. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Aug 28, 201848 minEp. 192

Nicki Minaj and Travis Scott, Rivals With Common Problems

One is an old-style hip-hop star, one comes from a newer school. But both are facing challenges making effective albums and defining their artistic identities. Guests: David Turner and Briana Younger. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Aug 21, 201856 minEp. 191

Aretha Franklin: The Artist We Knew, and the Woman We Didn’t

The Queen of Soul leaves a towering legacy. How will we remember her? Guests: The New York Times's Jon Pareles and Wesley Morris; and David Ritz. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Aug 17, 20181 hr 13 minEp. 190

The Shrinking Space Between Band T-Shirt and High Fashion

Merch has become a crucial part of a musician’s rise. Here’s how it’s evolved. Guests: Procell's Brian Procell; The Cut's Emilia Petrarca; and Grailed's Lawrence Schlossman. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Aug 10, 20181 hr 19 minEp. 189

Can Guns N’ Roses, or Any Artist, Erase an Unflattering Moment?

What happens when a band wipes a stain from its historical record? Or when physical albums vanish, replaced by different digital versions? Guests: Mark Richardson; Rolling Stone's Christopher R. Weingarten; and The New York Times's Caryn Ganz. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Aug 04, 20181 hr 13 minEp. 188

Who’s in Charge of Telling Whitney Houston’s Story?

Two documentaries have attempted to unpack the life of one of pop’s transformative figures, whose complex legacy is still riddled with questions. Guests: Naima Cochrane; Jezebel's Rich Juzwiak; Alan Light; and The Times's Joe Coscarelli. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Jul 27, 20181 hr 6 minEp. 187

When Superfans Attack

A writer critiqued Nicki Minaj online; the rapper’s fans responded in force. How does celebrity fandom become a vicious tool online, and what’s behind stan culture? Guests: iOneDigital's Janeé Bolden; Who? Weekly's Bobby Finger and Lindsey Weber; The New York Times's Joe Coscarelli and Caryn Ganz. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify....

Jul 21, 20181 hr 12 minEp. 186

Drake: Platinum in a Day, but Still at a Crossroads

With his new double album, “Scorpion,” the rapper and singer is grappling with brand maintenance. Is he innovating, and where can he go next? Guests: The New York Times's Joe Coscarelli and Reggie Ugwu; Sheldon Pearce; and Jasmine Sanders. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Jul 05, 20181 hr 18 minEp. 185

Kanye West: You Asked, We Answered

Was "Ye" rushed, and does it matter? How do women fit into Kanye’s world? Are conversations about politics with him fruitless? Guests: The New York Times's Joe Coscarelli and Reggie Ugwu, and the Ringer's Justin Charity. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Jun 27, 20181 hr 24 minEp. 184

XXXTentacion, Mourning and Morality

The 20-year-old broke out of the SoundCloud rap scene and reached No 1. But he faced accusations of violent crimes against a woman, and leaves behind a troubling legacy. Guests: Noisey's Lawrence Burney and Miami New Times's Tarpley Hitt. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Jun 22, 201858 minEp. 183

Charlie Puth and Shawn Mendes, Would-Be Pop Kings

Boy bands are on the rise and young male singers have some choices to make. A conversation about two performers with their sights set on pop ubiquity. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Jun 16, 20181 hr 9 minEp. 182

Kanye West’s ‘Ye’ Is Here: Let’s Discuss

The rapper’s polarizing eighth album arrived surrounded by a celebrity circus and provided few answers. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Jun 06, 20181 hr 14 minEp. 181

Drake vs. Pusha-T, Unpacked

An excavation of the skeletons animating the back-and-forth between the two rappers — and a conversation about who’s inching ahead. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

May 31, 201857 minEp. 180

Yes, We Stuck With ‘American Idol’

Maddie Poppe won the show, rebooted on ABC with a new cast of judges. What worked, what didn’t and who really stood out? Two longtime “Idol” enthusiasts discuss. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

May 26, 201854 minEp. 179

Pursuing R. Kelly: The Reporter Who Never Gave Up

For two decades, accusations of sexual impropriety have been leveled at the R&B superstar. And Jim DeRogatis has been covering the story. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

May 23, 201838 minEp. 178

‘Girls’ Gone Wrong: Who Gets to Make a Gay Love Song?

The Rita Ora track was positioned as a celebration of bisexuality, but struck a sour note with critics who found its lyrics problematic. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

May 18, 201854 minEp. 177

Avicii: Overexposed and Underappreciated?

The 28-year-old producer and D.J., who died last month in Oman, was a pop savant and an EDM innovator who left behind a complicated legacy. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

May 04, 20181 hr 6 minEp. 176

Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar Break Boundaries

A Coachella set stunning in scope and execution. The first Pulitzer Prize winner who isn’t from classical or jazz. A conversation about the two artists’ triumphs. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Apr 25, 20181 hr 17 minEp. 175

Cardi B Arrives at the Top

The 25-year-old’s LP “Invasion of Privacy” is part of her broad-scale pop culture takeover. A conversation about her rise and debut album. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Apr 12, 20181 hr 6 minEp. 173

Logic, XXXTentacion and Hip-Hop Morality in 2018

A conversation about the earnest rapper and the SoundCloud renegade, both successes of modern internet-driven rap fandom. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Apr 06, 20181 hr 10 minEp. 172

Kacey Musgraves and Ashley McBryde, Country Traditionalists With a Twist

Two new albums put a spotlight on Nashville’s ongoing, agonized relationship with female performers. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Mar 30, 201858 minEp. 171

Ashlee Simpson: You Asked, We Answered

Part two of our conversation about the mid-2000s pop star features debates about her MTV reality show and “S.N.L.” debacle, and a listener mailbag. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Mar 16, 20181 hr 18 minEp. 170

Was Ashlee Simpson Underappreciated? Discuss

In the mid-2000s, the pop singer had platinum albums and an MTV reality show. Hear the first of two conversations about Ms. Simpson’s misunderstood career. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Mar 09, 20181 hr 14 minEp. 169

Lucy Dacus, Soccer Mommy, the Breeders and the Future of Indie Rock

A conversation about carefully considered creative paths — and how pristine voices with powerful messages are amplified — as three strong new albums arrive Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Mar 02, 201857 minEp. 168

The Complex Intersection Where Rap and the Legal System Collide

A conversation with a criminal lawyer about the racial politics of legal representation, the Meek Mill saga and the future prospects of incarcerated would-be stars. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Feb 16, 201846 minEp. 166

Justin Timberlake Down, Meek Mill Up: How Twitter Swings Public Opinion

The internet’s response to the two musicians after the Super Bowl shows how criticism works these days. Rapid-fire groupthink online can be strong enough to have real-world impact. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Feb 09, 20181 hr 18 minEp. 165
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