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

Miss the Old Kanye? Try the New Kanye.

West has always been dreaming big, speaking loudly, courting controversy and channeling all of that into music. But one thing has changed. Guests: Vibe's Datwon Thomas 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.

Sep 07, 20211 hr 1 minEp. 323

Lorde Steals Her Sunshine Back

How successful is a sunny new phase of her career, and what does it mean to choose to move away from the expectations of superstardom? Guests: Joe Coscarelli and Lindsay Zoladz.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 30, 202155 minEp. 322

The Style of Kanye West’s ‘Donda’ Era

How West has used fashion to signify musical evolution, how he’s been regarded by the fashion industry and how other musicians are following in his footsteps. Guests: GQ's Rachel Tashjian and Vogue's Steff Yotka.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 24, 202148 minEp. 321

The Lox, Triumphant at Verzuz

A conversation about New York hip-hop in the 1990s and early 2000s, and a night that brought the spirit of battle back to the pandemic-era staple. Guests: Jayson Rodriguez and Jayson Buford.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 16, 202157 minEp. 320

Billie Eilish’s New Pop Perspective

How has the teenage phenomenon’s songwriting, and her relationship to the larger music machine, evolved between albums? Guests: Joe Coscarelli and Lindsay Zoladz.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 09, 202158 minEp. 319

Lil Nas X in the Pop Stratosphere

A conversation about his unconventional path to success, his unconventional methods of maintaining it and his possible futures beyond it. Guest: Jazmine Hughes.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 23, 202139 minEp. 318

When Pop Music Trolls Grow Up

New albums from Doja Cat and Tyler, the Creator place their makers — children of the internet with a taste for friction — in a new light. Guest: 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.

Jul 19, 202150 minEp. 317

The (Not So?) Tentative Return of Live Music

A look at the challenges touring musicians faced over the last year, and how the industry is adjusting to the new normal. Guest: Ben Sisario.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 12, 202131 minEp. 316

Britney Spears Takes On Her Conservatorship

An exploration of how the arrangement has intersected with her work, the latest legal updates and what might come next. Guests: Joe Coscarelli, Liz Day and Samantha Stark.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 01, 202149 minEp. 315

In the Weeds of ‘In the Heights’

A conversation about bringing musicals to the big screen, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s artistic choices and the critical blowback to the film’s casting. Guests: Sandra Garcia, Isabelia Herrera and Lena Wilson.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 18, 202152 minEp. 314

Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘Sour’ Breakthrough

Few artists making pop music have risen to the top in the past several years. What made this Disney star click with listeners? Guests: Olivia Horn and Lindsay Zoladz.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 04, 202157 minEp. 313

J. Cole, Triumphant (at His Own Pace)

The rapper’s sixth No. 1 album is here. Listen to a conversation about his career, and the long exchange between hip-hop and basketball. Guests: The New York Times's Elena Bergeron and Rap Portraits' Yoh Phillips.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 29, 20211 hrEp. 312

The Beatific Re-emergence of Beverly Glenn-Copeland

A conversation about his winding path to a receptive, ready audience — and how music can be a bulwark against cynicism and trauma. Guests: Taja Cheek and Mina Tavakoli.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 14, 202147 minEp. 311

Where Is Country Music Making Room for Women?

Nashville remains challenging for women artists. But some rising performers are breaking through on radio — and TikTok. Guests: Marissa Moss and Natalie Weiner of the Don’t Rock the Inbox newsletter.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 09, 202152 minEp. 310

The Sing-Rap Generation Branches Out

How melody has continued to reshape hip-hop via the work of Polo G, Rod Wave, Lil Tjay and more rising artists. Guest: Pitchfork's Alphonse Pierre.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 26, 202152 minEp. 309

The Telling of DMX’s Life Story

A conversation about the intense potency of the rapper’s music and religious fervor, and what it was like to interview him. Guest: Smokey Fontaine, the co-author of the 2002 book “E.A.R.L.: The Autobiography of DMX.”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 11, 202158 minEp. 307

Taylor, Billie, Demi, Blackpink: The Pop Star Documentary Boom

A conversation about the influx of films made about (and by) current stars and its implications for the format. Guests: The Observer's Simran Hans; 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.

Apr 02, 202159 minEp. 306

The Grammys, Improbably, Made It Work

The show navigated a year of crisis, minted a new generation of stars and didn’t fixate on boomers. Guests: Jon Pareles, Joe Coscarelli, Ben Sisario, Lindsay Zoladz 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.

Mar 16, 20211 hr 3 minEp. 305

TikTok and the Pop Music Rough Draft

The wildly popular platform has reshaped pop during the coronavirus pandemic, and changed how record labels grapple with unpredictable virality. Guest: 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.

Mar 13, 202150 minEp. 304

New Jazz That Agitates for Change

A conversation about strong recent debuts, and how canon and community can be in tension. Guests: Giovanni Russonello and Marcus J. Moore.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, 202150 minEp. 303

Remembering Sophie, Architect of Future Pop

Exploring the legacy of a producer and performer who imagined an approach to music without borders. Guests: Sasha Geffen and Pitchfork's Philip Sherburne.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 15, 202154 minEp. 302

The Music Lost to Coronavirus, Part 2

Remembering Fred the Godson, Adam Schlesinger and Cristina. Guests: Kurt B. Reighley; Complex's Shawn Setaro; and Ben Sisario.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 05, 20211 hr 7 minEp. 301

Olivia Rodrigo and ‘Drivers License’ Aren’t Going Anywhere

A conversation about the year’s first genuine pop phenomenon, and the long arc of the Disney machine. Guests: Joe Coscarelli; Vulture's Justin Curto; and Larisha Paul.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.

Jan 31, 20211 hr 4 minEp. 300

Inside the Bull Market for Songwriting Rights

The emergence of Hipgnosis has helped turn the battle for catalogs into an arms race that shows no signs of slowing down. Guest: Ben Sisario.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.

Jan 19, 202145 minEp. 299

How Zev Love X Became MF Doom

Conversations about the legacy of the beloved rap figure’s early career, which set the table for the artist he would become. Guests: Stretch Armstrong, Bobbito Garcia and Dante Ross.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.

Jan 07, 20211 hr 17 minEp. 298

Taylor Swift’s ‘Evermore’: Let’s Discuss

A second album written and recorded during pandemic lockdown carries the singer and songwriter further from conventional pop. Guests: Joe Coscarelli, Caryn Ganz and Jon Pareles.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.

Dec 15, 202058 minEp. 296

The Best Albums of 2020? Let’s Discuss.

An absence of live music refocused attention on records, and work by Fiona Apple, Taylor Swift and Run the Jewels spoke loudly. 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.

Dec 09, 20201 hr 9 minEp. 295

Saweetie, City Girls and the Female Rapper Renaissance

Streaming, social media and the tireless work of trailblazers have helped change the hip-hop landscape. 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.

Nov 29, 202055 minEp. 294

Who Will Control Britney Spears’s Future?

While her father remains the head of her estate for now, the pop star has signaled she’s ready for change. Guests: Joe Coscarelli and Vanessa Grigoriadis. 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.

Nov 18, 202054 minEp. 293

Ariana Grande, a Pop Star for the Post-Pop Star Age

A conversation about her unique route to the top of the charts — and what’s next. Guests: Lindsay Zoladz and Shaad D’Souza. 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.

Nov 10, 20201 hr 6 minEp. 292
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