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

Will Smith, Before the Slap

Plenty has been said about Oscars night. But what about the rapper-turned-actor’s remarkable journey up to that point? Guest: Andscape's Soraya Nadia McDonald.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 21, 202247 minEp. 352

The 2022 Grammys: Let’s Discuss

What are the awards at this point, and who benefits from them? Guests: Jon Pareles, Wesley Morris 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.

Apr 05, 20221 hrEp. 351

Charli XCX’s Ever-Evolving Pop

The singer and songwriter’s career has inspired dance parties as well as spirited conversations about her ambitions and aesthetic innovations. Guests: Hazel Cills 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.

Mar 30, 202246 minEp. 350

The Many Worlds of Rosalía

The Spanish phenom’s music takes in a host of global influences, making her one of the most sonically ambitious and critically dissected pop artists today. Guest: 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.

Mar 23, 202253 minEp. 349

The Sounds of Ukrainian Pop

A conversation about some of the country’s stars, the musical traditions they work within and how they have grappled with the war. Guest: Vogue's Liana Satenstein.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 15, 202240 minEp. 348

Reggaeton’s Global Expansion and Wide-Open Future

As the genre grows in worldwide popularity, it is engaging with the pop music mainstream and stratifying into subsets, introducing new opportunities and dilemmas. Guests: Isabelia Herrera and Katelina Eccleston.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 08, 202254 minEp. 347

The Enigma of Big Thief

A conversation about the space the breakout Brooklyn band occupies in contemporary indie-rock circles, and its latest album. Guests: Rolling Stone's Jon Dolan and Pitchfork's Sam Sodomsky.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, 202252 minEp. 346

Remembering Betty Davis, a Futuristic Funk Force

A conversation about her unique music, her short career and the path that led to her rediscovery. Guests: Jon Pareles, Maureen Mahon and Oliver Wang.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 23, 202249 minEp. 345

Mitski, In and Out of the Spotlight

The indie-rock musician’s albums inspire deep feelings and attract ever-bigger audiences, but in many ways she remains a mystery. Guests: New York's E. Alex Jung and Pitchfork's Cat Zhang.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, 202250 minEp. 344

Spotify’s Ongoing Joe Rogan Problem

The controversy over the star podcaster and misinformation raised thorny questions about the streaming service’s role as a platform, and exacerbated its conflicts with musicians. Guests: Ben Sisario and New York's Nick Quah.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, 202257 minEp. 343

Remembering Greg Tate, Critic and Catalyst

Conversations with two of his contemporaries about the fertile scenes he covered, and the indelible impression he left. Guests: Michael A. Gonzales and Joan Morgan.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 01, 20221 hr 1 minEp. 342

A Killing Jolts Sweden’s Rap Scene

A conversation about hip-hop’s evolution in the country, and how a high-profile shooting thrust the music into the spotlight. Guests: Joe Coscarelli, Petter Hallen and Alex Marshall.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 26, 202255 minEp. 341

What’s Left for the Weeknd to Conquer?

“Dawn FM” suggests at least one future direction for the pop powerhouse, who’s spent a decade making careful moves. Guest: The Ringer's Rob Harvilla.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 18, 202246 minEp. 340

2021 in Jazz: Intimacy and Conversation

Throughout the pandemic, the music’s flexibility has become an asset. Where will artists take it next? 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.

Jan 12, 202244 minEp. 339

Bonus Episode: Lana Del Rey’s American Fever Dreams

As a New Year's treat, we've recovered an old episode sidelined by technical issues (thank you, Pedro!): a discussion of Lana Del Rey’s “Chemtrails Over the Country Club” and the long arc of her career. Guests: Mina Tavakoli 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.

Jan 01, 202253 min

What We Forgot to Talk About in 2021

A catch-up round table on a host of topics: Maneskin, Jazmine Sullivan, Kelly Clarkson, a Real Housewife’s music career and much more. Guests: 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.

Dec 28, 202159 minEp. 338

TikTok’s Music Critics Reflect on 2021

Four of the app’s voices on pop name their favorite releases of the year and discuss developing taste in the age of the algorithm. Guests: Margeaux Labat, Eric Morris, Cam Sullivan-Brown and Hunter White.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 21, 20211 hr 2 minEp. 337

The Best Albums of 2021? Let’s Discuss.

Our critics spar over their year-end lists (and agree on Olivia Rodrigo and Tyler, the Creator) in a wrap-up of the year in LPs. Guests: Jon Pareles 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.

Dec 14, 202157 minEp. 336

Remembering Stephen Sondheim, Musical Theater Visionary

A conversation about his legacy, his engagements with pop music and whether he has any true inheritors. Guests: Jesse Green and Elisabeth Vincentelli.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 07, 202140 minEp. 335

Adele Returns, From Beyond Space and Time

Will we ever see a star who unites audiences like this British musician again? Guests: Jon Pareles and Pitchfork's Jillian Mapes.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 30, 202146 minEp. 334

The Emotional and Financial Business of Taylor Swift’s ‘All Too Well’

What does the rerecorded song from “Red” say about how power and the past have shaped her career? Guests: Joe Coscarelli, Caryn Ganz 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.

Nov 17, 202137 minEp. 333

Remembering the Velvet Underground Through the Mirror of Film

A conversation about how the band was experienced in its time, and how Todd Haynes’s new documentary explores the world that birthed it. Guests: Jon Pareles and A.O. Scott.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 16, 202140 minEp. 332

How the Mosh Pit and ‘Raging’ Came to Hip-Hop

The tragedy at Travis Scott’s Astroworld turned attention to how rap festival performances are increasingly oriented toward the rowdy. Guest: Masked Gorilla and Masked Records' Roger Gengo.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 09, 202141 minEp. 331

Popcast Mailbag! Halsey, Nicki, TikTok and, of Course, Taylor

Answering your questions about pop’s big names, the state of the music video and more. Guests: 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.

Nov 03, 20211 hr 15 minEp. 330

glaive and Hyperpop’s Breakthrough Moment

A conversation about one teen’s rapid ascent, and what the future might hold for a singer and sound evolving in real time. Guest: The Fader's Alex Robert 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.

Oct 19, 202148 minEp. 329

The Music Lost to Coronavirus, Part 3

Remembering Jacob Desvarieux, John Davis and Chucky Thompson. Guests: The New Yorker's Doreen St. Felix; Billboard's Gil Kaufman; Jeff Mao.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.

Oct 12, 202157 minEp. 328

The Reporters Who Covered R. Kelly on His Trial and Conviction

A conversation about the testimony, the meaning of the verdict and the long quest for proper recompense for the singer’s victims. Guests: Troy Closson and Jim DeRogatis.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.

Oct 05, 202145 minEp. 327

Bringing Aaliyah Into the Streaming Era

A conversation about the tug of war over her musical legacy, and how her songs — even without a digital presence — impacted the evolution of contemporary R&B. Guests: Naima Cochrane; Billboard's Gail Mitchell and Dan Rys.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 28, 202158 minEp. 326

Kacey Musgraves, Country Music Chameleon

The singer and songwriter’s “Star-Crossed” documents the end of her marriage. But reports of her divorce from Nashville have been greatly exaggerated. Guests: Amanda Hess and The Guardian's Laura Snapes.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 21, 202155 minEp. 325

Is Drake Tired of Drake?

“Certified Lover Boy” dominated the charts, but something seems to have shifted in the most influential pop star of the past decade. Guests: The Ringer's Charles Holmes and Rolling Stone's Jeff Ihaza.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 14, 20211 hr 1 minEp. 324
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