Synopsis
New York Times music critics Jon Pareles, Ben Ratliff, Jon Caramanica and Nate Chinen talk each week about the latest pop music news, the top songs, the best albums, the biggest stars — and the up and coming stars you haven't heard of yet.
Episodes
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Why We’re Still Listening to the Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’
09/06/2017 Duration: 30minOur pop music critics are not fans of record anniversaries, but 50 years after the creation of “Sgt. Pepper,” there are still lessons to be learned from the 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.
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Latin Pop Thrives, No Bieber Required
02/06/2017 Duration: 47min“Despacito” is the first Spanish-language song to top the chart since “Macarena,” but there are many more interesting shifts in Latin pop today. 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.
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Festivals That Inspire Awe, and Festivals That Lead to Criminal Investigations
26/05/2017 Duration: 46minMusic fests are ubiquitous, but only some are curated well enough to be thrilling. And there’s the Fyre Festival. 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.
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Harry Styles and John Mayer, Teardrops on Their Guitars
19/05/2017 Duration: 39minThe One Direction member and the pop-blues poster boy have a few things in common. 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.
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Paramore Returns, Headed Straight For the 1980s
12/05/2017 Duration: 30minOne of the most impressive rock bands working in the mainstream has taken a left turn. Where is Paramore headed, and how did it inspire scores of artists? 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.
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Finding Feist’s Pleasure and Pain
05/05/2017 Duration: 25minThe singer-songwriter’s new album is a low-fi exploration of extreme emotions. How does it relate to her earlier hits, and how did she get here? 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.
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How Lil Uzi Vert Turned Rap Into Rock and Became a Pop Star
28/04/2017 Duration: 46minHe’s a rapper, a social media phenomenon, the guy yelling “ya” on Migos’s hit “Bad and Boujee.” What’s the secret of Uzi’s success? 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.
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A Deep Dig on Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole’s Hip-Hop’s Values
21/04/2017 Duration: 55minThe two rappers recall an earlier time in the genre’s history, in terms of aesthetics and politics. How do they fit in today? 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.
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How Do You Solve a Problem Like the Chainsmokers?
14/04/2017 Duration: 49minIn three years, the duo has had several hits while offending all sorts of people. What does its sound say about EDM? 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.
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Jazz in 2017: The Music Is Thriving, Though Support Is in Peril
07/04/2017 Duration: 39minKamasi Washington and some Los Angeles musicians are producing vital recordings, but N.E.A. funding is uncertain. A conversation about the state of jazz. 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.
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Drake Changed Hip-Hop’s Sound. Can He Change the Business?
27/03/2017 Duration: 57minHis release isn’t an album or a mixtape, but a playlist — a move that could position him to shift the music industry once again. 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.
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How Chuck Berry Became a Rock ’n’ Roll Mastermind
22/03/2017 Duration: 23minHe wrote the guitar licks, told the clever stories, duckwalked across the stage and forever changed popular music 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.
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The Billboard Charts Are Wackier Than Ever: What’s Going On?
17/03/2017 Duration: 56minStreaming figures into chart positions now, a fact that has started yielding some very odd results. 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.
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The Greatest Trick Ed Sheeran Ever Pulled Was Convincing the World He’s an Underdog
10/03/2017 Duration: 43minThe British singer/songwriter is a record-smashing superstar, but he still plays the spurned lover. How does he do it? 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.
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What Future and Migos Tell Us About Atlanta’s Rap Dominance
03/03/2017 Duration: 58minA panel discusses Migos, Lil Yachty and more of the city’s budding stars on Popcast. 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.
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What Happens When Nashville Outsiders Become Country’s Big Stars?
24/02/2017 Duration: 01h10minThe city synonymous with the country music business is in transition. How is it dealing with rapid change, and the Trump era? A panel discusses on Popcast. 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.
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Were There Any Real Winners at the Grammys?
14/02/2017 Duration: 57minIt was an awards show filled with flubs, tear, apologies and protests. The New York Times pop music writers discuss Adele, Beyoncé, Chance the Rapper and more on Popcast. 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.
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Will the Grammy Awards End With a Big Surprise?
10/02/2017 Duration: 37minThe New York Times pop team debates whether Sturgill Simpson will pull out a surprise victory in a night stacked with Adele vs. Beyoncé face-offs. 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.
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Punk Rock Is Alive and Well, No Politics Required
03/02/2017 Duration: 44minThe current political climate doesn’t come up even once during the latest Popcast, a conversation about Japandroids, the Menzingers and the state of rock. 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.
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The War Over ‘La La Land’: Gotta Hear Both Sides
27/01/2017 Duration: 49minThe toast of Hollywood has divided our culture writers. Two of the movie’s boosters go to battle with two of its critics in this week’s Popcast. 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.