Switched on Pop

A podcast all about the making and meaning of popular music. Musicologist Nate Sloan & songwriter Charlie Harding pull back the curtain on how pop hits work magic on our ears & our culture. From Vulture and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Music Commentary
Music Interviews
Music History
251
J Cole’s The Off Season and the Power of the 12...
A rapper at the top of his game tries to keep himself in shape
29 min
252
ICYMI Rina Sawayama Reimagines the 00s
The Women Reclaiming Nu-Metal
18 min
253
Vijay Iyer on why jazz has always been political
Improvised music isn't just virtuosity and technique, it's fighting racism and injustice
29 min
254
Introducing Galaxy Brains
34 min
255
Turns out Willow Smith rocks
The emo/pop punk track "Transparent Soul" makes us ask why didn't we take Willow seriously
29 min
256
Julia Michaels’ Songwriting Superpowers
You’ll Always Know a Julia Michaels Song When You Hear One
40 min
257
How Take A Daytrip took off (full interview)
The story of the hitmakers behind Lil Nas X’s “Montero” Sheck Wes’s “Mo Bamba” and many more
38 min
258
The Mystery of Montero AKA Lil Nas X (feat. Tak...
How Lil Nas X Rattled the World to Earn his Second #1 Hit
34 min
259
Pop On A Perilous Planet (w Kyle Devine)
Musicians Confront the Climate Crisis
33 min
260
5 Rules of Great Songwriting Collabs, According...
5 Ground Rules for Collaboration
29 min
261
Silk Sonic's Retro Soul (with Tayla Parx)
How Bruno Mars and Anderson Paak Revived 70s Philly Soul for their Throwback Hit
50 min
262
AJR Conjure Broadway on 'OK Orchestra'
Breaking down "Bang" and "Way Less Sad"
41 min
263
Return of the Funk Guitar: Cory Wong Breaks Dow...
The guitar rhythms that power pop’s biggest hits
32 min
264
What the 63rd Grammys say about the state of pop
Beyoncé, Megan Thee Stallion and Taylor Swift had a big night
39 min
265
Kimbra reflects on a song that we used to know
"'Somebody That I Used to Know' is the most unlikely hit—it just made me dream bigger and it made me think the possibilities are endless.”
47 min
266
Kaytranada's journey from basement beat-making ...
From remixing Janet Jackson, to collaborating with Anderson .Paak
34 min
267
JP Saxe Didn’t Mean for His Grammy Hit ‘If the ...
Grammy Nominee for Song of the Year
34 min
268
Adrian Younge's new project sounds like James B...
An unapologetic critique of racism in America — and a funky paean to its greatest Black musicians
31 min
269
The Scandalous Sounds of Bridgerton (w Kris Bow...
It's not your mother's Regency drama soundtrack
39 min
270
How The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” used retro s...
And why it is so misunderstood
35 min
271
Epik High is our gateway into Korean hip hop (w...
A conversation with Tablo about Epik High Is Here Part 1
50 min
272
Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License” is a full th...
The power ballad peaked in the 90s. Is it making a comeback?
37 min
273
D.O.C. (Death of the Chorus) with Emily Warren
Pop music will never be the same
38 min
274
ICYMI: The End Of Pop Music As We Know It: Fall...
The end of the pop drop
45 min
275
ICYMI: Do You Believe in Life After Autotune?
A conversation with Simon Reynolds
46 min