Switched on Pop

Listen closer to pop music — hear how it moves us. Hosted by musicologist Nate Sloan & songwriter Charlie Harding. From Vulture and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Music Commentary
Music Interviews
Music History
301
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
302
Introducing Galaxy Brains
34 min
303
Turns out Willow Smith rocks
The emo/pop punk track "Transparent Soul" makes us ask why didn't we take Willow seriously
29 min
304
Julia Michaels’ Songwriting Superpowers
You’ll Always Know a Julia Michaels Song When You Hear One
40 min
305
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
306
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
307
Pop On A Perilous Planet (w Kyle Devine)
Musicians Confront the Climate Crisis
33 min
308
5 Rules of Great Songwriting Collabs, According...
5 Ground Rules for Collaboration
29 min
309
Silk Sonic's Retro Soul (with Tayla Parx)
How Bruno Mars and Anderson Paak Revived 70s Philly Soul for their Throwback Hit
50 min
310
AJR Conjure Broadway on 'OK Orchestra'
Breaking down "Bang" and "Way Less Sad"
41 min
311
Return of the Funk Guitar: Cory Wong Breaks Dow...
The guitar rhythms that power pop’s biggest hits
32 min
312
What the 63rd Grammys say about the state of pop
Beyoncé, Megan Thee Stallion and Taylor Swift had a big night
39 min
313
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
314
Kaytranada's journey from basement beat-making ...
From remixing Janet Jackson, to collaborating with Anderson .Paak
34 min
315
JP Saxe Didn’t Mean for His Grammy Hit ‘If the ...
Grammy Nominee for Song of the Year
34 min
316
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
317
The Scandalous Sounds of Bridgerton (w Kris Bow...
It's not your mother's Regency drama soundtrack
39 min
318
How The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” used retro s...
And why it is so misunderstood
35 min
319
Epik High is our gateway into Korean hip hop (w...
A conversation with Tablo about Epik High Is Here Part 1
50 min
320
Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License” is a full th...
The power ballad peaked in the 90s. Is it making a comeback?
37 min
321
D.O.C. (Death of the Chorus) with Emily Warren
Pop music will never be the same
38 min
322
ICYMI: The End Of Pop Music As We Know It: Fall...
The end of the pop drop
45 min
323
ICYMI: Do You Believe in Life After Autotune?
A conversation with Simon Reynolds
46 min
324
Wham! Op. 84 “Last Christmas” with Chilly Gonzales
George Michael & “A Very Chilly Christmas”
50 min
325
Taylor Swift has "evermore" of a good thing
How how "folklore" followup stacks up
42 min