On a crisp Autumn morning in 1998, the world was introduced to the voice of Britney Spears, and pop would never be the same. Britney’s mix of vocal fry, percussive pronunciations, and timbral play on “...Baby One More Time” hadn't been heard before. As successful as they were, these techniques were derided by critics as parts of her manufactured “baby voice. ... Show More
Apr 17
Ten years of "Alaska": Maggie Rogers on going viral and singing for 200,000 protestors
Ten years ago, Maggie Rogers was a senior at NYU, scrambling to finish a song for a music production class she was close to failing. The guest critic that week happened to be Pharrell Williams. She played him "Alaska," a track she'd written in about fifteen minutes. It is a bit o ... Show More
37m 36s
Apr 14
Learning to Love Train: "Drops of Jupiter" is back in the atmosphere
Train is the kind of band that some people love to hate. Songs like "Meet Virginia" and "Hey Soul Sister" gave the band huge hits, and no small amount of snark. And then there's "Drops of Jupiter." Released in 2001, the song is almost impossible not to love, no matter how many ly ... Show More
47m 25s
Nov 2020
Toxic Tango: Britney Spears vs. Christina Aguilera
For ‘80s babies, Britney and Christina represent the ultimate fan face-off. Originally friends and co-stars on The Mickey Mouse Club reboot in the early ‘90s, by the decade’s end they were pitted against one another in the press and in the charts. On the surface, the comparisons ... Show More
54m 12s
Mar 2022
Britney Spears : amour, gloire et toxicité
<p>Toxic est peut-être la chanson qui résume au mieux la relation que l’on entretient avec Britney Spears… Superstar des années 2000, Britney a rythmé notre existence avec des titres comme <em>Oops I did it again</em> ou encore …<em>Baby one more time</em>, mais également avec d ... Show More
34m 35s
Jun 2021
Welcome to Pieces of Britney with Pandora Sykes
Britney Spears: pop icon. Pandora Sykes pieces together what we know about her story, and what it tells us about sex, entertainment, and how we treat women in the public eye. In this eight-part series for BBC Radio 4, Pandora traces Britney’s incredible life: from her hardscrabbl ... Show More
3m 25s
Feb 2020
Justin Bieber's 'Changes' Proves the Enduring Allure of Child-Turned-Adult Pop Stars
Justin Bieber released his debut album, My World 2.0, almost exactly a decade ago, and last week, the pop star put out his fifth studio album, Changes, which is on track for yet another No. 1 debut on the Billboard 200. Keith & Katie talk all about the power of that connection be ... Show More
26m 27s