In 2003 Britney Spears released “Toxic,” a song that would make converts out of pop skeptics, be named one of the greatest tracks of the 21st century by multiple publications, and become a personal favorite of Switched on Pop.
Despite its success, when “Toxic” was released as the second single from Spears’s fourth album, In the Zone, even the song’s writers ... Show More
Sep 15
The power of singing together (ft. Tiny Habits)
Throughout pop history, groups from The Ink Spots to the Beach Boys to Fleetwood Mac all forged their sound in the alchemy of vocal harmonies, harnessing the magic that happens when different voices join as one. Then suddenly, right around the 1980s, vocal harmonies started to wa ... Show More
40m 33s
Aug 25
Phoebe Bridgers opens her Moleskine
Many of us keep a journal, but few of us are able to turn our unvarnished thoughts into cultural moments touching on love, death, and guitars quite like Phoebe Bridgers. Her new album Lost Weekend isn’t just throwing the pages of her personal life into song, it’s much more than t ... Show More
36m 27s
Dec 2018
"Single Ladies" by Beyoncé
<p>On this episode, Kirk dives into one of the greatest pop songs of all time.</p><p>Beyoncé's "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)" is arguably the defining song of the last decade, but it's far from your average pop tune. With its unusual tensions and unstoppable groove, it defies ... Show More
26m 22s
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