Who is the biggest Diva of them all? The U.S. National Anthem, which borrows its melody from a historic British drinking song, has undergone enormous musical change in the hands of pop music vocalists. Famously, José Feliciano, Marvin Gaye and Whitney Houston each changed the meaning of "The Star Spangled Banner" by finding new approaches to the performance. ... Show More
Mar 3
Can Bruno Mars counterprogram his way to another hit album?
Bruno Mars is back with a new album called The Romantic, his first solo release since 2016’s 24k Magic. At first listen, the lead single, “I Just Might,” sounds like an outtake from 2021’s collaborative album with Anderson Paak, the Philly soul-inspired An Evening with Silk Sonic ... Show More
44m 52s
Feb 24
Charli XCX’s "Wuthering Heights" fever dream
Emerald Fennell's new adaptation of Emily Brontë's 1847 gothic romance "Wuthering Heights" is the most talked-about film of the year. But for pop lovers, the soundtrack is the real event: Charli xcx, asked to write one song, ended up recording an entire album for the movie while ... Show More
48m 13s
Nov 2024
Pop News Grab Bag: Sabrina Carpenter, Beyoncé, and Gracie Abrams
Nora and Nathan talk about a mix of pop music news from the week, including the end of the U.S. leg of Sabrina Carpenter's Short n' Sweet tour (1:00), the news that Beyoncé will perform at the halftime show during a Christmas Day NFL game and whether this is the start of her Gram ... Show More
1h 7m
Dec 2024
This Moment in Music History for 12-25-2024
On December 25, 1954, the iconic song "White Christmas" by Irving Berlin became the first single in history to reach 30 million sales. The song, originally recorded by Bing Crosby in 1942, quickly became a holiday classic and has been covered by numerous artists over the years.<b ... Show More
2m 14s
May 2025
This Moment in Music History for 05-28-2025
On May 28th in music history, one significant event took place in 1977 when the iconic British punk rock band Sex Pistols released their highly controversial single "God Save the Queen." The song, which was a scathing critique of the British monarchy and the state of the nation, ... Show More
1m 53s
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
<p>It's hard to underestimate <a href="https://consequenceofsound.net/artist/whitney-houston/" rel="nofollow">Whitney Houston</a>’s stardom.</p>
<p>For better and for worse, the world knows so much more about the late diva than we do about most artists from her era. Houston&# ... Show More
