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
Jun 5
How a sci-fi dystopia became a personal utopia (ft. Arc Iris)
A sci-fi ballet imagined a 2080 where AI strips people of purpose, and the day before its New York premiere, an actual dystopia arrived. Arc Iris, the trio of Jocie Adams, Zach Tenorio and Ray Belli, built iTMRW as a concept record set in a future ruled by a mega-corporation that ... Show More
13m 2s
Jun 2
Why bands give us purpose (ft. MUNA)
A culture that rewards easily consumable individual identities produces plenty of pop stars and almost no bands. A significant exception: MUNA, the trio of Katie Gavin, Josette Maskin, and Naomi McPherson. MUNA treats the band as a structure that grounds identity beyond the ego a ... Show More
52m 19s
Feb 2022
How Whitney Houston’s Super Bowl National Anthem Has Endured
It has been ten years since Whitney Houston died on February 11, 2012. The link between the musical icon and sports is specific and indelible, through her iconic rendition of the national anthem at Super Bowl XXV. While her performance was breathtaking, much of what made it truly ... Show More
38m 48s
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. C ... Show More
2m 13s
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 52s
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
