The synthesizer was invented in the 1890s. But for people to really start using it, it took half a century, a musician named Wendy Carlos, and an album called Switched-On Bach.
Charlie Harding and Nate Sloan of Switched On Pop tell Phoebe why Wendy Carlos is “the most significant figure in 20th century music that the least people know about.”
Subscribe to Th ... Show More
Aug 19
All roads lead to Pharrell: Tyler, Clipse, and Cardi
The conversation around the new music this summer has been a dour one. Some of the biggest songs in the country right now are downtempo stomp-clap anthems and wistful Cranberries pastiche. Even on this very show, Nate and Charlie have asked: where's the fun? As it turns out, the ... Show More
52m 36s
Aug 12
A brief history of terrible lyrics (with Sam Sanders)
Why do bad lyrics happen to good people? From "suckin' on a chili dog" to "making love to his tonic and gin," even the biggest hits from our favorite artists can feature lyrical turns that make us feel quizzical, offended, or even downright nauseated. With the help of Sam Sanders ... Show More
43m 5s
Jun 2024
The Devil's Music 62: Cynthia B-Girl
Cynthia Ross is a musician, writer, poet and spoken word performer. Better known as her stage name Cynthia B-Girl, she’s a punk rock pioneer and one of the earliest of proponents of the underground scene in Toronto, Canada. In 1977, Cynthia and B-Girls singer Lucasta met at post- ... Show More
1h 8m
Jul 2024
The Beatles
The Beatles - made up of Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison - were the biggest band the world has ever seen. Recording together for just over seven years, setting unprecedented sales, and revolutionising songwriting, theirs was a stardom that burned bri ... Show More
1 h
Jun 2021
Pourquoi vous ne connaissez pas Richie Havens, alors qu’il a enflammé Woodstock ?
Il y a eu plusieurs festival de Woodstock, mais généralement quand on parle du rendez-vous musical, on évoque l’édition la plus mythique, la première, celle de 1969, qui a vu défiler tout le gratin de l’époque. Parmi les artistes de renoms qui se sont succédés à Woodstock, il y a ... Show More
11m 5s
Apr 2025
558. The Rolling Stones: Sex, Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll (Part 1)
What are the origins of Britain’s original bad boys, The Rolling Stones? Where did they all come from and how did they meet? What was it about the 1960s, with its air of sexual liberation, newly elected Labour government, and rising youth culture that allowed them to burst onto t ... Show More
1h 10m
Oct 2024
Questlove
He’s a Grammy-winning musician, an Academy Award-winning filmmaker, a DJ, a teacher, author of multiple books, a podcaster, host of the web series “Quest for Craft” and oh yeah, the co-frontman for a little band you may have seen on “The Tonight Show” called The Roots. In this co ... Show More
37m 46s