Little Richard was rock ‘n’ roll’s flamboyant architect. Lesley Gore sang that no one owned her. Sylvester was a gender-fluid icon who helped define disco. Freddie Mercury made rock operatic, and George Michael demanded freedom.
What all of these LGBTQ artists had in common was bold hitmaking—and fear of being fully out of the closet. For decades, queer act ... Show More
May 30
All Apologies Edition Part 2
The story of Nevermind, Nirvana’s genre-defining breakthrough, is a familiar one. Less well known is the saga of Billboard’s Modern Rock chart—and how college-rock staples of the 1980s like R.E.M. and The Cure gave way to heavier, more commercially dominant groups of the ‘90s lik ... Show More
1h 3m
May 17
All Apologies Edition Part 1
The story of Nevermind, Nirvana’s genre-defining breakthrough, is a familiar one. Less well known is the saga of Billboard’s Modern Rock chart—and how college-rock staples of the 1980s like R.E.M. and The Cure gave way to heavier, more commercially dominant groups of the ‘90s lik ... Show More
1h 8m
Feb 2025
The Umbrella Effect: How Rihanna’s Breakout Hit Changed Pop Music Forever
In 2007, a 19-year-old Barbadian pop singer released the lead single off her third album. By doing so, she didn't just give us a timeless, undeniable banger -- she changed the way pop music is made, and became the global superstar that we know Rihanna to be today. In this episode ... Show More
37m 24s
Mar 2020
Dua Lipa, Bob Dylan, Rosalía, PartyNextDoor & More
Billboard breaks down the biggest releases in the music world for the week of March 27, 2020, including drops from Dua Lipa, Bob Dylan, Rosalía, PartyNextDoor (featuring Rihanna), Pearl Jam, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
24m 57s
Aug 2024
Tinashe’s “Nasty” takes on Janet and Beyoncé + Are songs getting simpler?
If you've spent any time on the internet this summer, you may have encountered a certain refrain accompanying particularly fierce dance videos—"I've been a nasty girl. Nasty, nasty, nasty." This track, "Nasty" by the R&B singer and songwriter Tinashe, is a jam in its own right. F ... Show More
46m 15s
Sep 2024
‘Teenage Dream’ | Every Single Album: Katy Perry
With ‘Teenage Dream,’ Katy Perry became the first artist since Michael Jackson to have an album with five no. 1 singles. Nora and Nathan talk about the massive highs on this album, including “Last Friday Night,” “California Gurls,” and “Firework” (1:00); the massive lows such as ... Show More
1h 28m
Sep 2016
Daya On Her Upcoming ‘Electro Pop’ Album and Breakthrough Year, Plus Chart Chat About Barbra Streisand, Lady Gaga & More
On the latest Pop Shop Podcast, we welcome rising star Daya, who stops by to talk about her breakthrough year and her upcoming debut full-length album, “Sit Still, Look Pretty” and more. Also in the show, Keith and Katie dive into the charts, talking about Barbra Streisand’s 11th ... Show More
29 m
Jun 19
How the 'Hit Girls' Shaped Our Current Pop Landscape. Plus, Where's Our Song of the Summer?
Nora discusses her new book, 'Hit Girls,' about how stars like Britney Spears and Beyoncé shaped our current pop landscape (1:00). Then she and Nathan talk about Sabrina Carpenter's new single "Manchild" and her forthcoming album 'Man's Best Friend' (22:49), before previewing the ... Show More
59m 37s