Back in 2011, two pop songs dropped with the same patriotic title: "Made in America." But the similarities pretty much end there. Toby Keith's country smash and Jay Z, Kanye West and Frank Ocean's soulful hip hop anthem have little in common except a firm conviction that each song knows what it really means to be American. Five years later, these tracks have ... Show More
Nov 3
A unified popstar theory from Tinashe
On her eighth studio album Popstar, the criminally underrated multihyphenate Tinashe finally asserts herself as a Main Pop Girl, crafting a record about what it means to be a celebrity in the modern era. For her, it’s about grinding for years, living in the fantasy, and connectin ... Show More
46m 44s
Oct 27
The 'bummer hope' of midwest emo (ft. Yvette Young and Mike Kinsella)
A few months ago, Nate came across a glittering guitar riff unlike anything he had ever heard before; it managed to perfectly balance careful optimism with plaintive melancholy, stirring the spirit. That melody, played by guitarist Yvette Young, was a shining example of the “midw ... Show More
30m 20s
Apr 2020
Toby Keith vs. the Dixie Chicks: Boot Battle
In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, country superstar Toby Keith released “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American).” Some embraced the song as the perfect rallying cry for an angry and traumatized nation. Others felt it was a crude, hateful, jingoistic anthem about ... Show More
1h 3m
Nov 2020
From "YMCA" to "Fortunate Son," Inside The Trump Era's Weird Musical Battles
Brittany Spanos and Rob Sheffield join host Brian Hiatt to discuss cultural battles over music over the last four years, plus the best and worst protest songs, the future of music under Biden, and more Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
42m 55s
Jun 2024
What’s an Aging Rapper to Do? Eminem, Drake, J. Cole (& Will Smith!) Adapt (Deluxe)
New songs from Eminem, Drake and J. Cole — plus Will Smith’s post-Slap “Bad Boys” comeback — demonstrate different paths for maturing (or not). Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here http ... Show More
1h 14m