logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2019
46m 24s

BONUS: Who are the Picassos of pop? (wit...

Vulture
About this episode
Ross Golan is no stranger to Switched on Pop. This week, the songwriter and host of the hit podcast And The Writer Is… joins Charlie for a BONUS episode (cue siren) about the surprising lessons learned from a collective seven years behind the interview mic. Tune in as Ross and Charlie discuss the infinite shelf-life of classic songwriting techniques, the hap ... Show More
Up next
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
Oct 20
The rise of surrealist pop: KATSEYE and ADÉLA
The music of global girl group KATSEYE might be confusing on first listen. A less-generous read might consider their songs to be rudimentary: the lyrics are mostly nonsense, the instrumentals evoke lesser 2010s pop songs, and the aesthetic can’t decide whether it’s targeted to ch ... Show More
48m 36s
Oct 14
Why we need bad music
For the 500th(!) episode of Switched on Pop, Charlie and Nate try to answer the question that has stumped critics and philosophers since the dawn of sound: does bad music exist? Their quest to answer something so nebulous leads them through the annals of taste, and in the process ... Show More
1h 1m
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2024
Introducing: Switched On Pop
This week on One Song, we’re sharing another music podcast that LUXXURY and Diallo both love. It’s called Switched On Pop, and it’s about the making and meaning of popular music, hosted by musicologist Nate Sloan and songwriter Charlie Harding. The episode we’re sharing focuses o ... Show More
49m 25s
May 2020
Special Guests: An Interview With "Switched on Pop" (Part 1)
In this special episode, Peter and Adam interview fellow music commentators Nate Sloan and Charlie Harding from the hit podcast Switched on Pop.Links From This Episode:Dive into the world of pop music and learn about the song craft that goes into writing great pop tunes with the ... Show More
22m 5s
Mar 2024
Tate McRae, Dua Lipa and the Fight to Be ‘Main Pop Girl’
A conversation about a title that emerged from stan communities, and how it’s played a role in pop singers’ careers. Guests: Vulture's Jason P. Frank and Rolling Stone's Larisha Paul. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe ... Show More
56m 57s
Nov 2023
Popcast (Deluxe): Mailbag! The Beatles, Taylor Swift and More
Taking viewer and listener questions on hot topics in pop music. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts ... Show More
53m 50s
Nov 2021
Popcast Mailbag! Halsey, Nicki, TikTok and, of Course, Taylor
Answering your questions about pop’s big names, the state of the music video and more. Guests: Joe Coscarelli and Caryn Ganz. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.co ... Show More
1h 15m
May 2022
What makes Drake's 'God's Plan' a hit pop song
Attention to all the music lovers out there! All month, we're revisiting our best music episodes from It's Been a Minute. In this episode from February 2020, former host Sam Sanders is joined by Nate Sloan and Charlie Harding, co-hosts of the podcast Switched On Pop. They break d ... Show More
17m 43s
Jun 2025
Addison Rae Interview! From $20 TikToks to Pop’s Most Promising Prospect
An in-depth chat with the onetime social media superstar, who has re-emerged as the most surprising rookie pop star of the year. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes ... Show More
1h 25m
Oct 2023
Introducing Encore: The Stories Behind The Songs You Love
Do you remember where you were the first time you heard Outkast tell you to 'Shake it like a Polaroid Picture'? How about when Nickelback told you to 'Look at this Photograph'? Or when Taylor Swift provided the soundtrack to your Love story? Join Myles Galloway as he takes you th ... Show More
31s
Aug 2021
Billie Eilish’s New Pop Perspective
How has the teenage phenomenon’s songwriting, and her relationship to the larger music machine, evolved between albums? Guests: Joe Coscarelli and Lindsay Zoladz. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite po ... Show More
58m 16s
Jun 2022
Can Harry Styles’s Music Catch Up to His Fame?
How his time in One Direction and a powerful online fan base have shaped the pop star’s career. Guests: The Atlantic's Kaitlyn Tiffany, and Lindsay Zoladz. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast a ... Show More
57m 46s