We hand over the hosting duties to Constance Grady, book reviewer for Vox.com, to discuss our new book/baby - Switched on Pop: How Popular Music Works and Why it Matters, and go deep on two specific concepts we haven’t touched nearly enough on the show: timbre (with the help of Sia’s “Chandelier) and sampling (via M.I.A.’s iconic “Paper Planes). The book of ... Show More
Today
How does one violinist end up on every hit song?
You've heard those shimmering disco strings in Miley Cyrus's "Flowers," the cinematic arrangements on Phoebe Bridgers' Punisher, and the orchestral flourishes across Taylor Swift's catalog, but you probably didn't know they're all the work of one person: Rob Moose. The violinist ... Show More
51m 35s
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
Nov 2022
Why your brain craves Despacito. Plus: books of 2022
This week, we learn why we love the music we love. Lilah speaks with Susan Rogers, who was a recording engineer for Prince on albums such as ‘Purple Rain’. Now she's a neuroscientist who has studied what music does to the brain. Her book, 'This Is What It Sounds Like', helps us m ... Show More
30m 20s
Oct 2023
we’ve reached the end of music
On this episode of Drama Mama, our host Ben is spilling all the tea on the state of the music biz, and let's just say, he's depressed! Get ready for some real talk as Ben dives into how music labels are making artists churn out TikToks, and how viral TikTok sounds are lowkey call ... Show More
38m 11s
Sep 2022
'The Lazy Song' by Bruno Mars (w/ Shelby Wolstein and EJ Marcus)
Andrew & Evan get scientific help from Shelby and EJ to philosophically probe Bruno Mars’ “Lazy Song,” asking: if you have the laziest day in the history of days, didn’t that, well, probably require some great amount of planning and effort on that part? And don’t you get addition ... Show More
1h 28m
Apr 2024
The ‘Tortured Poets Department’ Mailbag | Every Single Album: Taylor Swift
The Tortured Podcasters Department meets again, this time to open up the mailbag! Nora and Nathan answer a bunch of listener questions about whether their opinion has changed on any songs, what they want to hear next from Taylor, and much more (4:13). Then they answer rapid-fire ... Show More
1h 21m