Note: This full episode will be available for free on our main feed on Thursday.

In a preview from Pop Pantheon: All Access, As a special treat for our paid subscribers, we're giving you next week's main feed drop, our Best Pop Songs of 2025 live show, almost a week in advance! 

On Tuesday, DJ Louie gathered an all star panel ? Who? Weekly's Lindsey Weber, Lemme Say This' Peyton Dix, and Billboard's Jason Lipshutz? to count down their favorite pop songs of the year.

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On Tuesday night in New York City, DJ Louie gathered an all-star panel? critic and best-selling author Ira Madison III, writer and critic Doreen St. Félix, and New York Times Pop Music Editor Caryn Ganz? live on stage to break down of their favorite pop albums of 2025.

Tune in next week for The Best Pop Songs of 2025!

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, From Gaga to Addison, Lorde, Beyoncé, Scissors Sisters, Mary Blige, Katy Perry, and SO many more, Louie and Russ gather to rank their favorite (and least favorite) live shows of the past year.

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Louie and Russ take listener calls about Pop Pantheon rankings they may have gotten wrong this year and throughout the podcast's run.

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, with a new Olivia Rodrigo album seemingly on the horizon, Louie and Russ return to her sophomore effort, 2023's Guts, to parse their differing vibes on Olivia, reflect on the album's middling commercial performance, and... uh... gut-check on how the record's held up by going track-by-track.

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We're off for Thanksgiving so as a little treat, we're publishing a Patreon episode from earlier this year where Russ and Louie go track by track on Katy Perry's Teenage Dream, skipping the singles to decide whether the album is a classic? or even any good? without them.

This is a little taste of what you?ll get if you subscribe to our Patreon show, where we publish weekly bonus episodes. We?ve got a Black Friday discount code that?s good for ONE WEEK ONLY, so snag it before the discount is gone. Use the code ?CHARLI? for 20% off an annual subscription or use the code ?TINASHE? for 15% off your first month.

In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ take listener calls on Robyn's forthcoming album, how Taylor will navigate motherhood in her music, Tate McRae's 2025 up-level and more. 

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Note: This episode was updated shortly after release to correct a missing audio clip. If you?re listening on Apple Podcasts and hear a gap or missing section, please delete the episode and re-download to access the updated version.

Omri Rolan joins Pop Pantheon to unpack the ups and many, many, many downs of girl grouper turned solo pop flop, Nicole Scherzinger. Louie and Omri dig into Nicole?s origins on the reality show Popstars, her first hit with Eden?s Crush, ?Get Over Yourself,? and her road to The Pussycat Dolls. From there, they discuss the string of unsuccessful singles that led to her first solo album being shelved permanently, her eventual Red One-assisted 2011 album Killer Love, 2014?s tepidly received Big Fat Lie and Nicole?s unlikely comeback as a prestige stage star. Finally, they rank Nicole Scherzinger in The Official Pop Pantheon.

Nicole Scherzinger Essentials Playlist on Spotify

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ are joined by the LA Times' Suzy Exposito to break down Rosalia's ambitious, orchestral, multilingual fourth album, Lux.

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Troy McEady of Beyond The Blinds returns to Pop Pantheon to unpack the defining prefab American girl group of the 2000s, The Pussycat Dolls. Louie and Troy dig into PCD?s beginnings as a burlesque troupe, early dalliances with pop stars like Christina Aguilera and Gwen Stefani, and brand extension into a ready-made musical girl gang. They discuss the group?s breakthrough, ?Don?t Cha,? 2005?s PCD, the near-immediate member tensions and subsequent sophomore slump, 2008?s Doll Domination. From there, they tackle the the Pussycats' breakup(s) and abandoned 2020 reunion, then rank the Pussycat Dolls into The Official Pop Pantheon. 

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ react to the 2025 Grammy nominations plus dissect new songs from Katy Perry and Hilary Duff.

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Max Martin is the biggest pop producer of all time, having crafted hits across three decades for everyone from Britney and Backstreet Boys to Kelly Clarkson, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, The Weeknd, Ariana Grande and so many more. He recently re-teamed with Taylor for her 12th album, The Life of Showgirl, a record that many believe didn't reflect his best work but also made us wonder: What is?  

Pop Pantheon favs Aisha Harris, Molly Mary O'Brien, and Sam Murphy return for a roundtable with DJ Louie to break down the secret sauce to Max's 30 years of in the biz, before each sharing their top 5 Max songs of all time.

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, in anticipation of the 2026 Grammy nominations which will be unveiled this Friday, Louie and Russ share their predictions for the nominees in the big four and pop categories.

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Louie and Russ answer your questions about Taylor Swift and interpolation credits, Katy and Miley's recent flops, their favorite lead Britney singles, how they first met one another and more....

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ discuss new albums from Lily Allen and Demi Lovato and also dive into recent changes to the way Billboard tracks the Hot 100.

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Time's Taylor Crumpton returns to Pop Pantheon to explore the deeply personal and trenchantly political R&B of neo-soul earth mother Erykah Badu. Taylor and Louie discuss Erykah?s upbringing in Dallas, her early work as part of a rap duo, and her early collaborations with the Roots and D'Angelo. From there they break down her legendary 1997 album Baduizm, her follow up Live, which included her improv'ed hit "Tyrone," and 2000's socially-conscious Mama's Gun. Along the way, they touch on her legendary love life and innovative later era work, like her 2015 mixtape But You Caint Use My Phone. Finally, they rank Erykah Badu in The Official Pop Pantheon.

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ discuss buzzy new albums from three very different pop girlies: Zara Larsson's Midnight Sun, Audrey Hobert's Who's The Clown?, and Olivia Dean's The Art of Loving.

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Louie & Russ play a game of Step Up, Step Down where they look at recent career moves by Justin Bieber, Sabrina Carpenter, Doja Cat, Cardi B, and Lorde and decide if they are currently on an upward or downward slope in the Pop Pantheon.

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie is joined by friend of the pod, Pot Psychology's Rich Juzwiak, to break down Mariah Carey's 16th studio album, Here For It All, which dropped a few weeks ago. The two dig into the record's mix of '70s soul and contemporary R&B, how Mimi deploys her more limited vocal range, and how Here attempts to solve for the problems of the late-career pop diva album.

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Louie and Russ are answering all of your questions about Season One of our Taylor Swift series which covered her early era and first three albums, 2006's debut, 2008's Fearless, and 2010's Speak Now. 

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, what else could it be? Louie and Russ go extra long on Taylor Swift's 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, consider each track, and ask the big questions about what it all means in the career trajectory of the biggest pop star of them all. 

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The Guardian's deputy music editor Laura Snapes makes her Pop Pantheon debut for the conclusion of season one of our epic Taylor Swift super-series. Louie and Laura revisit the marquee music event of autumn 2010, the release of Taylor?s third album, Speak Now. They discuss the album's six platinum hits, how it revitalized the record industry in a moment of peril and the way Taylor used Speak Now to respond to public narratives about her.

Join us next week for a bonus B-Side Mailbag episode covering YOUR questions about Taylor?s early years and initial run of country albums.

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ talk the announcement of Bad Bunny as next year's Super Bowl halftime show performer, Russ' experience at Lorde's Ultrasound World Tour, and take bets on the first week sales for Taylor Swift's Life of a Showgirl before digging into Doja Cat's '80s pastiche on her new album, Vie, released last week. 

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Stereogum senior editor Tom Breihan returns to Pop Pantheon for the second episode of season one of Pop Pantheon?s epic Taylor Swift super-series. Louie and Tom touch down on Taylor as she lands her first big pop hit, the pop-rock anthem ?Love Story.? From there, they tackle Taylor?s graduation from country ingenue to global superstardom with her number one Grammy-winning sophomore album, 2008?s Fearless, and discuss modern pop music history's big bang with Taylor and Kanye West's infamous meeting at the 2009 MTV VMAs.

Join us next week for the conclusion of season one, in which we?ll discuss Taylor?s 2010 album Speak Now.

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ talk their predictions for who will be next year's Super Bowl halftime performer and talk there experiences seeing Katy Perry's Lifetimes Tour before digging into Cardi B's long-awaited sophomore album, Am I the Drama?, which dropped on Friday.

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Rolling Stone?s Rob Sheffield returns to Pop Pantheon to kick off the first season of our sprawling, multi-year super series about the biggest pop star phenomenon of the 21st century, Taylor Swift. Louie and Rob, author of Heartbreak Is the National Anthem: How Taylor Swift Reinvented Pop Music, dig into Taylor?s origins in suburban Philadelphia, the famed Christmas tree farm she grew up on and her bootstrapped teenage years in Nashville. Then they discuss her 2006 self-titled album, which transformed Taylor into country music?s newest ingénue. 

Join us next week for Part 2, in which we?ll discuss Taylor?s sophomore album, 2008?s Fearless. 

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ get together to share their experiences of seeing Lady Gaga's epic Mayhem Ball World Tour, before diving into their thoughts on new albums from Justin Bieber and Jade. 

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Louie, Russ, and returning champ Reanna Cruz discuss the year in main pop girls before each sharing their personal top five Main Pop Girl Power Ranking for 2025 and putting their heads together for a collective top ten. Gaga? Addison? Doechii? Sabrina? PinkPantheress? Who will win?!?!

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, With performances from everyone from Doja Cat to Mariah Carey, and Lady Gaga and major awards for Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter, Louie and Russ reflect on the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, the first to air on CBS. It was a show loaded with a lot of stuff but very little that felt essential. The two try to parse apart the purpose and future of the VMAs is an era where both MTV and music videos feel less relevant than ever. 

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Louie and Russ look back on 2025's wonky summer of pop music, discuss whether there was any true song of summer this year, and look at Billboard's definitive rankings before sifting back through their bets from this spring to see who got the most right about Song of Summer 2025.

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ talk briefly about the engagement news of the century before digging into Sabrina Carpenter's 7th (!!)? although for all intents and purposes, sophomore? studio album, Man's Best Friend, which dropped on Friday.

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Pop Pantheon will return with new episodes next week! In the meantime, enjoy a taste of our Patreon channel, Pop Pantheon: All Access, with this live show about Taylor Swfit's The Tortured Poets Department from back in April of '24.

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, The Wall Street Journal's Myles Tanzer returns to Pop Pantheon ahead of the 10-year anniversary of Justin Bieber's fourth studio album, Purpose, to unpack the blockbuster record. Louie and Myles touch down on Justin's recent album Swag, discuss Purpose's trio of number one hits, "Love Yourself," "Sorry" and "What Do You Mean?," and talk about Justin's approach to pop stardom over the years.

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Pop Pantheon is off until September but we didn't want to leave you high and dry! This episode on Cyndi Lauper from back in January 2022 is one of Louie's favorites. If you missed it or are new to the pod, this is great gem from the back catalog. If you've heard it before, we hope you enjoy revisiting the career, work, and legacy of this early MTV era icon. 

In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ revisit Miley Cyrus' divisive 2013 blockbuster Bangerz, her most successful pop star era but one loaded to the brim with controversy and worse. To do so, they go track-by-track on the album but skip it's three enduring hits? "We Can't Stop," "Wrecking Ball," and "Adore You"? to decide if this explosive, chaotic record many deem some kind of "classic" stands on it's own two feet without them. 

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, it's a true Pop Emergency! Earlier this week, Taylor Swift announced her forthcoming 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, due out October 3rd, so Louie and Russ had to gather for a little bonus pod to discuss everything we know about the album so far and what to expect from a whole new Taylor era.

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To conclude our epic four-parter, the time has come to rank Kylie Minogue in the official Pop Pantheon! Louie and Russ convene an international gay summit with friends of the pod Owen Myers and Sam Murphy to break down one of the toughest tier rankings in Pop Pantheon history. Do we rank Kylie differently in different territories? Try to come up with a global ranking? How do we make sense of such an enigmatic career that played out so differently across different regions of the world? Panelists from the series Michael Cragg, Joan Summers, and Katherine St. Asaph all weigh in as well before Louie makes the final call!

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, writer and producer Lakin Imani Starling joins Pop Pantheon ahead of the first anniversary of Doechii's mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal to talk about how the project turned Doechii into a breakout star. Lakin and Russ dig into Doechii's origins in Florida, her early years as a rapper and musician and early hits like "Yucky Blucky Fruitcake" and "What It Is" that helped set the stage for her massive mainstream breakthrough. From there, they discuss how Doechii uses Alligator Bites to challenges notions of genre and, ultimately, to tell her own story.

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We have recently received a number of takedown notices from Spotify on behalf of an organization representing songwriters and publishers and indications that Spotify could, at some point, remove Pop Pantheon from their platform. In light of that and while our current plan is to continue publishing on Spotify for the the time being, we're highly suggesting that our Spotify listeners subscribe to PP on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or any other podcast app so that you never miss an episode of the show regardless of what the future holds for the show on Spotify. 

Lastly, even if you don't subscribe at the paid tier, click here to sign up for Pop Pantheon's Patreon channel at the free tier so that we have a way to keep in touch outside of the reach of these major tech platforms. We'll also be throwing you some free goodies on there as well! 

Katherine St. Asaph makes her Pop Pantheon debut for the third in our four-part series on Kylie Minogue. Louie and Katherine discuss Kylie's life-changing cancer diagnosis and the celebratory record that followed her public battle with the disease 2007's X. Then they tackle Kylie?s later era run of records, from 2010?s Aphrodite through to 2020's Disco, when led into her third moment in the American zeitgeist with "Padam Padam" nearly 40 years into her career.

Join us next week for part 4, in which we?ll debate Kylie?s ranking in The Official Pop Pantheon.

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For the second installment in our four-part series on Kylie Minogue, Paper?s Joan Summers joins Pop Pantheon to discuss Kylie?s commercial crash out in the '90s and glorious rebirth in the early 2000s. Joan and Louie dig into Kylie's commercial nadir with 1997?s Impossible Princess, then unpack one of pop?s greatest rebounds, her 2000 maximalist camp fantasia Light Years. From there, they discuss her robotic pop masterpiece ?Can?t Get You Out Of My Head,? Kylie?s second brush with U.S. success, her commercial peak with 2001?s Fever, and 2003?s sensual and scaled back Body Language.

Join us next week for Part 3, in which we?ll discuss later era Kylie, from 2007's X through to her recent resurgence with ?Padam Padam.?

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Gorgeous Gorgeous NYC on August 8

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Nashville Public Radio's senior music writer Jewly Hight joins Russ to help break down country music's continued boom. Russ and Jewly chat about the aftermath of Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter, try to make sense of Morgan Wallen's behemoth success with I'm the Problem and discuss new songs from Tanner Adell, Megan Moroney & more!

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For the first in our four-part series on Kylie Minogue, Michael Cragg returns to Pop Pantheon to help unpack the origins of a zenith superstar of global pop, Kylie Minogue. Michael and Louie explore Kylie?s breakout moment, first with the Australian soap Neighbours, then ?The Loco-Motion.? From there, they unpack her early work with eighties hitmakers Stock Aitken Waterman and her first brush at success in America. Then they tackle her coming of age on 1990?s Rhythm of Love, her final outing under the SAW banner, 1991?s Let?s Get To It, and her first post-SAW reinvention with 1994?s Kylie Minogue.

Join us next week for Part 2, in which we?ll discuss 1997's Impossible Princess, 2000's Light Years, 2001's Fever and 2003's Body Language.

Listen to our Kylie Minogue Essentials Playlist

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Gorgeous Gorgeous NYC on August 8

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ go track-by-track on Lady Gaga's fifth studio album, 2016's Joanne. A departure from the slamming dance beats and extravagance of her earlier eras, the record posited a more "stripped back" version of the camp queen, featuring a campaign laden with country signifiers including her signature pink cowboy hat, and a backstory about Gaga's aunt, the titular Joanne, who died before the pop star was born. But does it deliver on any of that? After underperforming commercially in its time, how have the songs held up? And in retrospect, what did Joanne portend for the next decade of Lady Gaga's career?

To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive weekly bonus episodes of Pop Pantheon, gain access to our Discord channel and so much more, subscribe to Pop Pantheon: All Access at the Icon Tier. You can also subscribe for the audio only directly in the Apple Podcasts app.

Note for iOS users: Subscribe using your desktop or mobile browser, not the iOS Patreon app, for cheaper rates on Pop Pantheon: All Access.

Writer and editor Carly Lewis joins Russ to rank their respective top 10 Canadian pop stars of all time. Carly and Russ discuss why Canada has produced so many successful pop stars, then talk about some of the biggest names in Canadian pop from Celine Dion to Drake and Shania Twain ? and a few Canadian greats who never found fame outside the Great White North. 

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Playlist! Listen to songs from Russ + Carly's lists

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Friend of the pod Troy McEady returns to Pop Pantheon All Access for a super sized New Music Speed Round. Troy and Russ give their first impressions of Justin Bieber's surprise album Swag, Cardi B's lead single for her sophomore record, "Outside," Katseye's EP Beautiful Chaos, Lizzo's rap mixtape My Face Hurts from Smiling & more!

To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive weekly bonus episodes of Pop Pantheon, gain access to our Discord channel and so much more, subscribe to Pop Pantheon: All Access at the Icon Tier. You can also subscribe for the audio only directly in the Apple Podcasts app.

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Hit Girls author Nora Princiotti returns to Pop Pantheon to discuss two infamous celebrities turned fleeting pop divas of the early 2000s, Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan. Nora and Louie discuss Lindsay?s Radio Disney hits, like ?Ultimate You? and her TRL moment with ?Rumors? and 2004?s pop rock Speak. Then, they work through Paris? 2006 light reggae bop ?Stars Are Blind? and her album from that same year, Paris. Finally, they unpack Lindsay?s commercial decline on her final album, 2005's A Little More Personal (Raw), Paris? DJ career and both starlets? recent attempts at re-establishing themselves as pop stars, before ranking both Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton in the Official Pop Pantheon.

Listen to Pop Pantheon's Paris Hilton & Lindsay Lohan Essentials Playlist

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Buy Nora Princiotti's book, Hit Girls: Britney, Taylor, Beyoncé, and the Women Who Built Pop's Shiniest Decade

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Kesha released her sixth studio album on Friday ? notably, her first as an independent artist. Friend of the pod Brittany Spanos of Rolling Stone joins Russ to break down Period's highs and lows, what it means for Kesha to make unapologetic party music again and where she sits in the pop firmament as she heads out on a roaring summer tour with The Scissor Sisters.

To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive weekly bonus episodes of Pop Pantheon, gain access to our Discord channel and so much more, subscribe to Pop Pantheon: All Access at the Icon Tier. You can also subscribe for the audio only directly in the Apple Podcasts app.

Note for iOS users: Subscribe using your desktop or mobile browser, not the iOS Patreon app, for cheaper rates on Pop Pantheon: All Access.

We put out another call for our audience's most unpopular pop opinions and boy did you deliver. Switched on Pop producer Reanna Cruz joins Russ to field unpopular pop opinions about Lady Gaga?s vocal abilities, Taylor Swift?s videography AND discography, Charli XCX?s refusal to let the brat moment die and, of course, Benson Boone. Plus Reanna and Russ reveal some of their OWN unpopular opinions in the process?

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Lorde's long-awaited fourth studio album, Virgin, dropped this past Friday and finds the New Zealand savant both looking backwards at past sounds and versions of herself while exploring new writing modalities. Louie and Russ dig into the new music, its candid, grimy explorations of gender, sexuality, the body, and being in your late 20s and how Lorde's new dedication to reveling in mess affects her status as a generational pop prophet. 

To hear the rest of the this episode plus receive weekly bonus episodes of Pop Pantheon, gain access to our Discord channel and so much more, subscribe to Pop Pantheon: All Access at the Icon Tier. You can also subscribe for the audio only directly in the Apple Podcasts app.

Note for iOS users: Subscribe using your desktop or mobile browser, not the iOS Patreon app, for cheaper rates on Pop Pantheon: All Access.