Chris Molanphy returns to Pop Pantheon for part one of our special two-part series on the Goddess of Pop herself, Cher. Chris and Louie dig into the origins of Cher?s mythology, her early work with Sonny Bonno and Phil Spector and Sonny and Cher?s breakout hit, ?I Got You Babe.? From there, they dive into Cher?s iconic looks, her first solo hits and Sonny and Cher?s reinvention as television variety stars. Then they tackle the couple?s split, Cher?s second run of hits, including ?Gypsys, Tramps and Thieves? and ?Dark Lady,? and the commercial slump she found herself at the end of the seventies. 

Tune in next week for part two, covering Cher?s disco reinvention, Hollywood success, late career hits like "If I Could Turn Back Time" and ?Believe? and her ranking in the Official Pop Pantheon.

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, pop music stops for no man, even Santa Claus. Louie and Russ got together with Dazed contributor Conor Garel to get into it about two of the most talked about pop events that happened over this holiday season: Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter Christmas extravaganza from a football game on Netflix and the long-awaited release of the deluxe version of Sza's 2022 masterpiece SOS.

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.

Happy New Year! Before we get back to new episodes and our regularly scheduled programming next, we're unlocking one of our favorite All Access episodes from this past year in which Russ and Louie dig into Sabrina Carpenter's surprisingly awesome 6th studio album, Short 'n Sweet, released last summer.

To hear more episodes like this every single week, 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.

In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, we hope everyone is having a lovely holiday! For our last All Access episode of 2024, Russ and Louie got together to react to more of your unpopular opinions about Ava Max, Katy Perry, Dua Lipa, Mariah Carey, live pop shows & 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.

In anticipation of Beyoncé's much anticipated return to the stage at tomorrow's halftime show for some football game, we're republishing an episode from our Beyoncé series which originally aired back in August of 2022 in the ramp up to that year's Renaissance. This episode features Yale University's Dr. Daphne Brooks, discusses Queen B's work from her 2013 self-titled visual album through just before Renny dropped and is one of the most moving in PP's history.

If you haven't listened to the whole series, check out Parts One, Two and Four. If you have, we hope you enjoy this trip down memory lane. Happy Beyoncmas!

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Clover Hope, journalist and author of The Motherlode: 100+ Women Who Made Hip-Hop, joins Pop Pantheon All Access to discuss the state of the female rap game in 2024. Clover and Russ revisit Meg Thee Stallion and Nicki Minaj?s beef, discuss Doechii?s recent string of breakthrough performances, and dig into Alligator Bites Never Heal, Megan, GloRilla?s Glorious and more.

For our final main episode of 2024, Louie and Russ look back at all the artists ranked in the Pop Pantheon this year? from Demi Lovato to Frank Ocean to Adele, Tina Turner, Pink and so many more? and, with the help of calls from our dedicated and very passionate listeners, assess whether any tier adjustments need to be made. Did Brat Summer make us overzealous on Charli XCX? Was it cruel to put Hillary Duff in Tier 5? With the blockbuster success of Wicked, has Ari finally made it to Tier 2? All that and more!

We'll be publishing a couple little treats on 12/24 and 1/2 and will be back to our regularly scheduled programming on 1/9 with new weekly episodes!

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Russ saw over 20 (!!!) live concerts in 2024. Louie saw a few too. Today, they're getting together to rank them all? from Charli & Troye to Missy Elliott to Tate McRae to Usher to Madonna? from worst to best.

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.

Last week, Louie, Nora Princiotti, Jason P. Frank & Julianne Escobedo Shepherd counted down their favorite pop songs of 2024 before duking it out to settle on Pop Pantheon's definitive pop songs of the year. This week, Louie is joined by Nora once again along with Rolling Stone's Larisha Paul and Sam Murphy to discuss their favorite albums of the last twelve months and land on Pop Pantheon's Top 5 Albums of 2024.

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, over on the main feed, we're rolling out our best songs and albums of 2024 by some of the premier pop acts in the world. But what about some of the pop girlies who got.... less attention from mainstream audiences and critics? For our 2nd Annual Top of the Flops, Friend of the Pod Omri Rolan is back to count down the biggest and best flops of 2024 with Russ and Louie. 

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.

Live from Parkside Lounge in New York City, DJ Louie is joined by Hearing Things' Julianne Escobedo Shepherd, Vulture's Jason P. Frank and The Ringer's Nora Princiotti to countdown each of their favorite top ten pop songs of the year, before hashing out the definitive Pop Pantheon Top Ten Pop Songs of 2024.

Check out a Spotify Playlist of Louie, Julianne, Jason & Nora's Favorite Pop Songs of 2024

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Tom Breihan is here to talk about Kendrick Lamar's surprise 6th album, GNX, which surprise dropped last week in the wake of his triumph over Drake in their highly publicized battle from this summer. But Tom and Louie also get caught in the broader GNX Nexus, going off on tangents about Drake's future, Taylor and Jack Antonoff's creative collaboration and 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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Happy Thanksgiving! We're off this week but we wanted to highlight an older episode, a personal fav of Louie's that many of you might have missed. This is our Robyn episode from way back in May 2021? the sixth of Pop Pantheon ever? with the brilliant Jia Tolentino. Not only is it wonderful conversation about one of the greatest pop artists of the modern era. It's where the Niche Legend Pantheon tier was created. A seminal moment in the podcast's history! Enjoy.

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, the film adaptation of the Broadway musical Wicked is a smash hit, raking in $114 million dollars during its first weekend and earning rave reviews from critics and fans alike. One of its two leads, pop diva Ariana Grande, is also earning plaudits in her first headlining film role, even including some serious Oscar buzz. 

But while many pop stars have attempted a Hollywood crossover, very few? even those with a successful film or two under their belts? have been able to turn that into a long-term successful film career. Why is that? And will things be different for Ariana? 

Chief Film Critic at Vanity Fair and host of the podcast Little Gold Men Richard Lawson joins Louie and Russ to break down Ariana's performance in Wicked and what it portends for her future on the silver screen.

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. 

Michael Cragg returns to Pop Pantheon for the second installment in our two-part series on the grande dame of contemporary pop, Adele. Michael and Louie discuss Adele?s sabbatical following her breakout blockbuster success with 21, during which she crafted her comeback album, 2015?s 25. They dissect the album, from the booming piano ballad ?Hello? to Adele?s collaboration with big pop producers like Max Martin, and her continued mega success. Finally, they tackle her most recent album, 30, her most experimental yet, and her forthcoming hiatus before ranking Adele in the Official Pop Pantheon.

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The New York Times Senior Staff Editor Leah Greenblatt joins Pop Pantheon for the first in a two-part series on the mega diva of her generation, Adele. Leah and Louie explore Adele?s origin story, from her brief MySpace era to her official debut single which she wrote at just 16, ?Hometown Glory.? From there they discuss her first album, 2008?s 19, which made her a star in the U.K., and ?Rolling in the Deep,? which set the stage for her global takeover. Next, they tackle 21, a breakup album so successful, it was seen as single-handedly saving a struggling music industry struggling to adapt to the digital era.

Tune in next week for part two, covering 25, 30 and Adele?s place in 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 Friday's Grammy Nominations and score their predictions from last week's episode. Then, they play a game of "Step Up, Step Down" about post-Sweat Tour Troye Sivan, Lady Gaga's "Disease", The Weeknd's new era and 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. 

Katy Perry's latest album 143 lit the internet ablaze for all the wrong reasons when it dropped earlier this year, mostly because of how wrong it got nearly everything and how hard it underperformed as a result. 143 was a capital-F flop in the classic sense of the term. But what exactly does the moniker "flop" mean when it comes to pop music? What constitutes a true flop? How do pop fans use it? Where did it originate and how has it morphed over time into a term of endearment for diehards, especially queer ones? All that and more in this fascinating conversation.

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, America is making it's most critical decision this week: who will be nominated for Grammys! Louie and Russ each share their predictions for which of your favs (and less favs) will get nominated in the Big Four categories ahead of the official announcement this Friday Nov. 8.

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. 

Variety?s Steven J. Horowitz returns to Pop Pantheon to unpack the maddeningly underrated Kelis, who spent most of her career ahead of the curve and helped to carve out a new lane for alt-pop stardom in the 2000s. Louie and Steven dig into Kelis' origin story, from meeting The Neptunes as a teenager to her debut, 1999?s futuristic pop fantasia Kaleidoscope. From there, they unpack her success across the pond with 2001?s Wanderland and 2003?s ultra eclectic and masterful Tasty, which produced her biggest US hit and signature song, ?Milkshake.? Next, they cover Kelis?s first foray away from The Neptunes with 2006's Kelis Was Here, her dance pop cult classic, 2010's Flesh Tone, and her final album, 2014?s soul-influenced Food. Lastly, Louie and Steven break down Kelis' niche pop legacy and rank her in the Official Pop Pantheon.

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ are here to fight about Lady Gaga's new single, "Disease", the first offering from her forthcoming album, "LG7". They then dive into Addison Rae's new single "Aquamarine" and ponder Halsey's latest record, The Great Impersonator, which dropped last Friday.

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. 

Grab Tickets to Pop Pantheon's Live Show in NYC where we'll be counting down the best pop music of 2024 with Nora Princiotti, Larisha Paul & Sam Murphy. 

We put out a call for our audience's most unpopular pop opinions: hot takes you have that no one else seems to agree with but you know in your heart to be true. And boy, did we get some! Rolling Stone's Larisha Paul joins Louie and Russ to field unpopular pop opinions about I Am... Sasha Fierce, Charli XCX, Glee Cast Versions, Speak Now, Britney's talents, Ed Sheeran and so much more. And in the process, they each reveal some fairly unpopular pop opinions of their own... 

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Shaad D?Souza returns to Pop Pantheon for the conclusion of our three-part series on Charli XCX. Shaad and Louie unpack Charli?s 2020 lockdown album, the DIY How I'm Feeling Now, and 2022?s Crash, which ditched the outré experimentation of her PC Music era in favor of open gestures at the pop charts. From there, they discuss Charli?s return to the Hot 100 with ?Speed Drive? and her most recent record, brat, which fuelled her unexpected rise from Niche Legend to the most talked about pop star in the world. Finally, they reassess Charli XCX?s place in the Official Pop Pantheon.

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Brat Summer becomes Brat Autumn as Charli XCX drops a completely reimagined version of her blockbuster album from earlier this year, Brat and it's Completely Different but Also Still Brat. Reanna Cruz joins Louie and Russ to break down Charli's latest addition to the Bratoverse and how it transcends the pitfalls of the cliche modern pop superstar remix, providing new twists, depth and dimension to the OG material with an all-star lineup from across the music world including Ariana Grande, Lorde, Addison Rae, Bladee, ShyGirl, Troye Sivan, Billie Eilish & 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. 

Senior Editor at Pitchfork Anna Gaca returns to Pop Pantheon for the second in our three-part series on Charli XCX. Anna and Louie look back on Charli?s early link-ups with "hyperpop" innovator Sophie, starting with 2016?s Vroom Vroom EP, which began Charli's pivot from an also-ran on the pop charts into the genre?s savviest alternative auteur. From there, they chart her adventurous new creative direction, her work with frequent creative partner A.G. Cook on her 2017 mixtapes, the sugar-rush Number 1 Angel and the critically-beloved Pop 2. Finally, they discuss Charli's scrapped third studio album, XCX World, her failure to launch commercial singles in the U.S. and her 2019 self-titled album Charli. 

Join us next week for our third and final part in the series, which will cover Charli?s output from 2020?s How I?m Feeling Now through brat.

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Lady Gaga turned heads with her debut film role, her Oscar-nominated turn in 2018's A Star is Born, and many thought she might defy history and become the rare pop diva who successfully pivots to Hollywood. But since then, her track record has been spotty at best. Despite her performance being singled out as a bright spot, her next film, 2021's House of Gucci, got a mixed reaction at best. And now her third effort Joker: Folie à Deux, released last week, is being pegged as one of the biggest comic movie flops of all time, critically and commercially. With more duds than hits in her filmography, what's Gaga's future as a film star? Louie, Russ and Variety's Daniel D'addario discuss.

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. 

For the first in our new three-part series on Charli XCX, i-D?s Owen Myers returns to Pop Pantheon to chart the start of Charli?s iconoclastic and unlikely trail through pop. Owen and Louie trace Charli?s roots in England, starting when she was a teenage songwriter posting demos to MySpace and performing at raves in London. Then they discuss her charmingly DIY unreleased debut album, 14, her first brush with success with the surprise hit ?I Love It,? her 2012 mixtapes, Heartbreaks and Earthquakes and Super Ultra, and her 2013 major label debut True Romance. Next they unpack ?Fancy,? her first solo success with ?Boom Clap? and the snappy pop punk 2014?s Sucker.

Join us next week for Part 2, in which w'ell be talking about Charli?s reinvention as an avant pop futurist beginning with 2016?s Vroom Vroom EP and through her self-titled 2019 record, Charli.

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, last night live in Los Angeles, DJ Louie gathered with HeidiWorld's Molly Lambert, And Introducing's Molly Mary O'Brien, The Los Angeles Times' Mikael Wood & writer Jaelani Tuner-Williams to break down Katy Perry's new record 143, Lady Gaga's new record Harlequin and just how these two superlative millennial divas are navigating the awkward period of their careers between trend-setter and legacy act.

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Billboard is currently rolling out their list of the 25 Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century and we couldn't resist participating in the fun! Rich Juzwiak and Sam Murphy join DJ Louie to share each of their respective top tens before the three duke it out to settle on their collective final list of the the Top Ten Pop Stars of the 21st Century.

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Don't forget to grab tickets to our live show, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and The Millennial Diva Conundrum this Monday 9/30 at Dynasty Typewriter in LA! We'll be talking 143, Harlequin, and so much more!

In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Louie and Russ each had the true pleasure of seeing Charli XCX and Troye Sivan's Sweat Tour in New York City and Toronto respectively and they got together to break down the entire surreal and joyous experience.

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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In a SUPERSIZED episode of Pop Pantheon, critic, writer and NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast host Aisha Harris returns to unpack the astonishing symmetry of two of the biggest boy bands in history, Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC. Aisha and Louie track their strikingly similar origins, their first brushes with success in Europe and their explosions stateside, which helped solidify the teen pop boom of the turn of the century. They then dig into their self-titled debuts, from Backstreet?s blockbuster 1996 effort to *NSYNC?s launch the next year, their short-lived runs as commercial supernovas with Millennium (1999) and No Strings Attached (2000), their diverging sounds and ambitions, final hits, intertwined legacies and finally, Aisha and Louie rank Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC in the Official Pop Pantheon.

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, The 40th Annual MTV Video Music Awards were held last night and featured marquee performances from It Girls like Sabrina Carpenter, GloRilla, Lisa & Chappell Roan while presenting their prestigious Video Vanguard award to Katy Perry. But with MTV flailing, music videos in their flop era and most old guard superstars MIA, did the VMAs justify their continued existence or live up to their storied history? Louie and Russ ponder these questions, recap all the major performances and awards, and generally talk their sh*t about last night's show.

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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Sure, we're all listening to a podcast called "Pop Pantheon". But what exactly is the Pop Pantheon? This is a question Louie hasn't addressed in detail since the show's earliest days. So, Russ and he got together to reintroduce the Pantheon, break down all its individual tiers and what constitutes each, and how their ideas about the Pantheon have been altered during the three and half of years of podcast's run. 

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Who Weekly?s Lindsey Weber and Bobby Finger return to Pop Pantheon to discuss one of pop?s most perplexing but enduring workhorses, Meghan Trainor. Louie, Lindsey and Bobby chart Meghan?s origins in Nantucket, her early self-produced teenage albums, and her breakthrough with 2014?s sleeper hit turned number one record turned peak thinkpiece fodder, the big booty anthem ?All About That Bass.? From there, they discuss Meghan?s 2015 number one debut album, Title, which produced the triple platinum ?Dear Future Husband?, the TRL-era R&B homage of 2016?s Thank You and Meghan?s unlikely later-era TikTok hits, including 2022's viral smash ?Made You Look.? Finally, they rank Meghan Trainor in the Official Pop Pantheon.

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Disney-star-turned-"Drivers License"-third-wheel-turned-ascendent-pop-girlie Sabrina Carpenter has been on quite a roll lately. Her most recent two singles have been smashes and her sixth studio album, Short 'n Sweet, arrived last Friday among a swirl of expectations even she probably couldn't have imagined a few months ago. So does it meet the moment? Louis and Russ gather to break down everything about Sabrina's latest batch of songs.

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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Happy Labor Day Weekend! Louie is still off on vacation so as a treat, we're republishing our Patreon review of Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter from back in April.

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Episode Description: Beyoncé eighth studio album, Cowboy Carter, dropped last Friday. Once perceived as a foray into country music, this sprawling 80 (!!) minute epic turned out to be so much more than that and, as with any Bey project, begs for some serious unpacking. DJ Louie, Russ and Oxford American's Danielle Amir Jackson are here to do just that, breaking down the music, themes, references, history and breadth of the expansive second installment in Beyoncé's unfurling new trilogy.

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Louie and Russ gather to answer YOUR questions! We're talking all our fantasy Brat remixes and a VH1 Divas Live revival, playing out thought experiments about Beyoncé and Rihanna and Louie gets personal about his career and vocab tics.

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, NME's Kyann-Sian Williams joins Russ to discuss Tinashe's brand new seventh studio album Quantum Baby ? the second in a trilogy of albums she's rolling out. Can she capitalize on the virality of "Nasty"? Or is that even on her mind? And is Tinashe expanding her artistry or letting us in on this new record? Russ + Kyann-Sian break it all down. 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. 

Ahead of the release of Tinashe?s seventh studio album, Quantum Baby, The Cut?s Cat Zhang joins Pop Pantheon to discuss Tinashe?s rollercoaster career. Cat and DJ Louie dig into Tinashe?s upbringing in Lexington, Kentucky, her work as a child actor on Two and a Half Men and the girl group she was briefly in with fellow pop star Hayley Kiyoko, The Stunners. From there, they unpack her early mixtapes, explosion into the public consciousness with the sultry club banger ?2 On,? her moody major label debut in 2014, Aquarius, and her years in label purgatory, during which she managed to release a return-to-roots mixtape, 2016?s Nightride, and 2018?s Joyride. Next they tackle Tinashe?s reinvention back into the bedroom artist she began as and how she blazed a new trail as an independent artist with 2019?s expansive and lush Songs For You and 2021?s critically-lauded 333. Finally, they rank Tinashe in the Official Pop Pantheon.

Read Cat's Profile of Tinashe in the Cut

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, When Paris Hilton released her debut album, 2006's Paris, the world largely saw it as a joke. Despite it's lead single "Stars Are Blind" becoming a top 20 hit, the album tanked, was savaged by critics and Paris never released another one. Now, on the eve her long-awaited sophomore effort Infinite Icon, due September 6, Troy McEady joins DJ Louie to look back on Paris. Is it as vapid and meritless and critics thought back in the aughts? Or a misunderstood classic of sorts? Louie and Troy bring fresh ears to album that, love it or hate, was prescient about the future of pop stardom.

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. 

We thought 2024 was going to be dominated by a waterfall of new releases from Old Guard Superstars like Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Ariana Grande and Dua Lipa. But while they've each had success, the main story of the last 12 months has been the auspicious establishment of a new generation of pop divas led by Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter, but also featuring Ice Spice, Gracie Abrams, Victoria Monet and more.

For this week's B-Side, DJ Louie is joined by LA Times Pop Critic Mikael Wood and Vulture's Jason P. Frank to discuss how this new group of girlies has coalesced and taken ahold of the zeitgeist, before ranking ten newly-minted Queens of Pop in the ultimate New Pop Girl Power Ranking. Who's got the juice to turn this hot streak into a career and who will be forgotten by next summer? Louie, Jason and Mikael are here to answer all those questions and place their bets.

Read Mikael's Piece "Sabrina, Chappell and Charli are Suddenly Stars: Why Now?"

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The rollout for Katy Perry?s seventh studio album, 143, has been a disaster. Sixteen years into her pop career, Katy?s facing a textbook struggle for a pop star more than a decade into her career: irrelevance.

By contrast, Katy?s pop peer Lady Gaga has charted a very different second act, swerving into acting and rebranding herself as an old school all-around entertainer.

On September 30, DJ Louie XIV will be joined by Los Angeles Times pop critic Mikael Wood and And Introducing podcast host Molly Mary O?Brien at Dynasty Typewriter in L.A. to discuss 143, Gaga?s reemergence with Joker: Folie à Deux and the promise of LG7 and how these two superlative millennial pop divas are navigating the awkward period of their careers between trendsetter and legacy act.

Professor of Ethnomusicology at Julliard Dr. Fredara Hadley joins Pop Pantheon for the culmination of our four-part series on the King of Pop. In the final installment, DJ Louie and Dr. Hadley tackle Michael Jackson?s music post-Thriller, starting with the signature ?80s blockbuster Bad (1987) and 1991?s successful pivot toward New Jack Swing, Dangerous. From there, Louie and Dr. Hadley unpack Michael?s personal and public decline, including the sexual abuse allegations made against him in 1993. Next they discuss his later period work, 1995's combative HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book 1 and 2001?s underperforming Invincible, and reckon with his unbelievably complicated legacy and enduring and seismic impact on pop music and stardom. Finally, they rank Michael Jackson in the Official Pop Pantheon.

Listen to Michael Jackson Pt. 1: The Jackson 5 (with Emily Lordi)

Listen to Michael Jackson Pt. 2: The King of Pop Rises (With Joseph Vogel)

Listen to Michael Jackson Pt. 3: Thriller (with Tom Breihan)

Listen to Pop Pantheon's Episode "Do You Still Listen to Michael Jackson and Kanye West? (with Tre Johnson & Kemi Olivia Alemoru)"

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Ice Spice just dropped her debut record Y2K, an under 25 minute tour through drill beats, Jersey club and Ice's signature puerile humor and nonchalant flow. How does it work as her first official album statement? Who is this music playing to? And does it sound like 2000 at all? Writer Nadirah Simmons is here to break it all down with Louie and Russ.

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. 

There are albums. And then there?s Thriller. For the third installment of our four-part series on the King of Pop, Stereogum?s Tom Breihan returns for Pop Pantheon?s first ever A-Side devoted to a single album: Michael Jackson?s definitive 1982 pop blockbuster, Thriller. DJ Louie and Tom dig into every aspect of the best-selling album of all time, from iconic performances to choreography, fashion, and MJ?s radical reimagining of the then-nascent music video format. They also tackle all of the album?s genre-obliterating smash hits ? seven top 10s and two number ones to be exact ? and go deep on Thriller-mania, the album?s long-lasting impact on pop, its enduring legacy and how it made Michael Jackson a the biggest kind of pop legend.

Join us next week for our final installment of our Michael Jackson series, in which we discuss Bad, Dangerous, Michael?s later-era work and his complicated legacy.

Listen to Michael Jackson Pt. 1: The Jackson 5 (with Emily Lordi)

Listen to Michael Jackson Pt. 2: The King of Pop Rises (With Joseph Vogel)

Listen to Pop Pantheon's Episode "Do You Still Listen to Michael Jackson and Kanye West? (with Tre Johnson & Kemi Olivia Alemoru)"

Listen to Pop Pantheon's Michael Jackson Essentials Playlist

Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More

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Buy Tickets to our Dance Party Pop Pantheon Present: Main Pop Girls of '24 in NYC on August 2!

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Olivia Horn reviewed Chappell Roan's debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, in Pitchfork when it dropped last September. Back then, she was a fringy pop upstart with some nice critical notices and a small cult audience. Now, she's one of the biggest new pop superstars of the year in the midst of a zeitgeisty swirl the likes of which we haven't seen for a new pop girlie in years. So how does the actual music hold up? Olivia joins DJ Louie to dig into the record as well as why Chappell's became 2024's "femininomenon".

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. 

Joe Vogel, author of Man in the Music: The Creative Life of Michael Jackson, joins Pop Pantheon for the second in our four-part series on the King of Pop. DJ Louie and Joe dig into MJ?s early solo work, from his 1972 debut Got to Be There to his first solo number one, ?Ben,? his changing voice as grew older and his final Motown album, 1975?s Forever Michael ? released when Michael was just 16. From there, they discuss Michael?s starring role as Scarecrow in the 1975 cult classic The Wiz and his creative partnership with Quincy Jones, which produced the glorious, effervescent 1979 masterpiece  Off the Wall, the album that single-handedly turned Michael Jackson into a true solo superstar and set his course to the top of the Pop Pantheon.   

Join us next week for Part 3, which will focus entirely on Michael?s stratospheric, game-changing blockbuster, 1982?s Thriller.

Listen to Michael Jackson Pt. 1: The Jackson 5 (with Emily Lordi)

Listen to Pop Pantheon's Episode "Do You Still Listen to Michael Jackson and Kanye West? (with Tre Johnson & Kemi Olivia Alemoru)"

Buy Joseph Vogel's Book Man in the Music: The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson

Listen to Pop Pantheon's Michael Jackson Essentials Playlist

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Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's Store

Buy Tickets to our Dance Party Pop Pantheon Present: Main Pop Girls of '24 in NYC on August 2!

Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous Lincoln Center on 7/20 FOR FREE!

Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous: Los Angeles at Los Globos in Silver Lake on 7/26

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Katy Perry's much anticipated new single, the Dr. Luke-produced "Woman's World", finally dropped on Friday along with it's music video and the response has been.... not so great. Louie and Russ talk all things Katy before pivoting to new songs from Kesha, Lana and Tinashe and a Taylor Swift-related game that may drive Louie even more insane than "Woman's World". 

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. 

For the first of our four-part series on the King of Pop, writer, professor and critic Emily Lordi joins Pop Pantheon to help us begin to untangle one of the most knotty legacies in pop history: the story of Michael Jackson. Emily and DJ Louie discuss Michael?s extremely strict upbringing, sadistic abuse at the hands of his father Joe, and the creation of The Jackson 5, from playing the Chitlin' Circuit to landing a Motown deal and kicking off one of the greatest single runs in history, beginning with 1969?s ?I Want You Back.? Next they dig into The Jackson 5?s prolific Motown output, the marketing of Michael as a child sensation and how Jacksonmania made the Jacksons into a symbol of post-civil rights promise in America. Finally, they work through the band?s rebrand as The Jacksons, their post-Motown work, late '70s comeback and how the group?s monumental success set Michael up for solo superstardom. 

Join us next week for Part 2, in which we will be talking about Michael?s early solo work and his breakthrough as a solo star, 1979?s Off The Wall. 

Listen to Pop Pantheon's Michael Jackson Essentials Playlist

Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and More

Shop Merch in Pop Pantheon's Store

Buy Tickets to our Dance Party Pop Pantheon Present: Main Pop Girls of '24 in NYC on August 2!

Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous Lincoln Center on 7/20 FOR FREE!

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In a preview of this week's Pop Pantheon: All Access episode, Megan Thee Stallion's third studio album, Megan, her first as an independent artist and since her infamous beef with Nicki Minaj, dropped last week. Taylor Crumpton is here to help Louie and Russ break down the record's inherent regionality, Megan's new and old poses and themes and what this record might portend for the future of her 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.