The first time you hear "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," it probably registers as just another cheery holiday standard.... more

Three artists quietly reshaped pop music in 2024, though you might not know it from your Spotify Wrapped. As listeners... more

It's an annual tradition: Every December, artists release their bids to join the hallowed halls of holiday music history. The... more

In 2024, Kendrick Lamar pulled off what seemed impossible: winning hip-hop's biggest rap battle in recent history, securing the Super... more

The year's hottest movie is, against all odds, a musical. Wicked, starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, just hit theaters,... more

TIME Magazine once said, “there are few figures more closely associated with religion in pop culture than Madonna.” And looking... more

Throughout her forty-year career, Madonna has managed to travel the globe, both literally and musically. Despite being a white woman... more

Madonna is the world's biggest female pop star. She's influenced everyone from Beyoncé to Britney Spears; is the most successful... more

In 1973, before their ascent to rock superstardom with Fleetwood Mac, Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks were just two young... more

A musical "freak," to us here at Switched On Pop, is an artist who is unique, non-conforming, and always manages... more

Over the summer, the culture was shaken by the biggest rap beef this decade, between Drake and Kendrick Lamar. From... more

It’s the spookiest time of the year; Halloween is right around the corner. But unlike the winter holidays like Christmas... more

Stevie Wonder may be our modern day Mozart. A child prodigy, he joined Motown as a preadolescent where he was... more

We celebrate Switched On Pop's 10th anniversary by taking a deep dive into the last decade of pop music. From... more

Coldplay is one of the biggest musical acts in the world, ranking #6 on Spotify and boasting one of the... more

Marianne Eloise has had the same Fall Out Boy song stuck in her head for over three years. "It’s Hard... more

Last month, our producer Reanna Cruz had the opportunity to attend Baja Beach Fest in Rosarito, Mexico, a three-day Latin... more

"Mamushi," the fourth single from Megan the Stallion’s album Megan, was not supposed to be a huge hit. But thanks... more

Oasis, the Manchester band led by brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher, conquered the charts in the 1990s with rock anthems... more

Porter Robinson has a unique relationship with being famous. With his new record SMILE! :D, the 32 year old producer... more

On her sixth studio album, Short n' Sweet, Sabrina Carpenter moves seamlessly between pop, country, folk and R&B. For Carpenter,... more

Jhayco, the artist formerly known as Jhay Cortez, feels different from the rest of the Latin music machine. He considers... more

It seemingly a terrible time to launch an over-the-top sentimental duet. This style of production peaked in the 80s and... more

Few pop groups are making music as imaginative as Magdalena Bay. The Los Angeles-based duo of singer Mica Tenenbaum and... more

If you've spent any time on the internet this summer, you may have encountered a certain refrain accompanying particularly fierce... more

On June 17 the pop world was rocked by three letters: LOL. Kesha tweeted the acronym immediately after Katy Perry... more

If you like how Switched On Pop breaks down songs, you’re going to love the show One Song hosted by... more

CharliXCX's latest album, brat, has created an internet fever dream. This club record celebrating messiness, partying, and brutal honesty has... more

For months, listeners have been peppering us with the same question: “When are you going to cover Chappell Roan?” We... more

For decades, hip hop has been the most successful genre on the charts. Then, in 2023, a shift occurred. For... more

The Verge's Nilay Patel and David Pierce chat with Switched on Pop's Charlie Harding about the RIAA lawsuit against Al... more

The synthesizer was invented in the 1890s. But for people to really start using it, it took half a century,... more

Long live the song of the summer with Today Explained. But wait! Switched on Pop's Charlie Harding disagrees. And Rolling... more

In today’s volatile music industry, many artists struggle to navigate the pitfalls of touring, the whims of social media, and... more

The first half of 2024 has been for the “pop girlie.” It seems like every major artist who’s dominated the... more

There’s many things to love about Los Angeles: low-rider cars, roadside taco stands, and, come awards season, the omnipresent “For... more

Bootsy Collins is, perhaps, the funkiest man of all time. Over the course of his nearly six decade career, Collins... more

There is no contemporary pop music without Nile Rodgers. Born in 1952, Rodgers grew up playing classical music on flute and... more

There's no music writer like the essayist and poet Hanif Abdurraqib: whether he's narrating the beautiful awkwardness of a Carly... more

On her latest album, Taylor Swift “declared Charlie Puth should be a bigger artist.” No one was more surprised by... more

On Billie Eilish’s third album, Hit Me Hard and Soft, Eilish finally graduates from her signature anti-pop persona into full... more

When you go out for a meal, it’s not just what's on your plate that matters, it's what's in your... more

Where were you when you learned that the McDonald's jingle "I'm lovin' it" was originally part of a full-fledged pop... more

Tongue twisters that mock techno-optimism and cite critical theory don’t usually make for catchy song lyrics. But indie rocker Rosie... more

It’s that time of year again when the entirety of Europe (and a few other countries) come together to celebrate... more

Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay of the French electronic duo Justice speak with cohost Charlie Harding about their new... more

The beginning of 2024 has brought new music aplenty. Some big releases are in the form of big-ticket albums by... more

The Tortured Poets Department, Taylor Swift's 11th studio album, finds the songwriter in the world of literature. She interweaves personal... more

Lost Notes by KCRW explores how Fela Kuti’s time in LA in 1969 was instrumental in the creation of his legendary Afrobeat... more

There are few artists pushing the boundaries of their respective genres like Maryland rapper Rico Nasty and German-Iraqi electronic producer... more

Joe Keery is best known for his acting roles, such as the reformed jock Steve Harrington in "Stranger Things" and... more

Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter is her foray into country music, but this isn't just dirt roads, blue jeans and whiskey. Her... more

Hip-hop is in a weird place right now. Research says that the genre, in both streaming and chart performance, has... more

What do Duke Ellington, United Airlines, and the K Pop group Red Velvet share in common? They've all covered George... more

Sidestep the gossip and focus on the music in Ariana Grande’s latest album Eternal Sunshine. The music is an exercise... more

In a landscape where the music industry seems designed to stifle creativity and independence, Amelia Meath stands as a beacon... more

Live from On-Air Fest in Brooklyn, Nate and Charlie investigate listeners’ burning musical mysteries, such as: Is Beyoncé’s reference to... more

One of the most inventive and gifted musicians working today is none other than Jacob Collier. Maybe you know him... more

Renaissance Act II truthers, your time has come: There’s new music from Beyoncé, and boy, is it country. Her two... more

The Canadian Electro-Funk duo CHROMEO have made consistently funky, highly danceable music for twenty years. They’ve released five studios albums,... more

Who is the biggest Diva of them all? The U.S. National Anthem, which borrows its melody from a historic British... more

When it comes to powerful artistry, few can match the intensity of Brittany Howard. Over the past decade, we’ve seen... more

When it comes to musical theater, everyone has an opinion. And Bridger Winegar, host of the very funny podcast I... more

Colombian-American singer Kali Uchis has cemented herself as something of a vibe curator; her signature genre fusion has brought forward... more

We live in an age of musical nostalgia where artists wear influences on their sleaves. Case in point, two established... more

All throughout the year, Switched on Pop gets a litany of musical questions that need answering. To kick off 2024,... more

In case you missed it, last January, we published this story on the rising trend of sped-up music. It seems... more

In case you missed it, Wham’s 1984 contribution to the holiday cannon, “Last Christmas,” has surprising staying power. When Grammy-winning... more

Holiday album releases sometimes have a sense of pandering to them. "I'm a pop star. Here's me singing the nineteen-millionth... more

Nicki Minaj is one of the most unique rappers of all time. She’s given us numerous iconic guest verses from... more

Sign up for the Switched On Pop Newsletter When you make a weekly podcast about pop music, there’s some things that,... more

Nate and Charlie were recently featured on Harman Audio Talks. While our team takes the week off, we wanted to... more

Noah Kahan is having a banner year. Between his Best New Artist nomination at the Grammys, his debut SNL performance,... more

Country music's had a massive year. Seriously, not since 1958 have we seen so many country tunes topping the Hot... more

When Paul McCartney announced that he and Ringo Starr had produced a new Beatles song with the aid of AI,... more

Three big artists have rerecorded their most hallowed musical material. Taylor Swift, Roger Water and Demi Lovato each have different... more

It’s time for another edition of our series Chartbreakers, where we take a look at the trends and shakeups happening... more

Talking Head's concert film Stop Making Sense first came out forty years ago, and it’s just been rereleased in theaters... more

The past two episodes of the show have been in Atlanta, and this week, we’re staying there with a look... more

Few producers have had such a demonstrated impact on the the last decade of music as Metro Boomin. Described by... more

Twenty years ago, the song "Get Low" by Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz and Ying Yang Twins was... more

In case you missed it rerun from 2016. Back in 2011, two pop songs dropped with the same patriotic title:... more

In hip-hop, what draws us to an artist is not just the content of their lyrics but how they deliver... more

For the first time in 2023, a rap song is at number one on Billboard's Hot 100: Doja Cat's “Paint... more

When Jimmy Buffett died on the first day of September, 2023, musicians from Paul McCartney to Pitbull mourned the death... more

In case you missed it, Beyoncé’s new album Renaissance is one of her most ambitious albums yet. On this week’s... more

Everyone seems to be getting Olivia Rodrigo wrong. She's one of the few pop stars who has made it big... more

In 2003, amidst a bunch of bleak alternative rock bangers like “Numb” by Linkin Park and “Bring Me To Life”... more

Right now, the two biggest records in the country come to us from two of hip-hop’s biggest superstars: Travis Scott... more

Part two of the secret world of song camps looks at the different roles in a songwriting session. There are... more

Beginning in the nineties, pop songwriters have traveled to a 13th-century castle in the south of France for what’s come... more

Recently while scrolling twitter we saw a clip from American Idol of judge Katy Perry admonishing an auditioner on the... more

This past week, the film Barbie opened nationwide to massive success – and with it came a soundtrack, executive produced... more

In 1964, Louis Armstrong knocked the Beatles off the top of the charts with his recording of “Hello, Dolly!” becoming,... more

Taylor Swift is currently the most streamed artist in the world as she’s commandeered the media as she embarks on... more

Us at Switched On Pop are off on vacation, but don't fret – this week we're still bringing you an... more

Vulture might have killed the song of the summer back in 2016, but if you’re a member of the LGBTQ+... more

Another installment of Switches Brew the show where you get to hear from the larger team Switched On Pop team... more

As summer comes upon us, it’s time for some Billboard shake ups. On this week’s edition of Chartbreakers, we’re looking... more

In the song "Touch" from Daft Punk's final studio album, 2013's Random Access Memories, featured artist Paul Williams sings a... more

Throughout their legendary career, Daft Punk continued to prove that the more robotic their music became, the more human they... more

Daft Punk’s first album laid the groundwork for their robot personas, with four to the floor beats, programmed drum machines,... more

Ten years ago, Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories gave life back to music. The world-beating smash “Get Lucky” broke streaming... more

After nearly two decades as a band the Jonas Brothers are staking their claim to a magnum opus by calling... more

It’s May, and that can only mean one thing: it’s time for the Eurovision Song Contest. This year’s edition of... more

When trouble strikes in music town, there’s one guy who gets the call. That’s me, Joe Treble, forensic musicologist. This... more

We have an emergency podcast drop because the biggest and fastest moving story on the internet right now is about... more

The South Korean idol group BTS is one of the biggest musical sensations in history. They're constantly breaking records and... more

From the first seconds of her latest album Desire, I Want to Turn Into You, Caroline Polachek asserts that she is... more

Shakira is back on the Billboard Hot 100 – thanks to the help of Argentinian producer Bizarrap. Together, their song... more

If you’ve ever learned classical piano, you probably tried to play one of Bach’s Inventions. The composer wrote fifteen pieces... more

Everyone will describe the music of 100 gecs differently. To some, Dylan Brady and Laura Les make deeply satisfying earworms,... more

Every week the Switched On Pop team gets together and everybody shares one song they’re loving right now. It is... more

“Kiss From a Rose” is one of the most unusual number one hits of all time. Seal’s song can’t decide... more

“Take Me Home, Country Roads” is a song about West Virginia, but its message of homecoming has resonance far beyond... more

Currently on Billboard’s hot 100 there is an unexpected UK Garage / Jersey House mashup, a disgraced country star making... more

Five years ago, Los Angeles rapper Nipsey Hussle released Victory Lap, his only full length album. It was the high... more

“Flowers” by Miley Cyrus is spending another week on top of the Billboard 100 – quite fitting for Valentine’s Day. The... more

In case you missed it, “Rihanna Is The 21st Century’s Most Influential Musician” according to NPR. Millions and millions of... more

In 2010, a photographer named Reuben Cox moved to Los Angeles to start Old Style Guitar Shop. In the years... more

It's Grammys weekend and Sam Sanders, host of Vulture's Into It podcast, is ready for disappointment! Sam is joined by Switched... more

In 1988, Bobby McFerrin recorded a song a cappella with a simple message: not to worry, and just enjoy life.... more

Six years after their last record, Paramore is back with new music, and their upcoming record seems to have an... more

Streaming feels like it's both at its height and on a precipice. Musicians are fed up at getting paid fractions... more

Why does SZA's latest album SOS hit different? It's the way her melodies don't repeat where you expect them to,... more

Over the past few months, you may have heard your favorite song pop up on the Internet – just slightly... more

Matt Daniels, editor of the publication The Pudding, wanted to find out what songs from his youth would last into... more

The number one song on the charts is a bit of a mystery. “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” is the... more

When it comes to distinguishing what exactly Latin music is, what makes the cut? To some, it’s simply music from... more

For Switched On Pop’s end of year coverage, we just have one superlative: who won 2022? The answer, of course,... more

Through crafting a unique, cross-cultural sound, Kali Uchis has emerged as one of indie music’s most promising talents. From playing... more

In case you missed it last year: why are there no new Christmas songs? One one hand, there's more holiday... more

In hip-hop, what draws us to an artist is not just the content of their lyrics but how they deliver... more

Coping Mechanism, Willow's new album, is her heaviest music yet. Charlie and Willow chat about the making of the new... more

Tegan & Sara and King Princess have found themselves placed under the banner, "sapphic pop," a term recently coined referring... more

Scary Pockets is the musical collective that has been transforming pop classics into funk anthems for over half a decade.... more

A Taylor Swift album is just not a collection of new music, it’s an exploration of a theme. For the... more

It’s the song that launched a thousand TikTok videos – or over 500,000 to be exact: Steve Lacy’s “Bad Habit.”  The... more

Earlier this year, the members of Sylvan Esso took a gamble, making their "most free and wild and strange" album... more

After a four-year hiatus – and a name drop on a Beyoncé remix – musical polymath Santigold is back with... more