Every Single Album

Nora and Nathan cover some of the news floating around the pop music world this week, including Tate McRae's most recent single release and what she needs to do to break through in popularity (1:00), Lady Gaga's 'Harlequin' album that she released in companion with 'Joker: Folie à Deux' and what might be coming on her next album (26:32), and Charli XCX's upcoming 'Brat' remix album (46:34). Hosts:...

Nora and Nathan talk about Chappell Roan's last minute decision to drop out of the All Things Go festival, as well as some of the other standout performances from the concert series (1:00). Plus, they discuss Sabrina Carpenter kicking off her Short n' Sweet tour (32:37) and speculate as to where Taylor Swift might be after not being seen out in public for the past few weeks (44:00). Hosts: Nora Pr...

Katy Perry's latest album, '143,' is looking like the late-career comeback that wasn't. Nora and Nathan talk about why this album has failed so badly (1:00), the rote production and lyrics on songs like 'GIMME GIMME' and 'ARTIFICIAL' (20:27), and where Perry goes from here (28:05). Hosts: Nora Princiotti and Nathan Hubbard Producer: Kaya McMullen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoi...

With ‘Teenage Dream,’ Katy Perry became the first artist since Michael Jackson to have an album with five no. 1 singles. Nora and Nathan talk about the massive highs on this album, including “Last Friday Night,” “California Gurls,” and “Firework” (1:00); the massive lows such as “Peacock” and “Hummingbird Heartbeat” (41:04); and where Katy Perry’s career went after the huge success of this record...

Nora and Nathan talk about Taylor Swift endorsing Kamala Harris this week and speculate as to why she chose this timing to do it (1:00). Then they discuss the 2024 VMA's, including the event basically revolving around Swift (27:56) and the performances from Katy Perry, Chappell Roan, and Sabrina Carpenter (37:30). Hosts: Nora Princiotti and Nathan Hubbard Producer: Kaya McMullen Learn more about y...

As a capstone to Pop Girl Summer, Sabrina Carpenter's new album, 'Short n' Sweet,' is here. Nora and Nathan talk about the wit and playfulness that runs throughout this album (1:00); how Carpenter is trying out a variety of sounds on this album, from R&B to yacht rock (26:21); and some of their favorite lyrics off an album with an array to choose from (41:53). Hosts: Nora Princiotti and Nathan Hub...

Nora and Nathan talk about the news and surprises that came out of Taylor Swift's final slate of European shows in London (1:00). Then they turn to Post Malone's first foray into country music: F-1 Trillion. They discuss how the rapper came to the genre (15:29), how seemingly every big name in country has a feature on this album (36:32), and their favorite and least favorite tracks on the record (...

Nora and Nathan cover a range of pop music news from the last few weeks, including Charli XCX's star-studded birthday party (1:00), who made it onto Barack Obama's annual summer playlist (17:16), why Katy Perry got in trouble with Spain because of the music video for her second single "Lifetimes" (23:45), and the Eras Tour shows that got canceled in Vienna (35:11). Hosts: Nora Princiotti and Natha...

After having the two songs of the summer in "Espresso" and "Please Please Please," Sabrina Carpenter is gearing up to release 'Short n' Sweet.' So first, Nora and Nathan go back to her album 'Emails I Can't Send.' They talk about her transition from a "lowercase pop girl" to an "uppercase pop girl" (1:00), her drama with Olivia Rodrigo and Joshua Bassett that led to songs like "Skin" and "Because...

In a spring and summer that has been dominated by female artists, Nora and Nathan talk about some of the male artists that have managed to break through on the charts: Post Malone, Zach Bryan, and Eminem. They discuss Post Malone's forthcoming country album and what it tells us about the evolution of Nashville's music scene (1:00), Zach Bryan's 'The Great American Bar Scene' and his rebellion agai...

Nora and Nathan open up the mailbag to answer a few questions about our year in pop music so far. They make some predictions about who will win the Big Four Grammy Awards (Best New Artist, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Record of the Year) (1:00), discuss Kamala Harris's campaign's adoption of "brat summer" (26:47), and debate whether Taylor Swift will rerelease 'Taylor Swift' and 'Reput...

Nora and Nathan talk about the new Katy Perry single 'Woman's World' within the context of her career (1:00) and why this new song feels so oblivious to the current moment (19:24). Then they discuss Camilla Cabello's new album 'C, XOXO,' which has not one but two Drake features (36:43) and ultimately falls flat (46:57). Hosts: Nora Princiotti and Nathan Hubbard Producer: Kaya McMullen Learn more a...

Nora and Nathan each draft and discuss their 10 favorite songs from all of the pop albums that they've talked about this spring and summer, including 'The Tortured Poets Department,' 'Brat,' 'Cowboy Carter,' 'The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess,' and 'Hit Me Hard and Soft.' Hosts: Nora Princiotti and Nathan Hubbard Producer: Kaya McMullen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices....

Nora and Nathan discuss the second studio album from Gracie Abrams: 'The Secret of Us.' They then talk about Taylor Swift's influence on and close relationship with Abrams, as well as whether that's helping or hurting Abrams's music (1:00). Later, they get into how her songs feel the strongest when her lyrics are plain-spoken (39:37), and how, with this album, it seems like Abrams is still trying...

Nora and Nathan kick off their "brat summer" by talking about Charli XCX's sixth studio album. They talk about how this album differs from her past, more mainstream pop albums (1:00), the inner monologue that is running through many of the songs on this record (31:49), and the narrow palette of sounds she pulled from for these songs (56:46). Hosts: Nora Princiotti and Nathan Hubbard Producer: Kaya...

Nora talks about her experience at the Eras Tour in Edinburgh, Scotland (1:00). Then, Nora and Nathan talk about the meteoric rise of Chappell Roan and her 2023 album 'The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess.' They discuss how her career took off this summer after opening for Olivia Rodrigo and performing on NPR's 'Tiny Desk Concert' (16:05), what happens when an artist with a really passionate fa...

Nora and Nathan cover a grab bag of pop music news, including Sabrina Carpenter's announcement that her next album, 'Short n' Sweet,' is coming in August (1:00), whether or not Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish are feuding over releasing vinyl variants (15:21), and what surprise songs Taylor has been playing at Eras shows recently (38:31). Hosts: Nora Princiotti and Nathan Hubbard Producer: Kaya McMu...

At long last, Nora and Nathan cover Ariana Grande's 'Eternal Sunshine,' her seventh studio album. They talk about how this album seems to be lacking the viral hits that 'Sweetener' and 'Thank U, Next' had (1:00), whether this is a divorce album or if it's actually about Grande's relationship with the press (22:38), and the classic Max Martin production that can be found throughout the record (1:07...

Nora and Nathan talk about the third studio album from Billie Eilish: 'Hit Me Hard and Soft.' They discuss how Eilish is displaying new vocal ranges in songs like 'The Greatest' and 'Birds of a Feather' (17:32), her continued collaboration with her brother Finneas and whether or not she might branch out in the future (45:14), and how many songs on this album are about her discomfort with celebrity...

Nora and Nathan check in on the newly revamped Eras Tour setlist. They talk about the new 'Tortured Poets Department' section of the show, and which songs Taylor Swift chose to include (1:00), which songs she decided to cut in order to make room (36:12), and why she might have decided to change up the show even though tickets have already been sold out (48:39). Hosts: Nora Princiotti and Nathan Hu...

Nora and Nathan are here to review and discuss Dua Lipa’s third album, 'Radical Optimism.' They start by talking about their journey with Dua Lipa (2:13). Then they get into the album, starting with what they think the biggest hit is (18:52). During their breakdown of the album, they talk about the best song, what they are cutting, and much more. They wrap up by discussing the collaborators on thi...

Nora and Nathan give a few final thoughts about 'The Tortured Poets Department,' including what the charts can tell us about how people are listening to this album (1:00), and whether Taylor Swift albums can be properly reviewed anymore (34:25). Then, they talk about Sabrina Carpenter's song 'Espresso,' and how she's poised to be one of our next biggest pop stars (48:08). Hosts: Nora Princiotti an...

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 questions, including one about how they think Taylor will incorporate this album into her tour (59:00). Hosts: Nora Prin...

It's the inaugural meeting of the Tortured Podcasters Department. Nora and Nathan discuss the rollout for this album and how Taylor Swift releasing an entire second album worth of bonus tracks affected it's reception (1:00), whether or not "Fortnight" is going to be the biggest hit off of this album (24:06), how Swift is grappling with her level of fame on a lot of the songs on this record (57:12)...

Less than a week away from the release of 'The Tortured Poets Department,' Nora and Nathan talk through some of the burning questions they have about this album. They talk about the five "stages of grief" playlists Taylor Swift released on Apple Music (1:00), what it means that this is most likely a breakup album about Joe Alwyn (13:18), and how this album might sound given that Jack Antonoff and...