Music Popcast

The global star’s single has become the soundtrack of Pride this year, opening fresh conversations about pop divas and their gay fans. Guest: Vulture's Jason P. Frank

What’s the role of global celebrity in high fashion? Why hasn’t hip-hop penetrated the charts this year? And what’s the snack of the week?

A conversation about how the singer-songwriter was received during her career peak, and how she is remaking her own music in her later years. Guest: Lindsay Zoladz.

Dissecting the recent wave of songs ‘by’ Drake and others, plus your questions about band reunions, a rundown of new songs and more.

You asked, we answered your questions about the weight of following a smash single and the persistence of genre. Guests: Jon Pareles, Joe Coscarelli, Lindsay Zoladz and Caryn Ganz.

Breaking down Ice Spice’s new feature on Swift’s “Karma” remix, the explosion in pop music documentaries and more.

Introducing a new weekly video show from the Popcast team that breaks down the essential pop culture story lines of the moment.

A 12-year-old Miguel song has re-entered the Billboard charts, demonstrating how the app reshapes listening habits. Guest: Billboard's Elias Leight.

A conversation about the British musician’s journey to her lush neo-disco manifesto “That! Feels Good!” Guests: Caryn Ganz and Lindsay Zoladz.

Do current protections account for how music is actually made now? Guest: Ben Sisario.

The elusive vocalist and producer performed his first shows last month. Do they mark the end of an arc, or a new beginning? Guests: Lindsay Zoladz and The New Yorker's Jia Tolentino.

A conversation about the genre's new wave of big-tent ambition, and the whimsical British artist at the heart of it. Guest: Foster Kamer.

Kelsea Ballerini, Carly Pearce and Kacey Musgraves have reacted to breakups — and found freedom — in song. Guest: Marissa R. Moss.

How Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus’s side project has become a major part of their music — and their lore. Guests: Jon Pareles and Pitchfork's Cat Zhang.

The pop superstar is back on tour for the first time since 2018, performing grand stadium shows that spin a narrative from her 10-album catalog. Guest: Joe Coscarelli.

A conversation about the ubiquitous Bronx rapper’s rise, and her boosts from the meme universe. Guest: Rolling Stone's Jeff Ihaza.

As the country star’s new album earns the biggest debut of the year, a conversation about the nature of his fame and the scope of his reprimand for using a racial slur. Guest: The New Yorker's Kelefa Sanneh.

A conversation about the group’s impact and legacy as its music finally arrives on streaming services, just weeks after the death of one of its rappers, Dave Jolicoeur. Guests: Questlove and Joseph Patel.

The hitmaker has been named a creative director at Louis Vuitton, building another bridge between two worlds with decades of history. Guest: Complex's Aria Hughes.

A conversation about the singer and songwriter’s chart-topping “SOS,” and the different approach to star-making that brought her there. Guest: Danyel Smith.

A conversation about the hip-hop eccentric’s experiments, and the benefits (and perils) of collaborating outside an artist’s established genre. Guests: Jayson Buford and The Ringer's Justin Charity.

Does respect from music’s premier awards show still carry weight? Guests: Joe Coscarelli, Jon Pareles and Lindsay Zoladz.

Acts with growing profiles and unique personalities are taking increasingly different paths, as the genre’s globalization opens new doors. Guest: Tamar Herman.

The concert giant has long been the target of consumer complaints and artists’ ire. Recent incidents involving Taylor Swift and Bad Bunny have renewed focus on problems in the live marketplace. Guest: Ben Sisario.

As the genre experiences a creative renaissance, has it become quietly radical to re-embrace the past? Guests: Harmony Holiday and Giovanni Russonello.