When They Popped - A Y2K Pop Culture Podcast

Send Mary and Kelsey a Message! In this episode, Mary and Kelsey host a very special guest, Jade Driver, co-founder of digital agency, Crowd Surf. Jade discusses how she turned her passion for boy bands and music into a successful career, and what it’s like to now work alongside her childhood heroes. She shares the trials, tribulations, and big wins of founding her own agency before her frontal lo...

Send Mary and Kelsey a Message! This week, Kelsey is joined by her dear friend and fellow pop culture aficionado, Tucker, to talk about one of the biggest scandals of the early 2000s: Brangelina. In a detailed discussion, they review the timeline of the public speculation and inevitable breakdown of Brad Pitt and Jen Aniston’s marriage, *that* scathing Vanity Fair profile feature on Jen, Angie’s V...

Send Mary and Kelsey a Message! Mary and Kelsey share their final thoughts on the Backstreet Boys 30th anniversary celebration. Plus, get their thoughts on BSB superlatives and things to know if you’re planning to join the next Backstreet’s Back at the Beach celebration! Support the show Instagram: @whentheypoppedpod TikTok: @whentheypoppedpod Email: whentheypoppedy2k@gmail.com Website: linktree.c...

Send Mary and Kelsey a Message! Live and *unedited* from Cancun, Mary and Kelsey share a recap of nights 3 and 4 Backstreet’s Back At The Beach, the Backstreet Boys’ 30th anniversary celebration.  Support the show Instagram: @whentheypoppedpod TikTok: @whentheypoppedpod Email: whentheypoppedy2k@gmail.com Website: linktree.com/whentheypopped Subscribe to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=...

Send Mary and Kelsey a Message! Live and *unedited* from Cancun, Mary and Kelsey share a recap of nights 1 and 2 Backstreet’s Back At The Beach, the Backstreet Boys’ 30th anniversary celebration. Follow us on IG at @whentheypoppedpod for live updates!!  Support the show Instagram: @whentheypoppedpod TikTok: @whentheypoppedpod Email: whentheypoppedy2k@gmail.com Website: linktree.com/whentheypopped...

Send Mary and Kelsey a Message! This week, Kelsey and Mary put on their critic hats and compile their top songs from 1999. This episode is loaded with contemporary favorites from Shania Twain, Cher, TLC, and enduring hits that will bring you right back to butterfly clips, like Kiss Me, Boom Boom Boom Boom, Mambo No. 5, Summer Girls, C’est La Vie, and more. As always, you can expect to learn how th...

Send Mary and Kelsey a Message! In this episode, Mary and Kelsey discuss when P!nk’s popped and her best-selling 2001 album, Missundaztood. They discuss top-charting hits Get The Party Started, Just Like A Pill, Don’t Let Me Get Me, and more of the bops, like Lady Marmalade, that made Pink the colossal pop star she is today.  Support the show Instagram: @whentheypoppedpod TikTok: @whentheypoppedpo...

Send Mary and Kelsey a Message! Mary and Kelsey are thrilled to welcome the hilarious and charming Kelly Clinger, former backup singer for Britney Spears and all-around gem of a human, back to the pod to answer your questions! Plus, Kelly, who grew up alongside *NSYNC and was there from the very beginning, tells us what it was like to hear their newest song on Justin Timberlake’s latest album, and...

Send Mary and Kelsey a Message!  In this week’s episode, Mary and Kelsey throw it back to the magical year of 2004 to discuss top hits from Lil Jon, Usher, JoJo, J-Kwon, Baby Bash, Linkin’ Park, and more. They also debate age-old questions that sprung from this era, like what did Kelis’ Milkshake really mean, how does one shake it like a saltshaker as the Ying Yang Twins intended, and if Chingy’s...

Send Mary and Kelsey a Message! In the second and final part of their Katy Perry deep dive, Mary and Kelsey explore Katy’s chart-topping singles from Teenage Dream: Complete Confection, Prism, Witness, and Smile. The gals also discuss Katy’s record-breaking Super Bowl Halftime Show that delivered us the Left Shark phenomenon (plus an update on where Left Shark is now!), her Vegas residency, and wh...

Send Mary and Kelsey a Message! Katy Perry’s first album came out in 2001, so Mary and Kelsey are considering her a y2k pop queen and thus deserving of her very own deep dive! In part I of those two-part episode, Mary and Kelsey discuss Katy’s transition from Christian rock to topping the pop charts with her first album, One Of The Boys, and Teenage Dream and a track by track analysis of when Katy...

Send Mary and Kelsey a Message! 25 years ago, tweens across Sweden - and soon after, the world - were introduced to the timeless musical stylings of ABBA thanks to a new group of young teens called ABBA Teens. Quickly after their first single, the group changed their name to A*Teens, and branched out from ABBA covers to create their own original music. In this episode Mary and Kelsey discuss A*Tee...

Send Mary and Kelsey a Message! We’re addic- we’re addicted to 2000s pop punk. It’s that simple. In this episode Mary and Kelsey revisit the discography of their biggest inspiration for emo AIM away messages: Simple Plan. They discuss their origin story, when they popped, and their biggest hits including I’m Just A Kid, I’d Do Anything, Perfect, Welcome To My Life, and more, plus an update on wher...

Send Mary and Kelsey a Message! In honor of Valentine’s week, Mary and Kelsey are celebrating the season of love with an episode dedicated to the undisputed rom com queen of y2k: Cameron Diaz. The gals take a look back at their favorite Cameron movies including My Best Friend’s Wedding, There’s Something About Mary, and The Sweetest Thing. They discuss when Cameron popped and where she is now!  Su...

Send Mary and Kelsey a Message! “I like your pants. I like your shirt. I like your face.” And we LOVE Alex M., the breakout star of Laguna Beach’s second season. Alex Murrel joins When They Popped to share her experiences and stories as a reality television pioneer and her favorite and not-so-favorite moments from the show. Alex also shares more about her post-Laguna life as a recording artist, an...

Send Mary and Kelsey a Message! To celebrate the 2024 Grammy Awards Kelsey and Mary are rewinding back 20 years to the 2004 awards ceremony. It was a breakthrough year for many artists who are now household names, like 50 Cent, Ludacris, Sean Paul, Beyoncé (solo), Avril Lavigne, and Evanescence. We also saw some familiar faves honored with nominations, like Missy Elliott, Eminem, Christina Aguiler...

Send Mary and Kelsey a Message! In 2004, Perez Hilton founded his eponymous site, changing the celebrity gossip game forever. At its peak, PerezHilton.com is reported to have had 7 million visitors a day. In this episode, Mary and Kelsey look back at 20 years of “The Queen of All Media,” his biting commentary and signature (usually inappropriate) doodles, and the toxic tabloid culture of y2k. They...

Send Mary and Kelsey a Message! Mary and Kelsey continue their deep dive on Max Martin, this time focusing on Max’s collaborations with two of today’s hottest songstresses: Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande. This episode offers a detailed song-by-song look at Max’s work with these titans of pop, including Taylor’s Red, 1989, and Reputation albums, and Ariana’s My Everything, Dangerous Woman, and Swee...

Send Mary and Kelsey a Message! Kelsey and Mary do a deep dive on their favorite subject, Max Martin. Max is the king of pop production, songwriting, and composition. He’s the brains behind hits like Baby One More Time, I Want It That Way, and Bye Bye Bye. What you may not know is that luckily for us, Max didn’t leave his hard-hitting beats in y2k. He has kept the hits rolling with stars like Celi...

Send Mary and Kelsey a Message! You may know Devon Daniels for her witty romantic comedy books Meet You In The Middle, which was named one the Best Books of 2021 by USA Today, and The Rom Con. But you may not know she was also *heavily* featured in the I Want It That Way music video as one of the screaming fans at the iconic LAX plane hangar. Devon received more screen time than most thus becoming...

Send Mary and Kelsey a Message! Mary and Kelsey kick off 2024 and Season 2 of When They Popped with a retrospective look at the biggest chart toppers of 2005. This episode will bring you right back to your Juicy Couture jumpsuit and tall Ugg days with songs from Gwen Stefani, Kelly Clarkson, The Pussycat Dolls, Mariah Carey, Mario, Ciara, Green Day, and more.  If your love for the pod is b-a-n-a-n...

Send Mary and Kelsey a Message! Grab your hot cocoa and weighted blanket because Mary and Kelsey are sharing their favorite holiday movies that’ll have you firing up Netflix to rewatch these Yuletide hits - Home Alone, Just Friends, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, and Love Actually! As always the gals also spill some juicy behind-the-scenes details from the making of these iconic holiday staples. ...

Send Mary and Kelsey a Message! Sip your hot cocoa and light your balsam fir candle as Mary and Kelsey take you through the Yuletide bops of y2k. They discuss their favorite hits from the 90s and 2000s from Mariah Carey, NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, Britney, Jessica Simpson and more, plus some behind-the-scenes facts of these annual faves.  All We Want for Christmas Is You… to give us 5 stars if you lo...

Send Mary and Kelsey a Message! This week Mary and Kelsey discuss the lyrical genius of songwriter to all of our y2k favs, Kara DioGuardi, and her memoir, A Helluva High Note: Surviving Life, Love and American Idol. You may know Kara as the initially ill-received fourth American Idol judge, but did you also know she wrote Pieces Of Me, Ashlee Simpson’s debut single, or Enrique Iglesias’ Escape? Sh...

Send Mary and Kelsey a Message!  ‘Tis the season of giving thanks, so Mary and Kelsey are listing off the top y2k moments, trends, and other random things you have probably buried deep into your memory, that they are grateful for. From Jessica Simpson’s duet with Jewel, to Fergie’s high-energy Today Show appearance to Sidekicks and bras with clear straps, this episode will bring you right back to...