Best NYTimes.com Podmaster Podcasts (2021)

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Popcast

1
When a TikTok Influencer Dances, Who Gets Credit? 39:57

6h ago39:57

39:57

Addison Rae’s appearance on Jimmy Fallon’s show sparked conversations about appropriation and how dance has been central to the platform. Guest: Taylor Lorenz.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
The Telling of DMX’s Life Story 58:04

5d ago58:04

58:04

A conversation about the intense potency of the rapper’s music and religious fervor, and what it was like to interview him. Guest: Smokey Fontaine, the co-author of the 2002 book “E.A.R.L.: The Autobiography of DMX.”By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
Taylor, Billie, Demi, Blackpink: The Pop Star Documentary Boom 59:30

14d ago59:30

59:30

A conversation about the influx of films made about (and by) current stars and its implications for the format. Guests: The Observer's Simran Hans; and Caryn Ganz.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
The Grammys, Improbably, Made It Work 1:03:25

1M ago1:03:25

1:03:25

The show navigated a year of crisis, minted a new generation of stars and didn’t fixate on boomers. Guests: Jon Pareles, Joe Coscarelli, Ben Sisario, Lindsay Zoladz and Caryn Ganz.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
TikTok and the Pop Music Rough Draft 50:08

1M ago50:08

50:08

The wildly popular platform has reshaped pop during the coronavirus pandemic, and changed how record labels grapple with unpredictable virality. Guest: Caryn Ganz.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
New Jazz That Agitates for Change 49:55

2M ago49:55

49:55

A conversation about strong recent debuts, and how canon and community can be in tension. Guests: Giovanni Russonello and Marcus J. Moore.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
Remembering Sophie, Architect of Future Pop 53:41

2M ago53:41

53:41

Exploring the legacy of a producer and performer who imagined an approach to music without borders. Guests: Sasha Geffen and Pitchfork's Philip Sherburne.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
The Music Lost to Coronavirus, Part 2 1:06:32

2M ago1:06:32

1:06:32

Remembering Fred the Godson, Adam Schlesinger and Cristina. Guests: Kurt B. Reighley; Complex's Shawn Setaro; and Ben Sisario.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
Olivia Rodrigo and ‘Drivers License’ Aren’t Going Anywhere 1:03:55

3M ago1:03:55

1:03:55

A conversation about the year’s first genuine pop phenomenon, and the long arc of the Disney machine. Guests: Joe Coscarelli; Vulture's Justin Curto; and Larisha Paul.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
Inside the Bull Market for Songwriting Rights 44:54

3M ago44:54

44:54

The emergence of Hipgnosis has helped turn the battle for catalogs into an arms race that shows no signs of slowing down. Guest: Ben Sisario.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
How Zev Love X Became MF Doom 1:17:03

3M ago1:17:03

1:17:03

Conversations about the legacy of the beloved rap figure’s early career, which set the table for the artist he would become. Guests: Stretch Armstrong, Bobbito Garcia and Dante Ross.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
2020 Popcast Listener Mailbag: Taylor, Dua, MGK and More 1:16:59

4M ago1:16:59

1:16:59

Answering your questions about the year’s biggest stars, and also some of its curious flops. Guests: Joe Coscarelli and Caryn Ganz.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
Taylor Swift’s ‘Evermore’: Let’s Discuss 58:22

4M ago58:22

58:22

A second album written and recorded during pandemic lockdown carries the singer and songwriter further from conventional pop. Guests: Joe Coscarelli, Caryn Ganz and Jon Pareles.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
The Best Albums of 2020? Let’s Discuss. 1:09:09

4M ago1:09:09

1:09:09

An absence of live music refocused attention on records, and work by Fiona Apple, Taylor Swift and Run the Jewels spoke loudly.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
Saweetie, City Girls and the Female Rapper Renaissance 54:52

5M ago54:52

54:52

Streaming, social media and the tireless work of trailblazers have helped change the hip-hop landscape.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
Who Will Control Britney Spears’s Future? 53:32

5M ago53:32

53:32

While her father remains the head of her estate for now, the pop star has signaled she’s ready for change. Guests: Joe Coscarelli and Vanessa Grigoriadis.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
Ariana Grande, a Pop Star for the Post-Pop Star Age 1:05:55

5M ago1:05:55

1:05:55

A conversation about her unique route to the top of the charts — and what’s next. Guests: Lindsay Zoladz and Shaad D’Souza.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
The Many Mariah Careys 1:04:39

6M ago1:04:39

1:04:39

A conversation about her memoir, her range of contributions to pop music and her secret alt-rock album. Guests: New York's Allison P. Davis; Joe Coscarelli and Caryn Ganz.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
Luke Combs’s Country Stardom and the Remaking of the Bro 1:00:00

6M ago1:00:00

1:00:00

The Nashville star learned from the genre’s past and carved his own path. Guest: Grady Smith.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
Will Pop Music of the Future Rely on Actual Musicians, or Avatars? 43:19

7M ago43:19

43:19

The pandemic has sped up how digital look-alikes are reshaping stardom. Guest: The Ringer's Alyssa Bereznak.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
Is TikTok a Music Industry Friend or Troll? 51:22

7M ago51:22

51:22

“Old Town Road” showed the app’s potential as a hit generator. But its relationship to the business is far more complex. Guest: Taylor Lorenz.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
Lady Gaga and Katy Perry, Preserving Pop’s Old Guard 48:22

7M ago48:22

48:22

Six albums into major-label careers with “Chromatica” and “Smile,” where do these two stars fit in? Guest host: Caryn Ganz. Guest: Lindsay Zoladz.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
Remembering Riley Gale of Power Trip, a Thrash Titan 56:57

8M ago56:57

56:57

The band’s 34-year-old frontman helped break down barriers between scenes, and was known for singularly wild live shows. Guests: Dan Franklin; James Khubiar; and Andy O’Connor.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
How Merchandise Bundles Undid the Album Chart 53:42

8M ago53:42

53:42

For today’s biggest artists, an album release isn’t just about the music. Guest: Ben Sisario.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
The Music Lost to Coronavirus, Part 1 58:27

8M ago58:27

58:27

Remembering Joe Diffie, Mona Foot and DJ Black N Mild. Guests: Hits' Holly Gleason; Jacob Bernstein; and Elena Bergeron.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
The Welcome Return of the Chicks 55:17

8M ago55:17

55:17

How would Nashville be different if it hadn’t pushed the trio away? A conversation about “Gaslighter” and beyond. Guests: Jewly Hight and Slate's Carl Wilson.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
Answering Your Questions About Taylor Swift’s ‘Folklore’ 1:27:26

9M ago1:27:26

1:27:26

Readers asked about Bon Iver, country music, Jack Antonoff and more. Guests: Northwestern University's Lauren Michele Jackson and Lindsay Zoladz.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
Taylor Swift’s ‘Folklore’: Let’s Discuss 1:04:24

9M ago1:04:24

1:04:24

On an album made entirely in quarantine, the singer and songwriter embarks in a fresh direction. Guests: Jon Pareles, Caryn Ganz and Joe Coscarelli.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
Remembering Ennio Morricone, the Film Score Maestro 53:12

9M ago53:12

53:12

His music was dynamic, bold and idiosyncratic, setting a high bar for composers connecting sound and vision. Guests: Jon Pareles and Joshua Rothkopf.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
The Timely Agitation of Run the Jewels 1:05:20

9M ago1:05:20

1:05:20

Killer Mike and El-P’s anti-government and pro-justice hip-hop feels like it anticipated the current moment. Guest: Pitchfork's Sheldon Pearce.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
Pop Superfans Are Getting Politically Active. What Happens Next? 55:44

10M ago55:44

55:44

A subset of passionate listeners are asking for more of their heroes than simply music. Guest: Denisha Kuhlor.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
Lil Baby Is Warming Up to the Spotlight 42:35

10M ago42:35

42:35

His protest song “The Bigger Picture” marks a high point in his evolution from reluctant up-and-comer to one of hip-hop’s reliable superstars. Guest: Joe Coscarelli.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
The Long, Complicated History of ‘Urban’ Music 58:26

10M ago58:26

58:26

As the music industry reckons with racial inequality, one of the first old structures to fall has been a term that dates back to the 1970s. Guest: Nelson George.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
How Did The Source Cover the 1992 Los Angeles Uprisings? 47:57

10M ago47:57

47:57

Two former editors look back at the magazine’s on-the-ground reporting following the Rodney King verdict. Guests: James Bernard and Reginald Dennis.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
After Missteps, Pop Stars Apologize … and Sometimes Push Back 1:14:04

11M ago1:14:04

1:14:04

Lana Del Rey, Doja Cat and how some in the limelight bristle at social media condemnation. Guest: The Ringer's Justin Charity.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
The Many Lives of Doja Cat 46:15

11M ago46:15

46:15

The pop star took an extremely nonlinear path to No. 1, and continues to push the boundaries of online behavior. Guest: Lakin Starling.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
Remembering Tony Allen and Florian Schneider, Two Pillars of Rhythm 1:01:04

11M ago1:01:04

1:01:04

Thousands of miles apart, and with radically different tools, both musicians were innovating. Guests: The New York Times's Jon Pareles; and Joseph Patel.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
The Triumphant Return of Fiona Apple, Pop Music Renegade 53:15

12M ago53:15

53:15

A conversation about everything “Fetch the Bolt Cutters” and beyond. Guests: Jenn Pelly and Lindsay Zoladz.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
Beyond ‘Trolls’ and ‘Frozen’: What Are Our Kids Listening To? 1:00:50

12M ago1:00:50

1:00:50

Children’s films lean heavily on pop, but the elementary school set has access to a whole universe of music now. Guests: The New York Times's Gilbert Cruz, Jeremy Egner, Dave Itzkoff and Dave Renard.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
Dua Lipa, Dance-Pop Crusader 47:56

1y ago47:56

47:56

The English pop star has given fans an upbeat album at a very dark time. Guest: Caryn Ganz.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
Sam Hunt and Kenny Rogers, Country Music Rule-Benders 56:40

1y ago56:40

56:40

Both artists pulled Nashville in fresh directions, and gave the genre growing pains. Guests: Bill Friskics-Warren and Natalie Weiner.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
What Is the Role of Criticism in a Crisis? 57:06

1y ago57:06

57:06

The coronavirus pandemic has upended the world, and the arts are reeling. Pop music critics are asking (and facing) hard questions. Guests: The Ringer's Rob Harvilla, New York's Craig Jenkins and Lindsay Zoladz.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
What Music Should I Listen to in a Crisis? 1:05:03

1y ago1:05:03

1:05:03

Pop critics from around the country recommend pick-me-ups: Pharrell, the Pointer Sisters, Helado Negro and more.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
How Will Pop Music Respond to the Coronavirus? 59:30

1y ago59:30

59:30

The ways the pandemic has already reshaped the year, and what might happen in pop next. Guests: The New York Times's Ben Sisario and Jon Pareles.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
The Unrelenting Space Jams of Tame Impala 43:17

1y ago43:17

43:17

How has Kevin Parker built and sustained his successful psych-rock project — and where will he head next? Guests: The New York Times's Jon Pareles and Pitchfork's Jillian Mapes.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
The Death of Pop Smoke and the Future of Brooklyn Drill 58:54

1y ago58:54

58:54

The 20-year-old rapper was poised to carry the scene’s sound to the world. Guest: Pitchfork's Alphonse Pierre.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
Justin Bieber Is Back With Confessions, Personal and Musical 1:01:04

1y ago1:01:04

1:01:04

One of pop’s biggest stars returns with an album that has unexpected kinship with new music from Harry Styles and Selena Gomez. Guest: Lindsay Zoladz.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
Answering Your Questions About Britney, Billie, Aaliyah and More 1:08:41

1y ago1:08:41

1:08:41

The Popcast opens its mailbag in the second of two episodes devoted to our listeners. Guests: The New York Times’s Joe Coscarelli, Caryn Ganz and Jon Pareles.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
Answering Your Questions About Taylor, Mitski, Emo and More 1:03:56

1y ago1:03:56

1:03:56

The Popcast opens its mailbag in the first of two episodes devoted to our listeners. Guests: The New York Times's Joe Coscarelli and Caryn Ganz.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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Popcast

1
When Did the Super Bowl Halftime Show Become Political? 57:06

1y ago57:06

57:06

A conversation about how its meaning has evolved over the last two decades. Guests: The New York Times's Elena Bergeron and The Undefeated's Soraya Nadia McDonald.By NYTimes.com Podmaster

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