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Popcast

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The New York Times

The Popcast is hosted by Jon Caramanica, a pop music critic for The New York Times. It covers the latest in popular music criticism, trends and news.

#363

Drake Hits the Nightclub

How did the rapper arrive on the dance floor? And what subcultures and expectations might he experiment with next? Guests: Joe Coscarelli and The Baltimore Banner's Lawrence Burney. ... Read more

22 Jun 2022

1 HR 02 MINS

1:02:44

22 Jun 2022

#362

Digging Into Bob Dylan and Lou Reed’s Archives

Attempting to uncover unknown things about very well known people. Guest: Ben Sisario. ... Read more

15 Jun 2022

43 MINS

43:36

15 Jun 2022

#361

Mailbag Madness: Adele, Jack Harlow, the State of Rock’s Return

The team answers your questions about Chance the Rapper, how the critics consider extramusical concerns and more. Guests: Joe Coscarelli, Caryn Ganz and Jon Pareles. ... Read more

08 Jun 2022

1 HR 08 MINS

1:08:29

08 Jun 2022

#360

Can Harry Styles’s Music Catch Up to His Fame?

How his time in One Direction and a powerful online fan base have shaped the pop star’s career. Guests: The Atlantic's Kaitlyn Tiffany, and Lindsay Zoladz. ... Read more

01 Jun 2022

57 MINS

57:46

01 Jun 2022

#359

Kendrick Lamar’s Anxiety Era

During his five-year pause between albums, the rapper has been reckoning — with his own evolution, and the narrative that’s been constructed for him. Guests: Rolling Stone's Jeff Ihaza; New York magazine and Vulture's Craig Jenkins; and The Nation's Stephen Kearse. ... Read more

24 May 2022

58 MINS

58:51

24 May 2022

#358

How Gossip Is Remaking Online Hip-Hop Media

Actual music can seem like an afterthought as digital coverage of the genre has tilted toward tabloidism. Are there other paths forward? Guests: HipHopDX's Jerry Barrow; Complex's Andre Gee; and Genius's Rob Markman. ... Read more

18 May 2022

1 HR 00 MINS

1:00:23

18 May 2022

#357

Why We Collect

A conversation about the urge to accumulate treasured items and the stories objects can hold. Guest: The New Yorker's Hua Hsu. ... Read more

11 May 2022

56 MINS

56:26

11 May 2022

#356

A Decade of Drill Rap

Pop Smoke, Lil Durk, Fivio Foreign and more have taken the sound that emerged in Chicago in different directions. What might come next? Guests: Joe Coscarelli and David Drake. ... Read more

08 May 2022

1 HR 08 MINS

1:08:14

08 May 2022

#355

Machine Gun Kelly’s Pop-Punk Pivot

After decreasing returns in the hip-hop world, the musician and actor stepped into a revival that had roots in SoundCloud rap, and a champion in Travis Barker. Guests: Meaghan Garvey and Arielle Gordon. ... Read more

27 Apr 2022

46 MINS

46:38

27 Apr 2022

#354

Will Smith, Before the Slap

Plenty has been said about Oscars night. But what about the rapper-turned-actor’s remarkable journey up to that point? Guest: Andscape's Soraya Nadia McDonald. ... Read more

21 Apr 2022

47 MINS

47:22

21 Apr 2022

#353

The 2022 Grammys: Let’s Discuss

What are the awards at this point, and who benefits from them? Guests: Jon Pareles, Wesley Morris and Lindsay Zoladz. ... Read more

05 Apr 2022

59 MINS

59:41

05 Apr 2022

#352

Charli XCX’s Ever-Evolving Pop

The singer and songwriter’s career has inspired dance parties as well as spirited conversations about her ambitions and aesthetic innovations. Guests: Hazel Cills and Shaad D’Souza. ... Read more

30 Mar 2022

46 MINS

46:00

30 Mar 2022

#351

The Many Worlds of Rosalía

The Spanish phenom’s music takes in a host of global influences, making her one of the most sonically ambitious and critically dissected pop artists today. Guest: Joe Coscarelli. ... Read more

23 Mar 2022

53 MINS

53:17

23 Mar 2022

#350

The Sounds of Ukrainian Pop

A conversation about some of the country’s stars, the musical traditions they work within and how they have grappled with the war. Guest: Vogue's Liana Satenstein. ... Read more

15 Mar 2022

40 MINS

40:00

15 Mar 2022

#349

Reggaeton’s Global Expansion and Wide-Open Future

As the genre grows in worldwide popularity, it is engaging with the pop music mainstream and stratifying into subsets, introducing new opportunities and dilemmas. Guests: Isabelia Herrera and Katelina Eccleston. ... Read more

08 Mar 2022

53 MINS

53:39

08 Mar 2022

#348

The Enigma of Big Thief

A conversation about the space the breakout Brooklyn band occupies in contemporary indie-rock circles, and its latest album. Guests: Rolling Stone's Jon Dolan and Pitchfork's Sam Sodomsky. ... Read more

02 Mar 2022

52 MINS

52:13

02 Mar 2022

#347

Remembering Betty Davis, a Futuristic Funk Force

A conversation about her unique music, her short career and the path that led to her rediscovery. Guests: Jon Pareles, Maureen Mahon and Oliver Wang. ... Read more

23 Feb 2022

49 MINS

49:01

23 Feb 2022

#346

Mitski, In and Out of the Spotlight

The indie-rock musician’s albums inspire deep feelings and attract ever-bigger audiences, but in many ways she remains a mystery. Guests: New York's E. Alex Jung and Pitchfork's Cat Zhang. ... Read more

16 Feb 2022

49 MINS

49:50

16 Feb 2022

#345

Spotify’s Ongoing Joe Rogan Problem

The controversy over the star podcaster and misinformation raised thorny questions about the streaming service’s role as a platform, and exacerbated its conflicts with musicians. Guests: Ben Sisario and New York's Nick Quah. ... Read more

09 Feb 2022

57 MINS

57:23

09 Feb 2022

#344

Remembering Greg Tate, Critic and Catalyst

Conversations with two of his contemporaries about the fertile scenes he covered, and the indelible impression he left. Guests: Michael A. Gonzales and Joan Morgan. ... Read more

01 Feb 2022

1 HR 00 MINS

1:00:33

01 Feb 2022

#343

A Killing Jolts Sweden’s Rap Scene

A conversation about hip-hop’s evolution in the country, and how a high-profile shooting thrust the music into the spotlight. Guests: Joe Coscarelli, Petter Hallen and Alex Marshall. ... Read more

26 Jan 2022

54 MINS

54:39

26 Jan 2022

#342

What’s Left for the Weeknd to Conquer?

“Dawn FM” suggests at least one future direction for the pop powerhouse, who’s spent a decade making careful moves. Guest: The Ringer's Rob Harvilla. ... Read more

18 Jan 2022

45 MINS

45:49